On The Way Home

Well, all good things must, at some point, come to an end. We are now around Little Rock, AR on the way home. We've had a blast, nearly maxed out our cards, and saw some great scenery at some great locations and had too much good southern cooking. Dottie even has a ranking system for the barbecue. Now back to reality...

Ross and Dottie

- Posted from my iPhone 4

Luckenbach Texas

Luckenbach is a small "town" or very large beer garden (take your pick!) We parked in a large gravel lot and were able to freely explore the complex. We were told later that it is common to have to pay a stiff entrance fee (when big name entertainers are there.) Today there was a wedding scheduled - oh yeah, and lots of drinking. Now we can honestly say: "Been there - done that."

Ross and Dottie

- Posted from my iPhone 4

LBL National Historic Park

Today we toured Lyndon B Johnson's birthplace, his boyhood home, and his ranch - the Texas White House.

Interesting and informative. The Johnson City area is nicer in spring with all the wildflowers, but the weather today was perfect - blue sky and 80s.

Ross and Dottie

Posted from my iPhone 4

Amistad and South Texas

 Amistad is an international impoundment on the Rio Grande River just upstream from Del Rio Texas. The park has picturesque scenery along with stark desert landscapes.

The water is unseasonable high after a 13" rainfal in July.

The view looking downstream to the mouth of the Pecos River and the Rio Grande.

The Judge Roy Bean visitor center is operated by the Texas Department of Transportation as a Travel Information Center. It is actually off the highway (US 90) at Langtry and includes the actual original buildings used during the last part of the 19th Century.

The Saloon was called Jersey Lilly named after the old time movie actress Lilly Langtry.

Along the wildflower and desert plant interpretive trail at the center.

The Ocotillo is all leafed out from the mid-summer rains.

Tomorrow we are off to the Caverns of Sonora and then on to the Hill Country. Sorry for the missing images in the previous posts. Not sure what happened to them. It's Google's fault.

San Antonio Missions NHP

Today we spent the day touring the missions of San Antonio. Lots of history to be learned and myths to be debunked - John Wayne never fought at the Alamo! :)

Tomorrow we head further west to stay at Del Rio. We plan to see the Judge Roy Bean center and the surrounding cactus country.

Ross and Dottie

- Posted from my iPhone 4

San Antonio

First stop in S.A. was Market Square, El Mercado, which originated as an open-air farmers market for Mexican farmers. Now it's just a little bit of Juarez or some other border town.



Big business in home architectural hardware, especially bathroom and kitchen.

Tonight is dinner along the River Walk. More later...

Posted from my iPhone 4

East Texas

Marshall Pottery in Marshall Texas was once a major supplier of red clay pots. When Ross first stopped here back in the 1990s, pallets of pots filled half the parking lot. Today much of the stuff on display was from China or Italy. We got a few signed pieces (made here at Marshall) and a 14" red pot shaped like a wok.

The drive was long and Genie didn't help much - got us lost. But we did stop at Big Thicket Preserve and got to Sabine Pass on the Gulf before settling in at Best Western in Beaumont.




Tomorrow on to San Antonio and the Missions. More then...

Ross and Dottie

Posted from my iPhone 4

Hot Springs Explore

Our day started at the top with a ride to the top of the observation tower in the National Park. We could see 360 degrees of mountains and gorgeous scenery.



After our introduction to the scenery around Hot Springs, we went down to bath house row - the Park visitor center - and came to the conclusion a long soak in the mineral water was in store for these wanderers!



Ross stayed at this hotel (the Arlington) when he was working. It hasn't changed.



Dottie is taking a picture at the site of the original hot springs that "started it all" - 134 degree water.



Lunch was at an Italian bistro where they made pizza before our eyes. We chose paninis, though.



What a grand idea! Did you know you can do something besides text from your cell phone ;)



The details on the various bath houses were fascinating.

Tomorrow we leave, very early, for the next leg of the trip: Big Thicket Preserve and Beaumont, Texas. Seafood, here we come (well, barbecue for Dottie, I imagine.)

Ross and Dottie
More tomorrow

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Hot Springs Arkansas

We arrived in Arkansas early this afternoon. The weather was noticeably warmer. Lots of plants and flowers we can't identify.



Went to Ron Coleman's quartz crystal mine north of Hot Springs this afternoon. We were the only customers in the store and got to see the museum where the "special stuff" is kept. Prices are significantly higher than when Ross was here a few years ago.

We had barbecue at Stubby's in Hot Springs for dinner. It's supposed to be the best there is (it was quite tasty.)

Tomorrow we plan a whole day sight-seeing around Hot Springs and maybe even a mineral water soak!

Ross and Dottie

Posted from my iPhone 4

On the way to Texas

This trip (a mostly driving one) will be to Hot Springs Arkansas and various destinations in the Hill Country and east Texas. We are planning on the next couple days in Hot Springs and surrounding hills then on to Texas. Tonight we are in Mt Vernon Illinois (no connection with George Washington) where the temps today were warmer than Cadillac, but windy.

