November Camping, Family and Big Bend National Park

Location:  Port Aransas, TX

Big Bend National Park, view from the Emory Peak Trail.

November 5, Monday, Columbia, MO to Louisburg, KS (+/- 166 miles):  This morning we crossed the state line from Missouri into Kansas.  Our stop for the day was at the Louisburg Cider Mill, a family run business located south of Kansas City.  You can read about the history of the mill on their website.  We set-up the trailer near the pumpkin patch and corn maze, toured the grounds and bought a few things in the country store.  We spent the rest of the afternoon enjoying a quiet evening and watching the barn swallows swoop around the trailer.

The Louisburg Cider Mill: apples from the pen in the center of the photo are loaded onto a
conveyor belt, washed and carried into the mill building.

Sunset view from the cider mill parking area near the pumpkin patch.

November 6, Tuesday, Louisburg, KS to Topeka, KS (+/- 75 miles):  We had a short drive this morning so we took our time getting ready to go.  We drove west and then north into Topeka, the capital city of Kansas.  We set-up at Deer Creek Valley RV Park, on the west side of town, then walked next door to Lonnie Q's BBQ for lunch. It was a windy, rainy afternoon so we drove to the Prairie Band Casino to try our luck.

November 7, Wednesday, Topeka, KS:  This morning we drove into downtown Topeka for a tour of the state capitol building.  They just completed a major renovation in 2014 and it's a beautiful building with a lot of history inside.  We joined a group of 4th grade students for our tour of the house and senate chambers, the library, the rotunda, the old supreme court room and the lieutenant governor's office.

The Kansas State Capitol Building, Topeka, Kansas

We had lunch downtown then went to the Brown vs. Board of Education National Historic Site.  Brown vs. Board of Education was a landmark U.S. Supreme court case where the judges ruled unanimously against school segregation.  This link provides a good overview of the case and the history following the ruling.  Later that afternoon, we went for a walk through the Ted Ensley Gardens and along the shore of Lake Shawnee.

A pagoda in the Ted Ensley Gardens

November 8, Thursday, Topeka, KS to Manhattan, KS (+/- 75 miles):  Today we continued our journey west and traveled from Topeka to Tuttle Creek State Park, just north of Manhattan, Kansas.  It was snowing as we set-up camp.  I went for a short walk around the camp ground loop and we spent the rest of the afternoon in the warmth of the trailer.

Snow on the pick-up and trailer, Tuttle Creek State Park, Manhattan, Kansas

November 9, Friday, Manhattan, KS: We went to The Oz Museum in nearby Wamego, KS for a visit.  The Wizard of Oz is Dave's favorite movie and we enjoyed the museum.  They have a lot paraphernalia related to the Wizard of Oz movie, including toys, games, costumes, posters, figurines, etc. plus information about L. Frank Baum's life and the other books he authored.   They also had some documentaries about the making of the movie and, in the theater at the back of the museum, the Wizard of Oz movie plays continuously.

A replica of Dorothy's house on top of the Wicked Witch of the East, The Oz Museum, Wamego, Kansas.

November 10, Saturday, Manhattan, KS to Hutchinson, KS (+/- 136 miles):  Today we traveled west then turned south towards Hutchinson, KS.  We set-up camp at Sand Hills State Park, just north of town.  Our afternoon adventure was a trip to Strataca, an underground salt mine museum.  We rode the hoist down ~650 feet into the mine.  From there, it was a self-guided tour with exhibits about the mining process, the equipment used and the mine workers.  There was a small train that did a loop through some of the previously worked areas of the mine followed by "the dark ride" (tram ride) deeper into the mine.  At one point the tram driver stopped and turned off the tram lights so that we could get a feel for the absolute darkness underground, then stopped at a small pile of salt rocks where everyone got to choose one to take home as a souvenir.

B standing next to a huge salt crystal in the underground salt mine, Strataca, Hutchinson, Kansas

November 11, Sunday, Hutchinson, KS:  Winter weather was scheduled to move in later this afternoon so I went for a walk around the state park trails in the morning.  We went into town for lunch then stopped for fuel and bought a few groceries.  We spent the rest of the afternoon watching Sunday football and hanging out in the trailer.

