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!