Kerrville, Texas, First Blush

Ed and Rosemary left us on Friday, and Saturday the temperature plunged and the rain/snow/sleet/freezing rain began again. Other than "necessary" trips outside with our faithful canine companion Sasha, we stayed indoors.

However, Monday the 11th, the temp began to rise and we ventured out. We wanted to revisit Fredericksburg, and so we took off on a 100 mile loop that started by heading east on I10 to the little town of Comfort. Advertised as "An Antique City", we found that they meant that there are several antique shops along the short Main Street!

Moving north on US 87, we sneaked into Fredericksburg ready to check it out. Unfortunately we found that many stores and restaurants were closed, either because it was Monday, or because the tourist season is not in full swing just yet. Back to Kerrville, where we found a restaurant advertising "A Taste of the Hill Country". Yeah! Well, maybe not....Donna ordered a Reuben sandwich that came with 6, count 'em, 6 slices of corned beef, and I ordered a Chicken Fried Steak that even my Cardiologist would approve of, given that it was approximately the size of a silver dollar....OK, we tried BG's....

Today, the 12th, Lincoln's Birthday, we decided to explore a bit more of Kerrville. We drove into downtown to walk about just a bit and came upon PAX Coffee and Tea. Thinking that we could get a warm drink (it's still only in the low 50's during the day) and talk to some local people about what to see and do, we popped in, only to be greeted with "we're closing!" What? early in the afternoon? No...forever! Well, we got a cup of coffee (to go) and kept looking.....

Just a few miles northwest of Kerrville, in the hamlet of Ingram, lies a beautiful park with a most unusual centerpiece: Stonehenge II!

In 1989, Kerr County native Doug Hill had a large stone left over after a backyard project. A neighbor, Al Sheppard, took the rock and stood it on end on his property outside of town. An idea was sparked, and soon other stones and monoliths were found or created out of concrete and the two men recreated a 60% sized Stonehenge. After visiting Easter Island, Sheppard added Moai head statues to the collection. After Shepherds death, the entire project was moved to the grounds of the Hill Country Arts Foundation in Ingram. Not exactly what would be expected in a small town in Texas!

Donna and Sasha took a break from their walk. Sasha thoroughly enjoyed the wide open grassy park! The original limestone block that started the whole thing can be seen behind Donna.

Stonehenge II is located along the banks of the Guadalupe River, and provides a beautiful and quiet place for contemplation.

A variety of trees grow along the Guadalupe, including this one whose bark has an extremely abrasive appearance.

Taking a bit of a detour on our return to Buckhorn Lake RV, we happened onto "The Empty Cross".

This Sculpture Garden celebrates a fundamental, bedrock religious faith found in very few places these days. A statue of Jesus Christ greets the visitor and invites a walk toward the centrally located cross. Just in front of the 77' tall cross is a large statue named "The Returning King", showing Jesus returning to Earth and engaging in a final, apocalyptic battle with the forces of evil.

The Carbon and Cor-ten steel cross weighs nearly 70 tons and is anchored in the bedrock of the mountain. It is the centerpiece of The Coming King Garden and can be seen for miles.

Located at approximately the same latitude as the country of Isreal, and roughly midway across the US on I10, it is both a beacon and a symbol for believers.

The statue of The Coming King is a magnificent bronze and stone piece by Max Greiner, Jr, of Kerrville.

Whatever one's religious beliefs, this remains an awesome tribute to a higher power.

What a Ride! - Part Three

From Las Vegas we cruised south to Tucson, Arizona, with an overnight stop in Gila Bend, AZ. We had planned to stay at a small rv park there, but found it to be full by the time we arrived,  so we dry camped in the back lot of a truck stop. Not a bad spot at all...a bit noisy, but certainly do-able.

After loading up with diesel fuel in the morning at the truck stop ($2.79 a gallon was great after Cali prices), we completed our last leg into Tucson where we stayed very briefly in Mission View RV Park, the same location that our friends Ted and Phyllis stay in. A couple of dinners with them and a great lunch with our Minnesota friends Dave and Sue who are wintering in Tucson, and off we went east.

We crossed the Continental Divide going into Las Cruces, where we had the unfortunate pleasure of staying at the Coachlight Inn and RV Park.

We were parked next to "Amigo", as noted by the hand-painted sign on the back of the neighboring motorhome...

This rv was in the park the last time we were here....anf frankly I expected it to have either blown away or collapsed upon itself.

We were asked to wait an hour while an electrical problem was repaired in the site we were assigned. OK. After two, I asked when the site would be ready. "Soon", I was told, "and let's take care of the checkin while we wait, ok?". Second mistake. The problem never was fixed, management left for the evening, and we were left dry-camping in an rv park. Oh, joy. Well, Sweetie, scratch another one off the list....

A quick overnighter found us on the road early, hoping to leave New Mexico in our rearview mirror!

