Dallas/Ft. Worth

Dallas/Ft. Worth

Unfortunately, another disappointing stop.  Not that anything was wrong with the area, because we have no idea if anything was wrong, because we didn't really go anywhere because it was cold and then raining most of the two days/three nights we were there.   

When we got there it was still raining so we set up best we could. No canopy, not only because of the rain but the site was too narrow and a big tree was in the way.

The next day it wasn't raining but it was cold and windy.  I went to a couple of stores nearby, but it was too cold for golf, the zoo, or the gardens, which were the things on our to-do list. We hoped for a better day tomorrow.  But by late afternoon, it was storming to beat the band.  It Poured all night long, and most of the next day, which made for a miserable puppy.  She really hates the 'thunderbooms'. 
     By late afternoon on our last day, it cleared up pretty nice, but it was too late to really do much of anything so Bob hooked the car and trailer up to the RV, I hung the outside rugs out to dry and we stayed in again.  Hope this isn't a harbinger of things to come.  We'll leave bright and early tomorrow morning heading for Amarillo with our fingers crossed.

Vicksburg, MS

Vicksburg, MS
   A bit disappointing...

Was still lightly raining on arrival, but it stopped by the time we set up and got organized...the Ameristar Casino RV Park was pretty nice...the space was big enough, had grass, a cement platform and picnic table...I set up my canopy and lights.  Happy Dance.

After we set up, I took Buffy walking around the park, they didn’t have a fenced in pet area, but there was a wide area of grass all the way around the outside.  There were trees and pretty places with flowers like this one.


     After we set up and ate, we called the free shuttle bus and two minutes later it was out front to pick us up and take us to the casino.  It was pretty cool, a real building but built completely on stilts in the Mississippi River.


I can't remember when we lost so much so fast, tho.  The slot machines really didn't like us here.  So we didn't stay long. And we didn't go back.
  The next day Bob played golf, I dropped him off at the Vicksburg Country Club (They let out of town people play, even if they aren't members); While Buffy and I went into town, looking for the historical walking trails.
  We started at the outdoor murals by the train station.  They were pretty cool.

We walked the whole length then got in the car to look for more neat stuff.  Downtown was kind of disappointing though.  Didn't see anywhere that tempted me to park and explore.  Kind of run down with lots of empty stores.  Did get a couple shots of the Mississippi River that were nice.


The bridge was actually right across the street from the RV park. 

Buffy and I walked over and then we went the other way, down the street, to where they had a small memorial from the civil war.  The picture of me by the cannon at the top of the blog entry is from the little memorial area.

It started raining again the next day, so I went
to Walmart for a few things and then we pretty much just stayed in, it cleared up a bit so we could hook the car up and we cleaned up and waited the day out, hoping for a better day tomorrow.  Unfortunately, it was storming pretty bad by the time we got up and we had to wait until almost nine until the rain was light enough to get out on the road

   Vicksburg country club.

A couple shots of the wildflowers along the road driving through Mississippi.
I absolutely love it when the medians and sides of the roads are covered.

This is a shot of the side of the road in Louisiana.  No flowers because it was flooded out from all the rain. 

Bob has done all the driving so far, so as he drove I crocheted.  I managed to make one doily each 6 hour drive.  

     We safely arrived at our next destination in good time, but couldn't do much setting up.  There was a tree in the way, and pretty tight spots.  But, that's for another day.

         

Fred Gannon Saturday and Sunday

Saturday.....Not a great start...Bob didn’t feel good, but we couldn’t do much anyway..it rained off and on most of the day..

Buffy and I did the small trail bright and early...but the storms came in 

pretty much right after.   I know it rained every single place we stopped at last year..hoping it doesn’t do that again this year.🤨 This little trail we did first, started at the top of the camping loop on the water side and led down to the beach area. There were kayaks for rent, stairs down to the beach, a large playground and outdoor 
exercise equipment. Very nice.

   I loved that the ground was covered with Powder-Puff Deer Lichen, it's so pretty. It's fairly common in Florida, but I've never seen so much in one place.

   It stopped raining long enough for us (Buffy and I) to try one of the longer trails.  The trail head (at the bottom of the loop) actually has two trails, they begin and end in the same area.

    They start between the bayou and a small stream that is in the process of being reclaimed. It's so clogged right now with water lilies and weeds you can barely see the water. The very beginning is about the only place where you can actually see water, although in a few places you can see lilies.

   

       This first trail, the Sand Pine Nature Trail, is about 1 1/2 or 2 miles round trip. Here's the beginning (below). The end is right beside it.  The first time we took it we started on the right side because it goes along beside the stream.  It had a lot of up hill areas.  So we took the left side first the next time as it was mostly downhill. 

There were benches, well made and mostly clean all along the path. 

 Not many flowers or butterflies but there were a lot of magnolia trees, just not in bloom yet.  It's only early May now though, it will probably be better later.

Sunday...up the next morning to take Buffy for a long walk. We took the left hand path all the way around....It's quite a bit shorter than the right hand trail.  It had a closed off area, so it might have been bigger at one time.  It has about three side paths that lead down to the beach. I don't think it was even a full mile loop. 

 

Then we did a short walk at dusk around the waterside trail again.  It was so pretty at sunset.  

