Travels Home April 2016

We left Mission TX on April 5 and arrived in Kerrville TX (Buckhorn Lake RV Park) in the hill country mid-afternoon.   This is such a nice campground, except for the location next to Hwy 10.  They have a fishing lake, two outdoor pools/hot tubs, no gravel or dirt anywhere, and lots of big rigs.

We were about 30 minutes south of Fredericksburg which meant more driving but we really liked this park.  First day here we went to the German bakery for some treats, then went to the Pioneer Museum.  Kirk and Bill had some fun with the "games" man playing with primitive games. He thought they were hilarious! We are holding lucky seeds he gave us, can't remember what tree they were from.

We had lunch at Altdorf's German Biergarten- awesome sandwiches and beer! We stopped at a winery to taste some wine, but did not buy any. The next day we went to the Texas White House (LBJ Ranch).  Enjoyed the tour, although it was a bit faster than the one we took last year since there were several tour buses there at the same time. We stopped at Wild Seed Farms and enjoyed the acres of flowers, then we went to Luckenbach for a beer.  

Deb and Bill flew to Chicago Friday for the weekend for a family baptism. Kirk and I discovered that Fredericksburg on the weekends is crazy with tourists so we took some driving tours instead- going down to Bandera and seeing some huge ranches with exotic animals. We went to church in Kerrville Sunday and were amazed at how many people welcomed us.  We went to Hondo's in downtown Fredericksburg for their "Gospel Lunch" which was mostly attended by locals. Good food, and a local band that we enjoyed listening to on the outdoor patio.

When Bill and Deb got back he had a bad foot so we didn't get to go to the Pacific War Museum in F-Burg. Instead we drove to Enchanted Rock north of town and took the Willow City loop- very hilly narrow winding road!  We planned to eat dinner at Friedhelm's but they were closed so we went to Der Linden Baum instead. Cute place  but the German food wasn't the best we've had and it was pretty pricey.  Desserts were awesome though!

We drove to Chickasha OK where we stayed the night at Pecan Grove RV Park.  It's mainly inhabited by locals but it was clean and neat. The owner was very nice.  Good stop for one night.

Next day we drove to Branson, Could not believe the expensive toll roads in Oklahoma! We stayed at Musicland Campground in Branson- very hilly but right in the main theater district.

Dogwoods were blooming in Branson

 The first night we went to the Clay Cooper show- very good entertainment, including Kirk and Deb in the pre-show! The second day we did some shopping downtown, then had a nice dinner at Buckingham's Steak House and went to the Pierce Arrow show (good but not as good as Cooper's).

On Friday we left Branson and drove 600 miles to Oregon, WI where we spent the weekend with Kelly Billy and Anna.  It was beautiful Saturday so we went to the zoo in Madison along with zillions of other families.  Headed home to Tomahawk on Sunday and the cleanup begins! Thanks for following me on our trip, hope you enjoyed it!!

Last two weeks in Mission, TX

The last few weeks have been spent playing pickleball, swimming in the pools (outdoor and indoor), visiting the restaurants that friends have recommended, making some new friends, and saying goodbye to many who had to leave already.  We'll be leaving on April 5 and heading to the Texas hill country for a week before coming home. We've been watching the weather up north and decided that it's best to stay away a while longer so we don't have to winterize the RV when we get home!
We made one more trip to Nuevo Progreso, Mexico so Bill could get his dental work done. We park on the US side and walk over the Rio Grande River bridge. Painless process and much safer than driving over! We only have about 4 blocks of shops to visit on both sides of the main street. We've been told that this town is the only one that is safe to visit in the area.   They do have armed guards patrolling the streets and we feel safe during the day.

Rio Grande River from the Int'l Bridge

We went to lunch one day at Bill and Deb's favorite fish taco restaurant Mariscos de 7 Mares (Seafood of the 7 Seas).  No English spoken there (maybe just a little) but we got by and really enjoyed the food. For $7.99 we got four tacos, chips and salsas, soup, lettuce salad and rice.

We went on a Segway tour of the nearby Bentsen Rio Grande state park with four other couples from the park. It was a hot day but we made our own breeze and had a great time. This is a world birding park and even though it was afternoon we did see some green jays from one of the blinds.

On Deb's birthday we all went to 492 BBQ for the best BBQ around. This was our 102 degree day so it was a good day to eat out.  Everyone had the ribs except me, I had brisket and pulled pork.  Deb got a free piece of pecan pie and a Mexican serenade of Happy Birthday from the staff!

The park activities are pretty much done now- they hosted a free "last" dance with an old rock and roll band.  Good music and fun, lots of people attended and most danced! We sat with our new Canadian friends.

On Saturday we all went to the McAllen Chamber's BBQ Cookoff. They had 35 competitors! For $15 each we got way too much to eat along with free Buds and sodas. Most of the booths gave us chicken, pulled pork, brisket and ribs!  We stayed all afternoon and listened to the music, a Tejano band and a C/W band. Kirk was called on stage by Sergio, the lead singer in the one band who had been visiting with us earlier in the beer tent. He got a free autographed hat.  Apparently the band is big here- there were a ton of people watching them. We are wearing cloth bags we got for "bibs". Dorky but it worked!

