Texas - Oct 2016

We have spent a total of 21 days in Texas.  Really enjoyed being in Livingston, San Antonio and Ft Stockton.  We did a lot and saw a lot.  But driving to and from the towns is another story.

When you look at a map of the United States, Texas looks like a big state.  Well, let us tell you . . . you don’t realize how BIG Texas is until you drive through it!!!!  There’s just miles and miles and miles of highways with no end in sight.  Maybe that’s why the speed limits are set at 80 mph

Have passed a few different road kills:  wild boars, armadillo, badgers and/or ground hogs; and then you have the skunks, rabbits, foxes and deer   At 75-80 mph the poor things don’t have a chance.


So along the side of the roads are Flood Gauge posts.

    Question:  if there’s a flood, who checks the markings on the Flood Gauge posts?

    Answer:    the Flood Gauge Police, who else!

Forgot to mention in a previous post that when we drove to the Sitting Bull Falls in Lincoln National Forest we literally drove through cow pastures to get to the park. 
( Rt 408) 

Other sights along the roads:
 - old windmills
 - oil rigs
 - and US Border Patrol!

Will miss Texas until our next visit!

Carlsbad, New Mexico and Guadalupe NP, TX

Thursday - October 27 2016

Went to the Carlsbad Caverns National Park.  Unbelievable!!  We took the self-guided tour and went 800 ft down underground and walked over 2.5 miles among the most beautiful formations in the caverns (see photos on FB post).






Friday the 28th
went to Guadalupe Mountains National Park in Texas.  We went on a hike to the Devils Hall. This trail was over 4.5 miles long, taking 3.5 hrs. What a great hike.  Thank goodness Mike bought us hiking sticks.  The trail was listed as moderately strenuous.  Quite a workout!  Weather was perfect for this hike - partly cloudy, low 80's.
Found our way to the Hiker's Staircase and then continued on to Devil's Hall.

Ft Stockton and Big Bend National Park

October 23-26 2016

Arrived in Ft Stockton Sunday afternoon.  Staying at a nice RV park with full hookups (Electric, Water, dump) and free Wi-Fi and cable TV, with laundry, pool and restaurant.

Monday the 24th - drove to Big Bend National Park.  I got my senior park pass!! Good for life.  



This last great wilderness of Texas NP offers desert and mountain scenery within it's 801,163 acres. Had a great time in the park.  Hiked two different trails. First trail was the Grapevine Hills trail to the Balanced Rock.  Had to drive 7 miles on a gravel dirt road.  Hike was only 2.2 miles RT but it felt like 5 miles! 


The Rio Grande river is the southern border between Mexico and this national park.  We drove to the Santa Elena Canyon and hiked 1.6 miles RT to the mouth of the canyon for an awesome view of the Rio Grande and the 1,500-ft limestone walls.  




Tuesday the 25th - visited historic Fort Stockton
This Indian Wars Fort was active from 1867-1886. It was strategically placed at the life-saving waters of Comanche Springs to protect the San Antonio-to-El Paso mail, freight wagons, cattle drives, and emigrants.

Wednesday the 26th - left Fort Stockton and headed to Carlsbad, New Mexico

San Antonio TX

October 19-22 2016

San Antonio is a major city in south-central Texas with a rich colonial heritage.
We used the city transportation to get around.  

on the Hop On - Hop Off tour bus

on our way to the city

going to see the missions

 The RV park was a few miles from the center of town so we rode the bus to and from.





We found our way to the old Spanish missions, so much history to see and learn about.  The most famous mission is The Alamo.  An 18th-century Spanish mission preserved as a museum, marks an infamous 1836 battle for Texan independence from Mexico. (On February 23, 1836, a Mexican force led by General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna began a siege of the fort. Though vastly outnumbered, the Alamo’s 200 defenders–commanded by James Bowie and William Travis and including the famed frontiersman Davy Crockett – held out courageously for 13 days before the Mexican invaders finally overpowered them.)  The other 4 San Antonio missions visited were: Mission San Juan, Mission Espada, Mission Concepcion and Mission San Jose.

Another big highlight is the River Walk.  Following the San Antonio River, the miles-long River Walk is a landmark pedestrian promenade lined with restaurants and shops. It's quite something that this river runs through the city below street level - you can't see it unless you are standing above it!
Went there a couple of times - had lunch and dinner there.

HemisFair Park’s 750-ft. Tower of the Americas overlooks the city. Besides the observation deck there is a revolving restaurant at the top.

