On the Road Again...Post no. "uno" 313 miles on Rt 87 & 283

The day has finally arrived.....yes I still have unfinished stuff on my "List"....but it doesn't matter and yes I forgot to take some stuff....only items that bothered me, and that I couldn't find  on the road... were my tomatoes, cucumbers and red onions...you would think there would be at least one road side veggie stand in a 300 mile stretch...it was not to be.....

In the Country...Horst Kelly Photographer

I began the journey by getting a  wheel replaced on the Casita...they noticed it was bent when I went to the tire place last week...one was ordered and I decided to have it put on at the start of the trip...by 0830 all was done and I'm on my way....

So I make my way west on I-10 until I get to Comfort, Texas..hit Rt 87 through the great German town of Fredericksburg, birthplace of Adm. Nimitz...and then the vast open and desolate trip begins...thru Mason, Brady on Rt 283 North and more ET landing areas, Fife, Santa Anna, Coleman until I hit I-20...I see no Cattle, No Horses, no Vultures, no Roadkill....not even an empty "Bud Light beer can" on the side of the road.....I was lucky to find a gas station...well a pump and one can only hope it was  gas and not kerosene....I decided to Bed Down in Abilene....I was thinking of staying at the Cracker Barrel as they allow overnight camping...however the temps were in the high 90's and they didn't want generators running(for the AC).....so I stopped at Abilene RV Park...you get a Good Sam discount...they are pull throughs, electric, pool, very clean bathrooms...price $27.00.....two hours into being parked the rain and wind came in mass and the temperature dropped 15 to 20 degrees......I could have stayed a Cracker Barrel...no AC needed...timing is everything....

Horst Kelly Photographer

Will leave at first light tomorrow and see where I end up...looks like its all Rt 83 until I get to the Badlands....another 4 or so days away....I just looked around and I forgot to bring my Dulcimer...see what happens when you start believing in" lists"...never again.....just let me deal with adventure, the unknown....and vision...if I would have done that, I be trying to carve out a tune with my Dulcimer right now...oh well...time for a little Bob Segar ....and a glass of JD....photo's are from my Spring trip.....Happy Trails  Horst

5 Days and a wake up

I'm on my final countdown..all systems are go...only action left is to get new camper tires, which will happen tomorrow...I also will put in on a scale and see what Ms Casita weighs...and since I'm 95 percent packed, it should be a pretty accurate weight.....

Got the Generator on the rear basket and tied down and tomorrow I will do a test drive over different types of road surfaces .......also will have a cover over it when traveling....

I will try to do as much boondocking as possible....between here and The Badlands there aren't too many places to camp...it will be interesting,  but I'm excited...to me that's what these adventures are all about.....I plan on driving 200-250 per day and will try to stay off the interstates as much as possible....between here and Nebraska I've found several small town parks that allow overnight camping.....and on Rt 83 the towns seem to be far and few between....I'll be in my comfort zone...

OK...I didn't post this  yet...its now Saturday 21 July...I got the new tires, Maxxis 8008  ST225/75R/15 E load 10 ply....glad I did as when they were balancing them, they found one of the wheels was bent.....all is now well...got Ms casita weighed...with 95 percent packed it came in at 3150lbs....
Also did my test drive with the generator, several different terrains, from Freeway to washboard and everything in between...all went well...
Now its down to the last 72 hours.....and the list of things left to do keeps growing....here we go, crossing "t's" and dotting "i's".....oh bother..but there is hope...'cause the day is near when I start the engine and head north  for my adventure...no matter what the damn "list" still has left on it....But the old "hitch-itch" is getting stronger......BTW here is a "phone pic" during my daily walk this A.M... Enough of this...need to start going through my list...there's some daylight left....It's now Sunday evening....Happy Trails...Horst

La Vernia Texas morning walk...Horst Kelly Photographer

Happy Independence Day.....Enjoy and Reflect

Just added a bit on how the basket is held onto the Casita...4 bolts to frame...inquiring minds wanted to know.....
Its the 4th of July...a warm, muggy day in South Texas......but as I watch the weather in other parts of the country,  I would have to say we are blessed with the weather we have......Just going to relax today...no fireworks/displays in our immediate area due to the continued drought....I plan on doing some BBQing later today...Got the camper washed and waxed yesterday.....still need to get the tires....But the big news is that we completed the rack(Bolted the angle irons to the frame...4 bolts)to carry the Boliy generator, and I did buy the Boliy....still have to put some support cross members on the basket, though my Bud 220lbs and myself 170lbs got on the basket....jumped up and down...and to our amazement and delight, the basket nor support beams( angle irons)) moved...not even an inch....I am still somewhat leery about this...I'm going to take it out for some off road testing within the week and see how it stands up to dips and potholes, etc....
Sooo without further ado...some photo's for your critique and comments...and advice...

From Cell Phone

The Boliy was run through the wickets and so far exceeds all my expectations....more than enough power, quite as advertised and for 3600 watts it weighs in at about half (70lbs) as the Honda 3000...and the price was also alot cheaper....will it hold up...only time will tell....but for what I paid for it...I won't complain....here's a photo...

