2019-05-25: Roadtrip Day1! The North Carolina County Challenge: Finding Bigfoot, an Alien, a Miniature Village and More!

Welcome back roadtrippers, Geocachers, travelers, history buffs, Jeepers, friends and family to another entry in my AwayWeGo's Geocaching Adventures blog. It's a 3-day holiday weekend which will allow me more time to venture farther into western North Carolina. Today's geocaching roadtrip adventure is Day 1 of an attempt to find at least one geocache in the remaining 47 of NC's 100 counties.

       

Here's the map of the targeted geocaches for the weekend. We've got a lot of miles ahead of us, history to see, and roadside attractions to discover. So hop on board the GeoJeep and let's go for a drive...

So I get an early sunrise start from Blounts Bay and make my way over to NC-33 westbound. On the way to my first geocache I spot a "roadside attraction" that was waving me down for a photo opp. I just had to get a picture of the GeoJeep with a Yogi Bear statue at the mini-storage lot.

Arriving in Greenville, almost to my first geocache, I pass by another "roadside attraction." This cool metal yard-art sculpture of a sailing ship at the Villa Verde restaurant was also asking for a photo opp. There were a few other pieces of metal sculpture of animals out front, but this sailboat was the best.

My first two geocaches were challenge caches. Those are usually fairly simple to find caches that require achieving certain goals in order to claim a find. In the city of Greenville in Pitt County, was the 1,000 Finds Challenge (GC40YX9), which I qualified for long ago. After that in the town of Tarboro in Edgecombe County was the 366 Day Calendar Challenge (GC53AT0), which I also qualified for several years ago.

Driving over into historic Rocky Mount located in Nash County, Europeans began settling the area along the Tar River in the early 1700's. The Falls of the Tar River Primitive Baptist Church was established in 1757. With the establishment of the post office in 1816 (GCA855), the name of Rocky Mount became official.

Rocky Mount Mills (GC7D3B), the second oldest cotton mill in North Carolina, was built in 1818 on a 20-acre tract of land at the falls of the Tar River. The mills were operated initially by Joel Battle and two partners, but by 1825 Battle was the sole proprietor. When Joel Battle died in 1829, his son William took over the operation of the mills. Built from local granite, the facility was three stories plus a basement; within the building, the Battles operated both cotton and grist mills.

A large industrial complex, Rocky Mount Mills was raided by Brigadier General Edward E. Potter’s Union cavalry on July 20, 1863. The mills, outbuildings, cotton, and yarn were destroyed by fire. William Battle rebuilt Rocky Mount Mills on the original foundation between 1866 and 1867. The new brick building, four stories with a basement, burned in 1869. Battle again rebuilt the mills. During the height of its nineteenth century production, the cotton mills, with about 50 employees, could process about 700 pounds of raw cotton per day.

In 1883 financial difficulties led William Battle to relinquish control of the mill. Thomas A. Battle, great-grandson of Joel Battle, was secretary to the mill’s new board of trustees. He eventually became president and the mills thrived under his leadership. Battle constructed additional buildings in 1889 and 1894. When Rocky Mount Mills closed in 1996, it was believed to be the oldest operating cotton mill in the South. It now comprises a local historic district and has been redeveloped into residential, retail, dining, and office space.

Also on the 20 acres next to the mills is the Battle House (GC78k8M). Constructed in 1835 by Benjamin D. Battle, a son of Joel Battle. In 1863, when the Federal cavalry burned the mill, the officer in charge spared the home because he and the superintendent of the mill were both Masons.

A village of small homes were built around the mills for those families working in the mills. In 1918 this village community house was constructed. It is now a gastropub.

Heading north up into Halifax County, I stop for a quick roadside geocache and get a good laugh also. The "Little Green Men" cache (GC4J08N) turned a simple cache find into a little bit of fun.

Driving the rural backroads around the country, I often stumble upon unexpected pieces of history. Passing through the community of Centerville, NC in Franklin County, I saw this old church building and had to stop. Centerville was established in 1882. This abandoned building was once the Serepta (sometimes spelled Sarepta) Methodist Church. In my research, I couldn't find any history on the church. However the nearby church graveyard has 33 interments which date back to 1879, a 35-year old Confederate Col John Preston Leonard. The towns charter was officially dissolved in 2017 due to lack of growth and population of less than 100. If you know anything more about this church, please send me a message.