An osage orange tree along the trail near Sand Hills State Park.
The trees were used as hedges and the fruit, which isn't edible, are called "hedge apples". 

November 12, Monday, Hutchinson, KS to Tulsa, OK (+/- 240 miles):  The wind rattled the trailer most of the night and there was snow on the ground when we woke up.  We left Sand Hill State Park and headed south and then east towards Tulsa.  It was cold enough that the roads were icy, the wind continued to blow and there were snow flurries for most of our drive today.  We stopped at a small cafe/grill along one of the county roads for lunch.  We arrived in Tulsa at Mingo RV Park, checked in, filled our empty propane tank and settled into our spot.  Since it's been so cold, we have been burning a lot of propane to keep the trailer warm; it was 39 F (4 C) inside the trailer when we unhooked this afternoon.

November 13, Tuesday, Tulsa, OK:  It was cold again this morning with the high temperature projected to be 38 F (4 C).  We spent some time planning our trip to Big Bend National Park then went to the White River Fish Market for lunch.  We drove down to Riverside Drive and went for an afternoon walk along the Arkansas River.  For supper, we had Chinese food delivered to the trailer.

"Pheasant Eludes Bobcat", one of the sculptures along the Riverside Drive waterfront.

The Arkansas River 

November 14, Wednesday, Tulsa, OK to Lake Eufaula, OK (+/- 80 miles):  Still cold.  We filled our propane tank, then packed up the trailer and hit the road.  Good driving conditions today with dry roads, no wind and lots of sunshine.  We pulled into the Dogwood campground at Lake Eufaula State Park and set up camp.  A nice change from the big city campground in Tulsa with lots of big trees and plenty of space between the camp sites.  We took an afternoon walk around the campground, down to the lake and around some of the loop trails through the woods.

November 15, Thursday, Lake Eufaula, OK:  This morning we drove down to the visitor center and took a loop hike through the woods and out to the lake.  For lunch, we went to a small cafe in Checotah.  Late afternoon, we hiked around the same loop that we did yesterday afternoon then settled in for the night.

A pond in the woods, Lake Eufaula State Park, Oklahoma

November 16, Friday, Lake Eufaula, OK to Thackerville, OK (+/- 180 miles):  A beautiful sunny day today and an uneventful drive to the Winstar RV Park, near the Winstar World Casino and Resort in Thackerville, just north of the Oklahoma/Texas border.  We walked over to the casino to try our luck.  We spent the afternoon playing table games without winning or losing.  For supper, we ate at the Italian restaurant in the casino then went back to the trailer for a night cap.

November 17, Saturday, Thackerville, OK:  We drove into Gainsville, TX to get some groceries and to have lunch at a local Mexican restaurant.  We spent the afternoon walking around the RV park and the casino grounds.  We walked through the casino, but decided to save our money for another day.  Supper in the trailer, then we watched some TV and called it a night.

November 18, Sunday, Thackerville, OK:  We watched the Sunday morning political shows, did some laundry and watched football.  Early afternoon, we walked over to the casino to get Dave's birthday present - a cupcake and an insulated lunch bag.  We spent some time gambling then headed back to the trailer for the evening.

Dave's birthday present from the casino - an insulated bag with a lunch box and a water bottle.

November 19, Monday, Thackerville, OK to Austin, TX (+/- 275 miles):  We packed up and headed south down I-35 towards Austin.   We stopped in Grandview for lunch at a small cafe and stopped in Round Rock to fill a propane tank.  We arrived at Ben and Cat's house late afternoon and set-up the trailer on the street near their garage.  We ordered pizza for supper and settled in for the week.

November 20 - 25, Tuesday - Sunday, Austin, TX:  We spent Thanksgiving week in Austin with family.  On Tuesday morning, Dave and Heather went for a run around Town Lake (now Lady Bird Lake) while Ben went to work and Cat and I played with the kids.

