Summer Camping Adventures Part 1

The JnL Roadshow is on the road for the summer with our travel trailer.  Part one of our adventure found us staying at La Hacienda RV Resort in Lakeway as LW finished his school contract for this year.  Of course I spent my days in the pool!

On Thursday, June 24, we left La Hacienda and headed to Junction TX and the 10/83 RV Park.  The park is right off Interstate 10 and had easy access.  The spot we got was shaded and there was a terrific breeze.  We were  very close to the North Llano River.

On Friday we headed to Van Horn TX and the Wild West RV Park.  Since we are in West Texas desert country this park was very deserty.  Is that a word?  No shade, very hot but it was easy to get in and out of with the trailer.  While here we had lunch at a Mexican Restaurant called Chuy's (not connected to the Chuy's we know).  Inside the restaurant is the Madden Haul of Fame.  Supposedly John Madden stopped here and returns when he comes through West Texas.  There was a mural and a chair and tv reserved just for him.

On Saturday we arrived at Caballo Lake State Park in New Mexico.  We were very close to the Rio Grande River and could easily drive to Caballo Lake.  We actually put the kayaks in the lake for a bit but it was so windy it made it difficult to kayak.

Here are some of our views along the way.

Hang on for Part 2 coming soon!

Houston June 2021

 After leaving LB's house in Fort Worth, I drove to Houston to meet up with LW, who was attending a conference there.  After checking in, I found the pool while I waited for LW to finish for the day.

The next day while he finished up at the conference, I went exploring.

First I found Water Wall Park.

Next  I drove past the Beer Can House. Can you imagine having this house as your neighbor?  I guess there are no HOA rules about covering your house in beer cans.

Then I found these giant Beatles statues at a trailer food park but the gate was locked so I didn't get very good pictures.

Near there was Graffiti Building.  Here are a few of my favorites.

Last I went to the Houston Zoo.

After the zoo, it was time to pick up LW and head for home.

Camping Adventures of 2021

 This will be an ongoing post about our adventures with our new travel trailer. Follow us and enjoy our adventures.

New Year's Day saw us setting up at Sunset RV Park in Spicewood for a couple days trying to remember all that we were taught. The park host helped LW back the trailer into our site since it was his first time doing so. We got all set up and enjoyed the evening hanging out and doing nothing. The next day late in the afternoon we realized we had no hot water. The park host came to help but couldn't figure it out so we called technical assistance but still no luck. No big deal we can make.it one night without hot water. The trailer is 4 days old so we will return it to the dealer for them to solve the problem the next day. Unfortunately on Sunday when we pulled away we had no brake lights or turn signals on the trailer so we called our son to come over and follow us. We pulled over in Hudson Bend Middle School parking lot and called for a tow. 4 hours later the tow truck shows up but he brought a flat bed truck and no way of getting the trailer up there. So the decision was we would tow it to Crestview in Buda (where we bought it) while the tow truck follows with his lights and acts as an escort. Talk about a nerve-wracking 45 minutes drive! We left it for Crestview to figure out the problem.  The next weekend we went to Buda to get the trailer after they told us it was a fuse in the water heater. Ok supposedly all fixed and also a blown  fuse in the truck was why we had no lights. Didn't even know there was a fuse box in my truck that was related to the trailer. Good to know.  So we took it back to our storage spot. All good, right?

Me waiting on the tow truck for 4 hours

Hold on! On January 15 we head to the storage spot to hook up and head out to Lake Buchanan for the long weekend. We got the truck in position and found that the tongue jack will not raise or lower. We are not sure how to hitch it up if that doesn't work. Call technical assistance again. Someone failed to mention if the trailer will be sitting for an extended amount of time that we should unhook the battery. Not sure a week and half is considered extended amount of time but ok, good to know. Also found out there is a manual way to raise and lower tongue jack. Good to know! We finally get hooked up and on our way to Big Chief RV Resort outside Burnet on Lake Buchanan. Arriving after dark and hooking up by the light of powerful flashlight was a new experience but we did it and finally got something to eat around 8:30. On Sunday we find that it appears our toilet is blocked and we have no hot water again. Luckily there is a guy called Uncle Troy on site for just such issues and he helps LW with the toilet. But he can't figure out the problem with the water heater. We change the fuse thinking it might be that again but no luck. So Monday when we check out we head back to Crestview to leave it with them AGAIN! The following Saturday we pick it up and find out it had a bad electrical board which they replaced. So we took it back to the storage spot till we head out again.

