Our exodus from Hot Springs AR on May 25, 2010 found us heading west on scenic US 270. Logically, the further we traveled from Hot Springs the more remote became the landscape. The highway traversed rolling hills with sporadic vistas and intermittent pockets of civilization. The roadside businesses catered to the vacationer, adventurer and outdoorsman - lodges, fishing tackle shops, convenience stores, boat repair shops, restaurants and kayak rentals. Occasionally, a scenic pullout would provide a respite for the legs and a feast for the eyes. Scarce patches of wildflowers dotted the route but usually were limited to 2 or 3 varieties in any location. This type of floral display is more of what I remember of my days in the Midwest and reveals why the spectacular exhibits we saw in east Texas had such a ... read more

Well, low-keyed is an understatement for the Cajun Cowboy Motel & RV. They have Wi-Fi and satellite TV in the motel, but there are no 21st century amenities in the RV park - without an additional fee from a third party provider who is extremely proud of his exceptional service. There also are no customers in the RV park. In the four nights we were there, about 3 or 4 rigs came in for less than twelve hours - eat, sleep and be on their way. For the most part, we’ve been staying at few-frills RV parks and have learned that counting on extras like picnic tables and shade trees is presumptuous, but the Cajun Cowboy carries no frills to the extreme. Lesson learned - we now have a checklist to use before we book the ... read more

Monday morning, April 19, 2010, was overcast as we headed east on TX 71 to Bastrop and TX 95 to Elgin where Irene guided us onto several county roads until we reached Lexington where we caught US 77 on into Waco. The further we drove, the more the skies cleared. Different kinds of wildflowers appeared along the road, but there were few spots where I could pull over with the trailer. We hoped those flowers would present themselves again when I wasn’t towing the Pilgrim. As we got closer to the Quail Crossing RV Park, we turned onto a residential street in a small subdivision. I assured Kay that Irene either had taken us on the most direct (but not simplest) route or had taken us to the wrong destination. The RV park owner assured me ... read more

Beautiful wildflowers! That’s about all that can be said of our leisurely trip through the Texas countryside on the way to Von Ormy TX - just south of San Antonio. It seems like the roadside splendor intensifies every day of the trip. First the blues covered the shoulders of the roads. The low-growing yellows joined them. Then taller yellows and some whites. Kay tells me there are some reds, pinks and purples here and there. Even though I don’t see all of the hues, those that do register are truly pleasing to my eye. I remember that very little of the rural Midwest has been left to fields of “weeds” and know that the concentration of the flowering cacti in the Southwest cannot compete with the power of this panorama. Even though the timing of this ... read more

Since shortly after I retired to Silver City NM in 1998, I had heard about the beauty of Big Bend National Park TX and had wanted to mosey over see for myself. It seemed only natural to make that the first stop on my great adventure. Originally, I had planned to spend a week in Fort Davis TX and then a week in Big Bend NP. When I learned there are no RV hook-ups in Big Bend NP (I have yet to acquired a generator), that idea was quickly postponed. Since I did want to get a sample of the area, I decided to take two one-day trips into the Big Bend area to satisfy my curiosity. More about that later. I also learned that spring break lasts almost the entire month of March for somebody, ... read more