MONDAY, APRIL 30. PAGE, AZ
Last night we talked to Ed and Barb on the phone. They are enjoying their trip.
This morning we set off for Page, Arizona, a drive of several hours. Just before Page, we stopped to take pictures of the Lake Powell Dam from the bridge.
Upon arrival in Page at 2 pm, we visited the visitor center for information on the local sites and then did a quick turn through their little museum.
A short distance out of town is Horseshoe Bend Overlook that is reached by a 3/4 mile hike each way on a sandy path. It was worth the walk to see the sight.
Carl procured us some bbq ribs and potato salad for dinner and we ate it parked at the Walmart with about 25 other Rv's for company.
SUNDAY, APRIL 29. ST. GEORGE
Our RV Park.
This last day here, we set out to explore St George. At the St. George Tabernacle, we discovered that the building was closed and under renovation.
The Town Square right next door proved an interesting walk with several stops to view fountains and artwork in the park.
The Town Square right next door proved an interesting walk with several stops to view fountains and artwork in the park.
A block walk away we found Ancestor Square with various restaurants and gallerys with some of the buildings being restorations.
The St George Temple proved most interesting. At the visitor Center, Carl engaged the elder in a philosophical and fact finding conversation about the Mormon religion. We certainly learned a lot about the faith. The elder seemed to think he had a hot property and introduced us to a Sister to close the deal but, philosophy won the day and we escaped unscathed. The Temple is beautiful and we were shown pictures of the interior rooms but, the general public is not allowed inside.
Our last tourist stop was the Petroglyph Park where there are two rocks with many petroglyphs on the face. I found it quite intriguing.
At Costo we gassed up the truck so we would be ready for the drive tomorrow.
SATURDAY, APRIL 28. ZION NATIONAL PARK
Last night we got into the Hillside Palms RV park when it had turned dark. A call to the cell phone number and the camp host came down to guide us to our site. Carl had to back the trailer in on an angle in the dark and he did a great job. We relaxed for an hour and then got some sleep.
Zion National Park was an hours drive so we set off for the Springdale entrance. We waited in a line up to get in and again we got to use our Park pass and save the $30 entrance fee. We parked, walked to the Visitor Center and waited for 4 shuttle busses to get on. We completed a 3.5km hike at the Temple of Sinawava, a 0.6km hike at the Weeping Rock Trail, a 0.6km hike to Lower Emerald Pool Trail and the last hike was from the Visitor Center to our parking spot.
In Zion's park at the north east quadrant is the Kolob Canyons and it is 60km from the current entrance. We decided to drive up there and complete the 5 mile driving tour. Upon entry, we were again asked to show our park pass. There were several turnouts on the tour where we stopped to take pictures of the stunning red rocks and spectacular canyons.
Zion is rated #1 attraction in Utah by Trip Advisor while Bryce Canyon is rated #5 but, I feel that Bryce is more unique than Zion.
Upon completion of the drive, we returned to the RV Park for dinner.
FRIDAY , APRIL 27. GRAND STAIRCASE AND BRYCE CANYON NATIONAL PARKS
We packed up and left our roadside accomodation, after having a chat with some new friends Linda and Leni, from New Hampshire.
The next stop was 100km away to Grand Staircase-Escalante National Park. The landscape changed from the massive rock outcroppings to a forest green environment and then slowly back to the canyoned scenery. By this point, we had already driven through a good portion of this park and stopped many times to look at views and take photos.
The next stop was 100km away to Grand Staircase-Escalante National Park. The landscape changed from the massive rock outcroppings to a forest green environment and then slowly back to the canyoned scenery. By this point, we had already driven through a good portion of this park and stopped many times to look at views and take photos.
Continuing of Hwy12, an hour later brought us to Bryce Canyon National Park. Our annual pass saved us another $30. We parked the truck and trailer and took the shuttle to the various outlook points starting at Bryce Point. There are no words to describe how unique and beautiful the hoodoo rock formations are.
At 6 o'clock we left the park, grabbed a sub to go and drove on to St. George for the next 3 nights.
THURSDAY, APRIL 26. DRIVE TO JUST BEFORE TORREY, UTAHWe were lucky to have parked across the street from Einstein Bagels last night. It seemed like a no brainer to have breakfast there. Both of us enjoyed our choices.
The Colorado Monument was fairly close and after much debate, It was decided we could take the trailer up with us. It turned out fine. We used our annual National Park pass again to get in. The views on the rim drive were astounding.
