Fort Davis

I am writing this in Carlsbad since I have not been able to get internet since getting to Big Bend. We stayed 2 nights in Ft Davis visiting Marfa,TX and Alpine, TX. Our drive out of Big Bend was a trip in itself. Rain was expected so it seemed like a good day to spend traveling. When we left the camp site it was spitting rain and when we approached the park entrence it was snowing. So far so good, dry roads and not much snow. . . but that would change. The farther north we went the more snow and the roads became icy. You know what I mean, that ice that looks like a wet road but is really black ice. I was so happy to see Alpine! I stopped for gas and to get propane. When I got out of the car the ground was covered with ice and so was my trailer. We had to knock ice off to get to the propane tanks and it was 24 deg. What a switch from Big Bend's 83 deg the day before!

Only 26 more miles to Davis State park in Ft. Davis, TX. This was such an exhausting drive that after parking and setting up camp I fixed oatmeal and went to bed. The next day was chilly but sunny so we took the tour of Marfa and the Pisano Hotel which hosted the actors for Giant, James Dean, Rock Hudson and Elizabeth Taylor. The hotel is filled with memoribilia from the filming and great pictures of the actors. It is a 5 star hotel with very nice upscale shops. One room was devoted to James Dean. My Grandson, Mitchell, looks just like him. Handsome guys!

On to Alpine again where we did a little grocery shopping and Nancy looked for a kitty kennel for her cat who likes to prowl at night. From there we went back to Ft. Davis and visited the shops and bought handmade brooms from the guy who makes authentic 1800 brooms. Mine is short to fit in the Casita and called a "Turkey Wing" Very efficient, too. We also visited the animal shelter thrift store where all proceeds go to the animal shelter. A great store, well organized with nicely presented displays.

After a nice hike witih the dogs we headed up the mountain 16 miles to MC Donald Observatory. It took about an hour and a half to tour the exhibit which focused on stars' birth, death and color spectrum. Amazing stuff. I had visited last year and toured the telescopes and went to a night star party. This is a "not to be missed" experience if traveling in this area. So much to learn! The park here is very nice, too, with full hookups for $20 and $2 entry fee for seniors. The hiking trails were fun and we could let the dogs go free for a time.

The next morning we took our time packing-up to head for the Guadalupe Mountains National Park where we had decided to camp. Truly beautiful country in this West TX area. Sill in the desert with slightly rolling hills dotted with yucca, cacti and desert bushs. The land is so immense and the sky goes on forever to the horizon. By the time we arrived we were so happy to finally get camped that Nancy didn't really mind camping on the asphalt between the white lines. My site was more camp like because the egg is pretty small. In all fairness, the park did have nice hiking trails where we could take the dogs. For $4 a night it was a good overnight spot. No hookups, of course, but toilets were available. Good thing we're self-contained. By evening the weather was nice with sun peeking through. In the morning, the blue sky sparkled and we pulled out for Carlsbad.

The Caverns

We have enjoyed two days of exploring Carlsbad Caverns, beautiful weather and lovely walks with the dogs.  We  left Guadalupe Mountain state park around 8:30am and got to the caverns at 10 in time for a self tour of the Big Room,  Since it was Friday, it seemed no one but we were there.  What an experience!  The vastness of the caverns is startling.  Ceilings 80' high with stalactites hanging several feet long almost touching the stalagmites reaching up.  Formed 4 million years ago by underground water the formations are magical and totally overwhelming.  There are silent pools of water that you must look closely at in order to tell they are really water.  Everything is silent and completely still.  Because there is no movement the pools often look like a darker colored rock formation.  This is truly one of the greatest wonders of the planet and should not be missed by anyone. 

The next day on our guided tour in another part of the cavern we had the opportunity to experience total darkness and silence.  It was so black you could not see your hand no matter how close you held it to your eyes.  This was truly being in the womb of  Mother Earth. 

No bats this time of year.  They migrate to warmer climates and do not return until the end of March.  We did, however,  see the bat guano and occasionally a drop of water would land on my head.  This experience certainly is a highlight of the journey.

