A week ago 1LuckyDude and I tried to get a group of VFR'ers to meet up in Texas and couldn't wake anyone up so he and I met up in the bustling town of Jefferson, TX. "Jefferson has played an important role in the early development of the state. Center of culture and refinement, of stern-wheelers, wagon trains, and ox-team freighters, Jefferson was once the pride of a great empire around which revolved graceful living, southern charm, prestige, and productivity. The town's bygone glories cannot be forgotten, and today Jefferson is a most eloquent reminder of an era long since vanished." Now it's best known for it's antique stores, B & B's, and varied dining choices.

I had plans that afternoon so I couldn't stay out all day. Consequently, I tried to fit in as many decent roads on the way over knowing I'd do a straight shot back. The weather was thoroughly enjoyable even with a higher than normal humidity causing the roads to sweat a bit. After a while the wind dried the moisture and allowed me to warm the tires some on the few curves in this area. It had been a while since I had ridden so I was enjoying myself at a good pace taking in the scenic rolling hills. Here in Texas there are some "corn-fed" good ol' boys that work cattle and obviously get quite strong but I never thought I'd see one strong enough to lift a 1000 pound roll of hay. I definitely had to get a shot of this guy!

Noticed these guys just out horsin' around.....

An entrance to nowhere. They apparently built this entry complete with a flagpole but never put in a driveway or house. An old wind mill also caught my attention along one of the smaller back roads.

Not sure about this old building but it was the first thing I passed when I rode through the small town of Tatum. On my way out of town I passed one of HS's gas stations....didn't know he had any. :laugh:

TXU Energy does a lot of mining in this area known as Martin Lake. They unearth the coal, refill the area as if they had never been there, and then plant trees so the land looks somewhat natural again. I've been within feet of one of these drag lines and they are as big as a four story building. A white king-cab pickup is sitting just below the monstrosity and should give some scale to its size.

We needed a place to meet between Tyler and Shreveport and I only knew of one restaurant so I suggested Auntie Skinner's. The place has decent food but is more of a bar. In fact as we were heading for the door some people walked up ahead of us and a lady in the group told the others that they couldn't go in there because it's a biker bar. We laughed and made our way into the place for a burger and fries. We had a good conversation about VFR's and riding of course before we decided to go. 1LuckyDude's bike is undoubtedly a fine specimen with its low miles and sparkly clean wheels. Reminds me that I need to wash my bike more often. :unsure:

A 225 mile run, beautiful weather, fabulous bikes, good company and conversation made for a great day. My VFR was smokin' hot that day!!

The Route