The plan to go to Moab got derailed because all the RV parks were full so we changed up the route based on a Rangers advice. Getting off the main highway we took hwy 24 to just before Torrey, UTAH. We are parked off grid just off the highway with a collection of other RVers where we will spend the night. In order to get here, we drove through Capital Reef National Park.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25. VAIL, GRAND JUNCTION, CO
There is no place flat on the drive west from Denver. The scenery is spectacular especially with the recent snow sitting in the tree branches and on the mountain tops. There were several sightings of mountain goats grazing beside the road.
Vail is a scenic town, reminiscent of Whistler in BC. We did a drive through and continued on our journey.
We could not pass Glenwood Springs without soaking in their hot thermal waters. Several hours were spent relaxing in the 16 pools (each at a different temperature) at the Iron Mountain Hot Springs.
At 5 o'clock we were back on the road heading for Grand Junction. Dinner was had in Rifle at a Sonic Drive in. That was the first time we ate at this fast food place. My cheeseburger was pretty good although I am not sure I would come back again.
By 7:30, we were parked at Walmart where we were spending the night.
TUESDAY, APRIL 24. DENVER, CO
Our day began at the US Mint box office to pick up tickets for the 2:00 Mint tour. This tour is in very high demand and they only give out tickets for that day. We were considered fortunate to have scored them. I think it is likely a lot busier in the summer than it was today.
With tine to kill, we visited the State Capitol 2 blocks away. The Capitol was happening today. They had raptors: a bald eagle, a falcon, an owl and a hawk. They had music. They had a dinosaur walking around. The tour at 11 was a very well done because we had a good guide. A senator even spoke to our group and answered some questions.
Before we went back to the Mint we stopped at the Judicial Building. It is open on the first floor for people to view.
Back at the mint, we went through security and had our tour. The guide was kind of dry as was the material. I am not sure how this rates 4 out of 5 on Trip Advisor.
Back at the mint, we went through security and had our tour. The guide was kind of dry as was the material. I am not sure how this rates 4 out of 5 on Trip Advisor.
Earlier in the day, the capitol tour guide suggested a look at the Brown Hotel so we walked there and look the place over. It was quite nice.
Another suggestion from the tour guide was to visit Union Station so we got the free Mall bus to that location. We didn't stay long as we just checked out the beautiful interior and then headed back to the truck.
On the way back to the truck, we inadvertently walked by the oldest residence in Denver. It is now on Air BnB.
I was pretty hungry so we went to Sam's number 3 (recommended by our Edelweiss waitress). Carl's dinner was very good but I was not impressed with my sandwich.
I was happy to see the end of this day as the weather has been miserable, alternating between cold rain and snow.
We have been on the road for one month now, dodging wind and weather systems. Today the sun is shining so, Lookout Mountain seemed like the thing to do. We got side tracked by the Mother Cabrini Shrine high atop a hill. It took 373 steps to get up to the 22 foot statue of Christ and a panorama of the Denver area.
Nearby was the Lariat Trail, a route to the Mountain Lookout and to the grave of Wild Bill Cody. We took in the views and the grave site and then took the curvy mountain road down to Golden and the Coors Brewery Co.
The shuttle bus picks you up and deposits you at the Coors Visitor entrance. They check your ID and give you a listening device for the various stations along the manufacturing process. At the end of the tour, each guest is provided with 3 free beers (or pop in my case). When you have drunk your fill, the shuttle returns you to your car. Carl bought some Coors-Colorado beer that you can only get in this state.
The shuttle bus picks you up and deposits you at the Coors Visitor entrance. They check your ID and give you a listening device for the various stations along the manufacturing process. At the end of the tour, each guest is provided with 3 free beers (or pop in my case). When you have drunk your fill, the shuttle returns you to your car. Carl bought some Coors-Colorado beer that you can only get in this state.
For a complete change of pace, we pointed the truck north to Boulder for the Celestial Seasoning tour. We sampled various tea while we waited for the tour to begin. With hairnets donned, the tour took us through milling, bagging, boxing and delivery stations. It was interesting that Mint tea has its own storage room and when we went in, the smell from the Menthol was so strong that our eyes watered a bit. The scents of many other herbal ingredients greet you as you walk into the factory. In the gift shop, several varieties were purchased for my home use.
The Leanin Tree Museum and Sculpture garden of Western Art was a complete bust. The promised art was almost non existent and the tours for the greeting card company were done for the day.
