Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Roads and Memories
The blacktop road between Turkey and Estelline, Texas meanders through some rough ranch country, with a few cotton fields here and there. As my car climbs some of the steep hills, I think of Daddy when he followed this same course early in the 20th century, before the road was paved, driving a span of mules that pulled his freight wagon. He loaded up at the Estelline railroad depot, traversed this 30 miles of treacherous terrain, sometimes only a few feet at a time up the steep gullies with no bridges before stopping to let the mules get their breath. The winding road generally followed the highest points between the Red River and the North Pease. Another 20 miles, crossing the Pease River and a few creeks, they then had to climb the awesome Caprock to Lockney where his dad owned the first lumberyard in the area.
Why would anyone choose such a job as driving a freight wagon? Daddy loved horses and mules, and maybe the challenge of doing the impossible. This was his favorite thing besides bronco bustin'. When the project of building two railroad tunnels through the Caprock got underway, he signed on to haul the dirt away, but quickly gave up on the good paying job because it was too hard on his mules.
I'm thankful to have some of Houston Gunn's genes, but also thankful for paved roads, bridges and comfortable cars.
Cora Gail Trent
www.cgtrent.com
cgtrent@att.net
Why would anyone choose such a job as driving a freight wagon? Daddy loved horses and mules, and maybe the challenge of doing the impossible. This was his favorite thing besides bronco bustin'. When the project of building two railroad tunnels through the Caprock got underway, he signed on to haul the dirt away, but quickly gave up on the good paying job because it was too hard on his mules.
I'm thankful to have some of Houston Gunn's genes, but also thankful for paved roads, bridges and comfortable cars.
Cora Gail Trent
www.cgtrent.com
cgtrent@att.net
