Just Piddling....according to Jerry C. of EggRolling

I suppose another post is due....I decided to travel north somewhat and venture up to Cherokee again, then head northeast on FM 501 to Bend Texas, and while meandering around that area, checked out Colorado Bend State Park...the drive there was interesting and presented itself with some photos of Bluebonnets..to include some Llamas....The park is rather unique....it bends around and parallel with the Colorado River....to get from the main entrance to the CG is about 6 miles...Pretty dense, its isolated and is primarly a hiking, fishing and boating park......pretty rustic..has a dozen or so primative back-in "RV" sites.... and a bunch of tent sites...I just drove around a bit and put it in my memory bank for some future adventure....

I thought I was in England or somewhere in the NW...but Texas?  What a Great place!

From The Park, I headed north a bit, to Bend, Tx...Got on FM 580 and drove to Lampasas, Tx and headed south back to Camp. It was a fun outing...not many photos, but some neat viewing along the way...weather was overcast with periods of heavy drizzle...

A full field of Bluebonnets...I'm smiling

By the time I arrived back at the camp site is was getting close to dinner time...since it was still misting I decided to forego grilling and made a ham sandwich and sides of cole slaw, cowboy beans and some chips.....after that I spent some time doing "this and that" with no real objective in mind....oh well tomorrow is another day....

(c)2016Horst Kelly Photographer...The sign says it all!

I'm guessing you could summarize today...as Jerry of EggRolling Blog fame explained in his post.....I was "Just Piddling" today.....Thanks Jerry for the reminder..  :))....Happy Trails to All.....Till next time....Soon....I Hope...Horst sends

.....and More of the Same

Its now Sunday evening(early) as I seat and bang out this post….I’m also in the middle of grilling some mushrooms, with onions, peppers, garlic and other good stuff…along with a pork steak…will add some Texas Cowboy beans, salad and hard roll…

(c)2016Horst Kelly Photography.. liked the Country Road

Let me back up and go to this morning….I was up early at the Hofbrau RV CG…not on my “Top 100 Hit Parade”…and we’ll just leave it at that.

Around 1000 hours I rolled out heading South to the Falls…it took me an hour…..arrived way early…checkout isn’t till 2pm…I got a site with the provision I could change it for one that I like better if and when it became vacant……it did and I got a very nice shaded, ok, a wooded site that kinda backs up to the River..though to reach it is about 1/2 mile hike, with a dead drop of 200 or more feet.. it’s a great site..and by mid afternoon not one person was around…though this evening I did get a neighbor or 3…it has rained a bit on and off most of the day, so for the most part not much activity on my part….a short hike…more like a walk to a couple of places…drove to the Falls area early after arriving and the parking lot was filled up…tomorrow is another day!

(c)2016Horst Kelly Photography... spoke to me.  :)

Its now 845pm…needless to say, I’ve eaten dinner…..and its wasn’t bad ….if I do say so….I spoke to my bride and now I thought I would finish writing to post…its being accomplished in Live Writer and I will try to send it on its “air wave” way tomorrow.

With the weather and moving again today, I didn’t get to do any photography…so I’ll try and include some from this past week..

I appreciate all that have stopped by and those that left the positive comments..Thanks!!  Happy Trails…Horst sends

(c)2016Horst Kelly Photography.... that old Barn could talk...the Memories

Sometimes the plan doesn’t come together…this(Monday) a.m. it was drizzling so I didn’t go to the top of the hill to send this post…its now Monday p.m. and time for some shut eye…..hopefully will be able to launch tomorrow morning…Horst sends again

(c)2016Horst Kelly Photography... are just starting to Bloom

                 

(c)2016Horst Kelly Photography.... old Homestead...and History

(c)2016Horst Kelly Photography...Why Not

(c)2016Horst Kelly Photography....the way it was

Bluebonnets and More...or Less

Field of Dreams...Texas Style.....

Its now Saturday and it seems I have been chasing Bluebonnets for a month...I've been on every rural road in a 100 mile radius to try and find the unusual photo shot....and I'm still searching...buts its been a fun "hunt"....though I think I'm running out of steam and time...from today on...until next Thursday there's a good chance of rain...in fact its spitting a little as I write...

View from my camper....lst sunrise.....I never tire of them

This is Texas!

Today is moving day...so I head a little south...will stay at a RV Park(The Hofbrau) until Sunday and then head to Pedernales Falls State Park for a few days...of course if it ends up with miserable weather, I will head on home....Instead of boring you with details as to what County Road I was getting lost at, I'll just leave you with some photo's...isn't that why I'm here?..  :)) until next time...Horst sends

I can't stop!

Lillie's of the Field.....


 

It Looked Nice....



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I couldn't resist...click to enlarge

Something Different....

Another Sunrise....Campground, Llano River......Thats all Folks!!!