      Bob went to Eglin to play golf (golf course photos at the bottom), but when he checked, they were really crowded (no tee times available). I figured he’d have a better chance of getting out without me...and I don't play well in crowds (or any other time really).

     Buffy and I walked the trails many more times on Sunday, and we hit the beach trail at dawn just before we left...I was lucky enough to catch two dolphins out playing...I got a bit on film and just one fairly bad shot...the sunrise was pretty, tho..

Eglin Air Force Base Golf Course

First Stop... Fred Gannon Rocky Bayou State Park, FL

Well, the state park wasn’t the only thing rocky today...so was our send off..we made it out, but it wasn’t pretty...the ground was really wet from yesterday’s rain, so the driving boards sank as we loaded the car on to the tow-dolly. Took out two big pieces of the flashing underneath and crushed a big dent in the front...

Then I just got an email from our Vegas stop (two weeks stay) that the last three days we’re going to be there they will be closed to refinish the lot..so sometime between now and when we get there we need to figure out what we are going to be doing those three days...😬🤨

I got my vinyl decals on yesterday...it was easy to make them, but I really suck at putting them on...and I misplaced the words on the back one...it must have blown away...

We stopped a few times to walk Buffy...stopped at a rest area around one and I made sandwiches...we made pretty good time...traffic was fairly light...

I love driving down the highway and seeing all the wild flowers...

And something about fungus and lichen...I love it...

We got to the park with plenty of daylight to spare, barely four o’clock...set up...got my canapé and lights up....

Took Buffy for a long, long walk...discovered several hiking paths, one that lead down to the water...just a few tiny pieces of beach here and there..

 

Spring 2019
       

Heading out tomorrow.  Going early this year, hoping to do Vegas before it hits 100.
We will be spending two weeks there this year.  Maybe that will get it out of my system.
  Packed all day yesterday, almost ready to go.  Did the grocery shopping this morning, went to our last bowling night, took Mom out to dinner for her birthday.  (Paul and Sandi joined us) then bright and early tomorrow we are off to a Florida State Park, Fred Gannon Rocky Bayou State Park near Niceville.
 

Back to Florida

Aug. 2018

Santa Rosa RV resort, Navarre... we stayed here so Bob could play golf at the base...but it rained almost the whole time we were here.  Nice park. Nice view...but didn’t get to do anything...

Then we left and drove home...

New Orleans

July 2018

The RV Camp was nice...very upscale and very pricey. The location was almost perfect, too. It literally abutted with the French Quarter.  I walked my dog up and down Bourbon street several times...

In the French Quarter itself though...yuk...I felt quite safe in the day time, but the place has gotten icky since we was here last...there was trash everywhere, smelled like vomit and sour booze...and there were people sleeping in the streets...even the cool shops that were here before, have all moved away....we won’t be back...

The Zoo here is very nice though.  I didn't go this year, but we played golf at the Audubon Park, it's one of our favorites.

Texas

July, 2018

I just realized I never posted my last few posts from last summer...I left us stranded in Arizona...which, although it’s a very nice place...isn’t home..
   After we left Arizona we went to San Antonio...same place we stoped last year and are planning on a few days next year, too...

    It’s a park called Travelers World...very nice...we had a shady area near the pool.  It sits right on one of the entrances to the River walk...


    Bob played golf a couple times, the golf course is just next door. He didn’t want to go into town this year so I had him drop me off before  he played. I did the Riverwalk boat ride and did a little walking and shopping and took the bus home. It stopped right outside the RV Park...

After we left we had a one night stop on Galveston Island. Very glad we didn’t stay any longer..the beach was far away and icky and the showers and bathroom were in a completely different campground...we had to drive over to use it...the only cool thing about it were the birds.

Arizona

Two Stops in Arizona

White Tank Mountain Regional Park and Catalina State Park (Tucson)

We spent two nights at White Tank and Three nights in Catalina.

Both stops where in the desert (and yet it still rained on us in both places). White Tank had more cactuses while Catalina was a little more scrubby and closer to the mountains (several of the walking paths actually went up into the mountains).

     We started off in White Tank with a back in spot.  

View from out front door.

We requested a change to a pull through spot and since there was almost no one there they let us switch.  The pull throughs are backwards, though.  
Once you pull in to hook up your front door and "porch" are on the street. Weird. So we went ahead and moved back to the back-in site.  Since we had to take the car off to do that, Bob decided to go into town the next day and play golf.

    When he got back I went out and did a hike on one of the trails that started in the park. It was HOT!

I didn't take Buffy because the one walk we did that morning got cactus burrs all in her paws and I had to carry her back.

As usual, for every place we have stopped so far,(even Vegas, although I didn't mention it) it rained. 

    We then went on to Catalina State Park.  We stayed here two days last year, and Bob really liked it (nice nearby Golf) so I booked three nights this time. 

It was really hot here, too well into the 100's.  Of course our last day here it rained and got all our rugs wet. They had finally dried out from our last stop, and now wet again.  

     Bob played golf.  I went to Walmart and hiked a couple times.  This time I took Buffy because the trail was cleared off for biking. 

It's so fun here with all the hundreds of ground squirrels everywhere and roadrunners.  I even saw a coyote. 

Well..I was going through this today and I thought August disappeared……but realized I just didn’t get the stuff posted till almost the next year…🫣…