Found:
PCS #86 - Cedar Hill
Steps to the Past
Perkins Place
Believe It or Not!
Monday, March 4, 2024
Friday, March 1, 2024
Perfect and Deep Love
It's birthday weekend and when you have Grandma Mail delivered before you head out, you not only take a moment to read it, but also make sure that you follow her instructions to a T.
"Have a lot of fun and create a lot of memories to last."
I think we can make that happen! I took several days off work on both ends of the weekend so that we could enjoy a long trip. The original plan was to spend the weekend at Huntsville SP, but they had just done a prescribed burn, and we didn't want to hang around with the possibility of smoke all weekend, so we jumped online and made reservations at our favorite hidden gem: the Texas State Railroad in Rusk.
We had a leisurely morning Friday, full caffeinated (not on purpose!), and enjoyed the easy drive up to the piney woods of east Texas. We got settled into our site, hooked up the water, and (do you hear the horror movie music yet?) found a leak fast-flowing into the basement. Oh, geez. NOT AGAIN?!
It's a good thing we purposefully keep a 5-gallon bucket down there just in case, as that caught most of the water while we worked to figure out where it was coming from. We found a loose connection on the faucet in the bathroom, and after Rich twisted him self into a pretzel to fix it, we were settled in and looking forward to a fun weekend!
Saturday we fixed a great lunch in the camper, then took off for Tyler and several adventures to make those "memories that last" like Grandma instructed!
Along the way to our first stop, we happened across an unexpected side quest. RDB happened to notice an older gentleman making his way slowly across the sidewalk to the front door. "Probably going for a cup of coffee," he said.
"At the post office?" I questioned.
Come to find out the old post office had been transformed into a really nice coffee shop!
We enjoyed our cups of coffee as we made our way to our first stop: the Plantation Pines Christmas Tree Farm (yes, Christmas trees!) for their spring seasonal crop: tulips!
It was such a neat adventure, though I didn't take nearly as many pictures as I could have while we were there, I certainly have enjoyed looking at the boquet I picked here in the camper all weekend.
From there we went over to the Tyler Junior College's Earth and Space Science Center where the Hudnall Planetarium is celebrating it's 60th anniversary this year!
RDB and I both have the northern lights on our bucket list of travels someday, but since that's not in the budget for this birthday, we settled in for a showing of Extreme Auroras filmed in 360* panorama in Norway.
We were heading back towards the camper and RDB had a hankering for a steak, so a quick Yelp search had us u-turning back towards downtown. I'm telling you, sometimes we have the best luck on those u-turns and side quests in our adventures, because we found ourselves dinning at the Petroleum Club's Prime 102 right across the street from the Smith County courthouse!
Not bad for an impromptu birthday dinner!
Sunday we spent the day relaxing around the campsite, enjoying my fresh-picked flowers, and watching local LAFF TV.
As Sigmund Freud once said: "Flowers are restful to look at. They have neither emotions nor conflicts.”
It was a perfect day, with perfect weather, for hanging out in the hammock and enjoying the quiet peacefulness of the park.
Monday we did a little more exploring around Rusk - starting with a coffee and muffin at The Daily Grind, before heading over to the Rusk footbridge - said to be the nation's longest footbridge at 546 feet.
It also happens to be the home of the 75th geocache we've found along our adventures!
We did a bit of geocaching around the area - surprised that we hadn't done this before with as many times as we've been here to Rusk. (And we can add one more to the roster, as we'll be back camping here again in April for the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse. Tyler, just an hour up the road, is in the path of totality.)
This was a great weekend of memory making, and I couldn't help but notice as we went on our many adventures that there were hearts EVERYWHERE...
I'm pretty sure Grandma was sending her love along the way.
