Tupelo Mississippi

We left Natchez and followed the Natchez Trace for over 100 miles. The Trace (part of the National Park Service) is a scenic drive that runs 444 miles from Natchez to Nashville and was the route used by indians and settlers. After setting up on our site at Campground of Barnes Crossing in Tupelo we headed off to see the birthplace of elvis. We toured the museum and his birth home.

Natchez Mississippi

March 6 - Natchez is a beautiful historic city on the bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River. With many antebellum and victorian homes we felt we had stepped back in time 300 years. Spring shrubs were flowering and mockingbirds were singing here in the deep south. We started our day with a tour of the city with an amusing and informative guide who shared many stories about Natchez. After the tour it was time for lunch at Natchez Under the Hill where thieves, cut throats and ladies of the night lurked in the most notorious river front of the south. Today there are a few restaurants and the riverboat casino. After lunch we decided to tour Dunleith and Stanton Hall which were both gorgeous. We also drove past the home of author Greg Isles who writes many of his novels centred around Natchez. The bird in the planter is a mockingbird.

March 5 - Our trip to Vidalia, Louisiana began at 8:00 am after a sleepless night listening to the gusting winds. Our site in Vidalia is situated on the banks of the Mississippi River across from Natchez. We can watch the barges moving up and down the river. After a trip to the visitors centre in Natchez to plan our day Wednesday we stopped at the Crawfish Shack to pick up some cookied crawfish for dinner. Sat at the picnic table eating our crawfish and watched the barges navigate the river. Delish!

You can see the Mississippi behind the truck.

The mighty Mississippi!

March 2 - We left San Antonio at 8:00 am on our way to Galveston, which is a barrier island 60 miles from Huston. The island was ravaged by a hurricane in 2008 so many of the buildings along the sea wall are new and old buildings on the island have been refurbished. Others are sitting in disrepair. We stayed at the Bayou RV Park on Bayou Bay. This is the view from our site, 10 yards from the waters edge.

March 3 - Our day started with a trip to the fish market. Freshest we have seen...the fish is delivered by fishing boat to the back door and sold at the front. Our morning was spent on a ferry to Pelican Island and back and the afternoon in the historical district. We enjoyed a dinner of Red Snapper fillets that night.

March 4 - We toured the Bishops Palace, one of Galvestons grandest Victorian Homes. Beautiful!!!

Welcome to Luckenbach Texas

This is one of the few buildings in Luckenbach. It is a gift shop at the front and bar in the back. The dance hall is still being used and quite busy when there is entertainment.

March 25 - Todd and Jess arrived at 11:05 am and after getting them settled at the RV we headed downtown stopping at Mission San Jose. Once downtown we toured the Alamo, then down to the riverwalk to tour the river on a barge. Before returning to the RV park we stopped at Augies Barbed Wire Smokehouse BBQ for ribs. http://www.augiesbs.com/ March 26 - We left early for a trip into the hill country stopping first at Gruene. By the time we visited a few shops, had a delicious lunch at Adobe Verde a rustic Mexican restaurant it was time for a stop at the Gruene Dance Hall. To our surprise the hall was packed with locals enjoying the live entertainment and dance floor. Jess loved the dance hall but we had to continue on to Bandera. The 11th Street Bar was surprisingly quiet for a Saturday afternoon but we stopped in to the Arkey Blue's Silver Dollar Bar. We spent an amusing couple of hours watching and listening to the Pickers Circle who like Luckenbach locals show up to play and sing together. This is Rick with John our new friend in Bandera. We met him when we were with Bob and Nancy and ran in to him again today. He is a lawyer and loves to sit and listen to the music in the bars. Yes, he really dresses like this every day. He is the real deal and an extemely kind and polite man. Before leaving Bandera we stopped for BBQ. March 27 - We spent the day shopping at San Marcos Prime Outlet Mall. Bob and Nancy had us over for a wonderful 40th Anniversary dinner. Thanks Bob and Nancy!!!! March 28 - We spent a relaxing morning before yet another BBQ meal back at Augies before dropping Todd and Jess at the airport for their flight home. Todd said he wanted BBQ and and shoppingwhen he got here. He got plenty of both and he loved it. Todd and Jess had a great visit in Texas and we had a great visit with them. Loved having you both!!! The only thing that would have made it better would be Tyson, Karlee and Cooper as well.

