Road Trips

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Saint Mary’s Help of Christians Catholic Church

Among the more interesting place names in Texas is the small historic community of Twin Sisters. Located in Blanco County, about seven miles south of Blanco along Ranch to Market Road 473, the community takes its unusual name from two prominent nearby hills—the “Twin Sisters.” The hills became familiar landmarks for early settlers traveling through the Texas Hill Country.

The settlement began in the 1850s when German and other European immigrants established farms and ranches in the area. A small community gradually developed with schools, churches, businesses, and a post office serving ranch families in the area.

Twin Sisters never developed into a large town. As nearby Blanco became the area’s commercial center, many of the small businesses disappeared or relocated there. The post office eventually closed, and Twin Sisters settled into life as a quiet rural ranching community.

Today, little remains of the original settlement. Time is slowly erasing the evidence that a community once flourished here. Even so, the Twin Sisters hills, a tiny chapel, and an old cemetery remain as reminders of this early Texas Hill Country community.


Saint Mary’s Help of Christians Catholic Church is perhaps the most important surviving landmark in this rural area.

Built in 1889, Saint Mary’s was the first Catholic church established in Blanco County. Catholic families had been gathering for worship in homes and other locations in the area since their arrival in the 1850s.

After residents acquired land for a church in 1887, construction began under the leadership of Father Virgilius Draessel. The small chapel rests on a foundation of locally quarried stone, while other building materials were reportedly hauled by wagon from farther away. According to the Texas historical marker at the site, the chapel was dedicated in 1889.


For the next half century, Saint Mary’s served as an important center of worship and community life for Catholic families in the surrounding countryside.

That changed in 1940 when St. Ferdinand Catholic Church was established in Blanco. Regular parish worship shifted from the little country chapel to the new church in town. Even the bell from Saint Mary’s was moved to St. Ferdinand.

Saint Mary’s subsequently took on a new role as a cemetery chapel and historic site. It remains connected with St. Ferdinand and is still used on special occasions, particularly for the annual All Souls’ Day Mass in November, as well as funerals and other services.

When Cheryl and I stopped here, two new graves in the cemetery caught my attention—one belonging to a man born in 1956 and another to a woman born in 1978. Their graves seemed especially noticeable among the older markers surrounding the chapel.


Cemeteries have a way of reminding us of something we spend much of our lives trying not to think about: we are all headed in this direction. Someday each of us will either choose where we are buried or leave that decision to someone else. Standing among the graves at Saint Mary’s is a quiet reminder that every life has a beginning, a story, and an end.

For generations, Saint Mary’s Help of Christians Catholic Church played an important role in the lives of those who settled this part of the Hill Country. Through good times and bad, through the celebration of births and marriages and the grief of deaths, and through the long years of families working hard to build new lives in Texas, Father Draessel, the priests who followed him, and this little church were there.


Today, Saint Mary’s is a reminder of the faith of the Hill Country’s early settlers. Its historical importance was officially recognized in 1965 when it became a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark.

For backroad explorers like Cheryl and me, the attraction here is about the setting—an old country church, weathered gravestones, rolling Hill Country ranchland, and the kind of silence that invites you to slow down and reflect.


Places like Saint Mary’s are easy to drive past. There are no crowds, gift shops, or flashy attractions competing for your attention. Instead, there is a small chapel standing quietly among the graves of people who came before us.

And that is what makes it worth stopping.

If you enjoy historic churches, cemeteries, Texas history, or forgotten places along the back roads, Saint Mary’s Help of Christians Catholic Church is definitely worth a visit.

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Our General Stores Bucket List

If you have watched enough Westerns, you have likely seen a scene or two play out in a general store. In the small towns of the American West, the general store played an important role in everyday life.


As a fan of old Westerns, I find one of the most memorable general-store scenes in the 1953 classic Shane, starring Alan Ladd. Much of the conflict between a powerful rancher and struggling homesteaders unfolds at Grafton’s General Store and adjoining saloon, which serves as the town’s commercial and social center.

Like so many things in history, the general store occupied a particular slice of time that is now gone. It was eventually replaced by stores that were bigger, broader, and supposedly better—but maybe not.


The closest thing to a general store in my world is the Little Burro Country Store, located about an hour south of Alpine in the Big Bend Valley, just north of Study Butte and Big Bend National Park. Our cabin is only a few miles away, and whenever we need something to get us through, this is the place we shop.