We were in site #12, full hook-ups, at Texas State Railroad Campground in Rusk. The trains weren't running this weekend, but we still love this park. We had the entire place to ourselves with the exception of one other camper - who appears to be a long-term tenant, the camp host, perhaps? A shift from the last visit - the park is no longer first-come-first-serve, now you can make site-specific reservations, which I think is great! But do me a favor: don't tell anyone! We still want this quiet little park all to ourselves!
We've been here several times before: Believe, Valentine's Camping, A Gift: Long Weekend, Long Post, Easter Weekend, and Blessed.
Sunday, December 31, 2023
2023 Camping and Car Trips
December 23rd - Jan 2nd: Cedar Hill SP, Lakeview Site #187 (F) (Christmas/New Years)
February 11th - Feb 17th: Miata 2023 PostCARd Challenge #1 (Valentine's Day)
February 18th: Miata Club - Lake Livingston Fun Run
March 25th: Miata Club - Sealy Fun Run
April 16th: Miata Club - Surf Side Fun Run
May 13th: Miata Club - DeMontrond Mazda Grand Opening
May 27th -29th: Miata 2023 PostCARd Challenge #2 (Memorial Day)
June 17th: Miata Club 2023 PostCARd Challenge #3 w/JP and Mr & Mrs A
July 2nd: Miata Club - Kolache Run to Hruska's
Aug 5: Miata Club - Lake Livingston Fun Run
Sept 21 - 23rd: Huntsville SP, Raven Hill Site #1 (F)
October 13th - 15th: Ray Roberts Isle de Bois, Quail Run Site 132, (30a/W) D&A, Mom & G (Solar Eclipse)
December 16th: Miata Club - Christmas Lights Run
December 30 - Jan 2th: Lake Brownwood SP, Willow Point site #19 (50a/W) (New Years)
Saturday, December 30, 2023
Thanking my Lucky Stars
We were driving along to Lake Brownwood State Park for our New Year's camping trip and I came across this:
It truly is amazing when we think about all that exists out there beyond the blue of our atmosphere. It reminded me of the Christmas camping trip two years ago when we got up early to see the James Webb Telescope launch, and the incredible pictures that have been sent back along its journey.
We settled into the park Saturday afternoon, snuggling down for a "cold winter's nap" as the temps were going to be just above freezing overnight this weekend. Nothing that we haven't experienced before. But thinking of things we haven't experienced before, let me back up a moment and tell you about the drive across and refueling the truck in the little town of Early.
We stopped off at the Allsup's gas station, which had a separate island for diesel pumps, and the prompts for the singular diesel nozzle asked you to select either "Tractor" or "Refer." We both kinda looked at each other, having never been presented with this set of options before, we surmised that Tractor would be farming equipment and reefer would be like a refrigerated trailer on the road. And with that, we started pumping fuel.
And then I thought - well, why didn't we ask Uncle Google? 16 gallons in, I Googled and we found out: we had it backwards! Whoops! Next fast Google was "will red/tractor diesel harm my truck?" (no) and then "what's the fine for putting ag diesel in an on-road vehicle?" ($10K!!) and then "how long will my engine stay stained from red diesel dye?" (it clears out after 2-3 more tanks' worth of fuel, but the current fuel filter will likely stay stained until we replace it). Fast learning, and grateful that we didn't cause any harm.
Thank goodness the stars aligned on that one!
Settled into our site for the long weekend, we were really surprised with how low the lake water level was. Water data is showing that the lake is only 60% full - and with the really long shorelines, you can tell it's not at its prime. All that being said, it's too chill to swim or enjoy water sports this weekend, so we were content with just taking a walk along the water's edge and getting some steps in.
We spent Saturday evening with some of our favorite space-themed movies playing in the background (The Martian, Oblivion, Despicable Me, The Fifth Element) while we waited for midnight. As a surprise to RDB, I signed up to have our names engraved on a microchip as part of the "Message in a Bottle" campaign NASA is running for the Europa Clipper orbiter that is launching in October of this year to orbit a potential water-based moon of Jupiter.
