Big Tree

Rockport, Texas

Weather: low 56 degrees, high 84 degrees, clear skies

I went for a longer walk than normal this morning, but it wasn't deliberate. At least when I started it wasn't. I went into one of the local nearby subdivisions with the intention of following the road to it's end. Little did I know that it was about a mile longer than I thought, with the result that I walked a total of more than five miles. Sheeesh! I've got to watch that ambition.

After I rested from the walk, we took a ride through Rockport, checking out how much the town has changed since we were last here. Most of the Winter Texans left not long ago, so the town is probably as quiet as it gets. We realize how important that group of people is to the economy of the area, and there are several businesses that get the majority of their income for the year from that group. We have seen dozens of RV parks, as well as many condo developments and other rental properties. We're not used to seeing as many restaurants as we're seeing here, and it would be fun to try them all.

When we were finished riding around town, we went north on Texas 35 to see the oldest tree in Texas, known to most people as simply "The Tree". What a sight this old giant is, and what stories it could tell. It has obviously been through some tough times.



The tree is more than a thousand years old, and has a circumference of over 35 feet. The state has taken over the protection of the tree, and has placed a fence around it to keep people away. Here's another picture of the tree.



As we were walking up to the tree, we passed through a grove of it's offspring. Note the wild flowers we saw. There are still plenty of them down here. And the mosquitoes are plentiful and mean.



The Big Tree is just the kind of quirky thing that I like to find. In this case, I say quirky with the greatest of respect.

When we were finished with sightseeing for the day, we went home and rested until supper. We had been told that there was a good seafood restaurant that we needed to try. So, we went to the Big Fisherman Seafood Restaurant. It was a great choice, and we were happy we went there. The food was good, and there was plenty of it at a decent price. What more could we ask for? The perfect end to a good day.

More later, be safe.

Today's Town - Lufkin, Texas: See The Forest For The Trees

Not all who wander are lost.