Kicking back

We've circled the wagons.  The horses are tied up and the beans are cooking on the campfire. 

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


Ouachita Mountains retreat

I stumbled across our next overnight camp through a little browsing on the net. We'd been in the Hot Springs Arkansas area several years ago and thought it was worth a return trip. Rich with history ranging from ex President Bill Clinton's boyhood home to the famous hot springs that provided the healing mineral waters for the various health spas located here ... this is a neat place. Catherines Landing RV Park (www.catherineslanding.rvcoutdoors.com) is located on a mile long stretch of shoreline on Lake Catherine in central Arkansas and is about five miles from the center of town. Very well maintained and all the good stuff you'd expect from an upscale RV camp. We're in an end pull-thru site overlooking the lake about 100 feet away.

We had but a short amount of time to look around the area so I'll have fill you in later on what we find.

Still livin' the dream in the Ouachita Mountains.

Phil

Tom's place

Thanksgiving day.  Our rig is parked on the banks of the Mississippi River in West Memphis Arkansas (just across the river from Memphis Tennessee). We arrived at the Tom Sawyer's RV Park (www.tomsawyersrvpark.com) mid afternoon and settled in at our site.  About a sand wedge from waters edge, I could now better understand why Mark Twain admired this national treasure so much.  Even though the water level is as low as its been in years, the power of this flow is still mighty.  Within just a few minutes a large tug boat was guiding a barge downstream past our rig.  You hear and feel the tugs engines straining to aligned this floating truck to the rivers center where the water was the deepest.  So close ... so close you could see the captain working away at the helm.  This is good stuff for me folks.

Since we had been traveling all day we had completely missed the big traditional meal we usually have on the holiday.  Snacks on the road just aren't the same as turkey and all the trimmings.  So we did a little checking and found a casino/race track (guess who found this place?) about 3 miles away that was serving a traditional turkey dinner.  They also threw in some roast beef and catfish just to spice things up a bit.  I know we were all extra hungry but this food was fantastic.  One of the best casino buffets we'd ever had.  And priced at $11.95 ... seems like it was 1982.  

We're off to Hot Springs Arkansas tomorrow for a few days stay.  We are expecting a little rain tonight but clearing and cooler.  It was in the 70's here today and we like that.

So I hope you all awoke from your afternoon nap in time to get to bed early cause' all those big pre Christmas sales are already underway.

Still livin' the dream and wishing I had some leftovers to snack on.

Phil

Another stop along the way

Just a couple of hours down the road and we're now at Whittington Woods Campground (www.whittingtonwoodscampground.com) near Benton Illinois.  A well kept, wooded property with big pull-thru sites, a small rental cottage or two, RV supplies and a surprise.  After taking care of the paper work Sharon emerged from the office clutching a half dozen eggs.  A welcoming gift that we really welcomed.  After pulling into our site I began hooking things up and was greeted by several large, friendly chickens.

Clucking around the coach ... looking for whatever morsel we park newbies carried in, they were eager for a handout but soon discovered they were clucking up to the wrong rooster.  I stopped carrying chicken feed years ago ... just wasn't worth it.  Accomplished and well mannered, they (I neglected to learn their names)  didn't make pests of themselves and soon wandered off to greet the next RV coming in.  Within just a few minutes a Canadian couple, who I think they (the chickens of course) knew, arrived and before long I over heard them talking about the grain futures market.  Ya' know ... those Canadians can just about talk to anybody!  Next to arrive was Bill and June.  Delayed at the repair shop in Effingham, they're now the proud new owners of a shiny, brand new A/C unit for their rig.  Bill is beginning to learn the ways of the ancient ones ... The journey of a thousand miles begins but with a new Discover card.

I'm at a loss to figure out how we manage to attract people who so ardently dislike birds.  You know ... those beautiful little creatures that seem lighter than air, graceful beyond description, and sing the melodies of nature.  It may seem a little odd but the previous two years our dear friend Carol and hubby Jim divulged a secret that she has a total disdain for our feathered friends since she was a little girl. I swear she is the first person I had ever met that didn't like those sweet little things.   O' contra ire ... how wrong was I!  No sooner than Bill and June pulled into the park yesterday I discover the second person in the world who hates birds.  June.  Yes June.  Now my plans to visit all the aviaries in the Mississippi River watershed are dashed.  Oh darn! But what about all the quarters I'd saved to buy birdseed from those little dispensers?  Maybe I can better use the money elsewhere ... perhaps a slot machine in Biloxi. 

We've spent a little time looking around the area and discovered as usual, there is something unique just about every place we go. At Bill and June's urging we made a stop at the regional center for the arts.  A very classy facility with a wide selection of art works from Illinois artist.  From wood furniture to pottery to quilts and metal work ... something for everyone and every pocketbook. Traveling on we made a short visit at nearby Rend Lake.  A beautiful body of pristine water originally created back in the 1950's as a water storage reservoir for the region.  Today, there were a number of fishing boats plying the waters for the local catch.

