Most of my Texas journeys have focused on the west and north of the Lone Star Empire.  I did head down the midsection, from Fort Worth to Brownsville, in May, 2012.  This time around, the journey was brief, from Texarkana, to Longview, and on to Dallas.  Longview was my rest stop on September 20.  My first taste of  the Piney Woods came at a rest stop, off I-20, halfway between Tyler and Terrell.  Here, next to a game farm, is a 1/2 mile nature trail.

Views of the game farm were abundant,

and I made a new friend.

The emu followed me along the fence, for pretty much the length of the trail.

When I detoured to Grand Saline, some friendly folks were giving away hot dogs and water, to promote their video store.

Their store is right next to the venerable Grand Saline Inn.

As elsewhere in Texas, the east has its share of “Old West”  structures.

Only Grand Saline, though, has the Salt Palace, actually an overhead to protect this lump of salt.  East Texas’ largest active salt mine is in operation, 5 miles south of Grand Saline.

The aviator Wiley Post is from this area, and is commemorated here.

I made a three hour visit to Dallas, that afternoon, so next up is Big D.