Dave next to the Stevie Ray Vaughn statue, Lady Bird Lake (Town Lake), Austin, TX

Archer went down for his nap, so I walked around the neighborhood, then Dave and I went shopping at Spec's and Costco.  After lunch, we all went for a walk in the secret woods and spent some time at the playground there.

Benjamin, B and Archer, Pearl and Maggie ready for a walk to the secret woods.

Dave and Pearl playing on the swings at the secret woods play ground.

Maggie and Benjamin wanted to spend the night in the trailer so we had them help us clean.  Maggie did the dishes and dusted.  Benjamin vacuumed and helped Dave put windshield washer fluid in the pick-up.  They both helped us fill our water tank.

Maggie doing the dishes and Benjamin vacuuming the living area while B supervises.

We took a break and went inside to watch a movie, then had lasagna and salad for supper.  The kids brought their sleeping bags out to the trailer and we made a project of setting up their bed.  We read some bedtime stories and then it was lights out.

Wednesday morning started early with Maggie and Benjamin waking up at 4:00 a.m.  We had breakfast, did some drawing, watched some cartoons on PBS and then went into the house.  It was Dave's birthday, so they sang happy birthday to him.  We spent the rest of the day hanging around, going for a walk and preparing food for tomorrow's Thanksgiving feast.  Heather joined us for supper; we had Thai food with carrot cake for dessert and more birthday singing.

Maggie, Dave and Benjamin watching cartoons in the trailer the morning after the sleepover.

Thanksgiving day, Thursday, we spent most of the day cooking and then eating too much.  Cat made pumpkin cinnamon rolls for breakfast while Ben and Dave got started smoking a turkey and brisket.  Heather came over with her dog, Marty; Dave, Maggie and I took Marty for a walk in the secret woods while she and Cat worked in the kitchen.  We played some games, went for a walk around the neighborhood while Benjamin rode his bike and then set the table for our feast.  Lots and lots of food, all delicious.  When we finished stuffing ourselves, the whole family went for a walk in the secret woods while Cat and Archer had an afternoon nap.  The Christmas tree came down out of the attic and Cat and the kids started decorating for the holidays.

Climbing the fence from the Middle School to the secret woods.  Heather was the first one over followed by
Maggie and Benjamin, then B and Dave.  Ben lifted Marty and Pearl over before joining us on the other side.

Friday we all went to the Wildflower Center for a walk around the grounds and to play in Fortlandia, a temporary exhibit of forts designed and constructed by local artists, architects and designers.  When we got home, we helped Maggie roller-skate up and down the street while Benjamin rode his bike.  Ben and Dave worked on putting outdoor lights around the huge oak tree in the front yard and candy cane lights along the front walk.

Maggie and Ben on the exercise equipment at the Wildflower Center.

Dave helping Benjamin on the exercise equipment at the Wildflower Center.

Maggie inside a giant bird's nest at the Wildflower Center.

Saturday morning the kids came over to the trailer for breakfast and we wrote letters to Santa.  Dave and I ran some errands and we spent the afternoon doing chores around the house.  For supper, we met Heather at a local Mexican restaurants famous for its avocado margaritas.

Gus, the cat, giving Pearl a bath.

After breakfast on Sunday, Ben, Archer and I went for a long walk around the neighborhood while Dave played with the kids in the trailer.  We did a few chores, ate leftovers for lunch then went to a nearby park for a walk and some playground time.  The kids had to go back to school in the morning, so they did some homework and got their things ready for school.  Supper, some family time and playing with the kids until it was time for bedtime stories and lights out.

Archer and Dave blowing raspberries as we load into the car to go to the park.

Maggie getting in one last drawing session in the trailer.

November 26, Monday, Austin, TX to Concan, TX (+/- 163 miles):  We saw the kids off to school this morning then did a few chores and packed up the trailer for the drive to Concan.  We stopped in a small town along the way for lunch then followed Google maps to the RV campground - The Parkview Riverside.  The map took us down an old road that "crossed" the Frio River.  When we got to the river, the river water was flowing swiftly across the road.  We decided to turn back and approach the RV park from the other side.  We made it to the park and settled into our site on the banks of the Frio River.  I went for a walk around the park and along the riverbank and checked out the clubhouse and book exchange.