Boliy 3600 electric start

So the countdown continues....and it's getting closer to "liftoff time".....Only health issues and forest fires in the Region will keep me from taking this Journey....Hi Ho Silver...Away....


I'm finally getting a grasp of the Route I'm going to take North.....Right now I'm leaning toward Rt 83, which takes me through Texas, a small part of Oklahoma, West Kansas, Nebraska...South Dakota which gets me to the Badlands National Park..if you look at this route, it appears pretty desolate...I did find some free city parks campgrounds....and once I get to
 Nebraska I'm home free....not sure yet how many different places I'll stay at in the Badlands area...I want to do Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse Memorial, Buffalo Gap Grasslands, Custer State park, and other points of interest.....and as an added photo ops moment...guess  what will be Happening in and around Sturgis between end of July-12 August......yup...100000 or so of my closest "Biker Friends"...that ought to make things interesting...I do have to be at Glacier by the 14th of August....Well more to Follow....keep tuned...thanks for stopping by....time to start the "Barbie"
HAPPY 4th of JULY..... please keep our troops in our thoughts and prayers...

Horst Kelly photographer

Fathers Day, Memories and "Slides"

Moving closer to departure day....only about a month away...still working on putting a basket on the rear of Ms Casita to hold a generator ...hopefully that will be completed this week....Will go to Austin, Tx next week to pick up the generator.....

This past Fathers Day after receiving calls from all the kids and grandkids, I started reflecting on how fast the years have blown by......yet what a terrific ride I've had and continue to have...before I knew it my memories where wondering to the '50's, '60's and early '70's...the TR-3 I had, places I lived and the music of the era...... before I could stop myself I was pulling out all the old vinyl LP's and playing select tunes..I than came across a long forgotten LP by Richard Harris..not one of the top recording artists of the time....but a great Welch voice.....a song that really captured me back in '72 was a tune he recorded titled "Slides".....I went to see if it was on utube.. so without further ado...the first minute and 50 seconds is more of an intro...so stick with it....now if I can figure out how to paste on the blog, is Richard Harris and "Slides"..

T-Minus...But I'm closing in on Departure

I continue to grow within myself...I've figured out that historically I have been a person of "vision".....details are my undoing.....but I am grasping the concept of crossing the "t's" and dotting "i's"...which proves that you can teach an old dog new tricks...though it takes forever...

Texas Mission..Horst Kelly Photographer

My new and improved plan...until the next glass of wine, is to depart around the 20 something of July and meander and take in the sites up along north Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, Nebraska, the Dakota's, Wyoming and Montana and get to Glacier  National Park  around  the 14th of August...stay on the east side until the 24th and then head to the west side...stay at Fish Creek campground 'till the 30th...and head south to the Tetons and Yellowstone....and from there who knows.......I can only handle so many details before I unravel....

Sooo...next is getting Ms Casita prepped and ready for the trip...new tires, a generator, wash and wax, and whatever else her heart desires. I'm a little concerned about the tow vehicle...it has 124000 miles on it...but other than one hiccup has never had a problem...going to take it in to my super mechanic and have him give it a clean bill of health before making it drag the Casita over Mountain passes...So that's the plan....need to put a lot more details together.....but for now "baby steps" are fine.....too many details and it become a "destination" rather than a "adventure"...

I'm also making a change in my website. Apple which had a web builder program I used.....have decided to get out of that business...after looking around I decided to have this blog to tell the story and use SmugMug as my photo gallery.  I'm currently in a trial mode..it is live and I have the Domain Name pointed to SmugMug...so if you bookmarked my site you will now land on my SmugMug site. Its still work in progress...I have to load more photo's, add contact info and somehow to be able to link to this blog .....stay tuned.. 


I also would like to welcome a new member to this blog...John and Ellen of Vine Photography... check out there blog...some great photography....CONNECTED TO THE VINE PHOTOGRAPHY   Thanks John and Ellen for connecting with this site!


Well, that's all for today....taking the camper to a friend of mine to see if we can fabricate a box to put on the tongue to hold a generator....I'll check back soon.....thanks for stopping by. Horst sends

T-Minus...Forever

Its been a while...I have now fully recovered from whatever it was that ended my last trip prematurely.. .....Now to make up my mind where my next adventure will be. Originally I was going to venture to Canada. Decided to postpone that until next year....Then I thought a trip to Glacier National Park, Yellowstone, Tetons and finally go to Zion and Bryce would be the ticket....after corresponding with fellow Casita owner and photographer Rob Rupp, who gave me a reality check about how hot it would be this time of year at Zion and Bryce...I think I've come up with a game plan....

