Our first winter away is coming to an end...we are almost in Minnesota again. After leaving the Arbuckle Mountains on Sunday, April 17 we camped a night in Miami, OK (across the border from Joplin, MO); two nights in Turney, MO (north of Kansas City); and tonight we are in Story City, IA (just abit north of Ames).
We missed another bout of severe weather the nights we stayed in Turney...thunderstorms, wind, rain, snow...all were in the forecast! So far we have NOT seen any white stuff on the ground, and hope it stays that way!
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Friday, April 15, 2011
Chickasaw National Recreation Area, OK
We arrived in Oklahoma on Wed, April 13. Our destination: Chickasaw NRA and a campsite on Lake of the Arbuckles. Leaving I-35 at the Davis exit we followed the signs to the park, winding our way up the hills to "The Point", where campsites overlook the lake. Some sites are set up for motorhomes, having solid parking pads, electric & water hookups, but many more sites are for tent campers and are more primitive. The view is great!
On Thursday we went into the little town of Sulphur, OK. Sulphur gets its name from mineral springs (spring water absorbing sulphur and bromine from the rocks below) located in the area. We drove around a park there, seeing outlets for the springs, and winding along a scenic river.
Later that afternoon were greeted by severe thunderstorms and tornado warnings. Tornadoes were sited near Davis and Sulphur, just miles from our camp. We took shelter in the only solid structure in the woods: the shower/restroom building! The dark clouds passed with no damaging wind in our location, but then heavy rain & hail followed the storm. Hail (some pieces up to quarter size) pounded the motorhome and car. The car has a few new scars; we will have to inspect the motorhome more today...
On Thursday we went into the little town of Sulphur, OK. Sulphur gets its name from mineral springs (spring water absorbing sulphur and bromine from the rocks below) located in the area. We drove around a park there, seeing outlets for the springs, and winding along a scenic river.
Later that afternoon were greeted by severe thunderstorms and tornado warnings. Tornadoes were sited near Davis and Sulphur, just miles from our camp. We took shelter in the only solid structure in the woods: the shower/restroom building! The dark clouds passed with no damaging wind in our location, but then heavy rain & hail followed the storm. Hail (some pieces up to quarter size) pounded the motorhome and car. The car has a few new scars; we will have to inspect the motorhome more today...
Friday, April 8, 2011
Lyndon B Johnson Texas History
Lyndon B Johnson National Historical Park and LBJ State Park and Historic Site are joint ventures between federal and state agencies to preserve the history of LBJ's life and his family connections to Texas Hill Country.
We started with the Johnson City site, where a visitor center provides exhibits and films. Here we also toured his boyhood home, restored as it would have looked in the 1920's. LBJ was 5 years old when his family moved there in 1913.
After that we drove to the LBJ Ranch site, 14 miles from Johnson City. There another tour took us to see the one room school he attended, the home where he was born in 1908, the cemetery where he is buried, and a drive through the pastures of the ranch to a show barn used to exhibit his Hereford cattle. Final stop was the ranch house (often referred to as the Texas White House). The house is preserved as it looked when the family lived there. Near the house was parked Air Force One-Half (LBJ's name for the small jet used to fly into the ranch on his own private runway).
Lots of history and a neat drive through the Hill Country.
We started with the Johnson City site, where a visitor center provides exhibits and films. Here we also toured his boyhood home, restored as it would have looked in the 1920's. LBJ was 5 years old when his family moved there in 1913.
After that we drove to the LBJ Ranch site, 14 miles from Johnson City. There another tour took us to see the one room school he attended, the home where he was born in 1908, the cemetery where he is buried, and a drive through the pastures of the ranch to a show barn used to exhibit his Hereford cattle. Final stop was the ranch house (often referred to as the Texas White House). The house is preserved as it looked when the family lived there. Near the house was parked Air Force One-Half (LBJ's name for the small jet used to fly into the ranch on his own private runway).
Lots of history and a neat drive through the Hill Country.
Historic Gruene TX
Gruene (pronounced "green") TX was originally established in the mid-1840's by German farmers. Ernst Gruene and family built the first homes and started planting cotton. More families arrived, a mercantile store was built in 1878, a cotton gin was built on the nearby Guadalupe River, and a dance hall/saloon (Gruene Hall) became the center of social activities.
All went well until the 1920's when fires, the Depression, and the cotton boll weevil brought an end to the tiny settlement. All businesses except the Hall went under.
In 1975 when the Gruene estate was sold, all remaining buildings were placed on the National Register of Historic Places. New shops were added and the old buildings turned into a town again, welcoming visitors to see the old town. Most interesting is Gruene Hall which has never closed...they continued to have music and entertainment daily, and to this day have a band scheduled for every evening. It is billed as the oldest,
continually operating dance hall in Texas. Walls are lined with signed photos of artists like Lyle Lovett, George Strait, Bo Diddley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Garth Brooks, and Willie Nelson.
The movie "Michael" with John Travolta, had it's dance scenes filmed there, and Nolan Ryan celebrated his 50th birthday at Gruene Hall. And now we can say we've been there!
All went well until the 1920's when fires, the Depression, and the cotton boll weevil brought an end to the tiny settlement. All businesses except the Hall went under.
In 1975 when the Gruene estate was sold, all remaining buildings were placed on the National Register of Historic Places. New shops were added and the old buildings turned into a town again, welcoming visitors to see the old town. Most interesting is Gruene Hall which has never closed...they continued to have music and entertainment daily, and to this day have a band scheduled for every evening. It is billed as the oldest,
continually operating dance hall in Texas. Walls are lined with signed photos of artists like Lyle Lovett, George Strait, Bo Diddley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Garth Brooks, and Willie Nelson.
The movie "Michael" with John Travolta, had it's dance scenes filmed there, and Nolan Ryan celebrated his 50th birthday at Gruene Hall. And now we can say we've been there!
On our way North
I've gotten behind again in updating our travels...we left Rio Grande Valley location on April 4th to start our travels North. Had planned to drive to Canyon Lake, TX (about 300 miles) but our plans changed when the winds changed! Left with a south wind pushing us along, but by lunch time a cold front came in from the north and driving became more of a challenge. We finally stopped in a little town Beeville, TX to look for a place to spend the night. That proved to be a challenge too...the local Wal-Mart (which often allows overnite parking) would not let us stay there. We finally found a tiny RV park on the edge of the local mobile home park...not fancy, but at least a place for the night. Took off the following morning and arrived at the Canyon Lake destination on Tuesday.
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