The road Google maps wanted us to take to the RV park which was only another 1/2 mile on the other side.
We backed up and turned around and came in from the other side.

November 27, Tuesday, Concan, TX:  Today we drove to Lost Maples State Natural Area for a hike.  We checked in at the ranger station and decided to hike clock-wise around the west trail along the springs and through the canyons, ~ 5 miles round trip.  It was a beautiful day, not too hot and not too cold and since it was mid-week, there weren't many people on the trail.  We took our lunch with us and stopped to eat it in the Mystic Canyon area.

Dave taking a lunch break in the Mystic Canyon area, Lost Maples.

One of the spring pools along the trail, Lost Maples.

The swimming ponds, Lost Maples.

November 28, Wednesday, Concan, TX to Alpine, TX (+/- 350 miles):  A long drive today.  We drove the scenic two lane highways from Concan to Sonora, where we stopped for fuel and lunch.  From there, it was I-10 to Fort Stockton.  We bought a few groceries then turned southwest on Hwy 67 towards Alpine where we stopped for the night at the Lost Alaskan RV Park.

November 29, Thursday, Alpine, TX to Lajitas, TX (+/- 98 miles):  The drive today was almost due south on Hwy 118 to Study Butte and then west on Hwy 170 to Lajitas.  We set-up in the Maverick Ranch RV Park.  We went to the Big Bend Ranch State Park Barton Warnock Visitor Center and  picked up information on hiking in the state park and also hiking in Big Bend National Park.  We found out that the interior of the state park is closed this weekend for hunting but that some of the trails along Hwy 170 are open for hikers.  We spent the rest of the afternoon outside reading our books.

November 30, Friday, Lajitas, TX:  Today we drove to Big Bend National Park to do some hiking and to check out some of the park's historical exhibits.  We entered the park on the west side at Maverick Junction and took the Old Maverick Road south towards Santa Elena Canyon.  We stopped along the way to look at an old shelter, Luna's Jacal, built in the shadow of the cliffs and to look at some of the desert plant life.

Luna's Jacal, a small house built from rock, earth and plant fiber, where Gilberto Luna raised a large family.

The cliffs providing the shade for Luna's Jacal.

Old Maverick Road.

Desert plant life along Old Maverick Road.

Yucca in bloom.

Our first hike was to Santa Elena Canyon.  We had to take off our shoes to wade across Terlingua Creek, then we climbed up into the canyon.  The trail gradually sloped down to the river and we walked along the Rio Grande.

Dave looking up at Santa Elena Canyon.

View of the Rio Grande from the mouth of Santa Elena Canyon.

After our hike, we ate our picnic lunch and then drove up the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive to the Dorgon House Trail.  This trail leads you through the remains of four houses that were part of the "Grand Canyon Farms" operation in the early 1900s.

Remains of one of the houses along the Dorgon House Trail.

Next we explored the Castolon Historic Compound which includes structures built to house the cavalry in 1920, settler's houses and old farming and irrigation equipment.  Our next stop was Tuff Canyon.  The trail led to several scenic overlooks and then down into the canyon created by water carving out soft volcanic tuff (compressed ash).  Our final stop of the day was the Sam Nail Ranch, an old homestead where there is a loop trail around the old buildings, orchards and equipment.

The canyon walls in Tuff Canyon.

December 1, Saturday, Lajitas, TX:  We drove back into Big Bend this morning.  Our first stop was the Panther Junction Visitor Center which has exhibits on the park geology, nature and cultures.  There is a short nature path nearby which has specimens of many of the desert plants that grow in the park and descriptions of each.  From there we drove up into the Chisos Mountains and hiked the Lost Mine Trail to its high point on a ridge that separates Pine and Juniper Canyons.  The view from the ridge was spectacular.

View from about half-way up the Lost Mine Trail.

View from the Lost Mine Trail.

