Kerrville, TX

We left Ft Stockton a little before 9AM this morning first stopping for fuel then 259 miles to the Johnson Creek RV Resort in Ingram, TX getting here around 2PM this afternoon. Ingram is just outside Kerrville, TX in the Texas Hill Country.

Fort Stockton, TX

We left Presidio getting on the road at 9 AM this morning. Our stop today was only 149 miles away at Fort Stockton, TX where we are staying at the Comanche Land RV Park. We toured the town a little, visited the chamber of commerce, the Annie Riggs Memorial Museum and took a picture of Barb standing along side Paisano Pete, the world's largest roadrunner. We will get on the road again tomorrow morning heading next 240 miles to Kerrville, TX

Twas the night before Christmas

Twas the night before Christmas and out on the dock

the boats were all resting unaware of the clock,

the boats were fastened to cleats with care

in hopes that come morning all would be there

The fuel docks were closed and hoses tied in their spots

with wind gusts from 240 at 39 knots

As Ma in her deck shoes and me in my shorts

had just settled down with egg nog and torts

When over the radio on channel 16 there arose such a clatter

I turned up the volume to see what's the matter

A voice clearly heard over static and blow

asked for the marina to call and give him a tow

He barked out his transmission so lively and quick

I could have sworn that the boat name he used was "St.Nick"

Away to the window I flew like a flash

Sure that it was only winter's last dash.

He called his position and there could be no denial

This is the Nicholas One and I am coming in for awhile

The dog barked a warning and I arose from my chair

to see what was the matter and happening out there

Out on the grass as wind whipped all around us

I picked up the dog and was soon astounded

What to my wondering eye did I see

A tiny tug boat and a flotilla of three

We saw them come in from the threatening sea

we dashed from our boat to help scraping my knee.

The tugs were all tied the crisis was past

when out of the pilothouse stepped the captain at last

He was a jolly old soul all dressed in red

I was sure he just wanted the head.

His pipe smoke circled his head like a fog,

I thought I might offer him some fresh egg nog

His cheeks were rosy and jiggled like jelly

his boots were black as the tug underbelly

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old fool

and he kindly informed me he needed some fuel

With a wink of his eye and a twist of his toes,

he sped off the dock his nose like a rose.

I heard him exclaim as he roared out of sight

Merry Christmas to all and keep on the nav light.

Last Follow-up

We went to Alpine again today for Barb's last follow-up after her foot surgery three weeks ago. The doctor said everything looked fine and released her. We'll we leaving next Monday or Tuesday heading to Palacios, TX.

Midland/Odessa, TX

We took off early yesterday morning heading to the Midland/Odessa, TX area on a shopping trip. We stayed at the Plaza Inn in Midland. On the way back, we stopped at the Ft. Davis Drugstore in Ft. Davis, TX for hamburgers and chocolate sodas at their old fashion soda fountain.

Presidio Christmas Parade

Today is partly overcast and cool here in Presidio. As the residents of Ojinaga are staying in their homes, fearing from being shot because of the war between the Mexican military and drug lords, across the river in Presidio, the residents are enjoying their annual Christmas parade.

Leading the parade was the Persidio City Police and the Presidio County Sheriff.

Following closely behind was a horse drawn wagon.

Then a wagon with a live nativity scene from the Catholic church, celebrating their first Christmas Mass in 1683, which is now Presidio, Texas, .

Before the Spanish arrived here in 1683 were the Native Americans who inhabited the area.

The Mexican Consulate.

Spencer Brothers Department Store.

The Presidio Chamber of Commerce and several others.

Trailing the parade was the U.S. Border Patrol on horseback and some other local riders, but, unfortunately the batteries on my camera gave out before I could take their pictures.

Mexican War Zone

The once unspoiled border town of Ojinaga, Chihuahua, Mexico has been sucked into the ongoing Mexican drug war zone. The word on the streets here is to stay out of town this weekend. The word has it that anyone caught in the streets of Ojinaga will be shot! We don't know where this warning came from but according to an Associated Press story, as of July 25th, over 10 people have already been gunned down this year in Ojinaga, a town of 20,000, and several more have been gunned down since then.

This hardscrabble Mexican border town welcomed 400 soldiers when they arrived last March to stop a wave of drug violence that brought daytime gunbattles to its main street.