Next stop was to Pleasant Hollow Winery (www.pleasanthollowwineries.com).  A large regional wine producer who just happened to have a very nice hospitality house that provided samples of all there products.  Not wanting to miss out on anything free, we bellied up to the bar and sampled away. A short time later we walked out the door with about 6 bottles of their finest (or so we think) in tow and headed off for our next adventure.

Heading south a few miles is the lively little town of Benton.  And located within the Chamber of Commerce building is a very small museum that housed several old cars, one of which was more interesting than I had planned on seeing.  Sitting there was a 1916 Dort.

Manufactured in Flint Michigan, this car was part of the history of the area I have lived in for almost 40 years.  Pretty special find for me.  In addition, there was a very unusual set of photographs illustrating the last official hanging held in the county.  The series of 6 photographs clearly showed the guy, prior to being hanged, laughing and joking with the crowd before his demise.  The museum spokesperson went on to tell the story behind hanging and told us the gallows was still located next to the old jail just a block away.  Never having seen a real gallows live (who has?) it was kind of creepy but still interesting.  I guess every city should have tourist attraction ... but a gallows?

Just so you know ... we did eat out while in the area.  Actually we ate out three times.  Unusual for us as we ate at the same place each time.  The only place you'll find the name of the Whittington Café is on a hand made sign inside the café.  The locals refer to the building that it's located in as the 'Zone'.  The café is sandwiched between the Shell station and an un-named tavern.  They say you can't judge a book by its cover and even though this was not much more than a big room with tables and chairs, and a grill with a cook in tennis shoes and a t-shirt, the food was pretty good and priced right. Our waitress Mandy was a gem with a great sense of humor and completely honest about what food on the menu was worth ordering.  I'd give you their website but they don't have one.  So if you're in the area ask for that place to eat at the Zone.

Finally ... A Happy Thanksgiving to each and every one of you.  Safe travels.

Still livin' the dream.

Phil

Hiccup

A prophet I am, I say.  Or so it seems.

Yesterday I was commenting that Camp Lakewood was worth staying at more than single night and little did I know that we're getting another chance to spend a night here.  It seems that my friend Bill had a little 'gothca' this morning as were about to leave.  The drive belt for the A/C unit, engine fan and water pump gave way and he wasn't going anywhere.  With more than a little luck he found a local repair shop that could do the job.  Since those units are not shelf items, the best they could promise was one shipped over-night.  If it doesn't arrive in the morning, or is the correct part, then the wait will extend till next Monday!  Happy Thanksgiving.  So we wait.  But really no big deal.  What else we got to do.

Still livin' the dream ... but maybe on hold for a day or so.

Phil

Over hill, over dale

Whew!  385 miles today!  Our second day on the road and I need to ease into this travelling routine.  I'm pooped from driving.  We looped around south of Chicago and even though it was Sunday traffic, it's not for the faint hearted.

We actually got started last Saturday after some needed improvements to the coach, a new transmission for the tow car and a desire to get out of town before the snow flies.  A couple of flakes floating around is about all it takes and we're in high gear getting ready to head south.  As it turns out we worked up a sweat for nothing as above normal temps and clear skies were forecasted for the next week or so.    Anyway, we were off on the first leg of our journey ... a short over-nighter to Battle Creek to visit family.  We even stayed at our favorite, invitation only, private RV park .  You won't find it in Woodalls or Rand McNally, but John's Luxury Parking lot worked out just fine.  Thanks again John boy. 

Our friends Bill and June got a days head start on us so we decided to meet in Effingham Illinois at Camp Lakewood  www.camplakewoodcampground.com and continue the trip from there.  It's our second or third stop at this park and it just a nice place to stop.  The owners, Brian and Vanessa Caton and easy going and make you feel right at home.  Right off Interstate 57, it's tucked back in the woods aside a small lake.  Actually it might be a place you may want to spend a couple of days here.

Tomorrow we're headed towards Memphis.  Don't know where we're going ... but who cares.

Still livin' the dream,

Phil

Gettin' ready ... Again

Can you believe it?  We're almost back!

In another day or so we'll be on the road again.  Summer's a distant memory, most of the two million leaves in my yard are bagged, my tow car is getting a fresh transmission, our coach has got new awnings and we're ready to hit the road.

So where are we going?  Well ... after much consternation, we decided to sort of repeat the general route we took our first year on the road some 5 years ago.  Head down the Mississippi Valley, then head west.  Checking out the nooks and crannies of Americana, seeking out that grubby little eatery with the unforgettable food and stumbling into the lives of everyday folks, who at times, will have great stories to share.  Some I can re-tell ... others best left for a night around the campfire.

We'll make a turn westerly towards Hot Springs Arkansas (maybe even dig for diamonds again) then SW to the Austin Texas area... lay low for a few days then begin exploring the culturally rich Austin area.    Our good friends Bill and June are joining us for their first post retirement winter trip so it will be great to have them nearby.  After a time we'll head back east along the gulf coast ... Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, then up to Hilton Head Island ... Then back to South Haven Michigan to our summer lair at Cousins RV park around the first of May.

That's the plan but who knows ... If the weather turns sour maybe we'll head off somewhere else.
So hang with us along the way and I'll do my best to keep it interesting.

Still livin' dream

Phil