Places visited: Texas: New Branfels, Canyon Lake, Gruene, Wimberly, Blanco & Johnson
City

Thursday, April 19, 2001
Trek mileage: 25,759

We packed up this morning and headed south to New Braunfels and the
Camping World Store to have a Maxi Air fan installed in place of our
bathroom buzzer fan. Mike would have installed it but he does not
have a ladder to get on the roof where the fan goes. We had a 1:00pm
appointment but they did not start work on the installation until
after 2:30. Mike does not have any patience with this type of
appointment.

We have not been able to download e-mail since last Sunday. What a
bummer. Tomorrow we are going to find a campground that will let us
download.

We stayed at Hill Country RV-Resort in New Braunfels. It looks like a
place for snowbirds to camp out during the winter. The facility has
hot tubs, indoor pools, exercise rooms, recreation halls and every
other amenity for the bored to death crowd. The down side of Hill
Country RV-Resort is they do not let you download e-mail. We will be
out of here first thing tomorrow.

We originally planned to stay in Guadalupe State Park for a week or
so. However, when Joyce called them this afternoon they immediately
told her that they were fully booked for the next three weeks. Wow!
There weeks. This was one of the top spots we were looking forward to
staying. Friday will find us checking out Corps of Engineer parks and
private campgrounds in the area.

We dined at Oma's Haus Restaurant in New Braunfels. Oma's Haus,
according to the menu has something to do with a German grandmother.
Oma must be a German grandmother! Anyway, Oma has a great German
restaurant. We could not help but think of our brother-in-law, Andy
Johnson who likes Pappy's German restaurant in Panama City, Florida.
Andy, we had pork loin schnitzel with bacon and of course the German
red cabbage. We were thinking of you and how much you would have
enjoyed eating that good German food with us.

Friday, April 20, 2001
Trek mileage: 25,782

We moved the RV 23 miles up the Guadalupe River to Rio Raft Co. (RV
Park and Cottages) in Canyon Lake, Texas. It is on the scenic
Guadalupe River. After scouting the area we found one private RV-park
that appeared to be even better. We will try it the next time we are
in the area. (River Road Camp, on river road near 2nd crossing,
830-625-5004 open year round and very close to Gruene supposedly $18
to $20 with full hookup.)

The river road drive between Gruene and Canyon Lake along the bank of
the Guadalupe River is very scenic. The entire 10 to 12 mile road is
lined with tent camping sites and companies running tubing trips. We
will drive this scenic road several more times before exiting the
area.

We checked out Cranes Mills Corps of Engineers Park on Canyon Lake.
This COE campground is beautiful but they only have dry camping (no
water, electricity or dump station). However, what it lacks in
amenities it makes up in wildlife. One heard of deer in the park
consisted of over 50 deer that will let you drive your car right up to
them. Joyce and I actually fed them some crackers we had in the car.
I have a picture of Joyce with a deer eating a trisket out of her
hand. I have seen deer before but never more than 50 surrounding my
car with both of us standing outside the car. Now I know where they
make those deer hunting videos. Even I could make one of those
exciting close up videos. Galon I am going to send you a picture of
me sneaking up on a deer with a trisket. J

We saw rock squirrels for the first time today. They look like a fox
squirrel except for the coloration. The front half is black with the
back half a lighter caramel. They eat bugs instead of acorns and
seeds. They run around piles of rocks instead of trees. No telling
what we will see next.

We ate at the Gristmill in Gruene (New Braunfels). In New Braunfels
the Gristmill is THE place to dine. It is housed in an old 1870's
gristmill and cotton gin located on a high bluff overlooking the
Guadalupe River and easily seats over three hundred with ambience
plus.

Joyce is scheduled to cook sometime before we return home, I think.

Saturday, April 21, 2001
Trek mileage: 25,782

Aren't Saturday's great! You do not have to get up and go to work. J

Life is so good to us we can just relax and be flexible. We are
enjoying the scenery, shops, museums and each other's company.
Sometimes you just feel like taking a drive, with no specific goal in
mind. Today was one of those days, where we took a drive in the
country to expand our thoughts with pleasant constantly changing
scenery. The Hill Country offers one vista after another, refreshing
your spirit along the way. Even as you are drinking up the
countryside opportunities present themselves. Spotting the sign to
Wimberley Glass Works was a time to be flexible (take a break from
sightseeing).