The Little Burro carries just enough essential goods to keep locals from making the hour-long drive to the grocery store in Alpine. More than once, however, what I expected to be a quick visit has turned into a much longer stay. I have enjoyed my share of conversations on the store’s front porch—a reminder that a good country store is still more than simply a place to shop.

The Little Burro is a small surviving example of the role general stores played in the history of the American frontier. It provides essential supplies and serves as a gathering place, with plenty of seating where locals and visitors can pass the time.


Old general stores were important for several reasons, not the least of which is that they helped the local economy. Farmers and ranchers bought supplies there. They also sold or traded their own goods. These stores connected small, isolated communities to the outside world, often acting as post offices, telegraph offices, and stagecoach stops.

Genuine general stores are a thing of the past. What remains are some really cool General Stores around the Lone Star State that, once you walk through the doors, revive nostalgic feelings and take you back to a simpler time. Some of these old stores occupy the same piece of real estate that housed them from their beginnings. Others are housed in old buildings that look and feel like an old-time general store.

Cheryl and I hope to visit as many of the remaining general store locations in Texas as we can on upcoming road trips. I have written about a few of these stores and will follow up with posts on the others as we visit them. The checkmarks indicate the stores we have visited. I hope you will come along for the ride.

Here is our General Stores Bucket List. Leave a comment with info about any locations missing from our list.

Hill Country and Central Texas
✓ Camp Verde General Store — Camp Verde, near Kerrville
• Coats Grocery and Market — Gause
✓ Gruene General Store — Gruene Historic District, New Braunfels
• Luckenbach General Store — Luckenbach
✓ Bandera General Store — Bandera
✓ Fischer Store — Fischer
✓ Kendalia General Store — Kendalia
✓ Garven Store — Mountain Home
✓ Pipe Creek General Store and Dance Hall — Pipe Creek
✓ Welcome General Store — Welcome, near Brenham


East Texas
✓ Jefferson General Store — Jefferson
• T. C. Lindsey & Co. General Store — Jonesville
• Edge General Store — Edge, near Hearne
✓ Farmers Mercantile — Orange
• General Mercantile and Old-Time String Shop — Nacogdoches


North Texas
• The General Store — Fort Worth Stockyards
• Texas General Store — Grapevine
• Martin General Store — Granbury


West Texas
• Eggemeyer’s General Store — San Angelo

Gulf Coast and South Texas
• Girouard’s General Store — Freeport
• Morales Store — Morales, near Edna

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Visiting El Frijolillo

My grandfather was a storyteller. From as early as I can remember, he shared wonderful stories with me—stories that made my imagination sit up and pay attention. I loved listening as he told Aesop’s fables, the story of Androcles and the Lion, and other fascinating tales. This was during an age when television was still in its infancy and storytelling remained a treasured form of entertainment.

But the stories I loved most were those he told about his childhood growing up on a ranch in Duval County. To this day, Duval County remains rugged scrub country, populated by mesquite, cactus, and other stubborn vegetation seemingly determined to stick, cut, and wound the unsuspecting traveler.

As a boy, I was captivated by his stories of riding horseback across the ranch. During his teenage years, he worked as a cowhand on the George West Ranch, located not far from his family’s ranch. His stories made me want to be a cowboy, just as he had been before leaving ranch life behind to attend business college in San Antonio.

One day, he told me about being thrown from his horse at a place he called El Frijolillo (pronounced free-ho-lee-oh). He described it as a thick, tangled cowlick of mountain laurel and chaparral at one end of a pasture. The fall was apparently memorable enough to remain vivid in his mind decades later. As a boy, I often dreamed about that mysterious place called El Frijolillo.


When I was barely a teenager, my grandfather arranged for me to visit my country cousins at the ranch. He bought me a bus ticket from Mission to San Diego and sent me off on a great adventure—all by myself, with only a small suitcase in hand.

The only thing I remember about the bus ride was sitting next to an older woman who had doused herself in an overpowering amount of perfume. I could hardly breathe and pressed my face against the window, hoping for even the slightest whiff of fresh air. Toxic fumes aside, I made it to my destination, where my Uncle Florentino, my grandfather’s half-brother, was waiting to pick me up.

Florentino was a towering man. When I stepped off the bus, there he stood—wearing khaki pants, a long-sleeved shirt, black boots, and a straw cowboy hat. He looked down at me with welcoming eyes, shook my hand, took my bag, and led me to his pickup truck for the nearly twenty-mile drive to the ranch. That day marked the beginning of a lifelong friendship with Florentino.

