WEDNESDAY MARCH 9th 2011 301533

What a night!   Torrential rain and very high winds for most of the night.  Then at 3.15 a.m. the thunderstorms started.  By 7.15 a.m. we didn't know if our little camper could survive these storms.  It felt as if the camper would be picked up in the wind and sent to places unknown.  No where to hide, and too wet to leave the shelter of our camper.  The rain got so heavy it actually began to seep in around the window area.  Nothing very bad,  just a lot of damp.  But still very disturbing.

Decided to have breakfast and get packed up ready to leave, if and when the weather allowed us to.   Kept up with all weather reports as best we could, via local radio and the scanner.  The campsite we had was about 10 minutes from Gulfport Airport, and a report from the local radio announced that at 7.20 am a Tornado had touched down at the airport.  Now that explains why it felt like our camper was about to be lifted up and carried away.

By 10 a.m. the weather had cleared a little so we headed out, while we could.  There were still weather warnings for tornadoes, flash floods and damaging winds, but we were driving out of it.  So we just hoped it would remain that way.

A 11.30 a.m. we got off the I-10 in Alabama.  We had been on this interstate all the way from Tucson.

It turned out to be an uneventful ride through Georgia, past some beautiful Georgia Mansions, all the way to Pine Mountain GA, about 6.30 p.m.

The weather was a big improvement to what we had experienced this morning.

This was the view from our camp site.  Roosevelt State Park at Pine Mountain was gorgeous.  We wished we could have stayed here for a few days.   This is a definite place to return to, when time permits.   We had a walk around before dinner.
Then spent a relaxing evening watching movies.  It was a fairly cool evening, but not at all scary  ,like it was this morning.

302097.

TUESDAY MARCH 8th 2011 301065

Rainy morning but not cold.

We stopped in Moss Bluff for some supplies and was actually ready to leave town about 11.30 a.m.

It was still a very dreary day, and quite wet.   Over the weekend there were tornadoes in New Orleans, and we hoped they had all blown away by now.

The rain got considerably heavier as the day  progressed, and at times it was almost impossible to see the vehicle in front of you.    It made for quite a nerve racking drive.

This section of the I-10 is a raised road over
swamps and bayous.  

On a good day it is very interesting.   However, not so today.  

The rain continued and we could see by the colour of the sky and the formation of the clouds that tornadoes were still around in this area.   Luckily not exactly where we were.

To make it even more interesting  we began to get some very high winds again, making it very difficult to keep our little camper straight.




We stopped at the Welcome Centre in Mississippi and found a lot of camping info.  Phoned The Magic River Resort (sounded interesting)  and luckily for us they had sites available, and not too far from where we were.   This is a busy time around here as it is very close to New Orleans and it is Mardi Gras week.

Found the campsite quite easily and took a a ride around and left!..Certainly not what we would call a resort.
I think we were still put off by last nights site.

So back on the road.  We knew a little of this area from our days trucking, so we headed towards Long Beach MS or Gulf Port MS.   Both really nice spots.  

As you can see the beach was really great, but not quite the right weather.

Managed to find a good camp ground with full hook ups and large sites, so settled in there for the night and all the rain that went with it.

6.15 p.m.  heavy rain, thunder storms, and high winds.                                            301533.

MONDAY MARCH 8th 2011 300483

Left San Antonio about 10 a.m., very cool and cloudy.  We felt sad leaving this city, we both really enjoyed our stay here.  Now making plans to return in five years for the 180th Anniversary of the Falling of The Alamo.

Really nothing too much to report along the I-10, until the rain's came.  Very heavy rain at that.

So all in all the drive to Sam Houston Jones State Park at Moss Bluff LA wasn't too bad.   Pulled in and paid for our site.  The park looked really quite nice as we drove through.   Then came the campsites!

Too bad we had already paid,  because we would not have stayed here.  The sites we so small and close together if your neighbour had their awning out you certainly could not put your own awning out.  And yes, our neighbour had their awning out.

Regardless we made the most of it.  WIFI wasn't too bad so got some e-emails done and skype chats.  After supper we watched a good movie. 

As we were pulling into the park we saw the Deer wandering along  not at all  bothered  by us.  But that was the only good thing about this park.  Not a place to recommend or go back to.  I didn't even get out of El Campista.