Moving right along picking up some more quick roadside geocaches in the new counties of Franklin County (GC1QA2W) and Vance County (GC1KBYM). Then over in Granville County right off I-85 was a Travel Bug Hotel cache (GC1C8A2). It gave parking coordinates at the gas station next door, then a short hike over to trailhead, and then to cache. I arrived at the gas station to see a sign that said "Customer Parking Only." So I drive over to the trailhead. Didn't see any signs that said hiking or Jeeping. Looked like a GeoJeep trail to me. I was able to drive right up to within 50 feet of the cache.

On the way to my next county cache and again driving the backroads, I pass by this old house. With the modern appliance and power lines, does somebody live here or is it abandoned? Too bad I can't go exploring.

Speaking of exploring abandoned places... that brings me to my next geocache. Over in Person County is the Castle Mont Rouge (GC6H90P). An abandoned castle located 3/4 of a mile from this cache at the end of Mountain Brook Road. This Castle was designed and built in 2005 by American Architect Robert Mihaley. Abandoned in 2008, rumored because of the death of his wife. Some time after 2009 it was significantly vandalized in and out which allowed the elements to work on the interior structure. Because of the vandals, now there's a gate, fence, and no trespassing signs. So now you can't even drive up to see the castle.

Just a few miles away across the line into Durham County, is my next stop at the Blalock-Chambers Families Cemetery (GC6K69Y). This cemetery dates back to Justin Ruffin Blalock in June 1860. There are nearly 200 interments here in total. And they are "Never Alone."

Another few miles away in Orange County was another quick roadside cache (GC6K6BA). Staying on Hwy 57 south towards my next geocache, I encountered another of those surprise roadside attractions. Two life-sized horse sculptures, one made of scrap metal and the other of wood.

Making my way into Chapel Hill, I stopped at Battle Park to go hiking in the woods for the North Carolina Challenge Cache (GC19YRC). While I haven't yet completed all 100 counties yet, I can still sign the log as a "Write Note" for when I do find a geocache in each county. Hopefully by the end of this 3-day weekend.

I'm driving around trying to find a close parking spot to the cache but it's all residential with no public access to the park. So I turn around back to the west end where I remember passing by a few parking spots along the road at the edge of the park. But now instead of a 200 feet hike, it's closer to a quarter mile hike. I grab the hiking stick, more for poking in the ground and leaves listening to that "thump" sound of hitting the cache container, and a bottle of water and begin my journey.

On the plus side of parking where I did, my hike starts me off into this outdoor theater. The Forest Theater at UNC staged its first drama in 1916 to celebrate the 300th anniversary of William Shakespeare's death. William C. Coker, botany professor and founder of the Coker Arboretum, chose this particular location. A few years later, Professor Frederick Koch, founder of the Carolina Playmakers, developed the location into a permanent theater. Forest Theatre was rebuilt with Work Projects Administration funds in 1940 and was further improved in 1948. After taking a few photos, I headed for the woods.

It was a nice little jaunt hiking the Battle Branch Trail through the green forest. Once inside, it's hard to believe you're in the middle of town with houses and office buildings all around you. Even had a raccoon quickly scurrying along about 100 feet away. Tried to get a pic but it was too fast moving through the brush, trees along a creek. All I got were blurred photos with the phone. The one time I leave the Nikon in the GeoJeep.

I get to the geocache location and begin my search. I find the perfect hiding spot in this hollowed out fallen tree but no container. I expand my search looking all over but after 30 minutes there's nothing to be found. I even search further down the hill just in case it got removed by a critter and washed downhill. Nope no luck. The previous searcher just a week prior couldn't find it either. Well instead of a "Write Note," I'm gonna have to leave a DNF. Looks like I'm gonna have to make another trip back here.

On the way to my next geocache, I passed through the town of Cedar Grove, NC. In the mid-1700's, Scotch Irish, Germans, and English settlers migrated from the coastal regions to this back country area. The Cedar Grove Male Academy opened in 1845. By 1850 the towns businesses included a tanner, a coachmaker, a physician, a store and post office.

The Presbyterian Church erected in 1834 and renovated in 1901. Also built in 1834 was the Methodist Church. In 1939, a new Cedar Grove United Methodist Church was constructed and is the largest of the rural churches in Orange County built before World War II. After the Civil War, freed blacks began establishing their own communities and churches. In 1918, Lee's Chapel Baptist Church appeared at the outskirts of Cedar Grove, becoming the focal point of a small settlement of black farmers. 

The first of the photos I took was of the C.H. Pender Grocery Store. This two-story weatherboard building dates back to the 1880's. The one-story addition on the left side once housed a post office. It was moved across the road to its present location in 1900. Like the exterior, the inside still has its wooden shelving and glass display cases arranged along the side walls. The Allison Family first built the store back in the 1880's. The Oliver Family acquired the store in October 1907. Irene Oliver married C.H. Pender and they acquired the store in the 1960's.