No caption required

Leave here late July, early August....head  west than north to the panhandle of Texas, up Colorado, stopping when and where ever.....land in South Dakota and visit Mt Rushmore...may go to Custer State Park and  Badlands National Park...then head to the East side of Glacier National park...after a week of hiking and photography, head to the west side, another week or so.....depending how the weather is and how all is going I thought of going south to the Tetons and Yellowstone...though Yellowstone will probably be a bumper to bumper zoo...we'll see...and after that start working my way back to Texas...probably get to I-10..then south to 90 and a stop at Seminole State Park...one of my favorite places to relax....

Davis Mts. State Park, Tx.

Thats the plan... I would be grateful for any ideas, suggestions, or reality checks....I will start doing updates when I get a little more meat on the bones...or change my plans....again..ha.

Life's speed bumps keep a coming....But the next Best thing to perfect is...Close Enough

What a nice way to start the day....three favorite ways to be woken up by; a Rooster, a train passing by, or a cow mooing..... then the fourth which also happened...a mockingbird started singing right outside my window.... is it a concert if you have a cow and a mockingbird singing....in harmony???...didn't even make my morning coffee...put on my shorts and walked 6.5 miles around the campground....felt good as I haven't done that in a week...though chasing blue bonnets photo ops must have some redeeming exercise qualities ...and combine that with lifting a wine glass now and then....well now...I may have the making of a new exercise CD... went to see some of the sights close by...first stop Round Top about 10 miles south of the campsite...First let me state for those antique and flea market lovers, route 237 from La Grange to Carmine to Burton is suppose to be the best of the best in this region...I'm told that its one tent after another along the road and in the towns......I was told that they just had their first big weekend in conjunction with some of the towns "Blue Bonnet Days"


Back to Round Top...Don't blink...you'll will miss it....rustic  with numerous old buildings....As of the 2000 census the population was 77...founded in 1831 with the acquisition of 4428 acres by James Winn....mainly settled by German immigrants between 1845-1847.....Round Top is the home of three visitor drawing programs:


The Original Round Top Antiques Fair, features country, Americana, and European country and formal furniture, accessories, unique and eclectic items from New England, Texas, all over the United States, and Europe. The huge Spring and Fall Antique Fairs have been held every Spring and Fall for the past 43 years in Round Top, Texas. These Fairs boast five major venues: The Marburger Farm Antiques Show, The Big Red Barn, The Big Red Barn Tent, The Continental Tent, and Carmine Dance Hall. Added a few years ago are the Summer Antique Show in June and the Winter Antique Show in January, held in the Big Red Barn, which display the same quality of antiques as in the Spring and Fall Fairs .


The Round Top Festival Institute is a musical institute established in 1971 by pianist James Dick in Round Top, Texas. It provides musical education programs throughout summer and hosts several concerts every year. 

The Shakespeare at Winedale program, created in 1970 by James B. "Doc" Ayres, is a program affiliated with the University of Texas at Austin,[1] dedicated to Shakespearean criticism through performance of the plays. The main performance space at Winedale, located in Round Top, Texas, is a barn donated to the University of Texas by Ima Hogg.

It's a great, friendly town....a walk around for a couple of hours was a good way to enjoy its history and local flavor....

Round Top...Horst Kelly Photographer

Next on my agenda was a drive north to Burton, Texas...population around 359......Here is a history in a pecan shell.....the town was named after John M. Burton..had 2 things going for it...a train station and cotton, every year they have  a Cotton Gin Festival......numerous historical buildings in about a 6 block section...spent a couple hours touring.....

Burton...Horst Kelly Photographer

Off to Chappell Hill, Texas...population about 600...it was founded by Mary Haller...by the mid 19th century the town gained prominence in the region, boasting saw mills, a railroad line, Masonic Lodge, churches , the Chappell Hill Female College...

Today Chappell Hill is another small Texas town with a colorful history, that  draws people to step back in time and enjoy a historic walk thru old cemeteries; museum; it has the oldest continually operating bank in America; two festivals....its a neat place to visit...

Chappell Hill...Horst Kelly Photographer

Last stop for for the day was  to Washington-on-the-Brazos....State Historic Site...it's the home of the "Birthplace of Texas"....Texas declared independence from Mexico on March 2, 1836, and it served as the capital of the Republic of Texas...59 delegates gathered to draft and sign the Declaration of Texas Independence...the area is rich in numerous historical sites..the big problem of the day for me is the gnats are bigger and meaner, more aggressive then I have ever seen and were having the feast of a life time on my arms and legs.....needless to say I made a swift exit.......and that was it for the day....looking forward for tomorrow and more historic towns and sites........ate dinner at JW's Steakhouse in Carmine...went to do the blog to no avail..internet was down....'till tomorrow... 

