Park (P)review: Pedernales Falls State Park - Johnson City, TX

Park (P)review

We haven't camped here yet, but I've driven around and checked it out!

Pedernales Falls State Park

830-868-7304

*What a park! Just the entrance drive to the Park Headquarters is amazing! By the time you finally reach it - you're at the crest of an amazing precipice.

*Beware of flash flooding - the reinforce the message on just about everything - and I think I passed at least 4-5 flood gauges on the road before I even got to the park. As they say in Houston: turn around, don't drown!

*Ever site felt large and was wooded - I'm sure sure there would be a bad one in the bunch.

*Water & Electric Sites: 15 could have the potential for a great view, once the leaves are down. 25, 48, and 63 were all nice. 57 looked like it was the premo spot.

*The camp hosts here had decorated for the holidays (I was there in October) very tastefully done - and really fun!

Park (P)review: Blanco State Park - Blanco, TX

Park (P)review

We haven't camped here yet, but I've driven around and checked it out!

Blanco State Park

830-833-4333

*It's a park in the middle of a cute, quaint old town! You could drive right past (I almost did!) and never know what a gem is waiting there!

*Several of the sites have covered picnic tables (always a plus).

*Pictured above - the park has a few man made waterfalls - built by CCC in 1933-4.

*Water & Electric Sites: Sites 17 and 18 have good shade and privacy - and a nice view of an open field. Site 30 is secluded. Groups sites: 4, 5, 6, & 7 are all well shaded and back into each other - part of a round-robin style area.

We stayed here September '14: Quaint and Quaff

Camp Cooking #5: Campfire Popcorn (an attempt)

You'll have to let me know if yours turns out any better than mine.  Really, it seemed simple enough: heat + kernels in foil + time = tasty treat.  But the further along we got, the more, well, it just kind became.... Well, here let me show you:

First, gather your ingredients:

Popping Corn

Oil

Salt

Heavy-Duty foil, marshmallow fork (or stick), more luck than me

 

 

Place equal parts corn kernels and oil in the center of two large sheets of foil and add a dash of salt (you can omit the salt if you like - or put in in afterwards)

 

 

Next, bring the corners of your foil sheets together at the top - leaving the center with the kernels and oil wide and open - creating a kind of 'bubble' for the poped kernels to reside in (think of what Jiffy-Pop looks like when it's done popping).

 

 

Then, secure your marshmallow fork, or stick, to the top of your hobo-pocket of popcorn kernels. 

 So far, so good.  Or so I thought. 

 

 

What followed can only be described as the 5 stages of grief:

 

1. Denial

Nothing's wrong.... it'll pop. It has to pop.

 

2. Anger

Seriously.  Why aren't you popping?!?

 

3. Bargaining

If I put you closer to the coals, will you pop?

 

 4. Depression

All I wanted was some popcorn, was that too much to ask?

 

5. Acceptance

Well, crap.  That didn't turn out like I planned.

 

Yep.  We were hoping for a tasty, warm salty treat.  What we got was this:

 

 

 

So, I'll try another method next time.  It invloves a pie plate, 3 sips of wiskey, 

and a blow torch.  Heheh.

 

 

 

*Special thanks to RDB for taking the photos and RW for the "5 Stages of Grief" idea.  It takes real friends to laugh at your failures.  Wait a minute.....*

 



Happy New Year!

May your journey into 2013
be traveled with those you love the most!