May in Texas and New Mexico

We did not have plans beyond July 1st for this summer until a couple of weeks ago.  Chance brought a lady to Cactus Gardens who has volunteered for several years in New Mexico State Parks.  She told me what a great state it was to work with, and encouraged me to apply for a volunteer summer position.

I did, and 3 state parks contacted me.  We decided to check out Bluewater State Park on our way to Texas.  Bluewater Lake lies in the mountains at 7400 feet elevation.

 

The park is small, and rather remote … 30 miles to the nearest grocery, laundromat or WiFi, so it’s sometimes hard for them to get volunteers.  Other than the distance to those amenities, it is what we had been thinking of as a summer destination…. hopefully, high enough in elevation to not be so hot, relatively low humidity despite the lake, and not so busy that it will be a good place to relax.  We accepted the position offered, and will return for orientation the last two weeks of May.

From there, we traveled on to Kerrville, TX.  We spent almost a month in Take-It-Easy RV Resort with friend, Donna, and other friends, and enjoying visits from granddaughter, Cassandra, who lives in Austin.

 

 

When Cassie’s fiance, Logan spent an afternoon with us, we visited the Kerrville Arts and Cultural Center where we enjoyed a minature quilt display and a western art exhibit.

Upon our return to Bluewater Lake, we began our volunteer work of manning the office and gatehouse.

We are actually parked in a snug little corner of the maintenance compound.

Memorial Day weekend brought a lot of people to the park.  Campers lined the lakeshore, and the campground was quite full as well.

We will leave this week for a month in Indiana.  It will be the first time we’ve traveled without the 5th wheel since we moved into it full time in 2007…will definitely be different.

Texas to Indiana

The rest of the trip was uneventful.  We did take some country roads in Texas to see new scenery.  Lots of farmland and tiny towns.

         

We found a nice Passport America park at Shallow Creek  RV Resort near Gladewater.

One of our favorite campgrounds is Arrowhead Lake near Johnston City, IL.   It has a nice country setting and low prices.  We try to stop for a few nights anytime we’re in the area.

This time we were there on my birthday.  I chose to celebrate with a hike around Arrowhead Lake.  It’s an easy 2 mile hike.

Texas

Our immediate destination was Texas, where we planned to spend a month with good friends, Donna and Glenn Hallford, after an extended weekend stay with granddaughter, Cassandra.

We stayed at Cedar Breaks C.O.E. on Lake Georgetown.  The campground is appropriately named as you park nestled among the cedars.

It was quite hot, so we stayed inside for most of Cassie’s visit.  A short walk through the campground took us to a homestead site from the past.        All that remains of the home are some foundation stones.    

The drought has been severe in Texas, vividly pointed out by these beached piers. There is no water running where once there was fishing from the docks.   

The dry grass appeared golden in the light of the setting sun. 

As we walked along the edge of the lake, the  evening colors were spectacular.

      

         

Our visit was to end on a sad note.  We received word that Glenn had passed away unexpectedly.  We continued on to Kerrville to spend the month with Donna.

Glenn was a very special friend.  We have traveled with him and Donna often over the years.  We shall always miss him.  This photo was taken last spring when he and Donna joined Cassie and us at Georgetown Lake for a week.

Heading West Again

Several years ago, we stayed at the tiny campground, Arrowhead Lake, near Johnson City, Illinois.  We were delighted with both the campground and the price ($8.00 per night).

Imagine our surprise when we stopped this year, and found the campground had made some cosmetics improvements, and the price is still $8.00 (7.00 seniors)!

The campground is on the banks of Arrowhead Lake, and a walking trail runs along the banks.  These are photos we snapped of the office, picnic shelter, trail, log chapel and campground.

          

             

       

       

       

       

       

In contrast, a few days later we chose the 5 Star RV Park near Tyler, TX from our Passport America listings.  Yep, that’s the name, 5 Star.  We drove several miles down a narrow country highway to find the park.

      

When we finally located it, the “5 Star” park was nothing more than grass sites.  There was no Rec hall, laundry, or restrooms.   Texas has been in a state of drought now for several years, and the brown grass crackled underneath our feet.  To his credit, the owner said he had purchased the park rather recently, and had several improvements planned.  Our Passport price was $14, which means non-member customers are paying $28.00 nightly.  What a contrast to a few nights ago at Arrowhead Lake.