This is the first campsite we have ever found that we would not return to.

SUNDAY MARCH 6th 2011

Really nice bright, sunny morning, but very cool.  

After breakfast we planned our route around San Antonio, as it looks to be a very busy day.  Lots to fit in a few hours.

Our first stop was EL MERCADO, The Market.   The weather was almost perfect for this now.  It did warm up quite a bit.

So much to see and buy, just not enough room to get it all back to Durham!  We managed to get a few gifts and just wander around in the sunshine.  We both really enjoyed it.

From there we headed back to the Alamo and River Walk area.

When we pulled into the parking lot another RV came in and pulled up next to us.  I did say to Mike that I knew these people.  How?  Why?  I did not know, I just felt I knew them.   So after a chat with them it turned out these people actually lived in Fergus before moving out East.  They owned the Boarding Kennels along Highway 6 South, and they used to frequent a really great little Pub in Fergus too.  Yes, you guessed it - our little Pub, The Old Copper Kettle.   Here we are in San Antonio TX, meeting people who used to come into our Pub.  How bizarre is that?  It is a small world, isn't it?

After our chat we wandered along the River Walk and stopped at the gift stalls along the path way.

Really very interesting artists along there.

From there we meandered around

Old San Antonio.  Very beautiful.

Then it became lunch time.  Guess where Mike took me?   You got it - Durty Nelly's.  Great Fish and Chips, if you should ever get there.   It was quiet when we arrived, but by the time lunch was over the guy who played the piano yesterday had arrived and was doing a great job entertaining everyone.  The music was fantastic, and it was becoming very difficult to leave.

However, we had another Destination to get to - The Alamo.   Today was the 175th Anniversary of the falling of the Alamo.
   

It really gave us goose bumps!

It was 175 years ago on Sunday March 6th 1836 that the Alamo was captured by the Mexicans.
And here we were Sunday March 6th 2011, standing on the exact ground the battle took place.
Can you imagine how that felt, and all the emotions that went with it?

The battle starts.

Jim Bowie was too sick to fight in the battle, but kept his knife at hand should it be needed.

Colonel Travis, commander of the Alamo didn't make it.

Davy Crockett relays many messages and continues to cover all aspects of the batte and finally gives his gun to Bowie for protection.

Davy Crockett was great, you could really imagine him being "the" Davy Crockett.

Santa Anna"s  Army finally breaks through and the Alamo falls.

The Bowie knife was taken and the Alamo had fallen, at 6.30 p.m. Sunday March 6th 1835, and Sunday March 6th 2011 (Fantastic re- enactment)

After the battle everything had to be packed away ready for the next battle.

Right at the end of the re enactment we were all handed "The Yellow Rose of Texas" followed by smaller yellow roses from the magnificent floral display encircling the whole of the Alamo.

                                  The Crockett Tavern - seems a good place to check out!

San Antonio, still as exciting as ever.

Had to take a picture of my mementos.

My Mardi Gras Beads and my Yellow Roses of Texas.

Some days should never end!

SATURDAY MARCH 5 th 2011 300285

We had really high winds and heavy rain through the night, but it was sunny when we got up.  However it was still windy and quite cool.

About 8.30 a.m. we could hear the park rangers out with chainsaws.  Oh NO!  Not chainsaws in Texas.  We were lucky, it was just the fact the winds bought down quite a few trees through the night.

     All packed ready to leave for San Antonio 10.30 a.m.

The Guadalupe river, which also ran through the park, was really quite pretty.

It was still very windy, but didn't make the drive into San Antonio too bad.

San Antonio looked as good as it did 20 years ago.

We checked into Days Inn to allow us WIFI hookup and good access to Down Town.  3004458

Down Town was great - WIFI not so good.

Spent a fanstic afternoon along the River Walk.  Weather was perfect here too.

I do wonder how Hiker Mike managed to remember where "Durty Nelly's Irish Pub" was, so quickly,  when he has trouble remembering yesterday.  It was 20 years ago when we were last here.  

Very glad he did remember, we stopped in for a beer and wine (go figure), and there was quite a party going on.  The army and the marines were challenging each other to singing along with the piano player.   We were in no hurry to leave!