Below is the Ellis Store built in 1923. This quarter-acre lot was first owned by Thomas C. Ellis who operated a store from 1871 until his death in 1892. In 1902 the lot and store were advertised for sale. At some point the store was acquired by W.J. Hughes from whom Thomas's son, Allen A. Ellis, purchased it in 1921. It was Allen Ellis that had this new building erected in 1923 and operated as a general store and post office. Allen Ellis retired in 1943 and his son Tom Ellis took over the business until he died in 1982. His widow Lucille eventually sold the property in 1995.

Heading north up into the town of McDade, I stopped for photos of this old abandoned gas station. This type of gas station and general store was built in the 1920's, a more modern and convenience version as the automobile became the mode of transportation replacing the horse and buggy. The front overhang protected the gas pumps. This store replaced an older 1880's store which was once across the street. Charles Samuel McDade owned and operated this store by 1940.

Moving along and driving north into Caswell County, I arrive at a virtual geocache called Rock City (GC9EF3). This miniature city, Shangri-La, began construction in 1968 by a retired tobacco farmer. For nine years this farmer built the tiny village out of rock removed from his farm land, concrete, and thousands of arrowheads. Among the miniature houses, the village includes a hotel, a mill, water tower, theater, a church, and more. There were 27 buildings in all. At the time of his death in 1977, he was working on adding a hospital to his village.

Moving right along, I stopped at a Bojangles in Yanceyville to grab a bite to each. While there I noticed a geocache in the parking lot (GC35H5Z) and of course I had to find it while I was there.

Going into Rockingham County, my next geocache was one of my favorites. A historical church with a graveyard. Wentworth Methodist Church (GC5NPD2) was organized in 1836, and the present sanctuary was constructed in 1859. It contains a slave gallery and is the last antebellum Methodist church building in Rockingham County. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.

Slaves and free blacks are buried in the cemetery behind the church, as well as members of the predominantly white congregation. Other officers and soldiers are interred here. Lt. E. Wheeler Hancock, who served in the Mexican War, became colonel of the 77th Regiment, North Carolina Senior Reserves, during the Civil War. Surgeon John R. Raine served in the 45th North Carolina Infantry. Lt. John P. Ellington, 72nd Regiment, North Carolina Junior Reserves, drowned near Fort Fisher. Capt. Berry J. Law, a native of England, served in the 69th Regiment, North Carolina Home Guard.

These obelisks mark the graves of George D. Boyd and three of his sons who died in Confederate service.  Capt John H. Boyd, Co I, 21st NC Infantry, died in Richmond, VA in 1861. Lt George F. Boyd, Co E, 45th NC Infantry, was killed in 1863 at the Battle of Gettysburg. Capt Samuel H Boyd, also of Co E, later was promoted to Colonel and was killed at the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, VA in 1864. A fourth brother, Lt Col Andrew J Boyd of the 45th NC Infantry and later of the 22nd Battalion NC Home Guard, survived the war and settled in Reidsville, where he died and is buried.

Passing through the corner of Stokes County, I grab a quick parking lot LPC (GC61GYQ) at a Dollar General to claim that county. It's 8PM now and I've been going on fourteen hours. I decided to drive down into Forsyth County to find a hotel closer to my next cache in the morning. Along the way, another "roadside attraction" at a giant Bigfoot statue. Gotta get a selfie with this one. Can you see a resemblance? 

Well that's it for day #1 of my long weekend roadtrip. If I keep stopping for all these unexpected roadside attractions, I may not make all my planned county goals. But then that's a part of the journey and makes for a better backroads experience. Time to get some sleep. See you bright and early again tomorrow.

2019-03-03: A Packed Geocaching Road Trip from Texas to Minnesota and Back! Busy Day #2 in OK, KS, and MO.

"OK campers, rise and shine, and don't forget your booties because it's COOOLD out there!" (a little Groundhog Day humor there) Are you ready for day two of our road trip? The temperature is a whopping 1 DEGREE outside this morning with fresh snow on the ground! CLFM and I were up and out at sunrise ready hit the road. Well he more than I since I'm still dealing with a pinched nerve in my lower back and not much sleep because of it.

In case you missed Day One of our roadtrip, you can catch up here. We begin today still in Oklahoma. In the town of Perry to be exact. First geocache on the agenda is another one of those puzzle caches that I'm clueless about. But CLFM solved it and we make the find for "Wrestling Park" (GC73VWX). I think we were the first ones downtown this early Sunday morning and I felt kinda bad putting the first set of tire tracks through the fresh snow cover.