My Spring Fix...Texas Hill Country

I got up around 0500 on Tuesday morning, made some coffee and went to the camper to do a final check and make sure I had everything...Bride got up and we had our early morning chat...since I had hitched up the evening before, the only item left was to check and add some air to the tires. made a couple last minute phone calls and by 0900 I was pulling out of the driveway....it was a perfect day for driving...a few clouds, nice temps., and rush hour was over...took about an hour reach l-10 and then made my exit for Fredericksburg,  going through that town is a little squirrelly as the main street isn't that wide, even with 4 lanes...made a right turn onto Hwy 16 and before you know it I was in Llano.

(c)2016Horst Kelly Photographer....ultimate solitude

I was early getting to the Campground, but they got me a spot without any wait...unhitched and I was off to the races...went North on 16 to Cherokee,Tx...Folks say there is a great BBQ joint there....wasn't opened when I got there.  The drive was magnificent Bluebonnets, Mexican Hat and Painted Brush where just getting ready to peak...while I didn't see any fields with flowers, the sides of the road where covered...amazing drive...and there weren't toooooooo many cars on the road...got back around dinner time, grilled a pork steak, salad, potato salad and sat on the banks of the Llano River enjoying my meal and listening too the hush of the evening....there'as something to be said for solitude and the soft sounds of a running river. Came in and got ready for the "Sandman"

(c)2016Horst Kelly Photographer

 

(c)2016Horst Kelly Photographer

I was up early...the dark sky was made even darker by a storm cloud, hanging low...the kind that could spawn a tornado....the sun woke up and the sky cleared...I again started north, but took a Country Road and then another until I was nowhere I though I would end up...I traveled north, south and east....all on back roads....didn't get that one magical photo...but got a bunch of memory makers....it was a magnificent Day...grilled a salmon, cleaned up, called my "Honey" and now its time to download some photo's and find a few to share my fellow Bloggers....

(2016Horst Kelly Photography

(c)2016Horst Kelly Photographer

Its been great fun so far.  Tomorrow I think I'll head south to Johnson City, Marble Falls and points in-between...Until next time...Horst sends

(c)2016 Horst Kelly Photographer

Solar Modifcation...and Trip Scouting for Wildflowers

Its been a while.....There has been numerous projects around the house, plus we had one of the Kids from Kansas City down here.......also dealing/helping with FIL's "new life style"...

(c)2011Horst Kelly Photographer..Million Dollar Hwy

One of the projects I wanted to do was get a new solar controller and instead of having it hooked to my panels, put it inside the camper...Finally got all the items ordered from Amazon....and to my surprise I had accumulated enough gift cards to pay for everything, new MPPT controller, remote, wiring, connectors and inline fuses....Ordered the items from Renogy...I most say they have thus far provided superb customer service.....and there products are first rate...by the way, I have NO relationships or interests in the Company. I guess I'm suppose to say that..   :)

So I put the Controller under the side dinette, by the partition, used 8 gauge to run to the battery(about 4 ft). Instead of screwing the controller into the wheel well I used velcro.....since it would be a pain in the a-- to monitor from underneath the side dinette, I got a remote and screwed it into the partition....you not only can monitor it with the remote, but also do adjustments and setting changes...I  got 40 feet of 10 gauge and ran that from the panels to the controller...you don't need heavy gauge for that run, in fact they say 14 gauge wire is more than enough...I connected wire with MC4 and MC4 Y connectors.....even got inline fuses that snap directly to the MC4 connectors...its pretty slick, sure makes easy work of it...and God knows I need it to be easy!  There are folks that have had trouble with the connectors being hard to clip and unclip....so far I have had not had the problem...I suppose it could be due to different manufactures.  I ran the wires from the solar panels(suitcase type)through the small door where the shore power cable is stored...I may look at somehow cleaning that up a bit...with both sets in there, its is a little unruly in the storage area. But overall quite happy and the MPPT is doing so much better than the PWM controller.....

(c)2015 Horst Kelly Photographer...Ilano, Tx. Bluebonnets

Its been a few days since I began this post.....I washed, and cleaned and organized the Albino Armadillo  today...prepping for my trip....since I'm not going to Bryce or Tetons this spring due to FIL's status, I thought maybe a short trip north to see if I can get some Bluebonnets and such before they go past their prime...I'm leaving Tuesday morning and plan to spend a week plus just roaming around the Hill Country and the Bastrop/Brenham area East of l-35.....I am ready for a adventure.....The weather is suppose to be just about perfect, I think we're all done with Spring Break.....its putting a smile on this old mans face and soul.

(c)2015Horst Kelly photographer...Ilano Tx. Bluebonnets

So there you have it.....I'm off and running.....with a Looong overdue trip...it may be short, but it will recharge my "Nomad" spirit  until I can venture West....hopefully I will be able to do a daily recap when on this trip...until next time....Horst sends

(c)2014 Horst Kelly Photographer...Tetons