Natural Bridge Caverns.  We took 2 tours to see as much as we could.  On one tour we traveled 180 ft below the ground, traveled through half-mile of the largest and most spectacular caverns in Texas.  We saw amazing ancient formations centuries in the making and still growing today, such as awesome stalagmites, stalactites, flowstones, chandeliers and soda straws.  On the second tour light and darkness were combined to enhance the huge underground chambers. We went down 185 steps that weaved through the caverns among the most rare and delicate formations.  Got a good workout climbing the steps up!

Our Time in Livingston TX

Finding our way around Livingston.  Not really a hard thing to do since the town is small.  But we have kept ourselves busy during the time we've been here.  Lynn has lined danced almost every morning since we arrived (M-F).

We have golfed at the Livingston Golf Course (surprised that my "Voice,-Caddie" golf course GPS has this course listed).  Actually, golfed twice - good time.

Went to Livingston Lake - the 2nd largest lake in Texas.  Enjoyed our visit to the Livingston State Park. What a beautiful park - right on the lake with beautiful camp sights and a lot of nice hiking trails.  They even had canoes, kayaks and paddle boards to rent.  Can't wait to take the girls camping!

Visited Livingston's large flea market - called Trading Days - bought a couple of things and ate lunch there.  Had the  most delicious sliced BBQ beef sandwich and a BBQ pulled pork/baked potato parfait!  Also went to the fairgrounds and watched a youth horse competition, specifically barrel racing for 10 yrs and younger.

Hey Y'all, we were able to establish our Texas residency in just a few days.  Got the vehicles insured, went to the tax department and got the registrations and then got our Texas driver's license and registered to vote.  Yee haw!!  

October 11 2016 - Tuesday

Hi Y'all!  Guess what we did today?!
Got the RV and car registered.  
Got our TX driver's license.

Oct 2 2016 – Sunday.  On the road

Left Brandon FL (Tampa) for Slidell LA.  Slidell is just 30 miles from New Orleans.  The trip was a 10 hr ride – included 1 stop for gas and lunch.  Pulled into the Elks Lodge at 6pm.  We were the only RV on site.

Oct 3 2016 – Monday.  Day in New Orleans

We drove into New Orleans about 10am.  Found a parking garage and were surprised that it cost only $6.00 for 12 hrs parking!  Bought a bus pass to ride around the city.  Had a delicious lunch at Pere Antoine’s.  After lunch we walked through the French Market Place.  Went to Harrah’s Casino.  Didn’t play any of the games, but had fun watching people play – some won, most lost money!  

The real reason for visiting New Orleans was to stop and have dinner at Acme Oyster.  OMG – what a delicious meal of grilled oysters and soft-shell crabs!! There were 2 crabs on the plate.  The other one jumped to my plate!

  

Oct 4 2016 – Tuesday.

Did some sightseeing and hiking around Slidell, Mandeville and Lacombe.

Oct 5 2016 – Wednesday

Drove to Livingston TX.  This was a 7 hr ride because we stopped for gas, lunch and a visit to the Texas visitors’ information center.  The lady who worked there went to Fresno State and also lived a short time in Groton – what a small world!

     We arrived at the Escapees National Headquarters & RV Park (Rainbow’s End) at 4pm.  This is where our mail is delivered.  There is a weekly schedule of activities such as:  ice cream socials, Bingo, line dancing, movie night, quilting, dominoes, woodcarving, breakfast on Fridays and all- you-can-eat pancake breakfast on Saturdays.  There’s a public golf course nearby!

     We will be staying in Livingston for 3 wks or so ^ztakin’ care of business^z - to register the RV & car, get our TX driver’s license and register to vote – all to become Texas residents.

Oct 6 2016 – Thursday

Went to the morning line dance lessons.  The instructor was the same one at the RV rally in Vermont!  Carol was as surprised as me when we saw each other!  While I was dancing Mike took a tour of Headquarters.  He learned the history of the Escapees and saw the huge mailroom where all the mail is sorted.  He, too, ran into a couple of guys that he met in Vermont – including the CEO of Escapees RV Club!

Spent the rest of the day going through 3 wks of our collected mail. 

Oct 7 2016 – Friday

Went to Breakfast gathering.  Afterwards I went to line dance lessons.  Then we drove into Livingston to look around.  Whoa!  Small Texas town, not much to offer. 

Oct 8 2016 – Saturday

Went for a walk through Rainbow’s End.  Went into town to scope out restaurants, locations of DMV, tax office and then to super-Walmart.