Now back to I-35 northbound only to exit back off a few miles up the road for a virtual cache drive-by. "Keep a Truckin" (GC4B0F) is a very unique roadside attraction and billboard for a trucking supply company. What I didn't realize until now was that I had seen this truck several times before passing through while I was a trucker myself from 2007-2010. I started geocaching back in 2006 and don't know why I never logged this virtual geocache as a find before.

Well we finally made it to Kansas! And after a stop at Walgreens to pickup some Aleve, my back is starting to feel a little better. Not much, but a little bit.

First on the list in Kansas is another quick drive-by virtual geocache at the Mulvane Historical Museum (GC66E3). We found the caboose with the required answer (which I have blocked out), snap a photo, and on to the next one.

Now one of the great things about geocaching and driving the back roads is that you never know what you might run across. This next one was NOT on our planned to-do list. We were driving down this back country road outside of Derby, Kansas on the way to grab another virtual. I spotted this metal sculpture, yard art of a bull mounted on 4-wheels, sitting atop a fence. It gave us a chuckle and I just had to make a u-turn for a photo. And wouldn't you know there was also a geocache there too (GC2RQM2). Sorry for the bad photo. This was taken through the window while CLFM was getting the cache.

So that virtual geocache we were headed to turned out to be some more yard art metal sculptures. "Jurassic Art" (GCB0CA) was probably the largest collection and best displayed yard art I've seen. Not pictured was a life size knight in shining armor with sword drawn fighting an even bigger winged dragon. But my favorite was the parade of ghost riders on Harley's!

Our next stop getting closer to Wichita, Kansas was an Earthcache at the Butler Artesian Well, a natural spring water well (GC1RY3Z). Although with the single digit temperatures and all the snow on the ground, there wasn't much to see.

Next up is a string of virtual geocaches in and around Wichita. "Hold the Anchovies" (GC85C9) is the beginning of one of the largest pizza chains in the country. This little brick building on the campus of Wichita State University is the very first Pizza Hut location.

And then there was this unique statue (GC7B63). There's no plaque or historical marker placed there to tell the story. But it goes along with what the soda counter represent. You can read the entire story at the geocaching page. In summary, on July 19, 1958 at the Dockum Drug Store sit-in was one of the first organized lunch counter sit-ins to protest segregation.

The Chisolm Trail was a trail used after the Civil War to drive cattle from Texas up to the Kansas rail yards heading east. The next virtual geocache is for a monument (GC9F39) that reminds us of the history of Wichita and those dangerous cattle drives.

And last but not least was the Lonely Steer (GCB06A). A statue of a Texas longhorn bull, just one of two original bull statues built in the 1970's. They were separated a few years back because of some construction and this one ended up out front of the high school as its mascot.

Back on the Interstate 35 northbound, we stopped at a rest area for some gas, coffee, and a cache for Chase County (GC5QCMP). Then a quick stop for a cache in Lyon County (GC28NF4).

In Topeka, this next one was another virtual geocache (GCB30E). Can't show you the photos because they give the answers. But I will describe it from the CO's perspective. He's an Iraq War Veteran. "The aircraft in question has quite the history. It does not list the accomplishments it has endured but it holds 14 world records in various areas such as longest endurance flight and highest altitude. I am a member of one of the units that used to fly one of these very dependable and durable aircraft. We now use a more advanced aircraft that has more room and greater speeds as well as being more mission capable. If you stay long enough, you may see us up flying around."

Also in Topeka was the "Gone But Not Forgotten" virtual geocache (GCG3ZN). This memorial was dedicated to those who served and gave their lives during the Vietnam War.

Our last two geocaches in Kansas were in Atchison, both virtuals, and both in the same neighborhood! One at the birthplace of Amelia Earhart (GCBA15). She was a pioneer in aviation and the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. She went missing trying to cross the Pacific and was never seen again.

The other house in the 'hood was the "Sallie House" (GC7B8Z7). The most haunted house in Kansas's most haunted town is none other that The Sallie House. The home earned its nickname after a 6-year-old died in the home during a failed appendicitis surgery in the early 1900's. Then it gained notoriety in the 1990's, when a couple renting the home reported harmless pranks being played on them, which eventually turned malicious and violent. After consulting a psychic, it was discovered that Sallie wasn't the only ghost haunting the home, but a middle-aged woman as well.

One more geocache today at the "Loess Is More" Earthcache (GC64KXZ) in Rock Port, Missouri. It was a long day, a long drive, freezing cold, and my back was still hurting. But we did find 18 caches for the day and saw a lot of history. We ended in Omaha, Nebraska for the night. And we start right there first thing in the morning. See you then.

