"Into the Forest I Go..."

 "...to lose my mind and find my soul." - John Muir

Before Covid hit, the majority of my job was on the road - traveling along South Texas, out visiting companies to teach employees about retirement planning, meeting with individuals face to face to discuss their specific retirement plans.  I officed out of my home, but I worked in other companies' offices - so there was a LOT of travel and driving involved.  Now? I'm 100% work from home; my commute is about, oh, 4 steps from bedroom to office.

RDB noticed that I was missing the road time, so, he set me up to go Car Camping. We bought a Toyota Prius hybrid a few years ago with this very thought in mind for him and he's since been to over 20 places across the broader US.  This weekend, while desperately waiting for an update on our camper, it was my turn!

I left out Friday night for Mission Tejas State Park - one that we've not been to before and only about a 2 hour drive from home. I arrived to the park in the dark, and since RDB had already set it up for me, it was just a matter of parking the Prius, crawling into the bed in the back, and going to sleep!

Ok, so you're probably a little confused by that last remark: "crawl into the bed in the back."  The Prius is actually large enough that if you fold down one side of the back seat, and push the front seat forward, you can lay down bedding (we use a tri-fold mattress and a few thick standing mats for cushion) and fully stretch out and sleep!  See, check this out:

Since it's a hybrid gas/electric car, you can leave the car running overnight for A/C, and the engine only kicks on when it needs to charge the battery; on average, that uses a little over a gallon of gas for the whole night.  Hello, Hybrid Hotel!

Mission Tejas is a beautiful park - packed with big loblolly pine trees and lots of trails and walking paths.  Driving up Highway 21 from Crockett, I noticed what seemed like a Historical Marker ever other mile, so, naturally, when I woke Saturday morning, I crawled out of bed and went for a drive to explore the area.

I stopped for lunch in Crockett, dining in at The Davey Crockett Bar and Grill. (Funny story there, check out the Yelp review).  Then continued on my search for more historical markers.

I didn't get a picture of it, but the historical marker next to the Caddo Mounds Historical Site had been snapped off at the base above the pole.  An F-3 tornado came thru the area last year, destroying not just the historical marker, but also the newly renovated site museum, though the earthen mounds were left untouched.

RDB and I had toured around on a past camping trip years ago before the new (now demolished) visitor's center was opened.  I felt moved to go in to the temporary building that sits on the site and had the great pleasure of meeting and talking with Robert, the site manager, about the Caddo culture.  

They've done an excellent job of re-creating the information and displaying the cultural artifacts; you can hear the passion and respect in Robert's voice as he answered my (many!) questions and told me the stories of the Caddo's creation beliefs and views on death. 

The burial mound out the window; a NOAA weather radio standing watch.

Though RDB and I didn't have a chance to see it after its construction and subsequent destruction, the site once included a replica of a traditional Caddo grass house; I enjoyed watching updates about the project via their FaceBook page.  Robert told me that he had just been sharing details of the documentary that was filmed onsite during the construction with a teacher who was planning to use it as a resource this year, and did I know that the documentarian was awarded a Texas Emmy for the project? Y'all - it took all the strength I had to not ask Robert if I could hold it!

All too soon, another family came thru the doors, and I felt the need to continue on with my search for more historical markers.  (BTW, I had referenced my day's journey to Robert, and that I was sad the marker wasn't out by the mound - he mentioned that they did recover it after the tornado: a neighbor was clearing out a ravine area a few hundred yards eastward and came across it - still intact. I could only imagine the terror of one of those large steel plates flying thru the air that fateful day.)

Back at the State Park: The CCC Troop 888 is responsible for much of the park; the representation of a mission being one of their projects.  The Spanish tried to convert the native Caddo to Christianity, but after three failed attempts (and three abandoned missions), they left the natives in peace.  

Varying views aside, the acoustics in the church were astonishing. 

I found conflicting points of view, reading the various markers around the area, the pamphlets provided by the park, and the pop-up banners at the Caddo Historical site, about the failure of these missions.  From those coming to conquer, the natives were considered insincere, "taking the Spaniards gifts, but not their religion;" from those being colonized, an "[association] of the Europeans and their religion with death." I noted in one of the banners that "Historical documents record eight known epidemics to the Caddo region between 1691 and 1816, approximately one every generation." 

I found a shady spot to enjoy a bite for dinner and read a bit; "car camping" is interesting because, with the way RDB has it set up, everything I need is right there with me - including a mini fridge (tucked under the head of my bed) and tasty beverage or two before bed!

Sunday morning I woke to another beautiful day in the woods. 

Packing up to head home was perhaps the easiest ever: literally, crawl out of bed, tie up the curtains (yes, we made curtains for the Hybrid Hotel!) and jump in the drivers seat!  

A few more historical markers along the way home enlightened me to:

A thriving Black community:

A family "plot": 

An early, but now ancient, industry:

And a WWII POW camp in Texas:

I honestly gasped "WHAT?!" when I stepped out of the car and read the title on that marker.  I had no idea of that part of our Texas history... or our national history for that matter. 

There's so much to learn, about our state, our country, even ourselves, if we would just slow down a bit and take the time to listen, reflect, grow.  I'm grateful that RDB knows what helps me get back to center, and that he hugs me tight before I go, leaves me hints of his love along the way, and welcomes me back with gentle and loving arms. 

I was at Mission Tejas State park, site #12.  Not sure that we'll be able to take a camper there - especially as we've upgraded to a larger 5th wheel - but it's a perfect park for smaller rigs, pop-ups, and tents.  And the occasional Hybrid Hotel.

For more pictures, and more Historical Markers, go here.