It is quite a special weekend in San Antonio this weekend.

But then I have never been to San Antonio when it was not a special weekend.

It was "Fiesta" Day today.  Which is San Antonio's Mardi Gras.

There were many "Mardi Gras" river boats going along.  Lots of great music coming from the boats, and lots of Mardi Gras Beads beng thrown from the boats.

I did get two strings of beads - we won't go into the reasoning of the Mardi Gras beads!!

There was a great Band playing at the stage along the River Walk.

Always so much going on, so much to see and do.

We wandered the river walk and the stores before heading back to our room.

It began to cool off some, but still nice and bright.

Wifi still not good, so just left note on blog, and finally, some time later, here I am reliving that fabulous weekend.

We both agree that San Antonio is just as exciting as it was 20 years ago.

What a great day!,  

Can't wait for tomorrow.  That is to be another special day, as it is the 175th Anniversay of the Falling of the Alamo, and there is to be a re-enactment of that day.

FRIDAY MARCH 4TH 2011 299780

Bright and sunny start to the day, with a nice breeze to keep us comfortable.  Took a walk around the trails before breakfast.   Then all packed ready to leave 11.00 a.m.   The plan for today is to be just outside San Antonio, and then into San Antonio tomorrow for the weekend.

Once again the terrain changed a lot and quite quickly.  We were out of the mountains and it was extremely flat for quite a distance before we reached the Fort Stockton area.  It also got very windy.  The cross winds were not only "cross" they were plain angry!  At one point it blew up across the interstate and almost put us onto the shoulder.  However, the temperature was good.   We stopped to fill up with gas at Fort Stockton and it was 79f / 26c.  Not too hard to take as it was -6c in Durham On. this morning.

By the time we reached mile marker 278 we were in the hills again.  It was very pretty and thankfully not quite so windy.

When we stopped for lunch we saw a good many birds, probably waiting to help us eat our lunch.  There were sparrows, of course, and many grey coloured birds with light coloured wings.  Will check the bird book to see what they are.  Could be they were Sage Thrashers.  Also saw Hawks, Eagles and Summer Tanagers, which are beautiful red birds.

It was a good ride into Kerrville Texas, and a real good park.

BONUS FOR US.   There was no fire ban here, so finally we could light the camp fire and sit out and relax.
Great way to end the day.
                                                                                                                                                                         

THURSDAY MARCH 3rd 2011 299214

Once again another brilliant sunny morning.   The plan for the day was to get going and reach Balmorhea State Park again this evening.  So all packed up and ready to hit the road about 10.00 a.m.

We stopped at Continental Divide Trading Post, where Mike found a good "project" vehicle.

NO. He was not allowed to bring it home.  Same as I was not allowed to buy everything I wanted in the trading post!

Oh well, its nice to dream, isn't it?

The Continental Divide was 4545 feet above sea level. 

Outside the Trading Post we saw these "chickens" wandering around the parking lot.   It looked so "Mexican" we had to take the picture.

We had a good and fairly easy drive through the mountains and highways, and crossed into Texas about 12.40 p.m.

It was very busy around Las Cruzes, that "Murder Capitol of the World".   Shame about the title, as it looks an OK place really.

El Paso  was very busy also.



We did see several eagles and quite  few wild horses,  and naturally took another load of photos.

We stopped for a nice picnic lunch and as you can see we finally found a tree.  It seemed like weeks since we actually saw a tree.   Didn't wander far from the tree as the terrain looked like the rattle snakes owned the whole area.

Back on the road after a nice lunch and again the scenery began to change.  Still very impressive, especially around the Quitman and Eagle Mountain ranges.

The two lane road leading to the State Park was fantastic.  Too bad we couldn't take the time to travel all the two lane roads.


All settled in the park at 5.15 p.m.    299780

 Pleased to say it was still hot and sunny, so we sat outside enjoying the weather.

Our camping neighbours from both sides came for visit.  It is always fun meeting camping neighbours.
Brian was from B.C. and Hugh was from Southern California.  We had a great hour or so all telling silly stories.

Nice BBQ supper, and once again the stars looked as if you could pick them from the sky.



It was another fun filled day.  And if you are interested - the soup can is doing good!