Photo by Guillermo Arias / AP

But then the soldiers themselves turned violent, townspeople say, ransacking homes and even torturing people. A couple of weeks ago, two severed heads were found hanging in the town square and one was found in the possession of one of the soldiers.

There's nothing we need anymore from Ojinaga that we can't get on this side of the border. We'll be leaving here right after Christmas heading to the Serendipity Bay Resort RV Park and Marina in Palacios, TX.

The Weatherman Was Right!

Well the weatherman was right about a chance of snow. It didn't snow but there was a good chance. The park host here at the RV park said he seen ice mixed in with the rain last night. It was cold enough and frozen outside. The thermometer showed it was 32.0 degrees this morning outside the motorhome. But the clouds cleared up last night. Maybe next time.

Snow!

I had to take Barb back to Alpine today for a followup after her surgery last week. When we came out of the doctors office there was a few flakes of snow. As we drove the 25 miles to Marfa we encountered a little more snow. Then as we headed south out of Marfa for our 60 mile drive back to Presidio, it started to snow a lot harder for about 40 miles. There is a chance of snow in the forecast tonight of snow here in Presidio. I remember it snowed here the day before Christmas in 2004.

This picture was taken here in Presidio on December 24th, 2004.

Change of Scenery

Come the end of this month, we will be changing our scenery from a desert environment in Far West Texas to one overlooking the Tres Palacios Bay at the Serendipity Bay Resort RV Park and Marina in Palacios, TX. Palacios is 110 miles southwest of Galveston and 110 miles northeast of Corpus Christi on the Texas Gulf Coast. We stopped there 2 years on our trip between Presidio and Brandon, FL.

I took the above picture on our stay here in January 2007. Our motorhome is the green and white class A in the center of the picture.

We came to Presidio this year to meet up with our friends Frank & Jill Welti from Sheboygan, WI. But due to delays in their travels, they won't make it down here until the first of the year. Right now they are stuck in Denton, TX with transmission problems on their motorhome. Hopefully we will be able to get them to change their winter destination to Palacios too.

After spending 4 winters here in Presidio, we have run out of things to do. In Palacios I will be able to go saltwater fishing and Barb will be able to get together with other women sewing quilts and making other crafts.

Alpine, TX

I had to take Barbie to see a surgeon in Alpine, TX today. Yesterday she seen a PA at the medical clinic here in Presidio because of a burn wound on her left foot that was not healing and was starting to seep again. She had 2nd degree burns on her foot from stepping on a hot spot on the deck of our boat last July 4th while on a cruise. Most of the burn on her foot had healed except a spot on her big toe. The surgeon removed the toe nail from the big toe and a lot of dead skin. She has a followup on Friday so that's another trip to Alpine. Alpine is 85 miles from Presidio. On Route to Alpine I took some pictures of some interesting rock formations.

This rock formation is just south of the Shafter Ghost Town on US 67.

In case you can't see it I turned the picture on it's side to give a different profile.

This rock formation is just north of the Shafter Ghost Town on US 67.

The following picture are not rocks but they are real camels at Cibolo Creek Ranch just north of the Shafter Ghost Town on US 67.

Study Butte, TX

Today we took a trip, just to get out of town, to Study Butte, TX for french frys. Study Butte is about 70 miles from Presidio. Along the way we stopped on top of the hill along FM 170 for a view of the Rio Grande/Rio Bravo that seperates Mexico from the United States. Mexico is on the left side of the river. We also stopped at the Contrabando movie set outside Lajitas, TX to see what damage was done during the recent floods. I've posted a couple of before and after pictures of the set. We also stopped at Lajitas and the Trelingua Ghost Town. Travelling with us were Robert and Shelley Bell, a couple that we met this year living in Presidio.

Before

After

Veteran's Day

Today was day 2 of a 3 day celebration to honor the veterans here in the community of Presidio. This small community goes all out to honor their veterans. And since the community sees us snow birds as part of their community, they invite us to participate with them. Yesterday was a 1 hour event put on by the middle school which included lunch. Today the high school held the event for 2 hours including lunch and entertainment. Tomorrow the grade school will put on a 2 hour event. Most of the streets in this little town are still dirt and most of the people speak Spanish to one another, but this is the most patriotic American town that we have ever been to.