Welcome to Texas!

 Yup, this is Texas.

We pulled into Ft Stockton, Texas, about 4 in the afternoon with a beautiful afternoon sky over Interstate 10.

Even though our reservation had been misplaced, the kind folks at Ft. Stockton RV Park found us a perfect pull-through site. It was great not to have to worry about utilities or derelict rv's.

The Texas sunset was very watchful(?).

On Friday, February 1st, we pulled into Buckhorn Lake RV Resort in Kerrville, Texas. It's a lovely, small park primarily designed for motorhomes. This is the view from the front window of the motorhome in our pull-in site 6124:

The sites here are spacious, and include a nice patio in the adult section where we are. We've met the nice neighbors, most of whom are spending the entire winter here.

We've discovered that friends Rosemary and Ed are spending a few days in San Antonio, so we've arranged to share a few hours sightseeing with each other. Donna and I braved the evening rush hour into SA to visit them on Tuesday night and enjoy dinner at one of the city's many Bar-B-Q restaurants, Rudy's. The meal was adequate, but more importantly, we learned a bit about navigating through the second largest city in Texas (after Houston).

On Wednesday, we picked up R and E and plunged into the depths of downtown to check out the famous San Antonio Riverwalk. It did not disappoint! But first, we considered taking a couple of public access scooters from the parking lot to the Riverwalk.....no.....it didn't happen...but only because "they" didn't want me to.....

The River is every bit as beautiful as we remembered it from years past.

Of course we had to have lunch along the river! We found a small restaurant on the second level that afforded an outdoor view of the activity.

Restaurants by the dozen....

and souvenir shops with a sense of humor line the Riverwalk.

We had a lovely afternoon walking, shopping, and people watching. This is a must-do!

Finally, today, Thursday, we took a drive north to the German rooted town of Fredericksburg. After walking, talking (and shopping), we found ourselves having lunch in one of the original 1856 buildings in town. Completely remodeled of course, a number of times, the building has a rustic, comfortable ambience. And the lunch was great!

 A sign in one of the shops defines southern relaxation!

Fredericksburg is the birthplace of Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, who rose to the rank of Fleet Admiral in 1944 after serving as Commander in Chief of the Pacific Fleet after the infamous attack on Pearl Harbor. A museum in his honor occupies a prominent  location in town, and while we didn't have time to visit today, we will return.

After several days of mid 70's temps, we are in for a bit of cool weather in the near future. Yesterday the high was near 80, and tomorrow is predicted to be about 44. Wow! We may have to stay inside and do our taxes or something fun like that!

What a Ride! - Part Two

Las Vegas is.....what can I say......Las Vegas. It's been quite awhile since Donna and I have been there, and my, oh my....it is definitely Sin City. Bright lights, loud music, and scary people reminded us of the surface attraction and soiled underbelly of the city.

We were fortunate to land an rv site behind the Circus Circus Casino Hotel. Bill scored the sites for us just a short walk to the Strip, where we hopped on one of the local bus routes called "The Duece". The rides are relatively inexpensive, and the buses provide sleeping accommodations for those currently without housing. Nevertheless, it is reasonably comfortable and straightforward transportation.

If you are a fan of Chef Gordon Ramsey, you are aware of his Las Vegas restaurant named Hell's Kitchen. That was our destination the first night in Las Vegas!

Bill and Diane follow Gordon Ramseys adventures closely, and encouraged us to join them for dinner at Hell's Kitchen. The setting was astounding, and the food very good. We found the service to be over-the-top, with echelons of servers waiting to bring dishes to the table and whisk away the "debris"!

The kitchen is open to the dining room, as it is on the television program, so we were able to watch the chefs prepare dishes, servers pick them up, and complaints and/or compliments delivered to the staff. Great Fun, and a completely enjoyable experience!

After a repast of Crispy Skin Salmon, New York strip steak, baked macaroni and cheese, and potato gratin, preceded by a half dozen oysters on the half shell, and followed by the signature dessert Sticky Toffee Pudding, we requested that our server Luis take a photo of the four of us. I'm kinda surprised that we were able to stand upright after that meal!

We finished our evening with a trip to the top of the "Strat" to have a cup of coffee and enjoy the city lights.

Our second day/night (it's hard to tell) was spent at two extraordinary venues. Our first stop was at another of Gordon Ramsey's restaurants, BurGR, where we ordered a couple of the most off-ta-wall burgers every seen on Planet Earth (no...it's in Planet Hollywood).

Behold: The Hog Burger!

With Pork and Bacon and BBQ pork,  vintage white cheddar and pickles with crisp onion and slaw. Wow!

An order of Poutine added some much needed carbohydrates (hysterical laughter...)

And a shared Hell's Kitchen Burger, with Asadero cheese, roasted jalapeños, avocado, and oven roasted tomatoes. OMG!

