Texas

Everything is BIGGER in Texas.

After leaving Carlsbad Caverns we went south into Texas. They say everything in Texas is bigger and from what we saw it was. Including the distances between gas stations. The first sign we encountered as we crossed the border said "No Services for 130 Miles", well that's not comforting but it is adventurous. It was almost as though they were daring you to continue and if you made it, you were welcome to stay. We passed the 130 mile test and came to rest in Fort Stockton. We didn't do anything here except sleep.

Our next stop was San Antonio which is about 315 miles or 6 hours away. We stayed at a KOA that night. We haven't been staying  there to often because they are a little pricey. The cost would be justified if we were 8 years old and still enjoyed playing on the monkey bars. We drove into town that night after setting up camp to see the sights but since it was a weekend almost every parking garage was full.  We did get to see the Alamo as we drove around the city. On a side note, for all of you who have seen this photo but have never seen it in real life don't be fooled. The Alamo is not in the desert and is not separated from civilization. It is smack dab in the center of the city completely surrounded by high rise apartment buildings. There is only one spot behind it clear of buildings. I was so confused. Please see Exhibit A below for more information. 




When we checked into the campground I commented on the "All You Can Eat Pancake Breakfast" they have every morning and I guess the lady behind the counter was in a good mood because she gave us a coupon for a free breakfast. The next morning I made it a point to wake up early so I wouldn't miss breakfast. I almost didn't make it but thanks to the militaristic wake-up call over a 100 watt PA system at 8 hundred hours I was able to pull myself from the mattress and sit down at a family style table with bikers taking about initiating their pledges. After finishing my first plate of pancakes which I had to force myself to finish in the first place (they were great pancakes but I have never been able to eat more than three pancakes), I went back up to the window and asked for a second helping. When the lady in the window turned around I sneaked away and returned to the camper to give Jean my second plateful of homemade pancakes.

On our way to our next stop in Willis, Texas we swung through Austin but could  not find parking that would support the trailer. The reason we went to Willis was so I could see a great friend of mine. Spence and I have been friends now for almost two decades. He moved to Texas almost 15 years ago and we have never lost touch with each other over the years. He moved back to Jersey for a couple months last year and after he returned to Texas I made it a point to see him when we passed through. Spence is the type of guy you want as a friend. He has always been there for his friends even though it meant putting his own neck out on the line and in some cases he did. If you call him he always willing to talk and never turns a cold shoulder.
I went to go see him the day before we left and hung out at his place about six miles north of our campsite. It was great to reminisce of the good ol' days and talk about all the things that changed since he left.  When I returned home from being out all day (almost 9 hours) I unlocked the camper door and Jean looked relieved that I was home. Come to find out that when I left and locked the door behind me I actually locked Jean and King in the trailer and they could not get out. I guess we are still learning all the ins and outs of the trailer.

The next morning we headed out to Galveston just so we could see some water. The town looked nice but was still a little beaten up from the storms. We parked next to the beach and made a quick lunch then headed to the ferry on our way to Lafayette, Louisiana. On our way through another 6 hour drive we stared to notice the brakes were getting really loud. I found a Dodge Dealer 20 minutes away and had them take a look this morning before before we left. We are now in New Orleans and pretty excited about going into the city tomorrow. Stay tuned for more.