BEND, Ore. — Well, gang, I have made the turn and am heading for the house in North Texas.
And along the way I suffered a semi-serious disappointment. I was told about a tree on the east side of U.S. Highway 97 a bit north of Bend that I needed to see. It was called colloquially the “Shoe Tree.”
My cousin and his wife told me it was a tree that had died some years ago, but motorists would pass by and hurl shoes onto the branches. It stood apparently for years along the highway.
I guess its time ran out, as in someone must’ve lost patience with seeing it there, collecting old shoes.
Me? I would have loved to see the Shoe Tree. That’s the kind of thing that makes outstanding roadside attractions. Heck, the folks nearby could spring for a concession stand, they could sell artifacts such as bumper stickers, ball caps, t-shirts.
Hey, that’s what they have done along Interstate 40 west of Amarillo, where motorists gather to spray paint graffiti on the cars that comprise Cadillac Ranch!
Well, unless I missed it as I whizzed by, the Shoe Tree appears to have gone on to tree heaven.
An opportunity lost. Would’ve made a great picture to go with this post.
It’s on to the next stop.