Washinton on-the-Brazos...Horst Kelly Photographer

Washington on-the-Brazos structure...signing took place

You haven't seen a blog for a couple days......its now Friday the 13th...though my Friday 13th started a week ago,  and hopefully is starting to settle down today.....

here is the 'Cliff's Notes' version...Tuesday evening I went to bed around 9pm...and  at 10 or so I woke up with a terrible pain in my stomach area, cramping , etc...about a half hour later Montezuma's Revenge hit with a force that could rival the booster rockets ignition on a shuttle take off....the whole process lasted, with brief periods of calm, until about 0600......the decision was made to hitch up and head home......at least I knew the medical facilities and doctors at my home base...last thing I wanted is the ER here to tell me I need to check in their hospital leaving the camper , toad, and all my stuff stranded at a campground for an unknown period of time..... I called my bride, tell her my situation and head home arriving a little after high noon on Wednesday....I go straight to bed being nursed by the "sane one"...and don't get out of bed...except by necessity until last evening(Thursday).......at last the the curse of this trip has been lifted.....not so fast "buckaroo".... another crisis is in the making...ok hit me with your best shot....as I turn on the bathroom cold water...it comes out looking orange....I go to the toilet to see what happen....its worse ..... this morning I call the water company...and they tell me they have had numerous calls........ok...what's the problem...answer... we don't know.....its noon and still no call back.......

 Lets recap the speed bumps since the third...lets not.....it could have been worse....life is like that....it gives us "reality checks", keeps us grounded...and makes for great conversation...sometime in the future...and as my Father use to say..."Builds Character"....thanks Dad.....as the header states....The next best thing to perfect is...close enough...and this trip was!

I had a GREAT trip and am looking forward to another adventure in the near future...until then...thanks for joining me and Happy Trails...Horst sends

Carmine..population 280...Dixieland RV Park...and Lots of History

All good things must end.....NOT....just other "stuff" to experience.. aka....another adventure/journey...I was ready to roll by 0600 this morning...but stayed around 'till the "Rooster" woke the Beachcomber residents...and I could say my "Good Byes".....it was a magnificent  time, in terms of the people I met; the Mother Load of Blue Bonnets I got on film; and the laid back life style I experienced......and now it's off for another journey....not the one I had originally planned..but I think a adventure that will produce just as many smiles...

Got on US29 going east...for the better part of 80 miles...then at Georgetown...Texas, not Washington DC..I got on toll Rd. Tx 130 heading south... managed to find US 290 going east for another "so many" miles and arrived in Carmine Texas...population 280 give or take a few....two roads in and out...my destination was the Dixieland RV Park....its country...its grass with two ponds....it has full hook ups....a clean bath house....friendly folks... and the price is right...takes Passport  America for 2 nights...very quite.....I am Happy....feels like I'm Boon docking....

I did a little tour of the area and the blue bonnets are all but gone...But.....not to worry, this area is a treasure trove for all things old, history and Texan.....I am going to turn into "Thomoos the Tour Guide"......have you heard of Bill Longley...made a TV series about him in 1958..Rory Calhoun starred...more to follow... tomorrow...also has the 41st President....The Bush Presidential Library and Museum....;a cotton gin and museum; Heritage Home Tours Living History Farm...and the list just keeps on going....so I'm going to stay here at least until Friday....stay with me and I'll be your "Virtual Tour Guide" for the next few days...to include photo's....and a virtual complementary glass of wine ...or south Texas ice tea....and maybe a virtual slice or two of smoked bisket.....3 of the top 5 bisket places are in this area.......Happy Trails...Horst ends

HAPPY EASTER...early Sunrise ....and a Countdown

Woke up around 0500...made my coffee....looked at the weather for Lawton, Oklahoma and made a decision not to go....rain the next several days with strong possibilities of severe weather Thursday and Friday...it is Spring and I'm within walking distance to Tornado Alley.....so its off to the Giddings area.....east of Austin....about 120 miles from here as the crow flies.....plan on leaving no later then 0830 tomorrow...get there around noon..

This morning it appears a sunrise shot over the Lake is possible...so I drive about 5 miles south to a boat ramp area...and set up...the lake has really receded but still a nice view..

Horst Kelly Photographer

When I got back to the camp site, sitting outside in my chair, I started to put my juice in the chair cup holder and what do you think....oh my, the Easter Bunny had come and left me a real decorated egg....and next to the water facet there was another one..... Easter Bunny comes to an Rv Park...what a novel idea....when I saw the owners, a 30 something couple, I ask them to thank the Bunny...they said they do this every year....There is hope for our Country with young folks with that kind of attitude and value system...

Spent the morning cleaning the camper....which took all of 30 minutes...started running water to fill up the grey/black tanks.....will empty tomorrow bright and early......will hitch up this evening...and yes I am going to use my "WOK" this evening...more to come on the meal.....Numerous people came in yesterday...not in any RV's...either got one of the 3 cabins or  one of the permanent trailers...the way they are setting up, it appears its their summer place...need to get nosey and ask the question....