I told Florentino that while I was at the ranch, I wanted to see El Frijolillo. He laughed and remarked that this was the very place where a horse had violently bucked my grandfather to the ground. Then he assured me that I would indeed get to see El Frijolillo—on horseback. I grinned from ear to ear and could hardly wait.

My cousins made sure that I experienced plenty of great adventures. They took me rabbit hunting, led me on hikes through the brush, climbed with me into deer blinds to survey the land, and introduced me to horseback riding. I killed my first rabbit, and my aunt cooked it for supper that very evening. Unbelievable! This adventure was already more than I had expected.


But the greatest adventure of all was riding a pony out to El Frijolillo, the place that had etched itself into my grandfather’s memory decades earlier. For whatever reason, he never forgot that fall—perhaps because being thrown from a horse was a rare occurrence, or because the impact had bruised itself so deeply into his memory.

I was there. Finally. As I surveyed the place, I could hear my grandfather’s story echoing in my mind. Standing on that very ground made me feel even more connected to him and to the ranch land that had nurtured him. This was part of my history—and now I had become part of the story of El Frijolillo.

Decades have passed since my great adventure on the ranch. When my grandfather told me stories about life on the ranch, he unwittingly gave me a wonderful gift. He gave me a connection to the land and to my family. Best of all, he gave me a connection to the boy he once was. Now, whenever I think about El Frijolillo, I can hear my grandfather’s voice and feel inspired to keep the storytelling tradition he shared with me alive.

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My Buffalo Patrol Flag

There is no denying that I am absolutely captivated by the beauty of the Trans-Pecos region of Texas. It is rugged country. Iconic cowboy country. Breathtaking country. It is not for everybody—and that is okay.

There is a saying out here in the wide part of the Lone Star State, where the sprawling Chihuahuan Desert paints the landscape as far as the eye can see: From the outside looking in, you don’t understand it. From the inside looking out, you can’t explain it.

As hard as I try to put into words what I feel when I am under the Big Bend sky, I can never quite explain it.

My love for this part of Texas began when I was a member of Boy Scout Troop 68 in McAllen. Our troop was very active, and I enjoyed every hike, campout, and opportunity to learn some new kind of bushcraft.


In 1972, our troop leader, Mr. Connor, told us that we would be attending Buffalo Trails Scout Ranch in the Davis Mountains. As a South Texas boy, I had never seen mountains. The thought of traveling to a place called the Davis Mountains was beyond exciting.

We made the long trek from McAllen to Buffalo Trails in a yellow bus without air conditioning—in the middle of July. It was incredibly hot. But most of us lived in homes without central air conditioning or, at best, with a window unit, so the heat was tolerable. We were too excited about the adventure ahead to complain.


I was the patrol leader of the Buffalo Patrol. Before our trip, I asked my mom if she could help me design a flag for our patrol.

She did much more than help.

She surprised me with what I—and everyone else in Troop 68—thought was the coolest patrol flag ever.

The buffalo-looking hide and horns, the hand-lettered design, and the Camporee award ribbons made our flag one of a kind. We displayed it proudly at Buffalo Trails and later carried it to every campout and jamboree.


That long journey from South Texas to the Davis Mountains was one of the greatest adventures of my boyhood. The opportunity to see and camp in the mountains stirred every adventure molecule in me.


We crossed the Pecos River on the coolest bridge I had ever seen. We stopped in Langtry to visit Judge Roy Bean’s famous “Law West of the Pecos.”

And then we arrived at Buffalo Trails.

Wow!

I was in Boy Scout heaven.


The entire adventure—from McAllen to the Davis Mountains—was a dream come true. It was my first exposure to the vast and beautiful country beyond the Pecos. Years would pass before I returned, but when I finally did, the landscape stirred dormant memories and brought them vividly back to life.


I could never have imagined in July 1972 that I would one day own a small piece of acreage in the magnificent Big Bend region. It is a place where Cheryl and I now find rest—and where we have the privilege of giving other boys opportunities to enjoy their own Big Bend adventures.


Today, at seventy years of age, I still have my Buffalo Patrol flag. It hangs above the door of our guest cabin. Every time I see it, I smile.

I think of my beautiful late mother and the care she put into designing and stitching it together. The ribbons have faded with the passing years, but the memories they hold remain vivid.

I am grateful to have this treasured reminder of my childhood still. It reminds me that boys need adventure—and that adventures can help mold boys into men of courage, character, and conviction.