2019-03-02: A Packed Geocaching Road Trip from Texas to Minnesota and Back! Busy Day #1 TX & OK

Hey Everybody! Welcome back to another of my adventures. This road trip adventure is brought to you by the company I work for. You ever have to take a business trip to corporate headquarters for a training meeting or something. The company wants to fly you in, pays for the hotel, and fly you back home. A long way to go, but you don't get to see anything.

Since I was between projects and had the free time, I asked if I could drive up and get reimbursed for the gas and hotels instead of them paying for airfare. And the answer was YES! Sounds like a road trip to me! So I start planning a route and looking up geocaches from Killeen, Texas to Minneapolis, Minnesota.

I also thought it would be fun to go along with another geocacher. So I inquired of another former Floridian cacher who's now living in Austin called "CuteLittleFuzzyMonkey", or CLFM for short. We've tried caching together before but just could never get our schedules to line up. He got back to me in a couple of days and said the timing works out perfect so it was a go!

Today was the day to hit the road and CLFM drove up to Killeen from Austin to meet me at my house. We both have GeoJeeps, but I prefer to drive so we took mine. Since he's got all the caches picked out and navigating, it only makes since for him to be in the passenger seat anyway right! Plus he's officially still on the clock and has to answer work related texts and emails too. So... AwayWeGo...

Our first stop was a puzzle cache up in Dallas. Puzzle geocaches are usually not at the posted coordinates. I hate puzzles because I'm not good at solving them. Fortunately CLFM is a puzzle master and has hidden many of them himself. Plus this one was called "Infinite Monkey Theorem" (GC3BT76) so we just had to find this one! I took one look at the puzzle and had no clue. But he solved it and we found the cache.

Next up was a virtual cache. A virtual geocache has no physical container. There are requirements like answering questions or taking a selfie at the given location. This is the original Pegasus (GC7B9NE) that once rotated 450 feet high above Dallas atop the Renaissance Revival Magnolia Building. The 40' tall flying red horse rotated on the 50' tall oil derrick above the 29 story building for the offices of the Magnolia Oil Company, which later was acquired by the Mobil Oil Company, from 1934 through 1999. This original sign was packed away in storage and replaced with a new sign. Found in 2012 and restored, it was moved to it's new location and lit up once again in 2015 at this Omni Dallas Hotel location.

Our last stop in downtown Dallas was another virtual geocache at this 30' eyeball (GC7B77Z). Created by artist Tony Tasset in 2007 for a temporary display in Chicago. After time in storage and a stop in St Louis, the Joule Hotel in Dallas purchased it in 2013 to anchor its sculpture garden. It certainly is an eye catcher! (Sorry, I couldn't resist.)

Continuing on our way north, our next stop was at the Oakland Cemetery for two geocaches in Marshall County, Oklahoma (GC57HYM, GC5NHBK).

Then over to Johnston County for another virtual geocache at a veterans memorial park (GCGDCQ). The park is dedicated to the residents of Tishomingo who gave their lives in the various wars. One of the displays included this Blue Angels fighter jet.

A quick stop at the McAlister Cemetery gave us a cache in Carter County (GC2B84E). Sadly though, it also gave me a pain in my back! OUCH!! I've picked up heavy objects, bend the knees, don't bend the knees, no problem. This is the second time I've reached for a micro cache and just send a huge pain shooting through my lower back. The first one was leaning over a guard rail and reaching in for the cache. This time I see the cache, just reach into the bush, and almost drop to my knees in pain. Not the way I want to start this road trip.

Continuing north on I-35, we stop at a rest area to use the facilities and grab a cache for Murray County, Oklahoma (GC6TRPJ). Ugh... getting in and out of the Jeep is painful. It's not bad while I'm sitting. The heated seats help.

Now it's time for another virtual geocache. You know the best thing about geocaching is that you find some of the strangest things. In Cleveland County, we found some Bug Art (GCF12E). Someone actually took this full sized VW Beetle and added some legs to make it look like a bug for a great roadside attraction.

Some quick roadside caches (GC7ZGMJ, GC1VN87) and another puzzle cache (GC5EX03). And then there's this virtual cache for the Oklahoma City Air Force Memorial (GCF69C).

And this virtual cache at the Oklahoma City Memorial (GC4772). I wish we had time to look around further but we have a long road ahead and a lot of geocaches to find. Plus my back was killing me still.