Horst Kelly Photographer

Its 745pm and I lied again....I have already emptied the tanks, hitched up, got gas....and I did Not, I repeat did not make Chinese...I had soup and egg(from the bunny) sandwich...and it was good....OK.. I'm ready to head out for my next adventure...destination is Carmine, Texas, and the Dixieland Retreat and RV Park....grass sites, pull thru's,  full hookups, 2 ponds....stocked with fish...Jerry, I still may get a chance at catching "Moby Dick"..the great  Texas Bass.....ha ha.....
I enjoyed my time here, accomplished way more then I had originally planned to, met a lot of nice folks, made numerous friends....and have oh so many super memories for years to come...I am Blessed.....thanks for stopping by...Happy Easter...Happy Trails.....until tomorrow...Horst sends

10AM Beer....... Horst Kelly Photographer

Six Man Football..... Texas Style and Pecan Capital of the World

When I left you this morning I didn't know what I was going to do.......but that didn't last long....first a photo of the  northwest portion of Lake Buchanan...right on the east end of the Campground...see photo...its blue, but its not water....its blue bonnets.....my first clue that something was amiss, is when I saw a sign that said "swim at your own risk, no lifeguard on duty"..also saw a boat ramp going to no where and a nice pier with a 20+ foot drop...to dirt...ask the owners how far the water table has dropped due to the draught...27 feet or so...Wow...Jerry(Egg Rolling) blog...I don't think I'm going to try and match your Bass....only thing I'll catch is a wild flower...or field mouse...it sure has hurt the small business owners in this area....

Horst Kelly Photographer

About 0830 or so I decided to go to San Saba...probably 60 plus miles....headed west on 29 to LLano then took 16 north.....the blue bonnets got more prevelant then where I had been...plus they had some Indian paint brush and red bonnets...though still no vast fields, only roadside...but its better then nothing....couldn't do true closeups as the wind was blowing 15+ miles per hour.....still a great day.....when I got to San Saba I decided to go west on 190 until Richland Springs.....more red bonnets.....stopped several times.....

Horst Kelly Photographer

The drive was interesting as it was to a part of  Texas I had not been to....northern edge of the Hill Country...numerous farms and ranches and small towns...... Cherokee...they play 6 man football and where the State Champions 74-78...missing it one of those years...San Saba, Claims to be Pecan Capital of the "World"...if the number of orchards are an indication, I believe they have that title....then on 190 we have Hatkeyville; Algenita and Richland Springs, another 6 Man football team and they have dominated the State Championships the last 4 years or so.....wonder how many of those young adults ever made it to the NFL....

Horst Kelly Photographer

I turned around at Richland Springs, stopped a few more times for photos and got back to the campground around 1:30pm...another adventurous day of exploring.....speaking of adventures....I'm starting to track the Wichita Mtn Wildlife Refuge weather in Oklahoma and it doesn't look too good for next week...they currently are calling for 30/40% chance of T-showers starting tomorrow through Thursday...I'm starting to look for other options, including going home and waiting 'till fall to make that trip.....Tomorrow is cleanup day...one thing about the Casita...you need to stay on top of it or it will get messy in a "heartbeat".....especially if you have sandy soil right outside the camper......so vacuum, shine, empty tanks, get gas.....and set a course for the next adventure...

Horst Kelly Photographer

Sooooo...some folks have been wondering about my fixing "Chinese".....hasn't happened yet, and I don't know why....lazy I guess....had a taco salad this evening.....everybody have a GREAT Easter.....I'll catch you tomorrow evening......Happy Trails...Horst sends

Just a GREAT Day.....

Got a good nights sleep...up at 0530 Friday morning.....fixed  some coffee...some cereal and a banana...and it was off to the races....first stop was Johnson City....the old Home Stead of LBJ's forefathers what a neat spread...and its been kept up...some good blue bonnet fields, and this Longhorn....sweet....

Horst Kelly Photographer

 After leaving the town  I decided to venture on to as many back roads between Johnson City and Fredericksburg.....not many towns, but some great places to stop for photo's...can't wait till I get back home, download and put on the web site....the one town everybody needs to stop at is Luckenback...you know..the song, the singers Waylon and Willy...and the town of 3 people.....ok it s a tourist ...whatever...but it has charm...and the only place I know that serves "FREE" beer at 10AM.....now will you get that in Vermont...or Jersey????..

Horst Kelly Photographer

On to Fredericksburg...I already mentioned all the tourist things to see in a previous post....I walked around and at noon ended up in a another German place...so Brat, red cabbage, German potato salad, roll and.....what else..."Eine Dukel Bier...bitte"....I was ready for a nap......A real enjoyable lunch....open "Beer Garden"...nice German Music..professional but friendly staff...relaxing is the word I'm looking for.....now for the trip back to the camp site....and the experience of more county roads....It was a very pleasant day...the country side didn't reap the wild flowers I was searching for...but I couldn't have asked for a more relaxing drive through the country side.....

