Special Edition: Lonesome Dove and Judge Roy Bean

One note from the ride to Seminole State Park. We rode past a group of geology students studying the rock structure where Hwy 90 was cut through a hillside. These various cuts were interesting and I told the students that we've seen a lot of rocks, way too many of these rocks. I added to that count during that night's camping when my air mattress decided it no longer wanted to stay inflated and I then regretted not having done anything towards removing the many rocks that were at one time insignificant but now formed an interesting geological pattern in my backside. Normally you move to rearrange the contact points, but....you might recall this was the night of full and total body cramps. Whatever moved, cramped. A loooooong night.

On to Lonesome Dove and Judge Roy Bean. Lonesome Dove is my favorite book ever. By Larry McMurtry, it tells the story of two aging Texas Rangers living along the Rio Grande in south Texas. This is where we were. I love the characters, Augustus McRae (played by Robert Duval in the mini-series) and Woodrow Call (Tommy Lee Jones). The characters are so well defined, interesting, and become part of your life. These two characters are opposites, yet it works.  The descriptions of the land, the times, the history are epic and flowing. I simply loved this book. And here we were, in LD territory. And...you could always here that singular, sometimes multiple lonesome dove cooing.

When we entered the Hill country, the Nueces River, the place of the snake attack,  ouch. The Guadalupe River, and more. So alive with visions and sounds of the book.

I did read that they almost did a movie in 1972 of LD. Would have starred John Wayne as Call, Jimmy Stewart as McRae and Henry Fonda as Jake Spoon. Interesting, but the book is too big for one movie. And Duvall and Jones ARE McRae and Call.

But one 1972 movie that did make it was Judge Roy Bean, law west of the Pecos. Starred Paul Newman, a comedy of sorts, showing the historical character and his time in Langtry, TX. Judge Bean was infatuated with the English actress/singer of the late 1800s, Lillie Langtry. The Judge claimed he named the town for her, the railroad said not, it was named for a railroad section chief. But the Judge held court in his Jersey Lillie saloon, named in her honor and the court days were good for business. There was never jail time, only fines. Often the fine being to buy rounds of drinks in the Jude's saloon.  He revered Miss Langtry and she did come visit, but only

after his death.

I grew up watching westerns, not sure the allure ever left my soul. These days, this country, really brought out these memories. We still hear the doves, I still love the sound.

Pictures attached. First some country that maybe remind you of LD and then the Judge Roy Bean collection.