OUT IN THE WEST TEXAS TOWN OF ?

Galveston ,Texas 2013

It's been 19 days since I left you last with all our zanny adventures.  After we left New Orleans we landed in Galveston Texas State Park which is located right on the Gulf.  We were about 150 yards from the water line.  That was nice, but the weather was not.  The answer my friends; we were blowin in the wind!  We continued to enjoy the area, and it was the time of year for ol' Juan to enjoy a birthday dinner at one of our favorite resturants (Willie G's).  Nancy treated me to happy hour(s) there literally!
We moved on after 4 nights in Galveston to another one of our favorite areas; Fredrickburg, Texas.  We stayed at Kerrville County Park, and it was a very nice campground.  Had deer next to the RV every day.  Would stay here again.  This was only a 2 night layover on our way down to the BIG area...Big Bend National Park in Texas. 
All I can say about this area is WOW!  It took us a while to get there because it is in the southwest lower corner of the state and is definitly off the beaten path.  Very good roads getting there, but it was the "getting there"!  Big Bend is on the boarder of Texas and Mexico, only separated by the Rio Grande River.  The picture below is not Steve Martin, Chevy Chase or Martin Short. In fact, I don't know their names other than the 3 amigos across the Rio Grande took a momento away from their siesta time to pose for me to snap this picture.  You can actually wade across the Rio Grande in some areas and you are in Mexico!  It will cost you $5000 to return though as it is illegal to do so.  (And that's not pesos.)  The hiking in Big Bend is phenomenal!  Nancy and I

hiked 18 miles and biked 9 miles over 5 days...WHEW  Needless to say we drank alot of water (at least a gallon a day each).  This is a real wilderness and at night it s one of the darkest places in the US.  The stars and coyotes are something to see and hear.  The sign about bear and mountain lion is not a fake..I took all the necessary precautions keeping Nancy in front so I could see where she was at all times...

Nancy even caught a picture of a black bear in the wild and she has a certificate to prove it from the ranger station.  They gave her an award for her picture and reporting it....

















When I showed them my picture I didn't get squat!  Just a beep beep...big deal.
Big Bend is just that; BIG!  800,000 acres big.  It's the home to about 40 black bears and a couple of dozen mountain lions, javalina's and about 5 different posionous snakes; but do I look scared?  It's now off my bucket list....




We left Big Bend and after visiting all my X's, we left Texas.
We would have liked to stop in El Paso and sing a few songs at Rosa's cantina, but we had our house behind us so we just passed on through. It looked to be a very busy city these days so on to New Mexico we went.


We headed up to Las Cruces, New Mexico and spent 2 nights recuperating.  If you ever get to Las Cruces you must plan a day at Old Mesilla.  This is one cute, old original market place where you'll find very nice shopping; not the normal tourist items.  Plenty of history and great Mexican places to eat.  The people were very friendly and even though we only had 2 nights in the area, we think we hit one of the highlights in history. 






Oh yea, by the way...Young Billy was here at one time too.  After hanging around in Las Cruces we continued west into Arizona territory and made an afternoon stop at....OK...I'll tell ya latter.  Be sure to check back OK?  I'm sure I can corral your interest next time by golly Woodrow...it's been a hellava ride....
Wagons Ho!