The sun was blazing away this morning against a very blue sky and it was 34 degrees. No ... we're not in Michigan, but in central Texas. Yup. Down here in the land of longhorns, bluebonnets, beef brisket, and all things big and wonderful.
It's been a long haul getting here ... some 1600 miles, but we've had a good time. I noted in our last entry we were in Hot Springs Arkansas and on our journey west, we passed to the east of Dallas and on down I35 through Waco and Austin.
We spent a couple of nights in Waco because we were physically and mentally drained from the traffic from Dallas south. I also had a chance or two to use my big air horns along the way too. I always enjoy that. Of course I received a honk or two myself, as well as an assortment of widely recognized hand gestures, but we managed to get through without any damage to the coach. But it was trying on the nerves.
Here's a shot of our coaches at the I35 RV Park north or Waco.
(www.i35rvpark.com)
By the way ... this park is a nice stop-over if you're heading south to the Rio Grande Valley. It's not fancy but they have big pull-thru sites and a great FREE breakfast served by some of the friendliest folks you'll ever run across. Rates are reasonable and the laundry and showers are neat as a pin. One other little (?) attraction you find here is probably best described as a good example of a "dogs life". This old guy has got it made.
We did venture out for a bite to eat and ended up at a place called BJ's. I think it's a chain as we saw others along the way ... but it was worth stopping at. Very interesting menu with more than enough choices of libation. Check out the bar. More beers, tequilas and vodkas than you can shake a stick at.
We cruised around Waco a bit and it had surely changed since I was last here in the early 50's. My family was driving north from Austin then and drove into the town about and hour after a huge tornado almost completely destroyed the town. Store merchandise was scattered everywhere as Dad dodged the debris driving through the downtown. It was an event that is still very vivid in my memory. I even have the 8mm movies he took while we were passing through.
Some follow-up on the camp we're at now. Leisure Park in Fentress Texas (www.leisurecamp.net), is about 15 miles east of San Marcos which in turn is located roughly between Austin and San Antonio off I35. The access road off FM80 is rough and bumpy but the setting here is very pleasant with the park located on the banks of the San Marcos River. A very clear aquifer fed river that stays a constant 72 degrees year around. We were looking for a quite place to unwind for a while and this might just be the place. And did I mention the price? Well if I told you ... you would not believe me, so I won't. But it's a good deal.
One other little note ... I couldn't help myself yesterday and called my son-in-law Scott to rub in the fact that I was sitting in Black's BBQ joint in Lockhart about 10 miles from where we are staying. You see Scott and I were at this very place a couple of years ago on our personal pilgrimage to the beef brisket capitol of the world and sample the wares of the best-of-the-best BBQ places. Not disappointed, I had again ordered the brisket and a little smoked turkey and it was as juicy and tender as before. I washed it all down with a cold Shiner Bock and life is indeed good. And as a special treat, the co-owner of this 80 year old establishment Kent Black, gave us a personal tour of the back kitchen where all the action was. Brick smokers, built by his Dad back in the 1940's, are still in use today and are able to keep up with todays heavy traffic at the restaurant. They strictly use post oak wood to fire the smokers. A very dense oak, it got its name from it regional use as fence posts. Kent told me they usually serve about 5,000 customers a week so I think is at least a ton of meat each and every week. The clientele ranges from folks right off the ranch to gents in three piece suit. Of course we looked like typical Midwesterners ... whatever that means.
So we're off to a good start this winter. Stay tuned for more good stuff.
Still livin' the dream but now will a belly full of that goooooooood beef brisket.
Phil
1 comment:
Yes, the old man did call to rub it in. In fact, that very evening, Scott and I began our search for the cheapest airline tickets to Austin! We're all cut from the same cloth, and our ever expanding waistlines can prove this! Hopefully, the money tree out back will hold out and we will be making our own pilgrimage to the land of, "beef and sauce" after the first of the year.
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