December 12, 2008

December 12, 2008

A half hour east of Stephenville, TX is Dinosaur Valley State Park. This park is famous for having ancient tracks of dinosaurs. We stop at the Visitor Center for some history and a map of the track locations. The park sits on a loop of the small Paluxy River. The action of the river has exposed lots of tracks in the flat limestone. Unfortunately most of the tracks are in the river underneath the water. The water is clear and we can see the tracks at an angle but we can’t get close without putting our feet in the cold water. We need to come back when the water level is lower. Still what we can see is pretty neat. The tracks of the large brontosaurs are roundish and could be just rock holes if they weren’t all in a row. The coolest are the tracks of the carnivorous therapods (think T-Rex). These three clawed footprints are hard to miss and are clearly dinosaur. Like most fossil sites, a large 30-foot section was excavated years ago and taken to a museum in New York.

On the way out of Dinosaur Valley, we pass the Creation Evidence Museum, which purports to have scientific artifacts supporting the idea of Creationism. I am sure its location right outside the state park is no coincidence. If we were in the RV, I would have been interested in touring the museum to see how they explain away the existence of these dinosaur tracks. Alas we have to get to Chicago before the next snowstorm.

Our last tour stop in Texas is in Dallas to see Dealey Plaza and the Texas School Book Depository. Dealey Plaza is instantly recognizable to almost everyone. It has not changed at all since that fateful day November 22, 1963 when JFK was assassinated. We park in the public lot behind the grassy knoll and walk along Elm Street. To our left is the industrial looking Texas School Book Depository Building from where Lee Harvey Oswald fired the shots. Like TV sets, Dealey Plaza is smaller than you would think. Forty Five years later on a mid-December weekday and this site is still a mecca for tourists. I guess that is a testament to Kennedy’s legacy.

This was supposed to be a quick stop but Aimee and I decide to stay and tour the Sixth Floor Museum. The museum is pricey but is well done and worthwhile even though we all know the sordid details already. And you get to look down and see the view that Oswald shot from. My only complaint is not being able to take any photos. In this day of ubiquitous digital cameras, I just don’t get it. They even have two guards posted at Oswald’s post to make sure you don’t.

Leaving Dallas, we drive for seemingly forever in heavy Dallas traffic east and spend the night in Hope, AR. As we drag our luggage to yet another hotel room, Aimee and I are missing the RV. Traveling in the RV is sooo much more convenient. No unpacking, no lugging suitcases, no daily searching for a reasonably priced hotel, and no figuring out where to eat every meal!