Thanks, Mom, for my flag.

It will always remind me of you—and of the adventures you and Dad encouraged me to have.

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Fort Davis Drug Store Restaurant

Fort Davis, now a National Historic Site, was established in 1854 in the heart of the Davis Mountains. The site is one of the best surviving examples of a frontier military post built to protect mail carriers and travelers along the San Antonio Road.

After the Civil War, several regiments of Buffalo Soldiers were assigned to Fort Davis and served under the command of Second Lieutenant Henry O. Flipper, the first African American graduate of West Point. These soldiers served admirably and played a key role in keeping travelers safe.

The present-day town of Fort Davis surrounds the well preserved ruins of the old fort and is the county seat of Jeff Davis County. Situated on Limpia Creek at the intersection of State Highways 17 and 118, the town boasts beautiful views of the surrounding Davis Mountains.

The main drag is lined with quaint shops and a variety of eateries to satisfy every appetite. Flanked by the historic Hotel Limpia on one end and Stone Village Market on the opposite end, everything in between is stroll worthy. Shop owners are welcoming and super friendly.

After several days of hiking at Big Bend National Park and Davis Mountains State Park, my friend Doyle and I headed to the historic Fort Davis Drug Store for lunch. This cool restaurant features delicious made-from-scratch meals — including amazing desserts and a vintage 1950’s style ice cream soda fountain.

I ordered the Mile High Hamburger and added Pepper Jack cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato, pickles and a side order of homemade onion rings. This burger features a one-third pound all-beef patty and is served on toasted Kaiser buns.

The patty was cooked to perfection, the bacon was more on the crispier side like I prefer, and the buns were slightly toasted and very fresh. From the first to the last bite, this burger was delicious. And the onion rings were the perfect compliment. So glad I ordered this burger. It was more than enough to fill me up and energize me for a final afternoon hike.

Fort Davis is off the beaten interstate path but definitely worth a visit, not just for the food, but for the shops and a look at the historic old fort. I look forward to returning on a future day trip from our place in Big Bend. I hope you will add Fort Davis to your future Texas road trip bucket list. You’ll be glad you did.

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El Camino del Rio

I am a road-trip junkie. Because I have spent so many years traveling around the planet on I-have-lost-track-of-how-many-hundreds-of-flights, there is nothing I enjoy more when I am home than windshield time in my pick-up.

Since establishing our base camp on our little off-grid place in Big Bend, I am taking advantage of every opportunity to explore this amazing part of the Lone Star State. For reasons I can’t explain, I am drawn to the vast Chihuahuan Desert that spans the Trans-Pecos.

The small town of Lajitas is not far from our cabin. The name Lajitas is Spanish for “little flat rocks” and refers to the Boquillas limestone of the area. Located along FM 170 on the western edge of Big Bend National Park, Lajitas has a goat for a mayor and a world-class golf resort and spa that attracts visitors from around the world.

The stretch of highway along FM 170 between Lajitas and Presidio is known as El Camino del Rio, or the River Road. National Geographic Traveler rates this spectacular road as one of the top ten scenic routes in the Unites States. This drive should be a bucket list item for any road-trip junkie.

El Camino del Rio follows the curves and turns of the Rio Grande River through Big Bend Ranch State Park from Lajitas all the way to Presidio, a name that originates from the Spanish word for fortress. The highway plunges over mountains into steep canyons and then up again like a desert roller coaster. Drive slowly and savor the views.

There are several scenic overlooks with views that will take your breath away. The magnificent vistas will allow even an amateur photographer to take amazing shots and look like a pro. The geography is about as iconically cowboy as it gets in Texas and the place names hail back to the days when Spanish explorers came through the region.
Whether you start your journey in Lajitas or Presidio, don’t be in a hurry. Take the time to stop to take in the views and to snap a few pics. Be sure to take water and snacks. And remember that there is no cell-signal on this 51-mile stretch of road.

I hope that you will add El Camino del Rio to your adventure list. You will be glad you did. Enjoy your drive and be safe.