We're going places, y'all! ;-)
(Speaking of “going places” - NYE I was chatting with a.Fox about tacos and she said they were fixing a batch for her in-laws next Saturday and somehow I ended up booking a flight to Arizona to join them for dinner! AND I’ll get to have dinner with WLTR on the return trip thanks to a 5 hour layover in Denver on Sunday! I blame it on the champagne and flight credits burning a hole in my pocket... and the homemade tortillas - how could I resist?)
As midnight approached, RDB wanted to walk over the moment of New Years and I just happened to grab the trash from cooking lunch on our way out of the camper. We ended up literally "taking out the trash" and walking into the New Year. New tradition? Maybe so!
Monday we made our way over to the Brown County courthouse. It was an interesting building of red brick and tall columns supporting the second story veranda above arches that lead to the front entry. It may not have the same architectural draw of some of the other court houses we've seen along the way, but it was interesting in its own right.
The former county jail across the street, with its stone-hewn castle-like style, made for an interesting contrast.
Back at the campsite, we went for a late afternoon walk around our camping loop and over to the fishing pier, taking time to play for a bit along the jagged limestone rocks exposed by the low tide. I of course managed to stab my palm and injury myself on those rocks; the painful scrape becoming a nice counterpart to the massive bruise forming on my thigh from running into the table in the camper earlier. RBD calls me his Clumsy Girl. (He’s not wrong, y’all.)
RDB was wise to check the weather forecast for our drive home Tuesday and realized that there was a high probability of rain starting in the late afternoon. So we called it a night at a decent hour (kinda hard after staying up late for NYE and then sleeping in Monday morning while all the other campers backed up to head home.) and turned in for the evening.
As we said our goodnights, we reminisced about the last time we were at this campground- the week that we eloped on a camping trip - and how we wouldn’t mind coming back to this quiet and peaceful place again. (Maybe next time we won't wait ten years between trips!)
To know that there is so much out there in the galaxies and universes beyond ours, and that the odds of the composition of stardust that created our unique DNA just happened to be on this Earth at the exact same time, in a way in which we could meet, appreciate, and love each other - and share these sweet moments together - to know how unrepeatable those odds are simply reminds me, year after year, of how lucky and blessed I am that I get to share this life with you, RDB. I thank my lucky stars for you.
“If we have souls, they are made of the love we share, undimmed by time, unbound by death.” - Jack Harper, Tech 49
We were at Lake Brownwood State Park, Willow Point, Site #19, 50a/W. Only one Lego unlevel to the driver’s side, this spot is everything you’d want: easy to back into, no overhead obstructions, nearly a 180* view of the water and a stones throw from the bathhouse should you need it. Only downside would be the picnic table set towards the back drivers side - great if you’re using the tent pad, not so much if you’re in a hard-sided rig. Plenty of bird life around the park and we saw lots of people boating and fishing in the lake.
We’ve been here before for our wedding, ten years and two months ago: We could do it, ya know…
_________
PS - talk about thanking our lucky stars? We pulled into the storage facility to put the camper to bed, and I heard this *woooooish* sound coming from under the camper as I went to open up and unload the fridge. After 5+ hour drive home, it was in the literal last 5 minutes that we got a screw in our trailer tire that was very quickly flattening out!! I cannot say how grateful I am that it happened where it did, as super low speeds, and not out on the highway between the middles of nowhere!
Friday, October 13, 2023
Do and Re: Deers and the Sun
Some days I have a hard time believing just how incredibly blessed we really are. Sitting here at the kitchen table in the camper, and I'm in awe of how beautiful this campsite is, and how lucky and blessed we are that we get to haul our Castle around and enjoy these views.
We booked Ray Roberts Lake State Park several months in advance - knowing that we wanted to be on a camping trip for the Annular Solar Eclipse, and when D&A told us that they were buying a trailer to start camping during Big Bro's off-season, I let them know we were going to be north of them for this weekend. A few minutes later, A texted me back that she had secured a site in the same camping loop and we'd have our first family camping weekend!
