Fredericksburg to Fort Stockton TX

We decided to head for a park in New Mexico for a few days, as it sounds like the spring break is not as busy up that way. So we’re heading right across I10 today to a stopover at another Passport America park, in Fort Stockton. Overcast and foggy at 6am, away at 9am. Nice drive across I10, quite scenic in places. 

We set up camp at Parkview RV Park in Ft Stockton about 4:30pm.
Not a great (or even particularly good) campground. Only $9 for a serviced site though, with the Passport America discount. Unfortunately we found the water out of the site taps to be undrinkable.

Our poor Lab was not feeling well.

A few days at Fredericksburg TX

Off from Gunter at 8:30 on a sunny 6C day with little wind. We headed for Fredericksburg, arriving there at 4:30, sunny and 22C.

I had called yesterday and reserved for 2 nights at Fredericksburg RV Park, luckily as it turned out. We were in their overflow area, and at first glance nobody wanted to stay there. However there was more room than there looked, once someone moved their highway tractor out of the way. Still just a gravel area, but with w/e connections. Because it was overflow, the sites were only $15/night (total, no tax) instead of the regular $30, or $27 with Good Sam.

The sites ended up being quite ok, but the washrooms were the highlight of the park. Individual lockable rooms, each with toilet, sink and shower, all tile floors, kept very clean. There were 7 or 8 rooms, and we never had to wait for one. Most of the RV’s in the park were big rigs, with their own facilities. Lots of “winter Texans” here. 

The laundry was amazing too, very roomy, clean, well-equipped. Wireless Internet at the sites, and a wired Ethernet connection near the laundry which I used for financial stuff, as I trust that more than wireless for security. Only one washroom building, in the middle of the park; again a hike for us but worth it this time.

We liked it here so much we extended for 2 more days then another, and would likely have stayed the weekend except that even the overflow was reserved. Texas spring break starts this weekend, plus a lot of the winter Texans haven’t moved north yet, so many Texas parks are full this weekend and next week.

As the week progressed the park trees started to blossom out (no pictures unfortunately). The trees aren’t huge (it’s a fairly new park), but there’s at least one tree on each site (but not in our overflow sites). 

Monthly rates are $350 plus hydro ($40-$100 extra) here. If we wanted a site for next year, we’d need to book it now, as people tend to book for next year when they are leaving, so it fills up fast.

One day Curt wanted to go look at 5th wheels. One caught our eye, a Copper Creek by Keystone, model 252. Not as huge as some, only one slide. About $28k new. Turned out it’s actually over 28 ft long, not the 25 that the model number suggests. Apparently this is common with 5th wheels, using the pin-to-bumper length instead of total overall length, as it sounds shorter. The next day we came across a 2 year old model for sale, asking $15,500! Everybody was tempted, but we didn’t bite. The pickup requirement is a stumbling block, as we know we don’t want a truck when not towing.

We had a couple of interesting lunches while here. One day at an authentic Mexican place, all had something different and each enjoyed what we had. Another day was PawPaws Texas bbq at Kerrville. Each couple shared a sampler plate, lots of meat, all good.

One day C&J went to San Antonio to see the River Walk and the Alamo. We stayed with the dogs, but did leave them in the trailers long enough to take a tour of the nearby LBJ ranch. The ranch is partly still private, partly state park and partly National park. Free admission, just $6 each for a bus tour of the ranch. Quite interesting. LBJ was a better president than I had known, in terms of what he did for average Americans.

Cath had a good browse at a “great little quilt shop” next door to the campground. On her own, so no pressure of people waiting for her. Bought some fat quarters of material.

At Wildflower Farm

Post Office at Luckenbock TX

Entrance to LBJ ranch

LBJ house, shotgun style

LBJ family cemetery. The vacancy is for Lady Bird.

A hike  in Lady Bird Park

Interesting driveway when the rains come!

Marshall TX to Gunter TX for the weekend

We spent the weekend camped at some friends in the countryside near Gunter TX. Real Texas hospitality, thanks Debbie and Johnny!

Vicksburg MS to Marshall TX

We set out from the Vicksburg campground about 9am, following I20 through Louisiana into Texas. 18C and sunny at 10:30, sandals on before noon. A pleasant boring drive. 

Camped at a park in Marshall TX tonight. Nice site, right near a small pond with a hiking trail around it. No dogs allowed on the back half of the trail though, due to owners dogs around that way. 

Adjusting the new bike

We could hear heavy machinery running all night and thought there might be a gravel pit nearby, but it was an oil  drilling operation. The campground was almost full, with a lot of the spots taken by workers staying here for the drilling jobs.

Tishimingo MS to Vicksburg MS, Tornado watch

Good showers at the park. Away about 9:20, 17C, overcast, with a local tornado watch in effect until 6pm. The radio guys seemed to think that our immediate area was low risk though. We drove through rain, heavy at times, and stopped at the Tupelo visitor center, where they were just coming up from the storm cellar due to a nearby tornado warning! So we hung around there for longer than we might have otherwise. 

Their storm cellar is just a basement with offices, but there’s not many places around there with basements apparently, so it’s the designated tornado shelter. They were willing to allow the dogs in the building, but only if there was a tornado. Otherwise no dogs allowed.

The folks at the visitor center had some good weather maps up on their computer. We could see the main tornado risk was almost past us and heading in the opposite direction to where we were going, so we took the risk and continued on.

We left the Trace at #6 west, a nicer drive than last year’s route. Lots of muddy fields and creeks. Magnolias are in bloom. Cathie feels almost back to normal today, thank goodness. It’s been a tough several days for her. 

We stopped at a park in Vicksburg MS. It was fully booked with a Good Sam rally, but he let us stay in a sort of overflow area anyway, with hookups. Very wet and soft ground, and a long hike to the very poor washrooms.The campground likely isn't this wet normally, but they also got dumped on by the rains last night.