Horst Kelly Photographer

Made  myself a salad and some soup for Dinner...and started writting this blog.....called it a day...it is now Saturday morning, overcast and I'm not sure what I'll do today.....will post again this evening....have a GREAT Saturday and Easter weekend.....Happy Trails...Horst sends

Horst Kelly Photographer

Murphy's Law....more or less

I'm a day behind...so let me recap...there is a story here....Wednesday started off with flying colors...up at 0600, got a cup of java, sat out and watched the sun as it woke up and searching for a horizon...my plan was to do the Willow City Loop.....about a 30 mile loop, of which 14 or so miles goes through private land owned by several ranchers...From Burnet I headed south on us 281 until I came to Ranch Rd 1323...which was almost back to Johnson City...Headed west another 25 miles and then start the adventure...It was a sunny morning..the bluebonnets and other wildflowers where at its peak and very abundant...not so much as fields but rather large sections by the roadside.....which presented problems in terms of pullouts.....the other restriction...or so I thought, was signs every few hundred yards saying....do not get out of your auto...private property, etc....after a few miles it became apprenent that no one was paying attention to those signs....so I fell in with the rest of the crowd...which where mostly AARPS like me.....The trip took the better part of 4 hours and I had a magnificent time...met and chatted with a lot of folks...got numerous hints from some professional photographers...and most important was given the name of a GREAT German eatery....

Horst Kelly photographer

After eating a SUPER Brat and having a "Dunkel Bier", I headed back to the camp site......by the time I got back it was time for dinner so I grilled a salmon, salad, and french bread sounded like  the ticket....little did I know this was akin to having ordered my last meal.....Its now about the time that this trip took a nose dive.....Ahhhh, life's little speed bumps.....it wouldn't be a adventure without them....After dinner I decide to go to the Lake area...only a short walk and take some photo's of blue bonnets in the last bit of the "golden Hour".....I set up my camera, push the shutter release button....nothing happens...I go through the drill again....and again, still northing....I resort to reading the manual...nothing.....I go on line and find out this has been a problem with certain models of nikon camera......I call Tech services, spend 45 minutes with them..couldn't get the problem fixed......I've only had the camera 11 days....and for those of you that have been reading the blog will remember, I postponed my trip by a week to buy a new camera as the old one was about to bite the dust and I didn't want to be in the middle of nowhere with no photo capabilities.....so much for that solution....


The good news is I'm only 140 or so miles from home, so Thursday morning at "O dark Thirty" I head home, get their at 1000 hours, exchange my camera gear...BTW it was there last one.....the Photo Gods are with me.....go home unpack the box and by noon I kiss my Bride and I'm back on the road.....when I got back to camp I was way to tired to do any Photo ops, so I tried to get on line and do this blog...to no avail......If someone knows how I could to do this offline and then post...I'm all ears....my 3g smartphone service is really slow...don't know if anyone has connected on to this network(hacked on to my system)...if thats even possible..


Posting photo's is even worse....so the one above will have to suffice for now..anyway, its now about 0600 Friday morning and I'm getting ready to head out for a 50 mile journey south, then west for some photo ops....I hope.....Gentlemen...start your engines....Horst sends

Beachcomber Park...and Blue Bonnets....

A great day for driving...overcast, not to warm....good for the tires and engine(no AC needed )...left around 0835...last minute hugs and instructions from my better half...traffic was not bad until I got off of 1604 loop and onto 281 north.....you'd think it was last minute shopping for Christmas....what a zoo..at least there where no accidents...forecast was for rain...but that didn't happen.....the further north I traveled the more prevelent the bluebonnets and other wild flowers...the towns rolled by...Bulverde, Spring Branch, Blanco, Johnson City(birth place of LBJ)...which is a great day trip....historic town, and down the road is the Texas White House...nice guided tour or self guided...a short drive to Frederickburg...another great town....main street is a super walk...antique shops, restaurants(mainly German), the Admiral Nimitz Museum, WW11 park, and much more....ok, back on 281, next town is Round Mountain, then Marble Falls, which is a nice surprise.....the Hamlets of Sudduth and Demarco....Burnet is next....which is a place to stop and walk the historic section...take a left on TX rd 29 for about 14 miles and head north on Co. Rd 261 for abourt 7 miles and you get to Beachcomber RV Park...nothing to write home about...but it has the qualities that I like...down home rustic, quite, and with Passport America $15.00 per night...no limit...oh did I mention...very friendly.....

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Got a pull through site, grass...but level, trees for shade....after setting up my bride calls to inform e that the weather channel has tornado warnings/watches all around the area.....as I look to the sky I see only "blue"....I insure her all is well, but that I will find a brick structure for a safe haven......I decide to explore a little and begin my adventure traveling north on CR 261..the road skirts Lake Buchanan to the east and to my west is nothing but farm/cattle ranches...oh, and bluebonnets...after about 20 miles I head south, get back on TxRd 29 and head into Llano...the blue bonnets are everywhere...only problem is the light is really harsh....but I now have a start for tomorrow....did stop and take a couple road side photo's...what a great drive...this IS "Gods Country".....heehaw.......

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Got back to camp around 1730....and made a sandwitch....so no Chinese this evening...good old American Ham and Cheese....think I'll go out and watch the sun set and snack on some pretzels...I am enjoying this trip....and my Casita......and Texas...until tomorrow....Happy Trails to all...Horst sends......