Y'all - it's been the BEST when we have people join us!
I took Friday (and Monday) off work and RDB and I made our way up to the campsite late in the afternoon. Big Bro was already there onsite when we rolled it, coming over to "watch the pros do it" (back the trailer into our spot) and chat with us as soon as we arrived. I think he was pretty excited about us camping together, too!
We woke up Saturday to deer in our site - and continued to see them all thru the park over the weekend. We had a LOT on the agenda, so RDB and I got up early-ish and took off for a morning walk along the paved, 2.2 mile Randy Bell Trail where we were greeted by more and more deer!
After our walk, RDB and I went into town to grab a coffee at a local place - we're adding that into our adventures in the Miata, and want to do the same (when we can) while camping. Little did we know when we found Pilot Point Coffee that we were heading towards the city's biggest event of the year: Bonnie and Clyde Days. We learned from the staff that this is the coffee shop's busiest day of the year!
Saturday mid-day was the zenith of the solar eclipse, and with the wait for coffee, we lost track of time, so we had to high tail it back over to the campground (just a quick 15 minutes away) to meet back up with D&A.
Solar glasses in hand, we stood outside and checked out the change in shadows cast by the sun as the moon made its way in front.
Also, super cool this weekend, is our new nephew, HDN!
Born in April this year, HDN is a natural at this camping stuff - and it's been really sweet to have him with us for the trip. (As I type this evening he's cooing and sliding around on my fav blanket on the floor in our camper).
After the solar eclipse, we split ways, the guys going down to the beach on the backside of our site and us girls (and HDN) taking a walk along the park's paved path again.
A dozen minnows from The Dam Store lasted a whole afternoon of fishing; that's some eFISHiency when it comes to making the bait work for you (punny joke courtesy of Big Bro).
 |
| Note the deer coming down for a drink on the right. |
After sunset, D&A's friends came over and we grilled out a late steak dinner (those were some GOOD chargrilled steaks!) before the guys went back over to night fish (did you know they make light-up fishing bobbers?!) and us girls (and HDN ;-) ) called it a night.
Sunday was an easy day of morning walks, another trip to the (much less crowded) coffee shop, and a visit from Mom and G. To say she's happy to see and hug her babies is probably an understatement:
I was able to get some blogging done, and decided the cooler weather and the view out the back of our site was just too pretty to pass up, so I set out my yoga mat and got a session in while watching the golden rays of the sun slowly creep up the trees across the lake.
At the same time, Big Bro had taken a ride on his e-bike thru the park over to the shore line, and managed to get a beautiful pic of that golden sunset over the water.
Coming back together in the spaciousness of our camper, we watched a few innings of the first game in the ALCS Championship Series between the Astros vs the Rangers before settling in and enjoying the crisp cool 46* night!
Monday morning brought with it another walk around the park. There is so much to see and do here, you could easily stay a whole week and not get to it all.
But, as it goes with most of these trips, the work week rolls around and we have to head back home. I'm sure we'll hit the road eventually, but it's quarter to four on Monday afternoon, and I'm still sitting here "in the best seat in the house" and loving the view out our windows.
We were in Site #132 (30a/W) at Ray Roberts Lake State Park, Isle De Bois Unit. This is an ADA site, so fully paved and double wide, also very level from side to side (just one lego on the drivers side will do it.) We were greeted not only by Big Bro D the night we came in, but also a deer - who had no qualms at all about chomping on the grass while we backed in. There's a path that leads straight down to the water's edge from the back of the site, and if the water is low (like it has been for months) you have a nice long bank to fish on. Sitting here at the kitchen table I've watched squirrels, butterflies, birds, BIG blue herons, and of course, more deer wander around the water's edge. It's nirvana, that's for sure, and we would love to come back again.
We've been here before, but never really had a chance to play in the park like we did this weekend: Family, Friends, Fotos
For a park drive-thru video, go here.
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