23 - 26 May - Deep in the Heart of Texas

As always, we're on the road again.  This time we're headed east for the great state of Texas.  The Lone Star State, where everything is bigger as we're about to find out.  The trip through eastern New Mexico and west Texas is not the scenic beauty that we've experienced so far, that is unless you like seeing flat land filled with oil wells and oil pumping equipment.  The land is covered with them.  I'm surprised at the density and most of them appear to be active.  Looks like we have an oil boom going on in the U.S.

 

Welcome to Texas.  Looks like the state line sign has seen it's better days.

 

 

The oil fields.

 

 

I'm not sure if this was Lady Bird Johnson's Beautify America program but the highways are lined with colorful wildflowers as we head east.

 

 

You may think this is some kind of abstract art but it's not.  It's rain as the camera see's it.

 

We've been lucky with the weather so far, beautiful sun filled days with just a sprinkle of rain here or there or a dusting of snow but our luck just ran out.  As I try to find a place to park in Austin the sky's let loose with a torrent of rain.  Finally an open parking space to the side of the capitol building and the rain slacks off to a drizzle.  Enough funds into the parking meter for the next hour and I make a mad dash to the capitol building.  It's huge, as you would expect in Texas.

 

 

 

The building from the parking lot.



 

Inside looking up into the dome.  The lone star in the center.

 

Six flags have flown over Texas since the European exploration of the area began under Cortez in 1519.  That history is represented by the following:

 

 

Texas as a Republic

1836-1845

 

Texas under Spanish Rule

1519-1685; 1690-1821

 

 

Texas under French Rule

1685-1690

 

 

Texas under Mexican Rule

1821-1836

 

 

Texas as a state in the United States

1836-1861, 1865-present

 

Texas in the Confederate States

1861-1865

 

 

The Texas House of Representatives was in session voting on budget issues.

 

Following and enjoyable and interesting tour of the capitol building, it was time to leave, or so I thought.  It had been raining with lightening and thunder occasionally.  Walking out the front of the capitol building I am greeted with torrential rains again.  Figuring this will pass quickly, I joined the others waiting for a break in the weather on the front capitol steps.

 

 

View from the capitol steps as I'm ready to leave.

 

About fifteen minutes later - the buildings in the distance have disappeared.

  

 

The school kids make a break for it.

 

One lone soul headed our way.  Check the wind too.

 

After about half an hour it started to ease up.  I thought, here's my chance and luckily for me, if I get drenched I'm in the RV and I can change my clothes.  I made it, only having to change my shirt, but the rains continued.  At least we're able to head off to New Braunfels and settle into our camp site for the night. Tomorrow's another day and it's off to San Antonio to see the Alamo and the River Walk.

 

We wake the morning of the 24th and head off for breakfast.  Delicious eggs, bacon, and wonderful local pancakes, the house specialty.  Guess what, it's still coming down and hard.  Luck is on my side and there's a parking spot that can handle the RV right by the front door.

 

I'm only here once so I assume the rain eventually has to stop and head out for the Alamo. 

 

 

That's a silly place to put a lake, right in the middle of the road.  Oh, that's no lake. That's the result of ten inches of rain.

 

Guess it's happened before,"Watch for Water on Road"

 

Well, what to do now.  Oh, there's a Starbucks right here.  Go have a mocha and wait it out.  After an hour it did stop.  The only problem was finding a road that didn't look like a parking lot.  So much for the interstates, the trusty ole GPS came to the rescue.  Side streets and normal business streets offered the ticket.  Within a half-hour we're down town at the Alamo and River Walk.

 

 

The Americans that fought at the Alamo

 

The Alamo

 

Originally named Misión San Antonio de Valero, the Alamo served as home to missionaries and their Indian converts for nearly seventy years. Construction began on the present site in 1724. On the 6th of March 1836, General Antonio López de Santa Anna led the final assault before daybreak. By sunrise the battle was over and Santa Anna's forces were victorious.

 

 

 

The layout of the grounds.

 

Just a few blocks from the Alamo is San Antonio's famed River Walk.  The San Antonio River Walk is a public park, a network of walkways along the banks of the San Antonio River, one story beneath approximately 5 miles of downtown San Antonio.  Lined by bars, shops and restaurants.

 

 

Map of the River Walk area

 

 

Down to the River Walk

 

Umbrella's on the table.  A good idea.

