One Last Day of Living On the Water

We spent almost all of Monday on errands, leaving the rig before lunch, and not returning until almost dark. . .I felt like I had been around the world. . .and not in a good way! 

Picked up our favorite boudain at a meat market in Jasper that specializes in DJ’s Boudain. . .it is the best I have ever tasted. . .so if you ever see it available anywhere. . .be sure to try it. . .delicious!

Went for our annual physicals. . .which always seem to take FOREVER. . .what is up with that?  Spending three hours in the doctor’s office is not my idea of fun. . .at all! ! !

Needless to say, I didn’t get a bike ride in. . .or get to take any new pics. . .so I will leave you with a few of my very favorite views of the Cypress Swamp. . .

taken from inside the RV looking out the back window

Love that you hardly tell where the tree ends and the water begins. . .and the fog just adds to the overall ambience. . .

Later in the day. . .from our campsite

and it would be a swamp with spanish moss. . .now would it?

these guys put in at the boat dock bright and early. . .Dave was doing the deliverance theme. . .although I’m almost certain the guys in Deliverance were in canoes. . .weren’t they?

I hope you’ve enjoyed our pictures of the swamp as much as we’ve enjoyed being there. . .bright and early this morning, we set off for the Thousand Trails Park in Conroe. . .Dave is teaching a class in College Station, so will be gone most of the week. . .it’s going to be very quiet around here. . .probably not much to report on!

We may volunteer at one of the State Parks in the area. . .waiting to hear back from them. . .other than that. . .just regular life in the RV. . .

Til next time,

Janice

For more great swamp stories, check out Travels with Emma

An East Texas Cypress Swamp. . .So Pretty!

I love the water in any form. . .

even sitting by a swimming pool or fountain makes me happy. . .

so sitting at the water’s edge at Lake Texana was just perfect. . .

how much more relaxing can you get?

 

and of course you know I’m going to chase down

and photograph any butterfly that I see. . .

 

but, alas, all good things must end. . .

so Friday morning, we loaded up, and headed out through Houston, which would supposedly cut an hour off of our travel time. . .what were we thinking?  Traffic. . . cars cutting in front of ya at 65 mph. . .changing lanes to make sure you stay on the right freeway. . .grrrrrr. 

 

We lived, and drove in Houston traffic for 30 years.  I didn’t think a thing about driving across town to take a class. . .but pulling  a rig is a whole different ballgame. . .but survive we did . . .

 

 

and arrived at beautiful Magnolia Ridge,

a COE park on B.A. Steinhagen Lake. . .

 

what a beautiful, beautiful place. . .

 

after a great lunch of ribs, potatoes, and baked beans. . .

Dad and Dave are standing outside discussing fishing. . .

more gorgeous fall color in the Cypress Swamp. . .

went alligator hunting again. . .still no luck!

but this red headed woodpecker was putting on quite a show. . .

and after a four mile bike ride. . .

the perfect end to the day. . .fishing!

 

Until next time,

Janice

 

 

Full Time RV Travel–Lake Steinhagen

We have arrived at our new digs. . .

the rig is backed in to. . .and we are overlooking a cypress swamp

off of Lake Steinhagen, which is close to Jasper TX. . .

 

Because today was a LONG, stress filled (read pulling the rig through Houston traffic) day. . .this is going to be a short post. . .

 

but you can rest assured. . .I am still on my quest to see an alligator. . .

so I will keep you posted!

Lake Texana Has Water–I’m so Happy!

We arrived at Brackenridge Recreation Complex and RV Park yesterday. . .mid day. . .

and was thrilled to find that Lake Texana actually has water in it. . .so happy!

 

This is the best view we’ve had since we left Estes Park in June. . .love looking out over the water!

The water hyacinth, seen here, and the hydrilla. . .

both highly invasive plants in Texas Lakes are everywhere,

so it will be tough fishing from the bank. . .

but we are certainly going to give it a try.

however. . .swimming is NOT on the agenda,

but I will be on the lookout for an alligator to get a shot at. . . with the Nikon, of course.

 

After my tribulations of not being able to peddle back up the hills

in Columbus, I was thrilled to find a nice, flat bike path here

that meanders it’s way for five miles alongside the lake,

and through the beautiful oak and pecan trees. . .

 

My plan is to be out there on it everyday. . .

and would love to do the entire five miles before we leave here. . .

 

More on that later. . .as the week progresses!

 

Janice

A Happy Birthday Bicycle for ME!

I decided for the big double nickel birthday. . .things need to change. . .

and since I don’t plan to stop eating the good stuff. . .

perhaps a bicycle would help. . .

(the only time in my life that I was ever “skinny”

was when I did a bicycle ride every day, while the boys were taking a nap)

here’s my sweet hubby putting it together. . .the ones that were available

put together at the store, were already rusty, and dirty. . .and I just wasn’t

willing to pay full price for something that already looked old.

here we go. . .first ride. . .note the helmet people.  On the advice of friends,

but against my will, I bought. . .and will wear, the crazy thing. . .hate it!

returning from my first ride. . .no. . .nothing is wrong. . .

well, nothing is wrong with the bicycle. . .