View from the top of the Lost Mine Trail.

We talked to some people on the way down who said they had seen a black bear and cub on their way up from Chisos Basin earlier in the morning.  After making our way back down to the parking lot, we drove to the Chisos Basin Visitor Center where we got a detailed map of the High Chisos trails and had our lunch.  After lunch, we drove the Grapevine Hills Road to the Grapevine Hills trailhead.  This was a fairly easy hike that followed a wash between hills of massive granite-like boulders.  At the end of the wash, we did some rock scrambling to get up to Balanced Rock.

Balanced rock at the far end of the Grapevine Hills Trail

Looking down at the Grapevine Hills trail from Balanced Rock.

Some of the rock formation along the Grapevine Hills Trail.

December 2, Sunday, Lajitas, TX:  We took a day off from hiking today, did some chores, read our books and watched Sunday football.  I took a short walk from the RV Park to the Lajitas Cemetery then over to the Lajitas Resort area.  For supper, we grilled steaks on our new barbecue.

December 3, Monday, Lajitas, TX:  Lajitas is located between Big Bend National Park and Big Bend Ranch State Park.  Today we decided to hike some of the trails in the state park.  The central portion of the park was still closed for hunting so we hiked three trails along Hwy 170.  First, we did the Closed Canyon hike, a short walk down a narrow slot canyon.

The entrance to Closed Canyon.

Water pool in Closed Canyon; we turned around here and headed back toward the trailhead.

Next was the Hoodoos trail, another short hike along the banks of the Rio Grande and around the hoodoo formations on the north shore.

The hoodoo formations on the north shore of the Rio Grande.

Overlook of the hoodoo formations and the Rio Grande.

A close-up view of one of the hoodoo formations.

After the Hoodoos trail, we drove into Presidio and ate lunch at a local Mexican restaurant.  We headed east back towards Lajitas, stopped to look around the Fort Leaton State Historic Site then parked at the trailhead for our final hike of the day, a section of the Rancherias Loop Trail.  If you do this entire loop, it is a 20+ mile trail and they recommend that you spend three days and two nights hiking it.  We decided to do a short portion starting at the east trailhead.  We walked up the dry washes for about 2 miles into the canyons, then turned around and walked back to the truck.

One of the many rock cairns marking the Rancherias Trail.

December 4, Tuesday, Lajitas, TX to Rio Grande Village, TX (+/- 62 miles):  Today was moving day.  We packed up the trailer and drove west to east across Big Bend National Park to the Rio Grande Village RV Campground on the east side of the park.  We settled into our campsite, had some lunch and studied the hikes in the area.  We decided to hike the trail from Daniels Ranch to the Hot Springs Historic District.  We checked out the hot springs but decided to save the soak for another day to make sure we got back to the campground before dark.  We watched the sunset, had supper, then unlaxed for the rest of the evening.

View of the Rio Grande and the mountains to the east from the Daniels Ranch to Hot Springs Trail.

Fossil along the trail to the Hot Springs.

View of the Rio Grande near the Hot Springs end of the trail.

Sunset from the Rio Grande Village RV Park.

December 5, Wednesday, Rio Grande Village, TX:  Major hiking day today - the South Rim Trail in the Chisos Mountains.  We drove from the campground up to the Chisos Basin Visitor Center and started up the trail at 9:00 a.m. with our backpack loaded with water, Gatorade, lunch and snacks.  The South Rim Trail is really a series of trails that climb up into the mountains, follow the canyons, wind around canyon rims and then slope back down to the basin.  We decided to go around the loop clockwise and started with the Pinnacles Trail, an uphill trail that climbs steeply in a series of switchbacks.

View from the Pinnacles Trail

View of the Pinnacles.

At the top of the Pinnacles trail, we turned onto the spur trail to Emory Peak, the highest point in the park.  More steep climbing to the top of Emory Peak.  We stopped to eat half of our sandwiches on the way up and took frequent breaks.  We scrambled up the rocks to the top, took in the view, felt the gap wind between the spires then headed back down the trail  We ate the rest of our sandwiches when we reached the junction of the Pinnacles, Emory Peak and Boot Canyon Trails while resting and enjoying the view.