Presidio, TX

After 3 long weeks on the road and 2009 miles later, we finely made it to our winter home at the Loma Paloma Golf Course & RV Park in Presidio, TX. Before we were even set up we were invited to go over to Los Comales Restaurant in Ojinaga, Chihuahua, Mexico for an early diner.

Midland, TX

We left Abilene this morning around 9 AM and headed 150 miles to Midland, TX where we will spend a couple of days at the Midland RV Campground in Midland, TX.

Abilene, TX

We left Oklahoma City around 8:45 this morning and drove some 290 miles to Abilene, TX where we are staying the night at the VFW Post 6873 RV Park. We'll be leaving here in the morning heading to Midland, TX where we will spend a couple of days.

Oklahoma City, OK

We got on the road around 8:30 AM this morning leaving Clarksville, AR heading to Oklahoma City, OK arriving here around 2:00 PM. Everything went well. We are staying at the Rockwell RV Park on the west side of Oklahoma City. The park has an indoor heated swimming pool and hot tub, free Wi-Fi and cable TV at all the sites. We stopped in Checotah, OK for fuel taking on 66 gallons of diesel at $3.219 a gallon. Total price - $211.84. We have used 135 gallons of diesel since we left Oconto, WI costing us a total of $450.13. We have travelled 122 miles since we filled up in Checotah and still have 713 miles to go to get to Presidio, TX.

Clarksville, AR

We left Marion, AR around 9 AM this morning driving 227 miles to Clarksville, AR where we are staying at the Spadra Army Corps of Engineers campground overlooking the Arkansas River. We had no problems on our drive today. We will be here for a week while Barb visits her sister Frances. From here we will be going to Oklahoma City, OK to visit our daughter Evon and our two granddaughters, Kristella and McKenzie.

Marion, AR

We left the Cherokee Hills Campground around 10 AM this morning heading 170 miles south to Marion, AR. We had no problems today on our trip. As we travelled south, we seen gas prices as low as $2.75 a gallon in south east Missouri. We had planned on staying at the ABC campground but when we got here we found that it is now the Memphis KOA. I never would have planned a stop at a KOA. Next time I'll call ahead for availability. OWFISH! We leave tomorrow morning for Clarksville, AR to visit Barb's sister Frances for a week.

More Jackson

We decided to spend a second day here in Jackson, MO do do a little sightseeing. First we went to the Bollinger Mill State Historic Site. There are only four covered bridges left in Missouri with the Burfordville Covered Bridge at Bollinger Mill being the oldest.


Next we rode the rails with the Iron Mountain Railway here in Jackson.

Jackson, MO

We left this morning around 9:30 AM heading to our next stop at the Cherokee Hills Campground in Jackson, MO. Today was only a 170 mile trip and everything went fine.


Our route took us through the middle of Saint Louis, MO. We stopped in Barnhart, MO for fuel and bought 66 gallons of diesel for $238 ($3.60 a gallon) after driving 593 miles since our last fill up on May 1st.

After we setup and met the owners of the campground, Barb and I both fell in love with this place. This place is not fancy, but the spaces are large, it's quiet and peaceful. The campground hasn't been around very long and there are lots of work that still needs to be done. They have just received their license to operate a beer bar at the office and Barb & I were their first customers. There is free Wi-Fi available here at the office but it's a weak signal. Someone with my experience can fix that problem though. They would like to make Wi-F available throughout the campground but that may be next to impossible because of all the trees. We may come back next spring and workamp for them for a couple of months. Our next stop will be in Marion, AR just north of West Memphis, AR.

Please note: This is a rustic campground with some RV hookups, not an RV Resort. We stayed here under Passport America.

Litchfield, Il

We made it another 231 miles today to the Honey Bend Resort just north of Litchfield, IL on I-55. It was a nice warm sunny drive with no problems today. We have a nice shady spot near their lodge where the hot tub is. They don't have a Wi-Fi here and I really don't want to set up the satelite Internet so we don't have any computer connections. It's only costing us $10 to spend the night here because of our membership with Coast to Coast Resorts. Tomorrow we will continue on another 176 miles to Jackson, MO where we will stop for a day or two at the Cherokee Hills Campground.