On Sunday we finally got to The Riverside Club which is on the Rio Grande- a huge dance hall, outdoor and indoor dining, and a tour boat that wasn't running.  We had a great lunch outdoors and then went in to watch all the old people dancing.  It was quite entertaining to see the outfits they were wearing and the styles of Texas two step.  I guess this is THE place to be on Sunday afternoons!  Monday we will pack and Tuesday we leave Mission.  It's been a fun two months here and we can't wait to get home and play pickleball in Tomahawk (when my back gets better, that is!)  

Mission TX March 13-21

We've been trying to see some of the local sights and restaurants before we head north. On Sunday 3/13 the boys took us out to dinner at Hayashi Hibachi Japanese steakhouse.  It was a first for Joe and Nancy.   They had excellent pomegranate and cucumber martinis! We were all stuffed when we got done- after salads, rice, grilled veggies and meats.

We saw a great gospel show at the park, Faith's Journey.  Deana and Jonathon are staying in the park and we've met them at the pool several times. Starting in April they will be playing in Branson at the God and Country Theater with the rest of their group.  Wonderful performers!!  www.faithsjourneytrio.com

We took a trip west of Mission with Deb and Bill one day- we stopped in Rio Grande City, an old town with several sights including a huge grotto built in the 1920's by a German priest.

We also toured the LaBorde House, a mansion built in the 1880's and later restored into a hotel/restaurant.  It had a tunnel that went to the Rio Grande River, which was closed off in the 50's. May have been some illegal activities going on, especially during Prohibition. They are still renting out rooms, we got to see them all, and most had a clawfoot bathtub in the room.  Very interesting!

We had lunch at Case de Adobe, which was a restored house and I tried chicken fried steak for the first time. Don't have to have it again!  We drove west of town to Falcon Lake State Park, which is a huge reservoir on the Rio Grande.  We drove through the campground- there were quite a few people camped there since it was spring break week.  Lots of fishing going on!

That night after we got back we went to the rodeo in Mercedes, east of Mission.  There were tons of families there, it took a long time to get into the parking lot, stand in line for tickets (twice) and food.  The night we went they had PRCA Bull Riding and mutton busting (little kids trying to ride on the back of sheep).  We left at 9:30 to avoid the crowds getting out and besides, it was past our bedtime!

On St. Patrick's day they had a golf cart parade in the park- since we don't have carts we decorated our vehicles and campsites and set up chairs to watch when the parade came by. Kirk and Bill handed out shots of Jamison's whiskey to the people going by.  A few neighbors stopped by and stayed, so we ended up sharing Deb's corned beef and cabbage dinner with them.  Had a great time- Ken brought his banjo and guitar over so he and Nancy played for us again.

Buddy and Charlie kept their hats on for hours!

On Saturday we went to a "Redneck Party" at Larry and Marilyn's house.  Everyone was dressed up and they had fun games. It was a great time!

On Sunday after church we went to Edinburg (north of here) to visit the Museum of South Texas History. The displays were very well done and included sound effects. We spent a couple of hours there and would definitely recommend it.

Mission TX Feb 29 to March 12

On 2/29 we went to South Padre Island with Bill and Deb. Although it was nice when we left Mission, by the time we got there it was 69 and raining.  We paid $10 to park at the beach but did not stay due to the wind and rain. A few brave souls were walking the beach. We drove to the north end where the road ends. The sand dunes were blowing over the road and they were pushing the sand back.  We went to lunch at Blackbeard's and enjoyed the fresh fish, bought a few souvenirs and went back to Mission.  We'll have to go back after the spring breaks are over to walk the beach.
Checking out restaurants-we had lunch at Rudy's, a BBQ place that has very good ribs, smoked turkey, ribs, brisket, etc. in a picnic atmosphere. Lots of locals there which is a very good sign. We also went for pancakes at Cracker Barrel one morning to support the USO.
Kirk celebrated his 65th birthday on March 5. We had Tres Leches cake that a local at Wal-Mart recommended- very moist cake with fresh fruit on top.

It's been pretty hot here, 80's and 90's and even some days in the 100's.  There is usually a breeze.  The citrus trees are blooming now- the orange blossoms smell wonderful! We had two days of rain, the first since we arrived!  The cacti should be blooming soon too. We've been cooking outside a lot.  On 3/6 we went to our street's block party, which was well attended.  We invited a neighbor to play his guitar/keyboard and that was a hit, as was our LP campfire. On Friday 3/11 we had a fish fry, and several neighbors stopped by to check it out and try Kirk's Old Fashions.

We went to Progreso, Mexico one day- three blocks full of dentists, pharmacies, and souvenir shops.  Kirk, Deb and Bill had their teeth cleaned for $20.  

We've all been playing pickleball and using the pool almost daily.  There are fewer people in the park, lots have left for home already.  We plan to leave on April 5 and head to Texas hill country for a week before returning home.  Having a great time!