The Interstates definitely have a purpose...to get people and goods from A to B, as quickly and efficiently as possible. For the traveller though, to truly see and experience America, you have to get off the Interstates and onto the state highways. Looking at the maps, we wanted to remain below the I20, yet still have a somewhat direct route back east. We soon discovered Hwy 84 and to our amazement, it could take us all the way back east to Savannah Georgia, if that’s what we wanted. What a find!
We decided to check out Waco next, not only to see what it is all about, but also to get us south to connect with the 84. Out of Amarillo, we took the 287, then the 83, to Abilene, a one night stop over. We stayed at the Abilene State Park, just south of a very cute little town called Buffalo Gap. It is a nice park, well maintained, and it was warm.
The next day we hooked up with the 84, and made our way to Waco. With no state parks close by, we booked into the Riverview Campground, just south of the city. The campground was basic, perhaps a little tired, but certainly clean. Location was ideal though, a short 10 minute drive right into downtown Waco.
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| Texas Longhorns...no kidding |
Lots to see in Waco, from the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame, and the Dr. Pepper Museum, to the Magnolia empire created by Chip & Joanna Gaines. First stop was to The Silos, home to the Magnolia Market and their Bakery. The Gaines started out with their own construction and renovation business, buying and renovating older abandoned homes around Waco, opened a small retail store in their hometown of Waco and then years later, the HGTV TV show ‘Fixer Upper’ came along. They now have a huge following of fans and have become very successful. In needing to expand their Waco retail location, they bought an abandoned silo site, renovated it completely, and transformed it into a retail store, bakery, and outside central open meet up/eat/play area. They have done a fine job and the place is hopping, and we were told it gets about 30,000 visitors a week. We enjoyed the experience of strolling through their large Magnolia store and are most impressed by how much they have given back to their hometown, and have helped draw visitors to Waco.
Feeling a little peckish after some retail therapy, we grabbed a gourmet grilled cheese sandwich from one of the food trucks that line the outdoor plaza in the middle of the Silos. with a side of mac & cheese, it was quite tasty.
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| crazy yum |
The next day we visited the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame & Museum. A visit here was pretty much a given, based on the great conversation we had with a current day Ranger, early on in our trip, at Fort Davis TX. We started our visit by watching a 45 minute documentary on the Rangers that did a good job of explaining the history and origins of the Rangers, the role they perform in policing Texas, and the work and cases they have been involved in.
Perhaps the most famous case is that of Bonnie & Clyde, two notorious bank robbers that terrorized Texas, and killed many lawmen and civilians. Texas Ranger Frank Hamer worked diligently on tracking them down, and eventually stopped them dead in their tracks...quite literally. Also an interesting fact that many may not be aware of, in the early days of WW2, the Texas Rangers offered their assistance to Britain, years in advance of the US government joining in. We then walked about the museum and looked at the numerous excellent and informative displays. Well worth the visit if you are ever in Waco.
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