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T-minus 12...More or Less

 The day has arrived......I didn't realize how much Stuff I had left to do today.....Grocery shopping; Wally World for "stuff";....Camping World for more "stuff"; fill propane tanks; check tire pressure; wash camper; and pack....for some reason on this trip I decided to do a lot of  Chinese....I bought a wok for camping...don't ask me why....me cooking on a wok WILL be a Kodak Moment , Ha........so stick around for my Daily menu...

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Plan on leaving about 0830 in the morning...get on US 281 North until Burnet then go West on Tx 29 and north on County Rd. 261 to Buchanan Dam...Thought I would try Beachcomber Park...About 130 mile trip...Its a Passport America Campground....$15.00 per day....I plan on staying for a week...doing the Bluebonnet Trails/Loop...also do some Eagle viewing/photo's....then keep heading north on 281 to  Wichita Wildlife Refuge west of Lawton Oklahoma....and spend another week exploring the area..Hopefully the weather will hold up....its Oklahoma and its Spring so anything can happen.....though tomorrow is suppose to be the only day for rain for the next 10 days.....

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New Camera, two new Lens(Nikon VR lens) and a smile on my face......I'm a happy camper...pun intended.... Also going to try my hand at fishing after reading Jerry's Blog ....saw where Jerry from Egg Rolling Blog is is catching some record Bass...I'm guessing they are Bass...if you haven't checked his Blog, you should...a Great Couple and having a Great time with their camping expeditions......I'll close for now...still need to do some last minute "stuff".....if any one has any suggestions as to things to do and or see please let me know.....Thanks for stopping by.....until tomorrow...Horst sends

Delay....

I have a one week delay before I hitch up and head north.....but that's fine.....I've been doing some blue bonnet hunting in the local area and was able to bag a few shots..... they are more plentiful and healthier looking than recent years....

This was taken about a mile from my home.....and they have not peaked yet...so the plan is to get the unexpected "hiccup" stuff done, do some photography in the local area and start my adventure 2 April...stay a few days in the Johnson City and Burnet area...then head for Oklahoma....Maybe I'll see some Fellow Casita/Egg Family Members on this Journey....Sure am looking forward to the 1st trip of 2012...and a good "shakedown" for my Canada trip coming up in June(hopefully).....

More to come...Happy Trails......Horst

YEEHAW....Bluebonnets, Eagles, Wildlife Refuge...and more

Its been a while, and I'm more than ready for a trip......My objective is Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge...west of Lawton Oklahoma....The Journey will take me through some of the best bluebonnet photo ops in Texas....Us Route 281....I plan on stopping in the Burnet/Buchanan Dam area for a couple days or more, for some BB photography...there is also some Eagle viewing opportunities in the area...then on to Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge...for a week or so...... 2 or 3 week trip depending on the weather and how many hikes this old body can take.....if anyone has suggestions, places to see, etc., please let me know.....I plan on leaving Monday 26 March...and meander from there...

Again, if anyone has some thoughts I'd be most appreciative...hope to see you on the road...Horst sends

Thanksgiving Our Way

Since the Kids weren't going to be able make it for Thanksgiving, the Bride and I decided to take a little 3 day trip......no, not in the camper......but a nice, relaxing adventure....now to decide where to go....Galveston, The Hill Country, Austin....or a cabin out in the middle of no where.....after lengthy discussions, charts, graphs, and a dozen  or so "pro and con" lists, we threw a couple of darts that hit on a cabin in New Ulm Texas ....

One comment said..."Relax and enjoy the comfort and charm of the Bluebonnet Cabins in New Ulm, TX. See why every guest calls it  " Paradise."  The rentals are located on 60 acres: Curly Q Ranch Refuge, a wildlife center for rescued, rehabbed, and release small mammals.  Guests have many trails to hike, benches to sit, nature to observe.  Acres of hiking trails surround these luxury vacation cottages, lovely both outside and in.  Texas ranch vacation rentals don't get any better than these."


....Sounded like the ticket we where looking for. So Tuesday was spent  getting all the "stuff" we needed together and "batten down the hatches" on the home front. We left Wednesday about 1130 in the morning...It was a 2 1/2 hours ...traveling East on I-10 until Columbus, then head north about 17 miles  and meander on a country road through New Ulm till you stumble onto 60 or so acres of solitude...through the gate to a dirt, rutted road....as it bends like a mountain stream to the right, you enter a forest of pines...which turns into a canopy a "green" yellow brick road....... and leads you straight to the Cottage and Lilly pond.

Lilly Pond Cabin

What a serene setting........The A-Frame cottage is engulfed in a forest of Pine trees....along with all kinds of wildlife...Birds, a resident Blue Herron, foxes, squirrels, raccoons....and the list goes on.  As you face the front of the cabin there is a fire pit, swing sets and a two person hammock ....the lilly pond has a small dock with a swing at its front, two concrete benches around it and its all cloaked with more pine trees........and not one sound, except that of "mother Nature" telling us to relax and enjoy the quiet....

