Go Beyond

On my short list of affordable adventures in the Lone Star State is to bike the Caprock Canyons Trailway. This 64-mile hiking, biking, and equestrian trail stretches from South Plains to Estelline along an abandoned spur of the Fort Worth and Denver Railroad. The trailway is a part of the Rails to Trails Conservancy, an organization that is creating a network of trails around the country from former rail lines.
The Caprock Canyons Trailway runs through one of the most scenic areas of Texas and skirts Caprock Canyons State Park, home to the State’s bison herd. The bison herd is the legacy of Charles Goodnight. This famous cattle rancher rescued several plains bisons in 1876 at the urging of his wife at a time when bison were being slaughtered by the thousands.

Cheryl and I spent a good part of the day exploring Caprock Canyons State Park. Like Palo Duro Canyon, the vistas at this park are absolutely beautiful. And, the presence of bison lends an Old West charm to the views. We visited several locations in the park where we took short hikes to scenic overlooks. There is indeed something therapeutic about sitting in silence while looking at scenery that just makes you smile.
I received helpful advice from park rangers on how to prepare to bike the trailway, including the importance of caching water along the way and carrying lots of spare bike tubes. After visiting the park, we drove to three of the trailheads to get a feel for the terrain. After gazing at the long stretches of trail, I am more excited than ever about carving out some vacation time to make this adventure a reality.
Of course, another thing we are doing on our summer road trip is looking for the best hamburger in Texas. Today we stopped for lunch at Galvan’s Restaurant in Turkey, located a short distance from one of the trailheads. Good choice! We enjoyed a delicious homemade burger in a small restaurant that was so clean you could eat off the floor. The walls are decorated with autographed pics of famous TV western stars. Pretty cool. I recommend Galvan’s if you are ever in this you-got-to-be-going-there part of the Lone Star State.

This evening we stopped at Heff’s Burgers, voted the best hamburger in Abiline. We had to take this detour to check out this place for ourselves. Absolutely a good choice! And absolutely the best hamburger we have eaten on this trip … or perhaps ever! No kidding, this was one of the best burgers I have ever eaten. If you are ever in Abiline, make it a point to try a burger at Heff’s. Not a fancy place as far as burger joints go, but definitely in a league of their own.

Our adventure continues tomorrow as we venture to San Saba to see the Regency Bridge featured in the opening segment of Texas Country Reporter and then on to hike at Colorado Bend State Park.