Wimberley Glass Works in Wimberley, Texas about 15 miles north of our
RV-Park is a fascinating and entertaining experience. Glass Artist
Tim De Jong creates his masterpieces in front of a live audience. He
creates a masterful blend of artistic detail and contemporary elegance
in glass producing a variety of exquisite items, which are sold in the
attached store. Anyone visiting the area should put this at the top
of his or her list of things to do.

Wimberley is well known for its artist community. Many of the artists
and artisans that reside here travel on show circuits selling their
work across the country. Wimberley seemed to be a shopping
experience featuring a variety of artist products in individual
specialty shops.

For RV'ers in the area just south of Wimberley there is a very nice
picnic area (boon docking site) on Ranch 12 about a mile north of FM
32. Also just west of Wimberley on FM 2325 on FM 165 there is
another beautiful rest area (boon docking site).

On FM 3351 there is Bergheim campground located where FM 3351 crosses
the Guadalupe River. Phone 830-336-2235. We are not sure if this
beautiful location has hookups or not. We could see tenters and
picnickers from the bridge. There were places to park an RV and they
advertise for RV's. This place is mentioned because of the location.

On FM 3159 just west of the town of Canyon Lake there is a beautiful
hill top picnic area with enough space for 3 to 5 RV's to boon dock in
one of the most scenic spots in the Hill Country.

I have a good idea that we will be in one or more of the above before
we leave the area.

We have decided to spend Monday night with the deer heard at the Corps
of Engineers Park. Today we even purchased a bag of corn for deer
feed for the big event.

When driving from Wimberley to Blanco on Ranch Road 2325 we saw a sign
for Arnosky cut flower farm and vegetables. We followed the sign to
see what was going on. To our surprise a family was operating a cut
flower operation PLUS. I will explain the plus later. Texas
Specialty Cut Flowers is the largest cut flower farm in Texas. A
short way down the dirt road you enter the overflowing fields of
flowers while you drench your senses in colors and aromas. They grow
over 50 varieties of flowers. Walk up to the farm stand where you can
watch the cut flowers made into bouquets heading to the Austin
markets. They have a menagerie of farm critters goats, chickens,
turkeys, geese etc. When we arrived they were milking a goat. The
Arnosky family drinks fresh goat milk. They take their extra to a
place up the road and have it processed into yogurt and cheese. They
sell these products in addition to a variety of farm fresh certified
organic vegetables. Mrs. Arnosky home schools her children. One of
her daughters, a fifth grader, met us and did a remarkable job of
explaining the operation to us. Joyce talked to a personal friend of
Mrs. Arnosky's who was in the market and she told her that Lady Bird
Johnson visits the family several times during the year and purchase
plants for her gardens. In addition this family operation has been
written up in Southern Living. This market may only be open on
Saturdays. It would be a delightful stop for anyone passing through
the area. A word of caution, do not take your RV onto the property.

To top off a wonderful day --------- Joyce cooked! Doesn't this
prove miracles never cease?

Sunday, April 22, 2001:
Trek mileage: 25,782

We worshiped with the First Baptist Church of Canyon Lakes, Texas this
morning. Their attendance runs around 500 for the worship service.
The sermon was about each believer's obligation to share the Good News
of Jesus Christ with others. After the service the church had a quick
business meeting where they voted on accepting a new education
director. As the business meeting closed the pastor announced that
they were having a covered dish supper in honor of the new Education
Director, and they would be offended if the guests did not stay for
lunch. Joyce and I were both ecstatic and we were not about to offend
them. Covered dish suppers at Baptist churches are extraordinary this
one was no exception. Texans are not vegetarians they like their
meat. True to form there were multiple varieties of sausages, roast
beef, roast pork, chicken and every kind of casserole imaginable, not
to mention the two tables of deserts. We made friends and ate with
Jim Wiley. Jim had driven motor coaches for a living. He drove them
for a firm that supplied Provost busses and coaches to musicians
touring the country. He had driven Tanya Tucker's personal coach for
four years. What a delight spending an hour or so with Jim.

We drove to Gruene this afternoon to do the antique shops and country
stores. Around 5:30 we entered Gruene Hall Texas' oldest dance hall
where George Strait, Lyle Lovett and Hal Ketchum got started! (If you
do not recognize these names don't let anyone know) George Strait
played there from 1975 to 1981 when he headed to Nashville, telling
them if he didn't make he would be back. Most of you know
------------ "the rest of the story". Gruene Hall has been operating
since the 1870's. The "Big Ass Garage Sale" was the live band
performing for about 300 beer drinking Texans and tourist. They
performed their own songs and even had several CD's for sale. "Big
Ass Garage Sale" was the lead song on one of their CD's. The song and
the bands name had something to do with a "mother-in-law". It was
hard for us to decipher all of the words but it seems the
"mother-in-law" (Big Ass) went out of town and they partied down then
needed some money. That is where the Garage Sale part comes in. The
audience obviously knew the words as they were singing along and
laughing at the lyrics. Another of their songs had to do with missing
his ex-father-in-law but not his ex-father-in-law's daughter. This
one was obviously funny also as the audience sang and laughed along
with this tune also. The band constantly made fun of Texans and
mobile homes or trailers. One of the best ones asked the question
"what do a tornado and a Texas divorce have in common?" Answer:
"someone is going to lose a trailer"!