An early dinner and drinks was procured at Boulder Beer Brewing Co. in Boulder. It was a long drive back in rush hour but at least we were fed.
The temperatures are supposed to drop to freezing overnight, with a cold day following tomorrow. Good thing I have winter clothes.
SUNDAY, APRIL 22. DENVER, CO
A beautiful day dawned, although still a little cool. The drive to Denver did not take long and we were there before noon. Our first choice RV Park was fully booked so we had to try the second one on my list. I called ahead and was told there would likely be an opening but, we had to be there right at 1pm when our name would be called from the wait list sheet. Luckily we did get a site at this park and Carl then set us up for the next few days. Not wanting to waste the afternoon, we headed out to the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge.
The visitor center provided a map and some instructions on where to look for wildlife. The site used to be a military site where chemical weapons such as Sarin and chlorine gas were produced for WWII. Decades later they tried to clean it up by pumping the chemicals into an underground reservoir, 12,000' deep. Surprise, surprise, it showed up in the water system and then the whole areas water had to be decontaminated.
First stop was the black footed ferret quarter where a non mating pair is on display. Only one ferret was available and he was having a mouse for dinner and only showed us his backside.
Secondly, on the 11 mile nature drive, we saw deer at the outset then, a bison from farther away and then many, many prairie dogs and rabbits. They were fun to watch scampering around. It took about an hour to drive the loop.
By the time we got back to the trailer, it was dinner time. We had purchased some cabbage rolls from Costco and we heated them up with some vegies. It was a great meal.
Snow is in the forecast again for Tuesday (1/2 inch) so we have to do all the outdoor attractions tomorrow and leave the indoor things for Tuesday.
SATURDAY, APRIL 21. COLORADO SPRINGS
HAPPY 32 BIRTHDAY, ADAM
We hummed and hawed about driving to Denver today. The road conditions were wet to possibly slippery and dragging a trailer through salt is not perferred. After much debate, we decided to stay here and chill for the day. It turned out to be a good decision since it started snowing again at noon.
FRIDAY, APRIL 20. COLORADO SPRINGS, CO
Here is a short video of the drive to the summit of Pikes Peak.
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The sun was still shining as we proceeded to the U.S. Air Force Academy on the outskirts of the city. It was quite cold and windy. The academy trains applicants, taking in 1200 per year. They are schooled for 4 years and complete as B. Sc. After that time, they are indentured for 5 years of military service. The academy grounds are huge and encompass schools, medical facilities, a Burger King, officer housing and sports facilities. The location at the base of the mountain is a pretty gorgeous place for their training. We walked some of the campus, saw the Chapel and Visitor Center. At the time of our departure, dark grey clouds had taken over the skies.
In the afternoon, we visited the U.S. Olympic Training Complex where we paid for a guided tour of the facilities. We saw the pool, shooting range, gym, altitude training room, sponsor wall and olympic cauldron. We just missed the rain as we were walking around outside.
Since last night was pub night, tonight was german food at the Edelweiss restaurant.
We had a lovely schnitzel and I ogled tbe desserts on the way out. By this time, the rain had turned into a rain/sleet mix. We settled in to see if it was going to snow overnight as forecast.
THURSDAY, APRIL19. COLORADO SPRINGS, CO
We had a lovely schnitzel and I ogled tbe desserts on the way out. By this time, the rain had turned into a rain/sleet mix. We settled in to see if it was going to snow overnight as forecast.
In doing some research last night, I discovered that the road to Pikes Peak could be open so we set off to find out if that was the case. Yes, the park was open. The road is 20 miles of uphill, twisty turny roads with no guardrails. The drive up was amazing and it was much colder at the summit (14,115'. The views at the top were breaktaking. The return flight (oops, I meant drive), was more nerve-wracking but Carl handled it well. He had to keep the truck in low gear in order to keep the brakes from overheating.
We tried to find Seven Falls but gave up and went to the American Numisatic Association Money Museum. We got in free because it is, National Coin Week. This museum is the country's largest dedicated to coins, paper money, medals and related items. There is so much to read and lots of coins and medals to look it. It was worth an hour or so of our time.
Dinner was had at the Phantom Canyon Brewing Company, downtown. We had the cod and chips and it was pretty good. Carl said his beers were good but not the best he has ever had.
The laundry room is quite close to our trailer so we decided to do a load or two while Carl tried to watch hockey.
