Nowhere Tribune

Texas state parks have stayed full during the last several months; at times it’s nearly impossible to get a camping reservation. The good thing is that it has forced me to go to new places. After researching the top ten camping and hiking spots in Oklahoma, my dad and son and I decided on Robbers … Continue reading →

The sunrise was magnificent this morning.  I doubt I’ve ever used the word, “magnificent.” It’s too pompous, but the best fit for what I saw while driving to work. A giant orange-red ball sitting on the horizon, with reddish purple streaks shot through the surrounding sky.  Yesterday I took my coffee outside hoping to see … Continue reading →

My dad and sister and I flew to West Virginia last week to take care of family business. After that, I took the opportunity to hike trails much different from what I have around home. On Tuesday morning we drove to Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia, which is one of the most beautiful towns I’ve visited. … Continue reading →

The bright side to all the craziness in the world is that we have more free time than normal. For years, my son and I have gone camping every fall, and usually also every spring, but we have been so busy that it has been over a year since we’ve gone. Until this past weekend. … Continue reading →

By John Bird Eastland, Texas is best known for its most famous citizen of the past—a horned toad named Old Rip. Eastland County was amid a boom in the last years of the 19th century, and a larger courthouse was built in 1897. During the dedication, dignitaries placed various things in the courthouse cornerstone as … Continue reading →

In 1918, Eastland County, Texas was in an oil boom. From 1910 to 1920, the population of the county more than doubled, and what had been a farming area became the tenth most populated county in Texas for a time. The growth meant new businesses, including the three-story building one block from the courthouse that … Continue reading →

The Santa Claus Bank Robbery happened in Cisco, Texas on December 23, 1927 and resulted in the last public mob lynching in the state. The details are well-known in Cisco and Eastland, and the story is notorious in Texas, as it was one of the last true examples of the wild west. Readers can find … Continue reading →

A year’s worth of changes happened within the last two months. My family moved. My wife and I started a new business. My mother died on Thanksgiving Day. An old friend died a week later. I now live in an old, historic building full of wonders from the past—a museum of sorts. The concrete underneath … Continue reading →

Years ago, my dad called to tell me how many Mondays each of us had left to work in our careers. My number was large enough to cause despair. Since he’d started a new career in mid-life, his was smaller, but was still way too many. I always had young parents. They dated at fifteen … Continue reading →

After writing The Summer of My Discontent, I decided it was time for more adventure. First on my list was to hike to the top of Guadalupe Peak, the highest point in Texas (8751 feet), in Guadalupe Mountains National Park. The first question was whether I’d go alone or find a hiking buddy. My eleven-year-old … Continue reading →

My wife and I took a weekend trip to Colorado Bend State Park in the Texas hill country last weekend. Our plan was to get a full day of hiking in, rain or shine. The temperature was in the low 50’s when we arrived; very cool for May. It was also drizzling, and the forecast … Continue reading →

BAIRD, TX—A local group of cattle is on strike until they receive the same rights as the horses, says a representative of the herd. According to the black Angus herd bull, Chester, the cattle are tired of being treated like second class citizens of the farm. “The horses sleep in private stalls each night, while … Continue reading →

Ranger, Texas: Rufus P. Hadley stares across the prison yard where he’s spent the last twelve of his fifteen years with  both regret and acceptance showing in his large, brown eyes. “I wasn’t more than a pup when I came here,” he said, his gravelly voice betraying long, hard years. “I just got to running with … Continue reading →

You’ve showed up at the rodeo, paid your fees, and signed the waiver. Now what? First, you’ll need to know what bull you’ve drawn. Your “draw” is the bull you are going to climb on and try to ride. Before you get to the rodeo, it will be helpful to familiarize yourself with the vocabulary … Continue reading →

The following is from my book, “Used to Want to Be a Cowboy.” Kowbell Rodeo was the only year-round, indoor rodeo in the state. Whether Christmas, Easter, or Super Bowl Sunday, the rodeo went on. By the time I was a senior in high school, I headed over from Joshua to ride bulls every time I … Continue reading →