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Road Trip to Egypt

When it comes to planning a day trip I prefer scrutinizing a paper map to find the most interesting place names — and then seeing how I can get there off the beaten path. Texas has no shortage of places with fascinating monikers. And getting to those places makes for some really good windshield time.
Some names on the map are nothing more than “if you blink you will miss them” kind of spots. Almost always you can find evidence of what life was like there in years gone by — things like old cemeteries or long abandoned buildings slowly being eroded by the passage of time.
That’s how I came across Egypt, the oldest community in Wharton County. When I spotted the name on my map I couldn’t resist the temptation to head that way, especially because I have visited the “real” Egypt several times. So, off to the Egypt in Texas it was.
The original settlement was started in 1892 by Eli Mercer at the place where the road from Matagorda to Columbus crossed the San Felipe−Texana Road. Mercer operated a ferry across the Colorado River at that spot, hence the name Mercer’s Crossing.
The fertile soil in the area made Mercer’s Crossing a great place to farm. Farmers planted corn, cotton, and even sugar cane. During a severe drought, the farmers in the area supplied corn to surrounding settlements. As a result, folks started referring to Mercer’s Crossing as Egypt and the name stuck.
In November 1835, the Republic of Texas opened a post office in Egypt with Eli Mercer as postmaster. The US Postal Service still operates a post office in Egypt. Texas history attests to the role Egypt played in the pre-independence days of the Lone Star State. During the early days of the republic, many prominent Texans lived in Egypt.


Today, the population of Egypt is in the double-digits. Many former residents, including several from the earliest days of Texas, are buried in the old cemetery. It is worth taking some time to walk slowly among the old headstones. So much history here.


You will find some fascinating old buildings in Egypt as well as a colorful billboard mural in front of the old mill. Some of the old families remain to this day, continuing a long family tradition of farming. Considering the beauty of the countryside here, it’s no wonder that some folks have chosen to stay in Egypt.
As Texans we are fortunate to have so many miles of backroads that wind their way through the history of our great state. Make sure to take some time to get out and explore the places near you. You might want to start by buying a paper map of the Lone Star State as you plan your next adventure.

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Orsak’s Cafe in Fayetteville

I love venturing to places I have not yet visited in the Lone Star State. On a recent road trip from Katy to La Grange, my wife and I decided to take a lunch detour to Fayetteville — and I am so glad we did. This small town is about the closest thing to a time capsule you will find in Texas. Fayetteville has somehow managed to retain quite a bit of yesteryear charm in our ever-changing world.
Our purpose for taking this detour was to find a place to enjoy a bacon cheeseburger. And, according to the information we read online, Orsak’s Cafe was the place to go. This small town diner is located on the town’s historic square and offers a menu-full of enticing home-style dishes, including burgers.
As soon as we drove into Fayetteville we knew we liked it. No cookie-cutter homes here. Just charming little homes, each with their own unique architectural features — homes that have been around so long that they are shaded by mature trees and crepe-myrtles in full bloom. We enjoyed driving around and looking at the homes and the old business on the town square, including Fayetteville’s historic court house.
When we arrived at Orsak’s it was obvious this is a popular place. The locals were already seated at their favorite tables when we walked in. Folks were friendly and offered their greetings as we made our way to an empty table. We felt right at home among folks enjoying good conversation and delicious meals.
Cheryl and I decided to split a bacon cheeseburger with a side of onion rings. Since the burgers at Orsak’s are pretty big, this was a good call. Our burger arrived already cut and plated on two plates with a healthy portion of homemade onion rings on each plate. Very nice service.
The first bite was absolutely delicious. The portion of meat was generous, the ingredients were fresh, the bacon was crisp, the bun was nice and moist, and the onion rings were cooked to perfection. Everything about this meal was enjoyable and had us hooked. As we ate we talked about when we might be free to come back to Orsak’s.
After lunch we walked around the town square and enjoyed perusing the town bulletin boards that were chock-full of posters, flyers, bulletins, and notes announcing upcoming community events. Very blast-from-the-past kind of stuff in this day of social media advertising. There are all sorts of shops and restaurants and even a museum on the town square along with numerous historical markers.
Cheryl and I agreed that Fayetteville is one of our new favorite places. We can’t wait to go back and introduce friends to this small Texas treasure and to enjoy lunch again at Orsak’s Cafe. If you find yourself anywhere near Fayetteville on your next toad trip, take the time to visit. And remember, wherever your road trips take you, get off the beaten path and explore a place you have never visited.

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Rosa’s Cantina

When it comes to music, my iTunes playlist is nothing less than eclectic. My taste in music encompasses just about everything from Mongolian throat singing to Mexican mariachi. I especially enjoy ballads — sentimental songs that tell stories that tug at my heart. And when it comes to ballads, I especially enjoy country–western singer Marty Robbins.