View of the clouds covering some of the lower peaks from the Emory Peak Trail.

B taking advantage of the composting toilet at the junction of the Pinnacles and Emory Peak Trails.

The next section was the Boot Canyon Trail which winds down into the canyon then winds back up to join with the South Rim Trail.

View of the Boot looking down from the junction of the Pinnacles and Emory Peak Trails.

View of the Boot looking up from the Boot Canyon Trail

The South Rim trail follows the southwestern edge of the Chisos Mountains and looks out across the desert floor below.  The trails turns and loops north then joins with the Laguna Meadow Trail.

View of the mountains to the south from the South Rim Trail

View from the South Rim Trail.

Our hike on the Laguna Meadow trail was mostly downhill, around the west side of Emory Peak and into the Chisos Basin.  Since this was the last section of our hike, we were pleased not to be doing much climbing.  We arrived back at the parking lot about 5:30. We watched the sun go down as we drove back to our campsite.  Totals for the day 14.8 miles,  Elevation change 2400 feet, 8.5 hours.

December 6, Thursday, Rio Grande Village:  We are pleased to say we both felt ok today after yesterday's long hike.  We did some morning chores then drove into Boquillas Canyon where we hiked the canyon trail along the Rio Grande.

View of the Rio Grande from the top of the Boquillas Canyon Trail.

The Boquillas Canyon.

A turtle sunning itself on the banks of the Rio Grande.

From there, we went to the Boquillas Crossing Port of Entry, walked down to the river bank and took a small row boat across the river to Boquillas del Carmen, Mexico, a very small town, population ~300.  Once you get to the other side, you can choose to ride a burro, ride in a pick-up truck or walk into town; we choose to walk (~3/4 mile).

The boat coming over from the Mexico side to pick us up for the journey across.

All visitors are assigned a guide (guia in Spanish).  Our guide was Roberto.  He didn't speak very good English so I got to practice my very rusty Spanish.  He is from a nearby town but they don't have many opportunities for employment there.  His grandmother lives in Boquillas so he stays with her and earns his money by guiding tourists like us into town.  There really isn't much to do in town.  We stopped at a small restaurant for lunch, looked at the souvenirs for sale, walked by the schools and the hospital, looked over the Rio Grande then headed back to the river bank for our boat ride across.

Dave drinking a margarita at one of the two restaurants in Boquillas del Carmen.

B and Dave, Boquillas del Carmen, Mexico.

Two burros in Boquillas del Carmen.  There were many down at the riverside saddled up
and ready to give tourists a ride into town.  

On the U.S. side, we scanned our passports at a kiosk, talked to a Customs/Immigration officer on the phone and were cleared back into the country.  After a short rest at the trailer, we went to the Hot Springs Historic Area for a soak in the springs.  The hot springs surface inside the foundation of an old bath house alongside the Rio Grande.

People soaking in the hot springs.

December 7, Friday, Rio Grande Village to Marathon, TX (+/- 90 miles):  It rained all night and the forecast was for it to rain the rest of the day.  We decided to leave Big Bend a day earlier than planned so we packed up the trailer and drove north to Marathon.  We set up at the Marathon Motel and RV Park then went downtown for lunch at the Oasis Cafe.  We unlaxed and did chores in the afternoon then went to the Brick Vault Brewery and Barbecue for supper.  We tried the ribs, brisket, smoked turkey and jalapeno cheese sausage.  For sides, we had pinto beans, green chili mac-n-cheese, cheesy chili grits and potato salad.  We finished off the meal by sharing peach cobbler topped with cinnamon vanilla ice cream.  The craft brewed beer was also delicious.  Dave had the pecan porter and I had the dunkle weisse.  We have been to a lot of barbecue joints on this trip and we both agreed that this was the best.