March 23 - Our day trip today took us north into the hill country. Our first stop was the Lyndon B. Johnson ranch which the Johnsons donated to the National Park Service and continues to be a working ranch. We visited his boyhood home and the home he lived and raised his family in known as the Texas White House. Next stop was Fredricksburg, a charming German town with a unique historical main street filled with many interesting shops. We enjoyed an excellent lunch at the Fredricksburg Brewing Company. A successful shopping trip...Rick and Nancy are the proud owners of Stetson cowboy hats. The purpose of our trip to the hill country was to visit Luckenbach. As you can see by the pictures it was a total surprise. Famous for its "everybody's somebody" attitude and frequent entertainment, it was not what we had been looking forward to. It consists of a dance hall, feed lot, general store that is also the saloon. We stayed for an hour listening to entertainment provided by a "Pickers Circle" where local musicians just show up to sing and play. We can now say we have been to Luckenbach Texas. http://www.blogger.com/www.luckenbachtexas.com

Our Trip to Bandera (The Cowboy Capital of the World)

The weather in Texas is wonderful. The cardinals are singing cheerfully every morning before the sun rises. We took a road trip leaving early Wednesday morning stopping at the Natural Bridget Caverns for an hour long tour through fabulous caverns 180 feet below the surface looking at ancient formations of stalagmites, stalactities, flowstones and chandeliers. From there we travelled to the quaint town of Boerne where we enjoyed a nice lunch at the Creek Resaurant on their patio overlooking the river, then on to Bandera (known as the Cowboy Capital of the World). Our accomodation in Bandera was a room in a very rustic building called the Bunkhouse. It has been a long time since we have stayed in accomodations like that but it worked out perfectly because it was located on main street and everything was in walking distance. On Wednesday nights the 11th Street Bar fires up their huge barbeques and everyone takes and cooks there own meat then buys a plate of mashed potatoes, salad and roll for $5.00. Amazing part of this bar is that if drink liquor , you can take your own. The entertainment was The Kathy Bauer Band and as soon as the entertainment started the locals start dancing around the huge dance floor, and could they dance (Barb and Murray would love it). From there we went over to the Bandera Saloon. They had a great band that could play anything (The Toman Brothers) and stopping for a beer on our way back to the Bunkhouse next door turned into a great evening meeting the friendly Bandera locals and dancing the night away. Before heading home on Thursday morning we golfed at the Flying L Ranch golf course.

On Friday we golfed at Willow Springs one of the courses included in a package we purchased ($49.00 and we can play 6 free rounds at 6 differest courses when we pay the cart fee).


The Bandera Bunkhouse (our boys take to the
nicest places)










Thanks John and Shiela for telling us about Bandera and the 11th Street Bar. Had a blast!





Enjoying a beer in the sun at the 11th Street Bar

Biking the Mission Trail

March 13
Today we biked the Mission Trail along an 18 mile bike trail. We started at Mission Concepcion, then to Mission San Jose which we toured last week, on to Mission San Juan and then Mission Espada. We had to wait to look inside the church at Mission Concepcion because it is Sunday and they still hold church services at the mission churches much to our surprise. The missions (5 in total) were built along the San Antonio river by the Indians under the direction of the Spanish. Following our ride we treated ourselves to a delicious meal and beer at a local barbeque restaurant called Auggies Barbed Wire Smokehouse. Todd and Jess, you love this one when you come next week.

Having a beer at Gruene Hall Saloon.
The weather has been wonderful...warm and sunny.We went to a pig roast and cat fish fry here at the park on Tuesday. Turned out the pig was a wild boar that someone in the park shot while hunting. They cooked it slowly in a bbq/smoker starting bright and early in the morning. It was delicious. We are becoming quite the rednecks here in Texas. Wednesday we travelled to Gruene about 35 miles away. A quaint town similar to St. Jacobs but an old western town. The Gruene dance hall is still standing and functioning as a saloon and dance hall. Many old country artists have performed at the Gruene Hall before making it in the business. George Strait got his start there before moving to Nashville. Wednesday we golfed at a course that at one time was a PGA course back in the early 70's but unfortunately it has seen better days.







Bob and Rick bellying up to the bar at the Gruene Hall.











Gruene Hall with the stage in the background.

We arrrived at Blazing Star Luxury RV Resort on March 1st. Golfed at a nice course 5 miles away (Golf Course of Texas) on the 2nd. Bob and Nancy arrived on the 3rd. Friday was a beautiful day, we drove in todown town San Antonio and started with a tour that uncluded many of the highlights including 2 of the 4 missions. This is Mission Concepcion which is still being restored. We then went to view the Imax movie about the battle of the Alamo.

Saturday we went back downtown and toured the Alamo, which turned out to be very busy because it is the 175th anniversary of The Battle of the Alamo. From there we wondered down to the river walk for the Mardi Gras Parade on the river with decorated barges, colorful costumes, lively music and lots of beads to catch. Yesterday we had a lovely day golfing at The Golf Club of Texas. Windy but warm.

Visitors at our site last night.

Pictures of the Caverns of Sonora