In 1959, Marty Robins released what became one of his signature songs, El Paso. This song about a love struck cowboy propelled Robbins from singer to superstar almost overnight. The setting for the song was Rosa’s Cantina “out in the west Texas town of El Paso.” What many may not have realized at the time is that there is a real place called Rosa’s Cantina in El Paso.

As the story goes, Robbins and his band were traveling from Nashville to Phoenix. They happened to stop for a break in El Paso in front of a local watering hole named Rosa’s Cantina. The place was already closed for the night but Robbins looked through the windows and walked around the joint, casting an eye toward the badlands of New Mexico.

Those brief moments in front of Rosa’s Cantina played a role in sparking Robbin’s storytelling imagination. By the time he and the boys had arrived in Phoenix the ballad was complete. We will never know for sure whether Robbins was already working on the song or if that brief stop in El Paso was the catalyst for the song.

What we do know for certain is that Rosa’s Cantina was the setting for almost the entire story about a love struck cowboy who gunned down another cowboy in a jealous rage over Felina, the Mexican girl who worked at the saloon. That song not only catapulted Robbins to fame, it also put Rosa’s Cantina on the map.

Today, Rosa’s Cantina is pretty much the same as it was in 1959. Housed in an unimpressive rock building next to a garage in a part of town where blue-collar workers hammer out a living, Rosa’s Cantina is a destination spot for Marty Robbins fans from all over the world. The guest book in the joint has signatures of guests from too many countries to count.

Cheryl and I were excited to finally make it to Rosa’s Cantina to enjoy the atmosphere and a hearty plate of Mexican food. The staff was super-friendly, the food was delicious, and the ambiance was very cool. The walls featured several Marty Robbins albums and other memorabilia. This place continues to give patrons a connection with a song about the old west that continues to stir the imagination.

Rosa’s Cantina is definitely worth a visit. Don’t hesitate to bring the whole family. The owners and staff know they are stewards of a legacy unwittingly bestowed on them by Marty Robbins. And once you step in the door, your own imagination will kick in as you reflect on a love story that did not end well for a jealous young cowboy.

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A Place Called Uncertain

I sometimes resort to an unconventional method when planning a road trip — unfold a Texas map, adjust my bifocals, and then look for the most interesting place names. That’s the way my East Texas road trip came about. Actually, my wife Cheryl found the spot on the map and suggested we head in the direction of Uncertain.
I was so happy to learn that there is actually a place in Texas named Uncertain. How cool is that. It was settled, then. The only thing we were certain of was heading to Uncertain. Any other stops along the way would be at our whim. When Cheryl and I do this kind of road trip we don’t make lodging reservations ahead of time so that we can be free to head in any direction we want.
There are a couple of stories about how Uncertain got its name. One story suggests that the place was once known as Uncertain Landing and got its name because steamboat captains often had a hard time mooring their vessels there. Another story suggests that the town got its name before the border between the United States and the Republic of Texas was finally established. Before that time residents were uncertain about their citizenship.
Uncertain is an incorporated community located deep in the heart of East Texas. Situated along the shores of Caddo Lake, the largest natural lake in Texas, Uncertain is a little place with a whole lot of stuff going on. Locals offer boat tours that take guests through the largest bald cypress forest in the world. These big old trees give Caddo Lake a unique and mysterious personality.
You’ll find several small businesses in Uncertain and a non-denominational place of worship understandably called The Church of Uncertain. But don’t let the name fool you. This little house of worship is certain about the doctrinal essentials that make it vital to the spiritual health of the community.
There are a few places to eat in Uncertain but we chose to stop at a place called Shady Glade Cafe. This little joint has a cool local vibe and offers a great selection of home-style meals, including burgers. The big guy seated next to us ordered a chicken fried steak that was bigger than the plate. I ordered the Baconator with cheese, seasoned fries, and iced tea.
As he was leaving the big guy turned, took a deep breath, and said to me, “I can put away a lot of groceries, but I could not finish that chicken fried steak.” I can understand why. It was huge! As for my burger, it was really good, especially the generous meat patty that had a great flavor. There was a steady stream of customers the whole time we were there. That in itself is a good endorsement.
Bottom line — we enjoyed our drive through this small community where folks make their livelihood from catering to tourists and fishermen to Caddo Lake. The folks we met while there were all very friendly and helpful. So, one thing is certain — we enjoyed our brief time in Uncertain and glad that this was our first stop on our East Texas road trip.