Mar 11 - San Antonio, Texas River Walk,The Alamo & the Sky Needle

  We drove in to San Antonio and stopped, first, at the Bank of America.  Apparently, BOA is not found in the smaller Texan towns.  It always takes a long time, but Peter got his business banking done.  Then we headed over to the River Walk.  This is a surprisingly well done area in San Antonio's downtown.  They have a river cruise with a tour guide telling you about all of the places located along the river/canal.  This area was created 52 years ago for the World's Fair.  We had lunch along the river, did the River Cruise, then walked the short distance over to The Alamo. 
  Peter was in his glory.  He found Davey Crockett's name listed in the Memorial Statue, we watched a movie about the history of the San Antonio area--native Americans, Spanish eras, Texan Republic, Texas as a US State.  Lots of history.  He listened to a very erudite tour guide give a "alternative history" talk and really enjoyed it.  We toured what is left of the original Alamo.  Read about Sam Houston, Jim Bowie, Davey Crockett and William Barret Travis. 
  We then walked over to the Sky Needle, a 750 foot tower with an observatory and rotating restaurant and bar at the top.  We went up to the Bar that overlooked all of the San Antonio area.  As it was Happy Hour, we got dinner for $6 each, and $5 beer.  Such a deal, all while having a breathtaking view.  We even got to watch out the elevator windows as we went up and down.
Another nice day--even if it was 84 degrees and somewhat humid.

San Antonio River Walk photos:

The Alamo photos:

Sky Needle photos:

Mar 10 - Travel to Lake Medina, near San Antonio, TX

  Our trip over to Lake Medina Thousand Trails RV park was a bit long, but quite easy, and quite delightful.  We are definitely in the Texas Hill Country.  The route through the hills, with the vistas overlooking the countryside, was quite nice.  It is definitely greener as we travel eastward.  When you look out over the plains and hillsides, they are all covered with small, round, green trees.   And, there are streams, that are not dry stream beds.
  Our RV park is a very large campground, along a very large lake.  It actually feels more like a State Park than the typical RV parking lot campground.  We have trees surrounding our site, we have room to set up the picnic table and put out chairs, and we can see the lake.
  We set up camp, and I walked along the lake, then sat and read for a bit.

Aimee's birthday -- got to chat with Shanti & Aimee-so nice.  Still no Tamara baby--we hoped she would be born on Lily's birthday on the 8th, or mine on the 9th, or Aimee's on the 10th.

Thousand Trail Lake Medina RV park photos:

Mar 9 - Evie's Birthday, The Caverns of Sonora, Texas

  Today's my birthday!  Again.  We decided to go to the Caverns of Sonora, since they are just 15 minutes from our RV park.  We went on a guided tour, with 12 people.  It took about 2 hours.  The caverns are at the deepest 150 feet below the ground.  They go 7 miles, but on 2 miles are on the tour.  They are privately owned, unlike Carlsbad Caverns.  They are very protective of the formations, and have created a tour through the various "rooms" and areas that is thoughtful and demonstrates the many, varied formations of the caverns.  The walkways are right next to, and through the formations, so you are Upclose and Personal with the formations.  Unlike Carlsbad, where you are a distant from the formations.  The walkways are only single file, so they are very narrow throughout the caverns.
  But, the formations are again AMAZING.  They are very different from Carlsbad.  The active portions of the caverns have formations on every single surface.  Dripping from the ceiling, rising from the floor, and popcorn covering every wall.There is a lot more dripping water in this cavern, so there are many more formations.  The tour was spectacular.  Perfect Birthday present!
  We decided to go for a walk around the local Nature Preserve.  A 1 mile rim walk overlooking the town of Sonora.  It was pleasant, and got us out and about.  Sonora is a rather depressing small Texas Town.  I think I like the New England small towns better.  We wanted to go out for a "birthday" dinner, and had two choices -- Mexican or Steak.  We actually chose the Steak (and Mexican options) as it was a nice little restaurant.  My dinner choice was NOT steak, but a cobb salad (no meat) and a baked potato.  It was quite good.  No birthday cake or ice cream, though.

Caverns of Sonora photos (lots of them):

Sonora Nature Preserve photos:

Mar 8 - Driving to Sonora, Texas

  Lily's birthday.  Called and wished her a happy one.  We woke up this morning to discover that our phones had a 1 hour time difference than our alarm . clocks, only to discover that Daylight Savings Time had gone into effect last night.  So, we got an hour later start.  We only had 135 miles to go to Sonora, Texas, so that was a fairly easy trip.  However, the first 50 miles were across the open plains/prairies, and the wind was gusting so strongly that I needed to slow down to 55 mph, at times, on a 80 mph highway.  I have never gone 80 mph, even in the car.
  Some things I noted about this trip through west Texas.  That first 50 miles of flat prairie was actually a bit different than the other deserts we have been driving through.  Instead of scrubby small bushes, there were medium sized bushes and small trees scattered throughout the plains.  Fewer gas tanks and gas wells.  Still no people/cows/horses.
  Then, we got into the mountain ranges.  These were really delightful to drive through.  There were the individual mountain ranges, with flat tops, called buttes.  They looked like they all had gotten crew cuts.  Every now and then, there would be a big, pointy, cone shaped mountain, with a round flat-topped cylinder on the top.  This went on for another 60 miles.  It was quite nice to drive through, and the wind was less here.  Apparently, we were driving through the steppes, and are now in the Texas hill country.
  Sonora is noted for being where Dan Blocker, who played "Hoss" on Bonanza was a teacher here, before being cast in the TV show.  Also, one of Butch Cassidy's gang was shot and killed here in 1901.  Great history.
  The Stadium RV park where we are currently staying for 2 nights, is not very attractive.  It has a lot of old, permanent mobile homes, and is on some land on the edge of "town".  However, the owner is really nice, the fee is inexpensive, it has full hookup, and the area for RV overnighters is clean, and well set up.  As we are only stopping here as a stepping stone across Texas, it is OK.

No photos today.

Mar 7 - Fort Stockton, TX

  Following our typical pattern when there is no major sites to see, we worked in the RV in the morning, and went out to explore the town of Fort Stockton, Texas in the afternoon.  It is out in the middle of the prairie, in the middle of nowhere.  It is a small town, that was settled mostly for its nearness to the Comanche Spring, giving folks passing through a place to get water.  However, as time went on, and some big ranches were settled, some dug some artesian wells, that fed the Spring, and the Spring has basically dried up.  It went to court, and the law in Texas became that you can't legislate artesian water.  Sounds awful to me. 
  We visited the Annie Riggs Museum.  It was an early hotel in the late 1800's that Annie Riggs purchased and ran until her death in 1931.  The museum holds many artifacts of the era and the times.  Very interesting.  We chatted with some Texas folks who were also visiting, and got some perspectives about Texas life.  For example, if you have a 40,000 acre ranch, the 100 or so acres along the Highway might not be where the huge herd of cattle are currently.  Doesn't mean they aren't there.  Also, many ranches have gone to feed lots, instead of letting the cattle roam.  And, hunting is really big in Texas--deer, turkey, grouse.  Since all of the land is privately owned in Texas, with not much public lands owned by the government like in other States, in order to hunt, you need to get a hunting lease which allows you to hunt on private property.  And, it costs, of course.
  One thing I really enjoy about this area is the constant wind and the clear, clean air.  After the museum, we drove to the nearby Fort Stockton, which was built in the late 1800's to protect the folks in the new State and those traveling through.  Not much is left of it, so we walked the trail around the town Park.  A nice paved loop--probably around 1/2 mile.  Otherwise, it's a small town, and we are really just passing through this huge State of Texas.

Annie Riggs Museum photo:

Mar 6 - Traveling to Fort Stockton, Texas

I have to say that western Texas is flat and dry.  For 100 miles, it had scrubby bushes, telephones poles in a straight line all the way to the horizon, and more gas tanks and gas wells than I could have imagined.  That's all you could see, looking off into the horizon, was gas tanks.  In Kansas it was grain silos, in Texas it is gas silos.  And, lots of trash by the side of the road.  Every now and then, there was housing for the folks who work in the gas fields.  They looked like army barracks, and trailer parks.   Why, with so much wide open, empty space, they would jam these housing units so close together, is beyond me.  In the 135 miles, there were only two "towns", one really small, and Pecos, Texas.  Gone are the very interesting sky island mountain ranges.  Now, it is all plains (and gas wells). 
  Our RV campground is sort of nice.  Right near the major highway (US-10) that we are driving across southern Texas.   We are only here for two nights.  Did the laundry, then relaxed.

Housing for the gas field workers photos:

Fort Stockton RV camp photos:

Mar 5 - Sitting Bull Falls, Lincoln National Forest, Carlsbad. NM

  It was a 1.25 hour drive over to Sitting Bull Falls, located in the Guadalupe Mountains in the Lincoln National Forest, in Carlsbad, NM.  The road was very interesting, through the  high, dry Chihuahuan desert plains, and the mountain passes.  Very few people living in the area.  The road into the Sitting Bull Falls park was 7 miles, and it was breathtaking--more mountains, with the road passing through where the erosion showed all the many layers of the rocks. 
  When we got to the park, there was a very nice paved walk over to the Falls.  This was an incredible oasis, in the desert area.  You walked down to the bottom of the falls, overlooking a small pond that the two separate falls plunged into.  It was a sunny, beautiful day.  We explored the area, but then just sat on the rocks and "felt" the amazing place.  It had everything you could want -- mountains, water falls, pond, beautiful rocks to sit on, the air filled with "ozone", and basking in the sun.  Earth, water, fire and air.  It also felt timeless. Delightful afternoon.
  Returned to the RV, and without internet, we had dinner and watched an episode of Kung Fu, on DVD!

Sitting Bull Falls entrance and falls photos: