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

Posted from my iPhone 4

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