I, on the other hand. . .am soooo out of shape,

I couldn’t pedal back up the hill. . .

sad, I know. . .but my legs were on FIRE. . .pitiful!

here’s Dave attaching  the bracket for the bike carrier to the frame under the front of the truck. . .

 

We would love to put the carrier on the back of the rig. . .

but, we have no bumper. . .and seemingly, no way to add one without

having some welding done. . .this is a viable (cheaper) solution. . .

plus. . .my RV blog friend, Sparky, often talks about driving over to a biking trailhead. . .

so having the bike carrier on the truck will allow us to access those!

 

the finished product. . .

 

Sparky, on her Where’s Eldo blog wrote about having had three different bike carriers in

four years. . .and this is the rack they’ve finally decided on as being the best solution. . .

Our neighbors across the street were also using this bike carrier, so we took the advice of both

of them, and went with it. . .and the best part. . .

Camping World had it on special for $55 off the regular price. . .my kind of deal. . .

 

My RV friend Kim sent me a note on FaceBook to say she lost 32 pounds this summer

riding her bike. . .here’s hoping I’ll do the same. . .wish me luck!

 

Janice

 

Wow, What a View!

Dave’s early morning view. . .amazing!

A Beautiful Fall Day

Chores done. . .projects finished. . .time to take a drink and a magazine outside and enjoy this beautiful fall weather. . .

this little guy was putting on quite a show way too close to my chair. . .

I think I’ll move around to the other side of the rig. . .

well. . .hello beautiful. . .

love the way the sun was lighting up the trees in the background. . .

and then “His Majesty” appeared. . .how would you like to be sitting in a deer stand,

and have such a magnificent creature walk up out of the brush. . .

my favorite way to shoot a trophy buck. . .with a Nikon!

Rig Washing Time

I must admit. . .it feels good to have finally gotten the rig, and the truck washed. . .

and it looks so much better without the bugs decorating the front. . .

Next weekend, we hope to get the cap rewaxed. . .the sides still look good. . .

Miss Morgan, our grandaughter who is visiting for the weekend, was just as excited about

helping with the washing chores as I knew she would be. . .

although she was willing to hold the hose, and do the rinsing. . .

She was much happier to have her Pa take her fishing. . .

we’ll take her home to Houston tomorrow so she can get back into school mode for Tuesday. . .

it’s been a very productive and fulfilling weekend!

Janice

A Weekend With the Grand

this is our middle grand daughter, Morgan or Mo Mo as we affectionately call her. . .

She’s gracing us with her presence for the weekend. . .and because there is a teacher in service day,

we even get an extra day to spend with her. . .so she will go home on Monday. . .

When they were all younger, and could all fit on one queen size mattress. . .

they would ALL come and stay. . .now that they each need their own mattress. . .

we hafta have them one at a time. . .space being at a premium and all that. . .LOL!

Lots to do. . .fishing. . .picking up pecans. . .swimming. . .washing the rig. . .

she doesn’t know about that yet. . .I better go get rested up!

Touring Smithville TX

ah. . .exercise. . .it’s so very, very difficult to force ourselves out the door for a walk. . .walking around the RV park is soooo boring (whiney voice). . .but we know we gotta get out and do something, especially since we’re not willing to give up eating the good stuff. . .

so. . .what to do, what to do?  In Colorado, we did a lot of hiking, but hey, hiking’s not near as exciting in the flat lands of Texas. . .however. . .walking tours around little country towns are always very interesting. . . 

so yesterday, we headed out to Smithville. . .

with a pretty little historic down town. . .

fabulous architecture on many of the buildings. . .

(more inside and outside pics of this building)

don’tcha think last year’s Christmas lights still strung on everything add a great decorative touch?

but you may remember Smithville best as the setting for the movie Hope Floats. . .

along with other various movie titles. . .

and of course, no walk is complete with seeing beautiful flowers. . .I love them!

Beautiful Fall Weather in Texas

Not sure how long it will last. . .but it has been gorgeous weather the past few days. . .even the rain has been great!

There are a few patches of what I am calling goldenrod left. . .

which the butterflies, or maybe moths, are loving. . .

The pecan trees are loaded. . .so I decided to go for a walk and gather some. . .seems like it may be a couple more weeks before they really start falling. . .glad we are still going to be here. . .

Mr Majestic Six Point posed for me. . .isn’t he gorgeous. . .sure hope he makes it through hunting season. . .

and I’m hoping perhaps one of the manly men might tell me what he is doing here. . .well actually, I have a fairly good idea that he himself is on the hunt. . .or maybe the prowl. . .but not entirely sure. . .ha ha. . .