After seven more geocaches, we ended the night in Perry, Oklahoma. I thought it would finally be good to lay down and stretch my back out. Wishful thinking. My back was so  tight I could barely move. I crawled into bed but I couldn't even take my shoes off. I couldn't take my jacket off. I couldn't move at all. Eventually I did manage to get some sleep but not much. Maybe an hour or so. Hopefully tomorrow will be better.

2016-08-21: Standing on the corner of Texas and New Mexico

Welcome back! Today we headed north up into New Mexico for a couple more First-to-Finds (FTF's) and a few other Geocaches along the way.

Our first stop was a little town about 20 miles north in Wink, Texas. Known for being the hometown of Roy Orbison from the age of 10. He started his first band while attending high school here. There was a historical marker there at an empty lot which we assumed the house once stood.

After reading the sign we drove to the nearby community park and our first cache (GC6QCTC). Another new Geocache placed by MedicoJoe and another FTF for us. This was a nice park and we walked the entire perimeter to take pictures of the Looney Tunes character statues on display. 

Our next stop was just on the outskirts of Wink. There along the roadside sits a historical marker for the Old Wink Cemetery (GC6QK7Z). The exact locations of the individual graves are not known. The Old Wink Cemetery is the burial site of 26 persons who died during the early days of the oil boom, 1926-1929. Shifting sands over the years have erased all vestige of the graves. According to the old timers in Wink, the cemetery is located in the Monument Draw. Although it is dry now, during the 1950s - 60s it was flooded with oil field runoff water and the area was under water for over 10 years. Several of the Wink residents remember fishing and hunting here. There are no current signs of the cemetery today. It is part of a local ranch.

As for the Geocache, we searched for about 15-20 minutes but came up empty. We found the rocks from the hint given, but no cache container. I believe it was too close to the historical marker and muggled by someone stopping to read the sign. (As a side note, we did find the cache two days later after the MedicoJoe replaced and moved further away from the sign. Another FTF!)

Continuing north for a few more miles, we reached the state line between Texas and New Mexico and our next cache (GC6QK3N). Another new cache placed by MedicoJoe and another FTF!

The next town was called Jal, NM and our next cache was at the Jal Cemetery (GC6QK3B). In the 1880s, several brothers brought a herd of cattle to Monument Draw, six miles southeast of the present city. The cattle were branded with the initials of the previous owner (John A.Lynch) and the cattle soon came to be called the JAL Cattle. The men who worked the herd referred to them as the Jal cowboys. In time the name became synonymous with the settlement itself. Though after finding the Geocache, a quick walk around the cemetery and we didn't notice any old graves so we didn't take any pictures. But we did get another FTF!

Closer into the center of town was a community park and another FTF (GC6QK43).

Driving SW on Hwy 205 a few miles to a town called Bennett, NM was our next Geocache (GC2H0NE). This next cache was a piece of history which goes to show how government usually makes matters worse and not better:

Here are the ruins of a whole way of life, apparently gone forever. This “camp” was started in the middle 1930’s when the natural gas boom sprouted out of the oil boom. In the 1940’s the pipeline system was finally becoming part of the infrastructure we know today, but even then you could drive from Jal to Odessa and beyond at night just by the light of the flares that were burning off the natural gas so they could pump the oil. Then the natural gas became valuable and furnaces, stoves and even “ice boxes” (refrigerators to you newbies) were powered by natural gas. 

El Paso Natural Gas Company Jal #1 plant was built to collect, treat, and pump natural gas all the way to California. To support the plant, houses were built for the employees and their families. An instant middle class was formed by the camps that sprouted all over the oil fields. Other companies like Phillips, Shell, and Texas-New Mexico quickly joined suit. Jal, New Mexico was then advertised as the “Gas Capitol of the World”. More natural gas flowed through these companies’ pipelines here than anywhere else in the world.

The plants were unique communities. Every employee had a house as a benefit of employment. Every house had indoor plumbing, free water, free electricity, free garbage collection, and of course, free natural gas! It was a Company Camp. The plants had to make their own electricity to run, and the camps benefited. The plants had to obtain their own water and the camps benefited. The houses were built and owned by the companies because the plants ran 24/7 and the workers were conveniently nearby working shifts. The kids that grew up in the camps virtually lived in a large family setting. Everybody knew everybody and lived in a homogeneous mix of mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters where we learned to get along. We still get along and call ourselves Camp Brats. 

Jal became sort of a Company Town, with many plants surrounding it and the Main Offices located there. The Company built a golf course. The Company built the Clinic and hired/attracted a doctor to come to Jal. Company ball teams were formed. 

The tax structure of the State, at the time, benefited Jal, New Mexico. The oil and gas royalties off the School Lands in the area went directly to the local schools. Jal had a great school and great teachers! Virtually every Camp Brat had at least an opportunity to go to a college or university, and most of us did. Life was good, life was great! What could go wrong? 