Rock On

Nancy and Ginny

What a night! The egg rocked and wobbled all night and is still going strong. Perched on a knoll above Lake Brantley, NM the wind howls and threatens to topple the egg. Not much sleep and up at 4:30 to take the Fox for a spin around the park. Today was set for departure for Roswell and Alamogordo but considering the weather it may be more prudent to sit tight allowing for time to catch up on the Blog.

Yesterday was spent doing laundry and taking in a movie. Ginny, Nancy and I loaded up and headed for Carlsbad. I found Carlsbad to generally be a dirty town and the "Clean Coin Laundry" was no exception. Oh Boy,  it was only slightly cleaner than the 1st one we looked at and it was filthy.  Most of the machines had little notes on them "if it doesn't start open and close the vent door", "out of order",  "only for greasy clothes"???  The nice laundry manager, toothless lady, helped us choose appropriate machines. The place was packed and it was a fight for a machine.  Then, of course, it was a fight for a dryer.  Ginny and I carried our purses at all times if that gives you any idea what the clientele was like.  I dubbed Nancy her Indian name, "One Who Sits Not", because she kept walking around to check machines, then, when the laundry manager got out the vending machine money, Nancy lept on the opportunity to change all her nickles, dimes and pennies to quarters.  Ginny, who has complained of being cold the whole trip is now "Colder Than All Creatures".

After laundry it was back to the camp to pack and clean the egg and walk the Fox.  I must say the walking trails are great and we could let the dogs go for it.  The Fox Man loved it.  The promised cold front began blowing in so after lunch we headed back to Carlsbad to see Shutter Island starring Leo De Caprio.  It was a wonderful story and I definitely recommend it.  Of course, everyone knows I 'head' stories so take this recommendation with a grain of salt.

I did a little grocery shopping and One Who Sits Not made a fantastic grilled pork tenderloin for dinner complete with asparagus and sweet potatoes.  Oh Yum!  We had our usual after dinner philosophy discussion, walked the dogs and called it a night.  The night before we had dined at a "highly recommended" restaurant that turned out to be awful.  So we vowed to cook at home from then on.

Now it is time to check the weather, get out the map and figure out what comes next.

River Walk

The last two days were spent in sunny, almost warm San Antonio. Such a delightful city and so beautiful! Although, I had lived here 33 years ago I was hard pressed to recognize much as I entered the city. So many big green signs that weren't there before. I did manage to recognize some of the street signs that would take me to old neighborhoods. The traffic was intense. Traveler's RV Park was nestled in a somewhat "iffy" part of town about ten minutes from the city. Checking in went well but the hookup process revealed a lost water hose. Seems I didn't quite get the box locked and the hose fell out along the way. What is this, #4 or 4 1/2??? Ah well, onward and upward.

Nancy, Ginny, Kathy, Gary and I had a happy reunion and celebrated with dinner in Kathy's RV. Corn casserole, biscuits, salad, and peanut buster parfait. Oh fat, fat, fat but good, good, good!

Yesterday was spent walking the River Walk and the little village of La Villita and taking in the shops. I remember going to La Villita ta by myself and enjoying the serenity of the old adobe houses and quiet streets. That was long ago but it surprisingly looked and felt much the same. La Villita was across the river from old San Antonio where the soldiers who married Mexicans/Indians had to live. Kinda the "other side off the tracks" in modern day towns. However, far more charming.

An old high school friend, Steve, met me for coffee and we had a brief reminiscence catching up on family news. He and I have known each other since 10th grade and were good pals. When Clay and I moved to SA in'72 Steve and his wife, Madgie became friends. We have kept in touch throughout the years. Steve's dad and my dad were both pilots in the Air Force and for a number of years both families were stationed at the same AFBs. That is about the only way we could have an extended friendship in the Air Force.

Last night we all celebrated our last night at Mia Terrea cafe. What a place. It is owned by one family dynasty who opened it in '41. There was room after room highly decorated in Mexican Fiesta style, lovely lights, flower bouquets, pinatas and banners hanging from the ceiling. Impossible to describe it's beauty. One room featured a 50' mural of the family and events of the times.. Quite lovely. Food was good, too.

This am Ginny, Nancy and I head out to Seminole Canyon State Park where it promises to be warm and sunny. Sounds good to me!