Monday, April 23, 2001
Trek mileage: 25793

We awoke to strong thunderstorms that rolled through the area for
about four hours. It rained on and off the rest of the day.

We moved 11 miles up the road to Cranes Mills COE Park. This is the
park where we saw all of the deer last week. The only thing we did
other than spend time with the deer was drive in to the New Braunfels
Camping World store to get a tachometer that was being shipped to that
address from a repair facility. We took advantage of being in town to
grocery shop also. The rest of the day was spent with the deer at
Cranes Mills Park.

Mike connected up the new tachometer after it got dark and the
wildlife was no longer visible.

Tuesday, April 24, 2001
Trek mileage: 25825

We left the deer at Cranes Mill Coe Park to themselves this morning
and headed 32 miles northwest to Blanco State Park in Blanco, Texas on
the Blanco River. The State Park is very nice and only a three block
walk to historic downtown Blanco population 1,238.

The early afternoon was spent scouting out the antique shops in
Blanco, and eating at the Bowling Alley Café. This Café had captured
Blanco's lunch crowd with it's home cooking.

Later we drove up the road to Johnson City (the boyhood home of LBJ)
then to Pedernales Falls State Park a really nice State Park featuring
Pedernales Falls. Between Johnson City and Pedernales State Park on
Farm Road 2766 is a huge goat heard on the south side of the road. We
stopped to view the several hundred goats. Suddenly two big white
Great Pyrenees dogs protecting the goats from predators appeared at
the fence. I think they thought we were predators since they came to
the fence and communicated their warning to us. Speaking of goats,
Joyce and I have been enjoying goat milk and goat yogurt the last few
days. We got started when we tried some goat cheese and yogurt at
Arnosky's cut flower farm. Their goat yogurt is mixed with pineapple
and is too good to describe. Goat milk contains a lot of solids so
you have to shake it vigorously each time you pour a glass, those
solids give it a full bodied texture not found in normal low fat milk.

The U. S. 281 bridge over Blanco River goes over a section of Blanco
State Park and is home to hundreds of nesting cliff swallows. It is
so relaxing to watch these graceful birds swoop in and out delivering
dinner to the nest occupants. Cliff swallows construct gourd-shaped
nests with small pellets of wet mud carried in their beaks from an
area of wet clay and packed into place creating a solid structure
fastened to the bridges cement beams. Literally, hundreds of these
mud nest structures are attached side by side under each of the bridge
beams with small hungry heads peering out of each. Adults swoop in
and deliver food at an astonishing rate.

Wednesday, April 25, 2001
Trek mileage: 25825

We are in LBJ (Lyndon Baynes Johnson) country so we toured the
National and State Parks in the area dedicated to him. The tour of
his "Texas White House" Ranch was great. His property is located just
East of Fredericksburg on the Pedernales River, a beautiful section of
Texas Hill Country. Lady Bird still lives in the house about one
third of the year. LBJ is buried under a tremendous old oak in a
family plot not far from the house. The reverend Billy Graham
officiated at the gravesite ceremony and Anita Bryant sang. Reading
their words and hearing their voices certainly brings back memories.
LBJ died of a heart attack four years after he left office he was 64.

We ate lunch at the Feed Mill Restaurant in downtown Johnson City
today. Neither of us will have to eat again until tomorrow. Besides
excellent food the Old Feed Mill has ambience plus. The proprietor
has a collection of signs and memorabilia second to none. Even if you
are not hungry when you pass through Johnson City you should at least
peep inside of this place. The place has as good a collection of
memorabilia as some places that advertise themselves as museums.

Our GPS stopped working today. After a bit of troubleshooting it
appears that the unit is not receiving power. I can do electrical
repairs especially broken wires. However, with a Delorme GPS there
does not appear to be a way to get into the unit to solder a new
connection. I dread having to discuss this with Delorme tomorrow.

Mike & Joyce Hendrix