There is snow in the forecast for Friday and Saturday so we might sit still for another day. We are watching the weather forecasts on the tv.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL18. TRINIDAD TO COLORADO SPRINGS, COThere is snow in the forecast for Friday and Saturday so we might sit still for another day. We are watching the weather forecasts on the tv.
Driving north, there were four trucks on their sides evidently blown over by the high winds yesterday.
The city of Pueblo looked like a dump on the exterior but the historic Arkansas Riverwalk was just lovely. There are some restaurants on the path but it is still to cold for people to be eating outside. The temperature for today was 15o with a low of -2o. We had a nice 1 mile walk today around the path.
Reaching Colorado Springs, we drove straight to the Garden of the Gods Park as we were unable to check into the RV park yet. At the Visitor Center we found out that we could take the trailer on the drive around the park. We entered the park, parked in a bus zone and went to look at the various rock formations. They are so beautiful and unique. Mid afternoon we drove to the RV park to check in and drop the trailer. It was quick to return to the park because it is just around the corner. We did a couple of more hikes to look at some other different rocks.
It was late afternoon when we called it a day and went back to the Rv to cook dinner.
I was glad to hear that Ed and Barb made it safely to Dallas. TUESDAY, APRIL17. AMARILLO TO TRINIDAD, CO
During my trip planning, I came across the XIT museum in Dalhart and I dismissed this attractions as worthy of a stop. Today, after much Texax history has been stuffed into my head, I realized the significance of the XIT Ranch so, we did stop at the museum.
The museum is a small town museum with many old western items, XIT history, wildlife exhibits and a new Dustbowl simulation room (interesting). It was worth a quick stop.
Upon resuming our journey, the winds became much more aggressive. The winds were 50 km/h with gusts up to 70 km/h. I don't know how Carl kept us on the road. We were getting blown around quite a bit.
Midafternoon we pulled into Capulin Volcano National Monument. The cost to drive to the top had been raised from $7 to $15. At this time, an annual pass seemed like a good idea so we bought one for $80. The trailer had to be dropped before we could drive up to the mountain top (a 2 mile curvy road). At the top, astounding views awaited. Carl walked the 1 mile crater rim trail and I did the .2 mile crater core hike. The wind was still unbelievable. Returning to ground level, Carl hooked up the trailer again and we made the decision to keep going. Our resting spot for tonight is in the Walmart parking lot in Trinidad, Colorado where the winds speeds this afternoon are 56 km/h with gusts up to 106 km/hr. The winds are predicted to die down overnight. Many large trucks and some other campers are filling the parking lot here. I think everyone is waiting for the drive to get easier.
For dinner, we just made sandwiches since we have no electricity and only a little water with us. It will be a quiet night.
MONDAY, APRIL16. AMARILLO, TX
The RV Museum was closed Sunday so it was the first thing on the agenda today. You have to go to the Rv Dealer and ask the receptionist about the museum. We were led in the direction of the museum and then left on our own to look around. There are some very interesting old, restored RV's in the museum and we spent a fun hour there.
There was also an RV bus which was used in the movie called RV that starred Robin Williams.
Another free stop was the International Helium Centennial Time Columns Monument. The 60 foot stainless steel monument commemorates the discovery of helium in 1868. Erected in 1968, the monument contains sealed time capsules filled with date related to helium as well as a $10 savings account deposit that will be worth $1 quintillion when the capsule is opened in the year 2968. The monument also serves as a solar clock.
Hunger and curiosity drove us to The Big Texan Steak Ranch brewery and restaurant. Carl tried two of their craft brews and we split the rack of baby back ribs which came with 2 sides. It was more than enough for both of us to eat.
By 3 o'clock we decided we had had enough touristing. The Quarter Horse Museum didn't really interest us and we have seen many classic car museums.
Tomorrow we are moving on to a corner of New Mexico called Capulin.
SUNDAY, APRIL15. AMARILLO, TX
The morning was spent touring the Palo Duro Canyon State Park. This park is like a mini Grand Canyon with very scenic vistas. There are many hiking trails and a 16 mile driving trail to the bottom of the canyon.
In the town of Canyon, we found a photo op with a very big Texan.
The Texan was followed up by this weird sight of a pair of legs in the middle of a field.
Returning to Amarillo we stopped at the Cadillac Ranch where there are 10 graffiti covered vintage Cadillacs half buried nose down in a field. Dubbed HOOD ORNAMENT OF ROUTE 66 this unusual roadside attraction is a popular stop for locals and visitors armed with spray paint and cameras.
