A Short Drive Before Lunch

Donna and I had some free time early one morning last week. It was a beautiful spring day, plenty of sunshine and warming quickly. We decided to take a short drive in the country before lunch.

We started by heading west on US 67. We crossed the nearly always dry West Concho River, and continued on to FM 2335, which heads south to the old farming community of Knickerbocker. Just after turning off 67, we crossed a set of railroad tracks and then immediately turned back east onto FM 2166 to do a bit of exploring. We had never been on this road.

A few miles down the road, we came to the entrance for the West Texas Boys Ranch. I've always known the Boys Ranch was out here, but I know little of the place. I know that numerous fund raisers are held in Angelo throughout the year to support the ranch, but I know little else. The ranch provides a home to boys aged 11-17 who need a safe environment in which to grow. You can learn more by following the link above.

The entrance to the ranch is quite attractive as the road is lined with evenly spaced pecan trees. Fields of winter wheat spread out on both sides of the road. The ranch itself is not large, probably consisting of a few residences and a small number of buildings.

Entrance to Boys Ranch, with pecan trees and fields of wheat lining the road.

Some of the buildings at Boys Ranch.

Field of wheat.

After our short drive through the ranch, we continued east on FM 2166. Eventually, the pavement ended, so we turned around. Looking at the map, I see that the road actually heads towards Twin Buttes Reservoir (North Pool).

Wild turkeys scampering across a newly plowed field. You can barely see one of the huge overhead sprinkler systems in the distant background.

Another shot of the turkeys, with a line of low hills in the background.

Back on FM 2335, we continued south, where we pulled off for a short drive through the little park on the east side of the road on both banks of Spring Creek. There were a couple of tents pitched along the north bank and a travel trailer was parked farther up the slope. Spring Creek is a pretty reliable source of water in this arid area of West Texas. It helps fill Twin Buttes Reservoir -- along with Dove Creek -- then continues downstream to merge with the West Concho River to form Lake Nasworthy.

Shot of Spring Creek from the park.

Park pavilion on the south bank of Spring Creek.

Spring Creek as seen from the highway crossing.

We then detoured through part of the Dove Creek subdivision. In the 1990s, Donna and I bought a few acres in this subdivision and thought that one day we might retire there. We ended up selling several years ago, though. It is an interesting place, with tracts ranging from 5 acres on up to 40 or so acres. Many tracts line either Spring Creek or Dove Creek, and there are two little subdivision parks on the banks of these creeks where you can launch a boat or do some fishing or swimming. The creeks empty into Twin Buttes Reservoir.

We came across these guinnea hens in Dove Creek subdivision.

Back on FM 2335, we continued south, eventually crossing tree lined Dove Creek and arriving in Knickerbocker, where we turned east back towards San Angelo. It was a nice morning in the country.