The view 

On Tuesday January 26 we brought the trailer over to La Hacienda RV Resort in Lakeway for the week. It's only about 20 minutes from LW's school so I'm hanging out here while he works. As I sit here on Saturday night under the awning in 80 degree weather on the 30th of January, I'm reflecting on how this trip we have yet to have an issue. Fingers crossed!  Well we made it through a whole camping trip without an issue.  Thank goodness!  

 The trailer is safely stored at the storage spot until our next outing on February 12.  Until then...

So We Did an Exciting Thing To End 2020.....

 2020 has been a b**** in so many ways. Not to lessen any of the other losses this year but we lost the ability to travel. Not only did LW and I have to cancel several planned trips, Lauren and I had to cancel our two week trip through Germany and boy did that hurt.  So to end 2020 and hopefully allow for some future travel, we went out and bought this....

It’s a 2021 Grand Design Imagine XLS 22 ft travel trailer and of course we needed a truck to pull it.  I’m driving the truck on a daily basis. It’s a 2018 Ram 1500. I love driving it cause I sit up high and have always loved sitting up high in a vehicle.

We’ve completed our orientation and first night in the trailer and all went well. We decided that it was a lot of new information to take in and remember so we thought we should practice on our own right away so as not to forget anything. So we brought it home today, prepped it for the weekend and then will behbe to a campground in Spicewood for the weekend on Friday. Today we hooked up the trailer to the truck and undid everything in the cold and rain.  So I think if we can do it in that weather, we should be good for the better weather expected this weekend. We are also going to take Benny and see how he likes it.

We also decided that when LW is done working, we would travel the country with this trailer instead of how we did it in 2016-2017 in our car. I’m really looking forward to our short outings in our new trailer over the next year or so.  Watch for more about our adventures soon!

Solo Travels to Iowa and Back

 Since everyone was beginning their back to school routines, I decided to take a solo road trip  to Iowa to visit family.  I should have posted along the way but I didn't so this might get long.  Tuesday, August 4, I left Round Rock and drove as far as Wichita, Kansas.  Here are the sights from day 1-Keeper of the Plains and a couple sculptures.

Day 2 I stopped in Emporia, Kansas at the Memorial for Fallen Educators.  On the walls, the names of educators, states, and years in which they died were listed.  On the ground in front of the walls were the teacher organizations from all 50 states and some other quotes.

Once I arrived in Council Bluffs, Iowa, I checked in with family and spent time catching up.  One day I drove to Sioux City, Iowa to see the Trinity Heights Gardens.  There are tons of religious sculptures, places for prayer or quiet contemplation, an opportunity participate in the Stations of the Cross and many more lovely places.  There is a 20 foot high Mary and a Jesus that stands 30 feet high.  They also had on display a life size wooden last supper.  It was so cool. Here are a few of my favorites.

When I left Council Bluffs headed east to the other side of Iowa, to visit family, I stopped in Madrid to see the high trestle hike and bike bridge across the Des Moines river.  Then in Des Moines, I checked out the John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park and made a quick stop in Winterset to see the birthplace of John Wayne.

I stayed with my aunt and uncle a couple days and before heading to my dad's, I backtracked a bit to a sunflower field and an antique store.  Along the way I also saw the American Gothic painted barn.  While in the antiques store , people were talking about a bad storm headed towards us so I quickly left and got on the road.  I was trying hard to keep ahead of the storm.  Here is a picture of the sky behind me.  As I made the last main turn towards my dad, the storm caught up with me but that story deserves it's own post.  Watch for it!

One of the things I did while in eastern Iowa was visit the German American Heritage Museum in Davenport.  It had lots of interesting information about the Germans who settled in Scott County, Iowa.

The night before I left to head home to Texas, we went to my favorite ice cream place.

On my drive home, I stopped in Riverside Iowa, the future birthplace of James T Kirk, and Eldon, Iowa to see the original American Gothic home.

I love road trips and every now and then I love a good solo trip.  Watch for my story about the storm I tried to out run while headed to my dad's house.  Coming soon!