A few of the attractions we had wanted to see were closed because it is Sunday.
After shopping and returning to the Rv park, we went to visit the animals adjacent to the park. There is an emu, donkey, and 2 llamas. They came right up to us thinking that we would be feeding them but soon realized their mistake.
The day had turned out beautifully; sunny and warm after a coldish start. I was thinking about people at home in the ice storm and hoping the power stayed on for everyone.
SATURDAY, APRIL14. EN ROUTE TO AMARILLO, TX
Amarillo or Bust! With warnings of wind gusts of up to 60mph, cold temperatures and wildfires burning reverberating in our head we set off, not knowing what the day would bring.
As the morning wore on it was evident that our gas mileage was being drastically efffected by driving through the winds and also uphill.
Crossing the border into Texas afternoon, the earth along the highway became scorched and dust clouds picked up. It was a scary scene but lasted only a few short miles.
We traveled a bit of Route 66 along the way.
At 3:30 we pulled into the RV park and signed in at the convenience store across the street. The wind was still gusting at 58 km/h.
FRIDAY, APRIL13. OKLAHOMA CITY
Oklahoma City is a lot smaller than Dallas or Fort Worth so we were at the Memorial Museum in a fairly short time. Where we parked, you could shoot a cannon down the street and not hit anyone; it was deserted. The Oklahoma Memorial is so well done with gates on either side of a lovely shallow pool. The gates have the times of 9:01 and 9:03 on then (the time before and after the bombing). Off to the side are chairs made of brass and etched glass with the deceased names on them.
The Museum chronicaling the events of that day and continuing until after the trials of the bombers was riveting. We spent over 2 hours there. I don't usually read everything but I did this time.
Before heading to the Capitol building, we fit in a photo op from Ed's itinerary. The photo op was a large toothbrush and toothpaste in front of a dentist office.
At the Capitol building there were not offering tours today. The teachyers had been having a sitin protest for many days in the building and had just broken up today. They were successful in getting more money for salaries and classrooms but they would have liked even more. We were offered the self guided tour booklet but, it turned out most of the paintings had been put away, either because of the protests or because of the renovations that are going on?. We surveyed what we could and then proceeded to the Bricktown Brewery for an early dinner.
This brewpub was also on Ed's itinerary. We went to a restaurant closer to where our Rv was. I had the most amazing club sandwich on warm focaccia bread with sweet potato fries. Carl had a sandwich called Pork on pork and 2 different beers(he said they were the best he had had for some time). A visit to Dollar Tree ended our dining and shopping experiences for today.
This brewpub was also on Ed's itinerary. We went to a restaurant closer to where our Rv was. I had the most amazing club sandwich on warm focaccia bread with sweet potato fries. Carl had a sandwich called Pork on pork and 2 different beers(he said they were the best he had had for some time). A visit to Dollar Tree ended our dining and shopping experiences for today.
The weather is going to change drastically overnight. It is supposed to go down to 4o tonight from a high of 28o today.
THURSDAY, APRIL12. DRIVE TO OKLAHOMA CITY
HAPPY 30TH BIRTHDAY TO ADRIAN.
I had my heart set on Subway Ham, Egg and Cheese on Flatbread for breakfast but it seemed like it wasn't meant to be. The first Subway was to far off the highway. The second Subway was out of eggs. The third Subway (yes, by this time I was questionning my sanity) was in a Walmart where I was treated to a lecture by the woman in front of me about how she was trying to lower her A1C and was not allowed to eat bread. Anyway, we finallly got fed and continued on our way.
Approaching Wichita Falls was the longest train with cars piled high with coal.
Wichita Falls was named for a 5 foot waterfall in an otherwise flat land. In 1882 the floods washed away the falls. The city restored the falls in 1987 creating a 54 foot terraced cascade. We went to look for the new falls. Internet directions were scant. We finally asked someone for directions and then ended up walking a mile in the heat to find a dirty waterfalls. It wasn't worth it.
North of Wichita Falls, we crossed a huge expanse of the Red River and now in Oklahome, we saw lots of cattle dotting the countryside.
As we drove north the elevation changed and rolling hills appeared. The soil that is showing is all a dark red colour.