As we got to the front door we are greeted by the smell of fresh baked bread( which was still in the making) and Linda aka Ms Noah......what a great person, full of energy who truly enjoys what she and her husband are doing.....she walked us through the place, the rules and ways to relax and enjoy our stay.....then she drove off in her ancient, rusted out pickup......and I didn't have a camera at hand....

Janet and I unpacked...mostly "goodies" to munch on...relaxed for a bit and then decided to take a walk/hike and get a lay of the land......by the time we got back the sun was starting to set and we sat out by the Lilly Pond and listened to silence...and all of a sudden we heard the sound of a train passing near by and both agreed it was a additional treat....we vegged out, ate and called it a day....BTW the down comforter on the bed reminds me of the one I had as a young kid in Germany...boy that brought back memories....

  


Thanksgiving morning we got up at first light, made some coffee and went out to listen to Mother Natures choir singing away...cardinals, finches, titmouse, a Blue Herron and more... as we open the door we are greeted by our new best friends...two resident donkeys...their main agenda was getting us to give them some food....anything was ok...from bread to corn and anything in between....Our friends finally moved on and Janet went in for the first of todays surprises....She made a killer breakfast....eggs over easy, sausage,  hash browns and biscuits to die for......wow.....usually I only have a bowl of cereal in the morning....but this is "Thanksgiving".....I think its time for my mid morning nap.....around noon I went for a walk to get some photo's...ran into the donkeys, 3 longhorns, horse, a "good goat", and some silver foxes...I thinks thats what they were.....Janet joined me and the donkeys came around and wanted to be hugged and scratched...Janet felt obligated...haha

We went back to the cabin and Janet fixed her version of Thanksgiving Dinner...Brats, mashed potatoes, sides to include a "traditional stuffing" and fresh apple pie...called it a "German Thanksgiving Dinner"...Hey, I'm German!!! It was a SUPER dinner.  We went outside and watched the sun set, listened to the wind chimes, saw our two foxes...and called it a day...I couldn't have asked for a better day....peaceful, relaxing, and enjoying the beauty of this place and the company of my bride....thanks Janet...Life is good...no its GREAT!

Friday mornings sun rose way too soon.....we even thought about asking if we could extend our stay for one more night..... but decided not to get greedy ... weren't going to rush our departure though.......went out on the porch with some coffee and Janet called the Donkeys, but no luck.....I then packed and Janet cleaned and about 11am we where really to leave the "land of Oz"....Janet wrote Linda a note and called to let her know how much we enjoyed our stay......
It was a great idea Janet, and the perfect place with the GREATEST hosts...thanks again Ms. Noah for sharing you slice of paradise with us!...Until next time.....Happy Trails.....

Summary.... Thoughts...It's a Wrap

Been home for a couple weeks....my Casita is still at Camping World, and I haven't downloaded all my photo's to the Apple.....so its been "vegan" time...and I don't feel guilty. I suppose its time to provide some "stats. and money" figures......let me say I haven't done the best job with this part of the adventure, so it's kinda like "Kentucky Windage"....plus or minus this and that:

Horst Kelly photographer

Total Miles on Xterra..6070
Total miles on Casita...4500 + or - some
Gas expenditures..$1019.51
Camp Grounds..$603.29
Misc( food, oil change, photo stuff,  meals out, laundry, other sundry stuff)...$741.16
5 weeks on the road..but who's counting

Could I have done it cheaper...yup, especially on the Misc. stuff.....in addition, I put a lot of miles and gas  chasing the light..... would I have done it differently...probably not.....
Lessons learned...SLOW DOWN,  There was no reason to go from one location to another every 2 or 3 days....it did wear me down....especially with the numerous adrenalin highs...and then not allowing for down time in between....

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The Journey was a fantastic experience....I find it difficult to describe the various emotions I experienced with each new area that I went through......maybe I should leave my lack of ability to convey my emotions with a quote from Ansel Adams:

"When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs. When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence."

I think the quote "nails" the way I'm struggling with trying to find a way to verbally express my "Kodachrome Memories" that are cataloged in my mind...


Sound Bite memories.....
Smiling for the opportunity!!!;  poverty of a large part of the South West; Trains 1.5 miles long; large vastness of empty space; the beauty of different Natural Murals of Terrain in the area; the instant friends you make with the Camping/RV community; the lack of snakes I saw; the amazing sunrises; the crisp "morning air" of Colorado; the "palette" of the Colorado mountains in the fall;  number of "eclectic" towns; possible ET landing spots; number of towns with a population of 100 or less;  best hiking/exploring I have experienced; Sand Dunes in Colorado...wow;  Wolf Creek Pass....my personal speed bump and the SUPER out come;  Best "Petroglyphs" I have seen; wishing I had my "Grand Kids" with me; Smiling at a sunset....

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I want to thank everyone that took the time to venture onto the journal....and especially for those that left a comment or two.....This trip was the most extensive one I have taken with the Casita, and it was also the one that gave me that John Denver "Rocky Mountain High".......I can't wait for the next one....thanks for stopping by!!!


I should have the photo's downloaded, sorted, darkroom stuff completed and posted on website within two weeks......