#1: [07-Jan-01]

26-May-2026 -- As I had a multi-year tradition of setting aside a few days, preferably near the summer solstice when I would have the most daylight, to get out onto the landscape and see fields, old railroad depots, trails, and confluence points, and as I would be teaching soon at a geotechnology conference at Dallas College, and as it had been six months since I had last visited a point, the weekend had finally arrived. I had been looking forward to it for quite some time and it exceeded all my geo-hopes and dreams!

It was Day 4 of my current confluence trek, which had begun in Dallas and which took me in a long clockwise oval through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, and back into Texas. This morning I had begun at the beautiful Abilene State Park and took in a stop at Allsup's, one of my favorite convenience store chains. I had been thwarted by a massive solar operation at 33 North 100 West, earlier this morning, but then successfully visited 33 North 101 West just 1 degree south of here by 10:00am. As I drove north, the skies began to look very black indeed to the west and northwest, with Clairemont with its abandoned service station and Old Kent County Jail being the most interesting.

Despite my time crunch (needing to be in Dallas this evening to prepare for my upcoming workshops), I allowed myself 10 minutes in Clairemont. I then drove through Spur and Dickens and toward my next (and final) destination. I went through one downpour but then the skies held. Would I make my next destination or would I be rained out? Only one way to find out! I passed almost no vehicles on these county and state roads. At Matador I again stopped, as I could not resist filming Bob's Oil Well, with its rich history, and the VW Beetle parked in front.

I had been messaging and calling the landowners over the past few hours, and at Matador, I told them I was nearby. I then drove west into a darkening sky on US 62/70 and parked at their gate. They said they would be there in 10 more minutes. Would the sky hold? There I was scanning the highway, but the landowners came from the lane behind the gate I was standing near. It began to sprinkle. Fortunately, no lightning; only one thunderclap, and fortunately, I thought to wear my raincoat and USGS vest (from when I worked there as a geographer).

The Approach: We all met and shook hands. The landowners were wonderfully friendly and inquisitive people, just as I had imagined through our months of emails. I thought we were going to hike in; and thankfully, given the weather, they took me in their vehicle to the road just southwest of the point. We had a lively chat about all things history and geography en route to the northeast, and then up the hills to the northwest, toward the confluence point. We parked on the road, to the southwest of the point.

The skies continued to threaten. Fortunately the skies did not look like they were full of tornadoes or hail. I set out briskly through the terrain; a beautiful view opened up to the north of the confluence point, one of the loveliest in all of my treks over the past 25 years. The land was amazing; incised terrain particularly to the north, where the landscape broadened and flattened; ground cover here partly grass, mesquite, juniper trees, yucca, prickly pear cactus, bare soil, and many wildflowers. I descended a gully partway, but then, some minutes later, I ascended to the upland and found THE spot!

The Site: Today, at least, according to the GPS constellation, the confluence was located on one of the high fingers of terrain that dropped steeply off to the north. I took photos and this video. The confluence itself lies on flat ground sloping ever slightly to the north, again, with a beautiful view in all directions but especially north, and southeast. Due perhaps to the impending rain I saw few birds. As always I thought of Indigenous People and settlers who have crossed and re-crossed this land, and those who settled here. I also mused that more cattle and horses have probably trod these specific grounds than people.

I have stood on 34 North from California to North Carolina, many times along that line of latitude, and on 101 West many times along that line of longitude from North Dakota at 48 North Latitude to Kansas at 37 North Latitude, plus a few hours ago, at 33 North 101 West. I now have perhaps 25 confluence points in the great state of Texas. Many of the points I have not visited are on large private ranches that I will probably never visit. This current one also was on a private ranch but I was so appreciative to these dear landowners that I had just met, for their permission to access. It was good to be back in this amazing area after my trek to the New Mexico-Texas boundary in the Llano Estacado just 13 months prior.

Weather Conditions: It was about 73 F at the site and temperatures falling, wind rising, cloudy skies. I could not see any dwellings from the confluence; what a wonderful place to be. I thought we might make it out of the area before any rain fell, but as I was making as hasty of an exit as I could back to the landowners' vehicle, the rain began in earnest. I wish we could have spoken longer but out of respect for the landowners' time, we bade each other farewell. By the time we reached the US Highway, it was raining hard, and bless one of the landowners for standing out in the rain as he held the gate open for me. I headed east and watched them drive back north after shutting the gate. Such wonderful people and memories! Hooray for geography for bringing people together!

Next Stop: My goal now was to get back to DFW airport, turn in my vehicle, and then get a ride to the area near Dallas College, where I would be teaching for the next 5 days. The rain ceased and I briefly toyed with the idea of hiking to 34 North 100 West, but decided against it, to save it for another trip; this was a good thing because as it turned out, I would not reach my lodgings until 8:30pm that evening. En route, I passed through more wonderful towns and picked up several more counties.

I left the area with gratitude to these landowners and all whom I had met on my 4-day trek with 13 successful visits and 1 more attempted visit. I had work to do now to prepare for the geotechnology conference, so I journeyed out of the area to the east, to Wichita Falls, then on to Dallas, where I completed my last of my 1,945 miles. The trip spanned 4 degrees of latitude (32 to 36 North) and 9 degrees of longitude (92 to 101 West). Thank you all and happy trails.

Important Note: The landowners here are kind and wonderful people who care deeply about the land. Please do not trespass on their land. Out of respect for the landowners, I do not recommend anyone else visits this point. If you feel you must, however, please write to the landowners beforehand with your request.

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When the trip was all said and done, here are the final statistics:


-------------------------------------------------
Days set aside to visit points:  4.

Confluence points attempted:  14.  

Confluence points successfully visited:  13. 

Points where I met the local landowner = 5 of 14 points. 


Miles = 1,945, Kilometers = 3,130.
  
Percent of travel on interstate highways:  15%
Percent of travel on US, state, county roads, and the "back of the back roads":  85 % Hooray!

Campgrounds = 3.  

Rainy confluence points:  3 of 14.
Beautiful confluence points:   14 of 14.

Convenience store stops = 7.  

Points that turned out to be

                easier than I thought they would be =           1 
                about the same as I expected them to be =       8 
                more difficult than I thought they would be =   5 
		-------------------------------------------------------
			                                     14 points.
Points          in prairie or scrub      3
                in woodlands             5
		in non-tilled fields     2
		in agricultural fields   4
		-----------------------------------
			                14 points.

Points along 	36 North = 1 
		35 North = 4 
		34 North = 2 
		33 North = 3
                32 North = 4  
		----------------
			   14 points.

Points visited on 	Day 1 = 2 
			Day 2 = 5 
			Day 3 = 4 
			Day 4 = 3
		-------------------
			   	14 points.  

Points visited in the 	morning = 	6 
			afternoon = 	5 
			evening = 	3 
		-------------------------------
			   	       14 points

Points visited in 	Oklahoma =       2
			Arkansas =       4
			Louisiana =      2 
			Texas =          6
		-------------------------------
			   		14 points 

The most frequently visited latitude line:  
-------------------------------------------- 
                       32 and 35 North:  4 points each.

The most frequently visited longitude line:  
-------------------------------------------- 
                                      94 West:  4 points.