Sep 28 2016 Cedar Hill State Park

Took  the bikes for a quick trip to Cedar Hill State Park.  It is only a few miles away so we will be back.  All the trails were closed due to recent rains - but we had fun anyway.
We cycled around the road system and ended  up at Penn Farm.

We are still just big kids really.....

Sep 26 2016 Debate #1 food

Well since we will be hurling insults at the TV tonite may as well have some yummy finger food.


Take:
1 bag of mini sweet  peppers  (jalapenos wont work with Clare)
1 tub of cream cheese
1 pound of bacon.

De-seed the peppers
Stuff with cream cheese
Wrap with bacon.
Roast
Eat

Hurl insults at the TV.

Sep 21 2016 - Abilene then home

Spent last night at Abilene State Park   Before sundown we toured the adjacent Lake - you need a code to get past the locked gate.  We were the only ones there so had a picnic under some big oak trees.  When it was time to leave the exit gate decided it wasn't going to open.  Now what?  Plan B was to climb the fence at the entrance gate and type in the code, but as it turns out then entrance gate opened as we approached.  Phew!  A quick trip to the nearby town of Buffalo Gap for ice and we were all set.

The campground had the usual array of wildlife plus a large group of Turkeys.
The pool was drained as the lifeguards are school kids and they are back at school.  This park has a recreation hall surrounded by 36 campsite in one big ring.  Group camping at its finest if that is your thing.

Today we headed to Abilene for the Frontier Texas museum.   We spent over 2 hours in here which is unusual for us.  Some great exhibits that try to explain the Frontier history from several perspectives.
Then the town walking tour.  Lots of nice buildings to stare at - and many fun Dr Seuss and similar statues to giggle at.

Abilene has a nice downtown - but is almost totally devoid of shops/restaurants to browse - its all offices.  Or so it seems.  Like most towns in these parts the railroad started the town - and the nicest properties are close to the (closed) station.

On a whim on the way home we popped into the town of Eastland - all because of a frog.
There's is no point rewriting it - read the story here

Sep 20 2016 - Fort Griffin

We brave the longhorns and get back to the visitor center to pay for last night and take a tour.  No guided tours are available - but we can take the golf cart and do our own tour.

There's not much left of the fort, but some buildings have been rebuilt, and you can tell from whats left just how big it was.

After touring the fort we take the unmarked road to find the old town that grew up near the fort.  This was a real wild place - hotels,bars, houses of pleasure and a jail.

They squeezed 18 prisoners in that one room - quite often apparently.

The front....

The back....

If you follow the road towards the river you get to one of the first bridges  over the Brazos river..  Its unsafe now but if these structures could talk.....

Leaving Fort Griffin behind we head for Albany.  As usual - a great but deserted courthouse, but this time we also got an old soda store and an art gallery inside an old jail.   

Then off the Abilene State Park to spend the night....

Sep 19 2016 - Possum Kingdom

On our way out of  Mineral Wells State Park we saw a funny thing.  You have to drive over the dam spillway to leave the park, and the vultures like to congregate there - in the shade with their feet in the water.  There were a few on the sign which we thought was funny....

The town of Mineral Wells was once very grand.  Spurred by sales of the health-giving spring water in the early 1900s it grew very rapidly.  What strikes you now as drive into town is the enormous, dilapidated, deserted hotel right in the center of town. Anyone want to buy it?

Then we are off to Possum Kingdom State Park   Sounds intriguing.  Had to chuckle at what some farmer created out of an old dumpster on the way....

Drove around the empty campsites to see which one we would take if we were staying there. Found a nice one and had our picnic lunch there before a hot hike up the hill to the overlook.

Next stop was the town of Breckenridge.  While creeping around the court house, we were accosted by the city clerk who insisted on giving us a personal tour.  Got to see the jury room and the spiral staircase that lead to the shower room /bunkhouse.  When the courthouse was built all juries were male - and when sequestered overnight they were put up in the courthouse.  That has all changed now of course.

Old and new court houses

When we mentioned to the clerk that we were going to Fort Griffin next, we were taken to the office to meet a co-worker who camped there often and she printed off a map of the park and explained which sites were good.  We ended up in her favorite site - #13.  We also got  to meet her mother and daughter, and found out where to get the ingredients for our supper.  Texans really are  friendly.  Great service!   Then it was off to Fort Griffin   We arrived there as they were closing - they spent some time talking with us and explaining everything there was to see.  They told us to come back in the morning to pay!

The river below our campsite

As it gets towards dusk, a few rabbits appear but stay close to the fence line.  They dont seem to be afraid of humans but we guess they have learnt that there is danger in the skies above. Then a louder rustle announces the arrival of an armadillo.  Curiously this was accompanied by a pair of Red Cardinal birds - we guessed they were eating insects scared up by the armadillo. One of the attractions of this place is its "dark skies".  No light pollution reaches here so its a great spot to kick back and stare at the sky.

Sep 18 2016 Living in a van

Today is the day.  We are practicing at living in a van One day we hope to be full timing in a Casita travel trailer, (caravan for you Brits)  but for now we live at home and take gradually longer and longer camping trips and live in our Dodge Caravan (people mover).    Since we live in Texas, we will make it our mission to visit all the Texas State parks. First thing to get is the annual State Parks pass.  It costs $70 but gives us free entry to all the parks (still have to pay for camping)  Most parks seem to be between $4 & $7 per person per day so we will get our money back in about 6 days.    

First stop is the town of Weatherford

Nice town but seemed to lack a "heart".  The splendid courthouse would have made a great focus but as in so many of these towns the opportunity is lost to an endless supply of attorneys offices....

Mineral Wells is our destination today.  A State Park on a lake.    All the usual lake stuff is here but also - unusually - a rock climbing area.

We got a great campsite on the water with sunset views.  Of course we had mosquitoes but we were ready for them.  That net is big enough to swallow most of the van - so we can sleep with the windows open.