At 5:30, we pulled into the RV park, checked in and set up for the night. We ate in tonight. It is super windy here as it has been for a few days. The news on tv talks about wild fires in Oklahama and neighbouring states. Will have to keep an eye on those wild fires.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL11. FORT WORTH, TX
It was nearly 40km to the Fort Worth Stockyards Historical District. We scored free parking on Exchange. The Visitor Center gave us a map and a rundown of events.The stockyard museum was just across the street and before we went in we had a long chat with a cowboy on a horse named Oliver. Before we knew it, it was time for the cattle drive. The cattle drive was really just a number of longhorm cows escorted down the street by 5-6 cowboys.
After the cattle drive we saw the Stockyards museum with many exhibits related to the history of the area as well as the unluckiest wedding dress ever (eclectic collection of items). On foot, we explored up and down Exchange Ave looking at the various restaurants. stores and hotels.
The most unique thing we saw today was a life size was recreation of Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper painting. The work was created in the 1950's by Katherine Stubergh. The scene is surreal and so incredibly life like. Each figure has something like 40,000 strands of human hair painstakingly attached. In addition to this scene, there is a collection of individual bronze & copper crosses in the main lobby designed by Rachel Colvin.
Following up on our FREE theme for today, a visit to the Kimbell Art Museum was next. We viewed the 2 free exhibits. One had some works from european masters such as Matisse, Monet and Picasso.
The final stop was at the Chimera Brewery where Carl had what he called, the weirdest beer ever (New England IPA). He liked it but it had a strong grapefruit taste. That completed our time in Fort Worth.
TUESDAY, APRIL 10. DALLAS, TX
It was a cool night but the heater kept us warm. The forecast called for a sunny day in the low 70's, perfect! Today we went to take in things that are synonymous with the name DALLAS.
The first thing most people (old) think of is that Dallas is the location where John F Kennedy was assasinated. The spot from where the shots rang out has been turned into The Sixth Floor Museum on Dealy Plaza. Upon paying our admission we were given an audio guide that leads you through the exhibits and movie clips. This tour took us over 2 hours and was very informative. Outside Carl went and stood on the spot where the first shot landed.
In search of steps we walked to the Dallas Cattle Drive Sculpture. There were so many bronze cattle and a cowhand apparently herding them. It is quite a sight to behold.
Along the way we stumbled upon the John Fitzgerald Kennedy Memorial. The memorial was designed by Philip Johnson as a cenotaph or open tomb. Its stark design allows visitors to reflect.
A search for something different led us to the Nasher Sculpture Center. The center includes indoor and outdoor galleries containing various art and scupture pieces.
Upon returning to the truck, our step count had reached over 10,000 and we headed back to our mobile home to make dinner.
MONDAY, APRIL 9. AUSTIN, DALLAS, TX
Leaving San Antonio, our final destination was Dallas with a detour to Austin. The drive to Austin is all developed with housing, businesses and restaurants. Austin is the state capital of Texas and we wanted to see it. The issue was driving downtown with a trailer attached. We figured it was worth a driveby and a look for double parking. Lo and behold, 4 blocks from the capital building we scored a double parking meter. This enabled us to do a tour of the Capitol Building and visitor centre. Our guide was not the best but he led us to the important rooms in the building. The original building was paid for by selling 3 million acres of land in the Texas panhandle. In 1993 this building has been significantly expanded by completing the underground Capital Extension.
Leaving Austin, we hunkered down for a long drive to Dallas. Along the roadside, there are carpets of flowers in purple, white and orange.
The first RV park that I called was booked but the second place had an available site in Grand Prairie. We arrived at Loyd Park at 5:30ish and checked in. This site is completely in the woods which is totally different from the places we have stayed in until now. Civilization is still nearby though, with the closest Costco only 10km away in Arlington.
SUNDAY, APRIL 8. SAN ANTONIO, TXu
Buckhorn Saloon and Museum
This downtown museum was built in 1881 and pays homage to the Old West. There are more than 520 mounted animal species to see.
Texas Ranger Museum
The Texas Ranger Museum chronicles the history of the the Texas Rangers. The highlight here was a reconstruction of San Antonio as is was in the late 1800's including a replica saloon, working jail cell, a blacksmith shop and a telegraph office.
Witte Museum
The Witte (pronounced witty) Museum is consider a Gem be CAA and here we spent the remainder of the afternoon perusing South Texas history. We were able to listen in on a jazz concer in the amphitheater by the river. It was quite pleasant to sit outside under a blue sunny sky. This concluded our touring for the day and our thoughts turned to figuring out what we wanted for dinner back at the trailer.
On Monday, we will be leaving San Antonio, going through Austin and stopping in Dallas.