 

I didn't find a troll under the bridge.

 

Dick's may have been the Last Resort but I didn't need a last resort.  I found a hot fudge sundae that did the trick.

 

In spite of the record rainfall we managed to achieve our objective.  Now it's back to New Braunfels to settle in for the evening and ready ourselves for heading east to Louisiana and Arkansas.

 

 

22 - 23 May Santa Fe to Carlsbad New Mexico

Time to head south again.  Sound's like we're headed back into really hot weather again.  It's on the road today with the plan to visit Carlsbad Caverns first thing in the morning.  The park service offers kennel services at the caverns so no concern for Raven.  She'll be safe and sound and cool in their facility.

 

Nothing exciting about this segment.  A direct shot.

 

The only thing exciting on this leg of our journey could have been Roswell but Debby and I did that on her last road trip.  Somehow stopping there again just wouldn't be the same.  I did overhear someone talk about White Sands National Monument but I didn't think about it. That can be something for another trip.

 

 

So many towns with closed businesses

 

Vacancy.  For how long?

 

Another business gone.

 

From the past.

 

One of the things that happens while travelling alone is there is a lot of time to think.  I knew our economy has been bad but as I travel along the back roads of this great country it is amazing the number of towns that look like these photos above. 

 

I believe there have been at least three major events that have caused the small town decline.  The first major event was the building of the interstate highway systems.  You see so many businesses that look like they were in business and prosperous in the 50's and 60's but are long gone.  Some were repurposed and survived the first change but didn't make it on the second or third wave of changes.

 

The second wave that hit small businesses hard were the massive, cut rate stores, Walmart and all of the associated big box, high volume, small margin businesses.  The small mom and pop stores couldn't compete.

 

The major wave has been the economic mess of the last several years.  Everything for profit.  To hell with everything else.  Short sited decisions to keep the stock prices up regardless of the long term effects.  High stock price yields high executive bonuses, although high bonuses still happen regardless of how the executives perform.  Remember when we had pensions, health care paid for by our employers, employers that made every effort to keep their employees and keep them employed, politicians that voted for their constituents instead of a party line.  It wasn't perfect but it wasn't as cut throat as it is today.

 

So this is what was determined to be good.  Growth at any expense.  Profit at any expense.  If this is progress, I'll be damned.  Maybe it's just the nostalgia of an old man but I'd really like to return to the relative safety of the 50's.  Sorry for the ramblings but the thoughts passed through my brain along the way and I felt the need to get them out.

 

On a liter note, the scenery has changed.  Nothing so dramatic as Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and northern New Mexico.  A lot more large ranches.  More often than not you can't see the homestead on most of the properties.

 

 

Pronghorns

 

 

The herd out for their breakfast.

 

It's the middle of nowhere.  How many of us would like to live where it's 45 to 70 miles to the nearest bank, grocery store, gasoline, restaurant, or service of any kind?

 

 

Nearest gas.

 

 

Nearest bank.

 

 

Nearest groceries.

 

 

Southern New Mexico for miles and miles.

 

We arrive in Carlsbad Caverns, the city, in late afternoon, hot and tired.  It's time to set up camp, get cool, take a nap, and relax.  Tomorrow morning is a great time to visit the caverns.  It' will be cooler and we'll be rested.

 

 

 

 

 

Map of the cavern from PlanetWare.com

 

 

Since I have to kennel Raven I choose to take the self guided tour which is focused in the Big Room. It's by far the largest room of any cavern I've ever visited.  The size is just huge.  The hike around the room takes about forty-five minutes and is beautiful.

 

 

The entrance once you descend the height of about a 75 story building.



 

An unusual formation hanging from the ceiling

 

 

Note the tall slender columns.

 

Another unusual formation

 

Stalactites hanging from the ceiling of the big room

 

Mirror lake, one of the few pools of water that I saw

 

More beauty

 

 



The Painted Grotto

There are so many more wonderful formations and photos.  I don't want to go on for too long but when I see you again, if you're interested, I'd be happy to share more with you.

Well, the hike through the caverns was great.  Raven survived the morning in the kennel.  We're reunited and both ready to head east.  This time it's onward to Austin and San Antonio Texas.  Let's see what the big state has in store for us.  So long for now and again thanks for following us.  Take care.