December 8, Saturday, Marathon to Del Rio, TX (+/- 170 miles):  It rained most of the night but there was blue sky this morning with temperatures in the high 30s F.  We hooked up the trailer and headed east on Hwy 90.  We stopped in Langtry to tour the Judge Roy Bean historical site.  Judge Roy Bean was an infamous Texas "lawman" known for hanging people first and then holding a trial.

Dave exiting Roy Bean's "Opera House, Town Hall and Seat of Justice", which was actually his home.

Roy Bean's Jersey Lily Saloon.

We stopped for lunch at a small bar and grill in Comstock then drove into Del Rio.  We set-up the trailer at the Broke Mill RV Park, then went into town for groceries and fuel.  We spent the rest of the afternoon unlaxing and reading our books.

December 9, Sunday, Del Rio, TX:  Our adventure of the day was hiking in the Seminole Canyon State Park, about 40 miles west of Del Rio.  We went through the museum at the visitor center, ate our lunch at a picnic area, then set off on the 7.5 mile Canyon Rim Trail.  This hike goes south along the rim of Seminole Canyon until it meets with the Rio Grande.  It follows the Rio Grande for a short distance then turns north and follows an old ranch road back to the parking area.

Seminole Canyon

Seminole Canyon

Seminole Canyon where it meets the Rio Grande.  There is a small boat dock on the other side of the river
that provides access to the Panther Cave Pictograph Site.

December 10, Monday, Del Rio, TX:  We took a day off from hiking today.  We had a water leak under the kitchen sink this morning so we spent the morning finding parts and repairing it.  After lunch, we got the oil changed in the truck.  I spent some time up at the RV Park rec room working on a jigsaw puzzle while Dave unlaxed in the trailer.  For supper we ordered a pizza.

Water leaking under the kitchen sink.

December 11, Tuesday, Del Rio to Laredo, TX  (+/- 190 miles):    An uneventful drive today from Del Rio to Laredo.  We stopped in Quemado, a small town along the Rio Grande and bought some pecans.  Near Eagle Pass, the route changed from south to east and we traveled through Texas ranch land with a lot of oil field activity.  We arrived at the Lake Casa Blanca International State Park and settled into our campsite near the lake shore.  I went for a walk on two of the park trails - the Whitetail loop and the Osprey Hill loop.

View of the campground and Lake Casa Blanca from Osprey Hill.

December 12, Wednesday, Laredo, TX:  We went to downtown Laredo this morning.  We picked up a package at the post office, then tried to go to the Museum of the Republic of the Rio Grande but it was closed.  We had a cup of coffee at La Posada Hotel, then toured their Washington's Birthday Celebration Museum.  The town of Laredo has a month long schedule of events to celebrate George Washington's Birthday in February.  They started the tradition in 1898 as a way to celebrate a traditional American holiday and to honor the cultures of the U.S and Mexico.  We ate lunch at El Meson De San Agustin which was very good.  Back at the state park, I hiked the Mesquite Bend Trail while Dave made jalapeno poppers.

Costumes from the Abrazo  Children used in the Washington's Birthday Celebration.
Each year 4 children are selected, a boy and girl from the U.S. and a boy and girl from Mexico.
They meet near the border and hug  to symbolize the
 "mutual admiration and respect our two countries and cities have for each other".
Abrazo in English is Hug.

San Agustin Cathedral, downtown Laredo.

December 13, Thursday, Laredo to Port Aransas, TX (+/- 170 miles):  We drove from Laredo to Port Aransas today and are now set up in the Pioneer Beach Resort near the Gulf of Mexico.  We'll spend a few days here and then continue our journey east.

We'll end this blog on a sad note:  Our kitty, Puddy, died.  We had a lot of good times with her traveling on the boat and in the RV.  She was a stray cat who decided to wait at our front door one night in the rain about 15 years ago.  We let her inside and she has been with us ever since.  She was friendly with a spunky personality.  We called her our "greeting committee" because she regularly greeted visitors at the door and she was always ready for lap-time.  For a small cat, she had a very loud voice and never failed to let you know when she needed to be fed, wanted to go out, wanted treats or wanted to have her face brushed.  We will miss her.

Puddy

Until next time...