SATURDAY, APRIL 7. SAN ANTONIO, TX
What a change in the weather! The temperature went from 29o to 15o degree. I had to get my winter coat out of the closet but I am okay with it. North of here temperatures went into the freezing range.
A short drive brought us to the San Antonio Missions National Historic Park. We took a 40 minute tour of Mission San Jose. As we waited for the talk to begin, we were warned to watch that fire ants were not crawling on our shoes to get to our skin. The Mission is one of the chain of missions but, this one is the crown jewel. It has been beautifully restored.
The Alamo is downtown and we had to drive around a few times to score a cheap parking spot at the meter. The Alamo was easy to find since it takes up a block. We watched their movie, read the exhibits, toured the gift shop and church and then set off for the River Walk.
The River Walk runs 8 miles throughout downtown. It came into being after a devastating flood in 1921. Robert Hugman drafted an ambitious plan that would control the river flow through damming and the construction of flood gates but, allow its banks to be developed. RW is a tad reminiscent of Venice (Hugman's intention). The River walk is just below street level and hosts entrances to museums, art galleries, restaurants, hotels, and bars.
We couldn't finish the day withoout doing a photo op at North Star Mall. Here stands the world's largest set of cowboy boots.
By the time, hunger and fatigue were setting in so we returned to the RV Park. Handily, on the corner by our park is a Mexican restaurant so we decided to eat dinner there. They made some good enchilada's with refried beans and mexican rice.
With stuffed tummies, we had to clothes shop for Carl at the local Walmart. He had forgotten a couple of items. Tomorrow will be more San Antonio.
FRIDAY, APRIL 6. ENROUTE TO SAN ANTONIO, TX
This RV park has been pretty great. Carl discovered that it is part of a Quality Resort chain and with some further research we were able to book a site in San Antonio at a sister park for even less money.
On the drive to San Antonio we passed a town called Schulenburg. Carl commented that the name sounded German. The CAA book backed that up explaining that the town was settled by German, Austrian and Czech settlers in the mid 1900 century. A large cottonseed mill sustained the town until the 1950's.
We arrived at the RV Park after 1, checked in, set up and then made a plan for our time here. It was 29o and humid and we decided it was to hot to walk around downtown so we voted to get our laundry done. The rec center where we waited while the laundry was running has free popcorn and coffee. There are also current magazines, newspapers, a TV and a fitness area. Upon completion of the laundry, we put away our newly clean clothes and prepared to make ourselves home made pizza for dinner. It was deliciously fantastic.
THURSDAY, APRIL 5. GALVESTON, TX
Galveston is 117km southeast of Houston and that is where we set of for this morning. Upon arrival at 10:30 we determined that the Texas Seaport Museum was closed for the day. Now what, we asked ourselves while walking down the pier. There were other tourist attractions here: The Offshore Oil Rig Museum, the Pier 21 theatre and two blocks over was the Strand Historic District. A map was acquired at the theatre and we set off to explore the Historic District and their lovely Victorian buildings. Each house proved to be unique and the majority of them were very well maintained.
The Bishop's Palace stood out from the others. It had 3 floors built in 1887. The exterior is sandstone, limestone and granite. In 1923 the Catholic Diocese bought it to be the seat of the local bishop (must be nice).
On the opposite side of Galveston Island we drove the historic Seawall (put in place after the 1900 hurricane) and beach strip. It was very windy and the water looked brown and dirty (normal?).
Upon returning to the Bay side we visited the Offshore Rig museum which is housed in a decommissioned jack up oil rig. There was lots of see and read here.
The film at the theatre was really just a collage of photographs dating back to the 1900 hurricane.
This concluded our visit to the pretty and historically unique Galveston. As you leave the island you are reminded that there is also an industrial side to this island that is not so pretty.
BTW, traffic here is nuts and the highways have as many as 12 lanes with HOV and Toll Lanes. The infrastructure that carries all these vehicles is quite amazing.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4. HOUSTONBTW, traffic here is nuts and the highways have as many as 12 lanes with HOV and Toll Lanes. The infrastructure that carries all these vehicles is quite amazing.
Due to last nights kerfuffle, there was paperwork to attend to this morning at the office. They apologized for not having our info available when when came in last night. This RV park is pretty amazing. Beautiful clean sites, RV rentals, a lake in the middle, bbq grills, and a rec center with exercise equipment and free coffee and popcorn.