The “Government” is what went wrong. Local, State and Federal government intervention went wrong. Free houses? Can’t have that, there aren’t any taxes paid. Free water? Can’t have that, there aren’t any taxes paid and it is just not fair to everybody else, so they said. Same for the electricity, the utility companies just weren’t getting their cut. State school land taxes were shifted to the general fund and Jal lost most of its school funding to the northern population centers of the state. 

By the 1970’s our way of life was falling apart. By the 1980’s the camps were being broken up and the houses torn down and/or moved away, lock, stock and barrel. What you see left here 20 to 30 years later is government’s handiwork.

Continuing north again going through town we came to our next Geocache which was a multi-cache (GCJ77H). It also brought us to this huge work of art. "The Trail Ahead" was sculpted by local artist Brian Norwood and dedicated in September of 2000. The statues consists of seventeen metal silhouettes stretching for approximately 400 feet. The largest measures over twenty feet tall! They honor the ranching heritage of Jal, New Mexico.

Circling back around towards the south and back towards home, we come to our next cache (GC2AB0) and the corner of New Mexico and Texas. The COMPROMISE OF 1850. The results of the Mexican War (1846–48) brought Texas into serious conflict with the national government over the state's claim to a large portion of New Mexico. The claim was based on efforts by the Republic of Texas, beginning in 1836, to expand far beyond the traditional boundaries of Spanish and Mexican Texas to encompass all of the land extending the entire length of the Rio Grande. Efforts to occupy the New Mexican portion of this territory during the years of the republic came to naught.

After numerous unsuccessful attempts to resolve the issue, Senator James A. Pierce of Maryland introduced a bill that offered Texas $10 million in exchange for ceding to the national government all land north and west of a boundary beginning at the 100th meridian where it intersects the parallel of 36°30', then running west along that parallel to the 103d meridian, south to the 32d parallel, and from that point west to the Rio Grande. The bill had the support of the Texas delegation and of moderate leaders in both the North and South. Holders of bonds representing the debt of the Republic of Texas lobbied hard for the bill, for it specified that part of the financial settlement be used to pay those obligations. The measure passed both houses of Congress in the late summer of 1850 and was signed by President Fillmore.

This square marks the corner that divides the two states. While I'm standing on the New Mexico side, Candy is standing in nearby Texas! Maybe not as cool as Four Corners, but still cool.

Our last Geocache of the day (GC69XEN) was at the Sand Hills. Mapped by U. S. Government, 1849, for gold seekers and settlers. Known earlier to Indians and many Spanish explorers. A 100-mile belt of sand in Winkler and 4 other Texas counties and in New Mexico. Width varies from 3 to 20 miles; outer dunes are held by dwarf oaks. Water at 2' depth supports willows, cottonwoods, and a plum thicket. (The plums gave food to early settlers.) Many dunes more than 70' high. Heavy, shifting sands a natural barrier to travel. Campsite and game reservation for Indians. Now part of expansive cattle ranges and rich oil fields. Being from Florida when we saw this much sand it usually had a large body of water on the other side.

So that was today's Geocaching Adventure. We hope you've enjoyed it and maybe learned something new. Perhaps it has also inspired you to get out and explore the area around you.

2016-07-16: Geocaching Through Stone Artwork, a Cemetery, and a Train Robbery

Hello again and welcome back to our next addition to the AwayWeGo Geocaching Adventure blog. Today we're heading to the southeast Permian Basin of West Texas to find Geocaches in both Terrell and Crockett Counties. This will finally complete our Permian Basin Counties and qualify us to log a find on the PBC Challenge cache (GC2MX53).

But before we get to caching, coffee time. No Starbucks though. That's going east. First we drive south down to Ft Stockton and the Clockwork Coffeehouse. This is Candy's first stop before going into work each day. It's a nice little coffee shop with some delicious scones! It's my first time here and now I know why she likes it. 

From there we drive south on US-285 towards Sanderson, TX and US-90. Our first two caches (GC32891, GC293FW) in Sanderson involve artwork on stones. These pieces of art displayed in two parks depict the life and history around Terrell County.

Originally called Strobridge, Sanderson began it's history in 1881 with the construction of the Galveston, Harrisburg, and San Antonio Railroad. With only a few sheep ranchers in the area at the time, it became the midway railroad depot between San Antonio and El Paso. The town began to flourish with the influx of hundreds of railroad workers and the increase in sheep and cattle ranchers as it became a major shipping location for livestock.

