Just Riding Around

 

Note RDS

So whadya do on a Monday mid-afternoon? Go for a ride around Hill County, of course. Don't be shy, drive down 171 and slow down through Bynum, there's not much there to be honest. Then scream into Malone, which used to be a prosperous German town with a railroad station, until it wasn't. Still, it's got several saloons which I haven't tried out, maybe later. 

Next stop? Hubbard, aka Slap Out, because their general store was always slap out of goods. It's that way today, with a semi-derelict "high street" and relics of quondam prosperity, as in a few beautiful houses. Also, bear in mind, a small Anglican church where the Sacrament's reserved and the doors are open.

Hubbard's got a pool too, which looks awesome, and a war memorial in the form of a chopper. Stop, get out, and pay respect. After that, head to Irene. There's not much there and it's hard to tell where the farm ends and the town begins.

Dark Star

Fall back, mission accomplished, to the Compound, and wonder at the sheer demonic evil which has stripped these little towns of their prosperity. Keen-eyed readers will note that hideous windmills are lurching to the south east of this. Imagine the landfill. But you know what they say, gotta destroy the land to save the land. Big drinks all 'round.

Oh, did you hear about all of these Texan Democrat politicians who're about to be arrested for sheer, brazen malfeasance?

Cheers,

LSP 

Vicar of Slap Out

When the bishop calls you up and asks you to take on another Mission church you don't say, "No, bishop Iker, I'm awfully sorry but I can't be priest in charge of Slap Out, aka Hubbard." On the contrary, you say "of course, I'd be glad to help out."

was a train station - now  a church hall

So now I get to go to a third church on Sundays and I don't mind that at all. I especially like the congregation, who have good spirit, and the parish hall, which used to be Malone's railway station. The church bought it in the early 1950s, put it on a truck and drove it to Slap Out.

slap out of business

Why was Hubbard called Slap Out? Because, back in the 1860s, customers would go to the General Store only to be told that it was "slap out" of whatever they wanted. 

protestant work ethic

Slap Out's less basic now but it could do with a butcher, a pub, a bakery, and a gun/tack shop, maybe even some kind of book shop, for those of us who like to read. Why is that too much to ask? As it goes, the town has a couple of cafes, a masonic lodge, a feed shop and a pharmacy. It has a war memorial too, in the form of an attack helicopter.

I never in a thousand years would've thought I'd have a cure of souls in Hubbard. Why? I never knew it existed, but now I do and I'm not complaining. 

I like these small Texas towns.

LSP