The Beer Battered Maui Onion Rings were lightly dusted with Parmigiano-reggiano, and came with chipotle ketchup and cheddar ranch dip. Here we go again with the carbs...

A short distance down the Strip we came across the Bellagio. This first class resort casino is a world class event center as well as being one of the most spectacular facilities in Las Vegas, and is known for its awesome choreographed fountain that greets visitors as well.

Cirque Du Soleil has several productions going in Las Vegas, but again thanks to Bill and Diane, we scored front row seats for "O" at the Bellagio. Of course, photography is prohibited during the performance, but please know that it is a unique and wonderful experience to enjoy. Part of the appeal is the head scratching that is required as the watcher tries to figure out "How Do They Do That?"

A visit to the Conservatory at the Bellagio is required for any visitor. At the time of our visit, the displays celebrated Chinese New Year, the Year of the Pig with much red and gold.

And the best exhibit of all....Donna and Diane!

As we exited the Bellagio (at 1:30 am) we were astounded to see the ceiling treatments. It's the Little Things that Count, you know!

A last look at the Bright Lights that are so famous the world over, with a near full moon presiding over Planet Hollywood.

Our rv site at Circus Circus was spectacular for not being spectacular. Basically a parking lot, it was nevertheless perfectly adequate with good utilities and a great location. Ignoring the handful of derelict buses and rvs scattered about was easy, particularly when you've been up most of the night!

Our stay in Las Vegas ended all too soon, and we left town on the 26th of January, 2019, heading south.

We're not done yet! Don't go away!

What a Ride! - Part One

We left NorCal in a driving rainstorm (pun intended) on January 17th and settled into Orange Grove RV Park just east of Bakersfield, CA, some 310 miles south. The rain quit somewhere around Fresno, and the rest of the day trip was uneventful. Orange Grove is one of our preferred parks, particularly this time of year when the Valencia oranges are ripening! Management encourages guests to pick as many as they want from the grove of trees scattered throughout the park. There is generally one tree per site, but as we all know, the best oranges are the ones "over there", so a quick walk about was in order. We came away with enough oranges to share with friends as well as for ourselves.

Our friends Steve and Suzi traveled with us that first day, and then on to Indio and Quartzsite. As we passed through the Palm Springs area, we once again marveled at the huge wind farms. It's a perfect place for them because strong winds blow from the desert of inland Cali and Arizona toward the cooler coastline of the Pacific through a narrow mountain pass. Very Green!

We parked in the lot adjacent to the Spotlight 29 casino in Indio for the night, along with quite a few other rvs. It's an easy off, easy on place to catch a nights sleep and to eat at the buffet!

On Saturday, the 19th of January, we slipped into Quartzsite, AZ, to meet friends Bill and Diane from Tucson. We all enjoyed day trips into the "Big Tent" RV Show, and campfires in the evening!

Our first full day in the Quartzsite area found us driving north on US 95 toward Parker, Arizona. Our destination was the Nellie E. Saloon and Desert Bar. Only open on weekends, this rustic watering hole has been built on the site of a former mining camp, by a fellow named "Ken". Since he began work in 1975, continual additions have been made, and today it is a destination for bikers, hikers, and tourists. We found the burgers to be outstanding and the water cold. Other adult beverages are plentiful and abundant.

The entire place runs off of solar energy or, in an emergency, generator backup, because it is located some six dirt miles off the main highway just north of Parker. It is an amazing testament to the dedication of one man, who continues to plan additions. Of course the thousands of dollars he pulls in on any given weekend help with the project!

One  impressive addition to the property is the church. Built completely out of unpainted, untreated steel, it dominates the area. It is only a few feet deep, but is built for the ages!

After three days in Quartzsite we shifted gears and headed north. Steve and Suzi ran to the east and Bill and Diana led Donna and I north into Las Vegas, Nevada.

Stay tuned!

And So It Begins....

It's the 16th of January, 2019, and we are parked in Northern California, enjoying the worst winter rain storm that the area has had in years. This is exactly not what the fire ravaged areas of this state need. I guess that's what we're known for: fire, floods, and the occasional earthquake! Oh, and a humorous political climate, skateboards, bikinis, and palm trees...

No palm trees today, however, as we've had solid rain for three days with wind up to 50 mph. In the middle of all this, Donna and I are scurrying around trying to get ready to leave this mess and go somewhere warmer and dryer. Tomorrow is the day that happens! We hope to survive the predicted 6" of rain storm and venture south toward mid-state CA, and then on to Palm Springs the next day. The weekend will find us in Quartzsite, AZ, at the "Big Tent" RV Show. We're traveling with good friends Steve and Suzi and expect to meet other good friends Bill and Diane in "Q". Eventually we will make our way to the Hill Country in Texas for the months of February and March! Well, that's the plan, anyway!

So tune in as we travel, and we'll see what king of trouble we can get into!

Welcome Back!