Stephen H. Long Trail 1819 — 1820

Day 31: September 23rd, 2008 Amarillo — Canadian — Amarillo

Map Amarillo to Canadian

Around seven in the morning I wake up. In the night I have lost once again one of my ear plugs. I hurry up to get myself ready. Then I drive over to Cracker Barrel for breakfast. Next stop is as usual at a gas station.

Around 10am I am back on the road and drive out of Amarillo first.

Highway 87/287, TX

Then I continue on Highway 87/287 to the north and cross the Canadian River.

Cig Rd, TX

At Masterson I turn onto the backroads, which run through an oil field here. But there are no sign to see which forbid to travel or trespass this property. Therefore I drive the roads like I had it originally planned.

Backroad, TX

Sometime later the road narrows and gets more and more wild until it develops to a real 4WD Trail. Thanks to my lift kit and 4LO I am able to get through this easily. When I am getting closer to the highway I realize that I am standing once again at a locked gate — but this time from the inside! Great, if you are not allowed to travel here, why have they left the “backdoor” open?

Cig Rd, TX

But I am able to locate another way back which is less difficult than the one I originally came from. However, I don’t receive real nice views from the employees. Around here, everyone is really weird and distrustful. Either driving on backroads gets more and more worse or I always have the bad luck to step into trouble area…

FM1913, TX

FM3395, TX

Eventually I am out of this area and can drive on a different road back to FM1913. All in all, I feel way more comfortable when I am back on the highway.

RM1319, Antelope Creek, TX

On FM3395 I cross the Sanford Dam and hence the Canadian River and Lake Meredith.

Backroad, TX

Just before Borgel I turn again onto backroads, which deteriorate pretty fast. I am once again on an oil field. But this time I stop my 4WD Trail traveling because it is going down extremely steep and it looks pretty muddy with deep washouts. It probably might not this big of a problem going down. But if I am not able to exit on the other side (what I am currently afraid of) then I might have a big problem getting back up again. And this is something I don’t really want to try out.

RM2277, TX

So I try at Borgel to get back on backroads again. But some signs lock you out. Therefore I have to take another detour and make another attempt via RM2277 to get back on my backroads. But also this attempt didn’t work out and after many miles I am forced once again to drive back to the highway.

Highway 136/207, TX

Highway 207, TX

Then I continue on Highway 136/207 and finally Highway 207 before I turn onto FM281.

This one I follow until I arrive at a County Road, which takes a promising course along the Canadian River.

CR1, TX

Pronghorn, CR1, TX

CR1, TX

I am able to drive pretty far before I am once again stopped by private property. The C.C. Lips Ranch locks trespassers out with unmistakable signs. Therefore I must turn around again which means more than half an hour driving back to the highway. This is really slowly starting to annoy me!

On my way back I meet the guy who has rent the ranch for hunting purposes. He wanted to check what I am doing down here. Seems like I have been lucky to not continue driving! Otherwise I would have probably faced very long discussions. So I tell him what I am doing here and if there is any chance to trespass the property. But my request will be harshly denied due to the approaching hunting. I only ask myself what is the difference if he or I am trespassing the property. And what would be just 10 minutes driving through his property is now a detour for me of more than an hour. This is definitely annoying! But there is nothing I can do here and must drive back to the highway.

FM281, TX

Back on FM281 I continue to Highway 70 South.

Highway 70, TX

N River Rd, TX

At the North River Road I make another attempt to follow the river course. But I am also stopped by private property signs here. A rancher drives toward me and looks pretty angry to me and greets only briefly. But he continues driving, so do I. But when I exit the road I realize that there are even signs when you enter from the highway, which I have completely missed. The name on the signs is the same ranch as before. It seems like they have multiple lots for rent.

Highway 70, Canadian River, TX

FM283, TX

I continue my driving on Highway 70 South over the Canadian River before I turn onto FM283 in direction of Miami, Texas.

FM283, TX

There I turn onto Highway 60 which takes me back to the Canadian River.

Highway 60/83, TX

On this one I drive on to Canadian. It is just past 7pm. But the motel, where I originally planned to stay for the night, is completely booked for the next three days. Also the Quiet Inn, which recently has opened, is completely booked. I can try it either in Pampa or Wheeler. Pampa is on my map and half way to Amarillo. If I am not able to find something there, I can still drive all the way back to Amarillo.

Sunset Highway 60, TX

Around a quarter past eight I arrive in Pampa and find the American Inn after a short search. But $159 plus tax for a room is almost insolent for a small town like this. Who knows, if I am able to get something for dinner this late around here!

So I decide to drive back to Amarillo anyways, but to take this time the Motel 6 at the east side of town. At a quarter past nine I arrive there. Rooms are not a problem and I receive one at first floor. Although the motel is not really booked, some blockhead makes it to park directly in front of my room. Now I must drag all my luggage from across the street to my room…

Then I immediately leave for dinner. Thanks to a huge road sign I find the Texas Roadhouse without any searching around. The server are all very friendly and not as snobbish as in the last Outback Steakhouse. Also the meat is way better. Pretty much filled up I leave the restaurant around half past ten and drive back.

At the motel I just write my diary, which takes me until midnight when I am finished. The rest will be done tomorrow or the day after, we will see. All in all I am dog–tired and must go to bed…

The motel really looks great, not as rundown as most of the other Motel 6. Thanks to my GPS software I find out that this was once a Red Roof Inn. It seems like this motel has been bought by Motel 6…

Sights
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General
Breakfast: Cracker Barrel, Amarillo
Dinner: Texas Roadhouse, Amarillo
Motel: Motel 6, Amarillo
Distance: 378 miles

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