You Mean We're Still in Texas?

From Amarillo we drove southwest on 287 and stopped for the night at Wichita Falls RV Park...flat pull-thru, gravel sites long enough that we didn't have to unhitch the truck.  A quick stop, then back on the road in the morning,  We picked up I-20 in Dallas and talked about the things we'd like to stop and see the next time we are in Texas...like the Grassy Knoll and the Texas Book Depository.  For those of us over a certain age, Dallas will forever be synonymous with the assassination of JFK.

We drove a bit farther and stopped in Tyler, Texas to rest a couple of days.  The 5 Star RV Park is not a 5 star resort, it's a no-frills campground with gravel and grass sites...and they had only one back in site left...but it served the purpose. We had full hook-ups, including cable, for the Passport America rate of $17.50.  Perfect to relax a few days, which we needed.  We arrived on Veteran's Day and, of the many restaurants that offer free meals to veterans, there were three in Tyler...Olive Garden, Applebees and On The Border. Jack's a Viet Nam Veteran and he chose Applebees.  It was a nice break for us and it is always nice to see honor paid to our veterans.

We rested, got caught up on laundry and did some much needed grocery shopping while we were in Tyler.  We encountered a Walmart Neighborhood Market, the second we've seen. They are Walmart grocery stores and so much nicer to shop in than the super WalMarts when all you need is groceries. Hope this is a trend that works its way east.

The Polar Vortex, or whatever has been bringing the unseasonably cold weather across the country, was catching up to us.  It was time to reconfigure our travel plan again as temps along I-20 were getting down to the low 20s and even teens in places.  We experienced frozen pipes and a cracked water pump in Wilmington last winter and don't want to repeat the experience.  We'll wrap our hoses once we get settled in Wilmington this year, but it's hard to do on the road with the constant stopping and going every couple of days.  So...from Tyler we went farther south yet, to Beaumont, Texas and I-10. If we have to go any further south we'll need a boat!

You KNOW we didn't take either exit!

We are at the Hidden Lake RV Park waiting out the rain before we hit the road again. Big, paved, level pull-thru and back in sites with patios, a lake and very friendly owners.  A great quick stop and, once again, $17 with Passport America.  This is first time we've seen rain since mid July...almost forgot what it's like!

What was originally supposed to be a quick drive through the Texas Panhandle has turned into a ten day trek through the state in search of above freezing temps. Our next stop will take us out of Texas...