We're seeking warmer weather than it has been at home and the Weather Channel promises us 80s. Follow us daily for the next two weeks to see where we've been. There will be crystal mines, hot mineral baths, board walks through swamps, the River Walk and the Mission Trail, caverns, Tex-Mex food, seafood by the Gulf and digging for diamonds. Sound like fun?

See you tomorrow.

Ross and Dottie


- Posted from my iPhone 4

Time to Leave the Island

All good things must come to and end. The day turned out sunny and warm and we all got tired of ice cream and fudge. I leave you with these images:














- Posted from my iPhone 4

Fort Michilimackinac

The 18th Century Fort Mackinac dates from mid 1700s and it has been reconstructed to how it looked in 1895. Photo taken from corner of Huron St and Fort St.

- Posted from my iPhone 4

Somewhere in Time

Mackinaw Island, Michigan








More later....

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Dreary Day

While it's over-cast and dreary, it's still nice to be somewhere other than Cadillac!



Apples are ripening.

- Posted from my iPhone 4

View From The Patio

It poured rain and lightning'd last night - a real duzy of a storm. Today the skies are cloudy, the air is very calm, the humidity is up and it's in the 70s. Perfect for sitting on the patio with a cup of hot coffee and enjoying the view. George and Heather get here later tonight.


- Posted from my iPhone 4

It's off to Boyne Mountain tomorrow

We check in to our Condo at Mountain Run at Boyne tomorrow afternoon. George and Heather will drive up Saturday evening after work and we all go to Mackinaw Island for the day Sunday. This adventure will feature life at Mountain Run. Stay tuned for more.


- Posted from my iPhone 4

Bluegreen Parkside Resort Williamsburg

Parkside Resort is one of Bluegreen's newest resorts. Ownership was finalized in June 2009 but went "on line" for rentals just 6 weeks ago. It is an affiliate resort with Bluegreen owning about 50% of the time slots and RCI points the other 50%. When we visited the resort today, all 31 units were full (but we got to tour one of the units because the occupants checked out early.) Let me say at the outset that the staff are the friendliest we have seen yet. They were doing everything they could to make us happy, even though we were walk-ins (we are registered at Patrick Henry Square.) Parkside is adjacent to Williamsburg Country Club. Parkside has an agreement with the CC for use of the golf course if you are staying at Parkside.

This will soon be the new check-in desk

The development right now includes the rental building (31 units) and the clubhouse (which is so new it isn't finished and still smells of fresh paint.) The main floor of the clubhouse is the check-in and the second floor the "clubhouse" with projection screen TV/movie system and a bunch of dining tables - not much else yet. Plans are underway to add exercise equipment, games, etc.

The main feature right now is the outdoor pool "system" of interconnecting waterways, pools, hot tub, etc. We were invited to try it out, but declined (due to time.)

View of pool area from clubhouse

Clubhouse second floor "great room"

View over to Busch Gardens from the clubhouse deck. Guests can sit out on the deck and watch the nightly fireworks over at Busch Gardens.


This is the 31 unit guest building. All units are accessed from the balcony system (there are stairs as well as an elevator) which faces Busch Gardens and the parking lot. Unit balconies face the other direction (north) overlooking the golf course. We were fortunate to have a guided private tour of one of the units (that had been vacated early) and photos below show the unit we visited. This is a two bedroom unit (half of the 4 bedroom complex) which had been cleaned, but was waiting for inspection, so some of the furniture/cushions aren't in the final position.

Kitchen and dining area

View across dining area to "living room"

Master bedroom

Second bedroom

All units' balconies overlook the Williamsburg Country Club, which is in the process of rebuilding. The greens appear complete and the fairways are being rejuvenated. The balconies are on the north side of the building, are deeply inset (have walls between units for privacy) and nicely shaded.

The balconies (landings) on the south side (parking lot side) face Busch Gardens and are large enough to watch the evening fireworks.

As I said at the beginning, this resort is new. It is not fully owned by Bluegreen, however Bluegreen is the operator. As new weeks ownership occurs in the future, it will become a full Bluegreen resort (at least that's the plan.) Bluegreen owns land along the east edge of the Country Club and lakeshore on Willamsburg CC Lake (a rather large impoundment.) In 2011, construction will begin on 5 new single family home style units on the lakeshore. We were told that recently one of the Bluegreen Mtc workers caught a 5 pound bass from the lake! He was bank fishing. Bluegreen plans to do a lot of lake cleanup (both the lake and the lakeshore.) Following completion of the 5 buildings, construction will begin on a new multi-unit building like the existing one.

If you are planning to spend time at Busch Gardens, Water World or the Atlantic shore, this is a best bet.