The Museum of Funeral History sounded like it would be a little different experience. It was different. There were lots of exhibits about former presidents of the USA funerals. In addition, a huge section was devoted to the latest Pope's death and internment. There were some bizarre funeral caskets from Ghana and all kinds of old hearses from the US and other countries. Lastly, there was a dedication section to deceased celebrities. Two exhibits were closed due to remodelling and that included the Egyptian muffication topic that I would have like to see. Oh well!
Downtown we walked the Tranquility park that was dedicated to the Apollo 11 moon landing. The fountains were not functioning so was a bit of a letdown.
A short distance away we visited the Rothko Chapel. It is an octagonal building with Mark Rothko floor to ceiling paintings inside. Rothko is an American abstract expressionist artist. The 14 panels were all painted a navy blue colour. We wanted to ask where the paintings were but didn't want to sound dumb. A google search confirmed that the panels were indeed his work and indeed all one colour. I felt very gauche!
In complete, juxtaposition to the previous artowrk, the beer can house was the next stop. This house is in an ecclectic neighbourhood of designer homes, apartments and smaller dwellings. There is apparently over 50,000 beer cans in the house structure. We couldn't go in because tours are only offered on weekends.
With that, our touring was concluded. We took advantage of the fine temperatures today and bought a steak and potatoes on the way home. The grills here are available for anyone to use and we were told NOT to clean them. A lovely dinner should mellow us out for the evening.
TUESDAY, APRIL 3. BATON ROUGE
HAPPY 50TH BIRTHDAY GERD IN STUTTGART
Bye-bye New Orleans. A 1 1/2 hour drive got us into Baton Rouge and the Louisiana State Capitol Building. We followed Ed's footprints. After we were searched, we viewed the main floor including the spot where Huey P Long, then a U.S. Senator was shot. This amazing building was his conception and it was completed in a mere 14 months. Riding the elevators up to the 27th floor we were provided with views of all sides of Baton Rouge.
Carl had fun engaging in several political discussions with various people throughout the building.
We had our trailer with us and were lucky to find a casino nearby with lots of free parking so that we could walk over and go to see the State capitol.
Back at the truck we had to decide how far we wanted to drive today. We agreed to go on to Houston even though we would get in late. I called ahead and reserved a site.
Leaving Baton Rouge we encountered miles and miles of driving on bridges over the bayou's.
Upon arriving at the RV Park, it turned out that the fill in staff had forgotten to post our pad# and park information package. Everyone was so nice and one gentlemen knew someone who worked at the park and he went to get her. She arrived and kept calling the 24 hour after hours number until she was able to get through and give us our pad#. With that piece of information, we were finally able to set up camp for the night.
MONDAY, APRIL 2. NEW ORLEANS
Today we eschewed public transit in favour of taking the truck to Algiers Pt. We crossed the Mississippi River and arrived in the Historic District. We parked on the road close to the Ferry and did the walking tour. Several streets had parking closed off due to filming a movie. It was really quiet on this side of the river. There are quite a few historical things to see. As Ed did, we even walked along the top of the levee. It was a good way to spend the morning.
The World War II Museum is considered a GEM attraction by CAA. Trip advisor ranks it #2 museum in the world, #2 museum in the US and #1 attraction in NO. The rest of the day was spent reading exhibits and viewing movie clips. This museum is indeed a GEM with it being both informative and entertaining. I wish we had more time to spend there.
On the way back to the RV Park we grabbed some groceries at Walmart and some cheap gas for our drive tomorrow. In the morning, we are back on the road toward Texas.
SUNDAY, APRIL 1. NEW ORLEANS
We took the #94 bus into town to Canal Street and then went down to Bourbon street on the next trolley. After leaving the trolley, we walked to Jackson Square. in the French Quarter. The streets were so busy with families in their dressy Easter outfits. Some people were dressed in fancy Easter costumes (with Easter baskets and Easter eggs on their head). It was quite entertaining to people watch. There was two parades going around the streets so several times we got stuck at street corners while we were doing a walking tour. The weather was sunny and beautiful all day. We were not able to get to the Cafe du Monde, known for their beignets (doughnut with sugar sprinkled on) because of the long line ups.
In the early afternoon, we walked back to Canal street to catch the green trolley heading for the Garden District. This area was primarily the American section of town, named for the lush garden estates. This neighbourhood boosts a variety of building styles, including Gothic, Greek Revival and Renaissance. We completed the long ride to the end of the St Charles line and then back. From there, we returned to the RV Park by about seven o'clock.