When Terrell County was created in 1905, Sanderson became the county seat. Another big boost to the economy came with the invention of he automobile. In 1922, the San Antonio to El Paso Trail became Texas Highway #3 and later US-90, the main route in the south between the east and west. Businesses of all types began to pop up as travelers began to stop here. The community continued to thrive with a maximum population growth of about 3,000 in the 1950's.

On June 11, 1965, Sanderson encountered a devastating flash flood killing 27 people and destroying numerous houses and businesses. Over the years with the boom in automobile travel, passenger railroad travel was on the decline. And in 1970 the Southern Pacific Railroad turned over it's passenger operations to Amtrak and focused on it's freight operations.

And if you're familiar with the animated movie CARS, then you'll understand the next blow to the town came with the creation of Interstate Highway 10 to the north of town. Travelers abandoned the slower pace of US-90 for the express I-10, bypassing the Sanderson.

The final setback came when the railroad moved all it's crew operations further to the west in Alpine which uprooted and relocated many families. Though Amtrak still makes a stop in Sanderson, no passenger facilities were maintained and the old depot was eventually demolished in 2012.

Today only about 900 residence still call Sanderson home. One of the remaining evidence of a past boom town, is the Kerr Mercantile building. Joe Kerr opened his store in 1892 which grew over the years. Also a successful rancher, he eventually built this corner mercantile building in 1927 which sold everything from hardware to groceries to the community. The Kerr family continued to operate this business over the years until the eventual close in January 1999 due to the decline in population.

Heading east on US-90 on the outskirts of Sanderson, we stopped by the cemeteries for our next Geocache (GC638RP) and some more history. There were segregated cemeteries. Cedar Grove Cemetery for the Anglo Americans and the Santa Rita Cemetery for the Hispanic Mexicans. As with the more eastern south having segregated whites and blacks, here the Mexicans were segregated not only in the cemetery but once had to sit in the balcony of the old theater among other establishments in town.

One of the notable burials here are for Ben "Tall Texan" Kilpatrick and Ole Hobek. Once a part of Butch Cassidy's Wild Bunch Gang, Kilpatrick and Hobek tried holding up a train at Baxter's Curve in Terrell County on March 13, 1912. A Wells-Fargo employee was able to kill Ole with an ice mallet when he put down his gun to check his bag. He then grabbed the gun, shot and killed the Tall Texan when he returned to the same train car. This was the last train robbery attempt in Texas. They were buried in the same unnamed grave for a number of years and eventually the historical society placed this headstone in 1985.

Our next Geocache (GC11C1B) was a quick stop along US-90 in the middle of nowhere. Just a short hike up the hill to get a good view of the area. When we got back to our car and were ready to drive away, a state trooper pulled in behind us to see if we were ok. We said yes, we were just sightseeing and climbed the hill for some pictures. He said it is rare for somebody to stop along this stretch unless they were broke down or needed help. What can I say, we're not ordinary people!

Our next stop didn't have a cache, but it did have a historical sign and a photo opp. The U.S. Government first invested in Terrell County Aviation in 1919, with an airfield built west of Sanderson for the 90th Aero Squadron that flew biplanes for the border patrol. After the squadron relocated, the East Dryden Aerodrome was an active field until 1941. During WWII, American Airlines and the government joined to build a new civilian intermediate and emergency military landing field here. The Civilian Aeronautics Administration supervised construction that ended in October 1943. Later named Terrell County Airport, this facility has also hosted civil air patrol and military training exercises.

Next on the Geocaching list (GC2JKRG) and heading closer towards home is dedicated to Alley Oop. Located in Iraan, TX, this park highlights one of the towns most famous residents. Cartoonist V. T. Hamlin came up with the idea for the comic strip character while working in the oil boom here in the 1920's. Alley Oop, the strip's title character, was a sturdy citizen in the prehistoric kingdom of Moo. He rode his pet dinosaur Dinny, carried a stone war hammer, and wore nothing but a fur loincloth. He would rather fight dinosaurs in the jungle than deal with his fellow countrymen in Moo's capital and sole cave-town. Despite these exotic settings, the stories were often satires of American suburban life.

Along the edge of the park there is a blade on display from one of the many wind turbines in the area. These things look huge when they are standing tall, but even bigger when you're standing along side it! Now imaging that when the windmills are standing and turning, there are THREE of these blades rotating. That's some wingspan!

Well that's our day today. Join us again soon for another one of our Geocaching and Sightseeing Adventures. And remember, feel free to share our stories with your Facebook or Google+ friends, leave your comments below to say hi, and select the "Follow Blog" button to keep updated with our travels. Until next time, happy caching!