On The Road Again

Yesterday I took off for parts south and warmer weather. I needed a few little items for the Casita so I stopped by the egg hatchery (our lingo for the Castia factory) in Rice, TX. I dropped a few bucks but oh well. These folks are Christians so I just considered the $ my tithing for the year.
I decided to bypass Waco Lake and try a new place so I stopped at Liberty Hill Park ( a corps of engineers) on the lake near Dawson. The park is lovely and right on the lake with a marina and beautiful camp sites with pecan trees and rolling hills. With my Golden Pass Card the cost for full hookups was $9. You really can't beat it. I took Fox for a long walk but couldn't stand too much of the cold and the wind was blowing despite a sunny sky.
Dinner was sauteed New York strip, baked sweet potatoes and brussel sprouts. Not bad for a camp dinner. I was so tired that the Fox and I were in bed at 8 and asleep at 7:58. Unfortunately, it was not a good night for the little Fox. He was up 3 times to go outside. It was very dark so I really couldn't tell what he was "going."
We awoke a little late, 6:36, and I sat under the covers and drank coffee. We then took off for our morning rounds. Chilly for sure and the wind was blowing.
After some consideration I decided to stop at Bastrop State Park for the night instead of going on into San Antonio. Good choice. Bastrop is in the Piney Woods of TX with large camp sites, a golf course, swimming pool, lake and lots of hiking trails. Really lovely. The pines are tall and remind me of the forest in the Florida panhandle. I don't know what kind they are.
Before we got to the Park I stopped for gas and grabbed a salad at Wendy''s. When I returned to the car Foxy had a bit of a surprise for me on MY SEAT a wee bit of throw-up. After we stopped at the park I had opportunity to observe the "going" at the other end. Fox had yogurt for dinner. The Vet swears by it so let's hope it does the trick. I really don't want to get up in the middle of the night.
We have had our long walk and I am about to fix dinner then knit for awhile. It is finally fairly warm, somewhere in the 50s. I'll take it. I haven't washed my hair since yesterday morning and my cowlick is sticking straight out. I think I am going to put a ribbon around it. I can smell those piney woods!

I Have Emerged

The Fox and I recently emerged from a snow bank here in McKinney, TX. The last 4 days have been cold, wet and snowy. The lovely weekend in sunny Hunker Down on the lake was scratched for a few days in the big, crowded, traffic jammed, icy roads city of Mc Kinney. Oh joy. On the bright side I was able to finally put a new thermostat in the Casita. Next project is getting the sour milk out of the carpet. I will heat up the Casita today and start on that task.

My original plan was to leave the trailer at Hunker Down and drive into McKinney for a dinner out with the "Sippers", group of Jill's friends. While I did make the dinner, unfortunately, I had to do it with the Casita in tow. I tried at least 5 times to disconnect the hitch from the car witih no luck. The ground was so uneven and wet that the hitch just wouldn't pop off. I only managed to drive the whole mess further from the cabin. Meaning, I had further to go to pack up the Casita. That translates to carrying my oxygen unit (30lbs ?) up the incline to the Casita. Had to use the inhaler before that one.

Actually, it felt good to be on the road again going somewhere with no rain, maybe. Yep, no rain, just snow and lots of it. Now, I love my Casita, but camping in the snow is a little like driving in the snow in a rear-wheel drive auto. It sucks.

Looking on the bright side, I did manage to get the Casita and car separated and got the oil changed in the car. Also, did a little shopping for the necessities, cookies and a thermostat. Tomorrow I am planning to take off for parts south. I plan to be in San Antonio for a couple of days of sunshine. In fact, the whole week is predicted to be sunny except Thurs, the day we are going kayaking on the Guadalupe River. What the heck, the river should be wet anyway.

Foxy has been enjoying the break in camping playing with his three friends, teeny, tiny greyhounds wearing teeny tiny coats to keep them warm, Ned, Ty and Dottie K. The boys are very attracted to Foxy and enjoy a bit of "humping" practice. Dottie K is smart, she just hides most of the time. Foxy is constantly making his escape and growling at the boys.

Guess I'll do a few chores and prep for the take off tomorrow.

Pics of Texas Welcome Center and Hunker Down