On our way here we took a diversion through Fredericksburg, TX. This diversion took longer than planned due to an extended shopping trip. Last year our stop in Fredericksburg took longer than planned because of an extended visit to the Museum of the War in the Pacific. On our way into town we stopped at a KOA on the outskirts to top off the propane tank. Several cold nights had reduced the tank to just over half. As we drove away we considered whether we should have checked in and just used the tow’d to go into town, but we proceeded with the entire rig and found parking at the curb for all 60+ feet of us with room to maneuver. We actually parked across the street from tow other motorhomes with their tow’ds.

After a lot of time traversing both sides of the main street and visiting many of the lovely shops we returned to Gee 2 and decided that it was too late to go on to the next likely camping area, about 90 minutes away. Instead we drove to Opa’s Sausage Shop where after some difficulty parking (we used the parking lot of a closed restaurant across the street) I managed to buy a supply of excellent Turkey and all beef sausages. I had sampled them last year and regretted not buying more. We then decided to retrace our steps to the KOA which had seemed so pleasant. It is. There was a further surprise I learned as I was out taking a walk. The immediate neighbor is a game farm. I was really surprised to see these characters across the fence.

and

I was less thrilled to learn that many of these animals are sold to game ranches where they become the paid for targets of “big game hunters” in the confines of a Texas Ranch.

The next day, Thursday, was a road day. We followed TX 87 south to I 10 east to FM 1604 (that’s Farm to Market and in this case is a major outer loop around San Antonio) to I 35 south to ultimately Texas 83 south by east arriving at Falcon SP late afternoon and 350 miles from our start. We have registered here for a week and are settling in to relax a bit and do some things around the coach. Carol is writing and working on her seminar and I am trying to get my thoughts together on more formal writing than this journal. Friday I ended up in touch with my office and various clients and it felt rather like being at work, but staring out at very different scenery.

Today we got on our bicycles for the first time this trip and Carol’s first time since her hip surgery. The weather was conducive and we road out on to the Falcon Dam about 5 miles each way. There was one little issue, we had set off with out any identification and the middle of the Dam is beyond the frontier. Before we left US territory we stopped and spoke to the customs official and Border Patrol person and they did not have a problem with readmitting us after a trip to no place. The middle of the dam and the actual border are just that, no place.

There is another mile before one reaches the Mexican Frontier and everything is in plain view. However, I understand that this crossing is still pretty informal as there is no place to go once you cross on a bicycle and no commercial traffic is permitted at this crossing in any event. On our return they smiled and asked us for our drivers’ licenses knowing full well that we had nothing with us, they waved us through.

We did very little the rest of the day, well I guess that doesn’t count driving through Roma to Rio Grande City and picking up some essentials, food. In the process we passed two more bridges to Mexico. We will cross one of the bridges when we come to it again. Vanilla is on our agenda, we understand that it may be in short supply in these parts, hope we can find some to cart back with us.

All day Saturday the sky was grey and the wind blew steadily. It even rained, although this is the kind of rain you can walk in without getting more than damp. It is desert rain. We were promised great weather for Sunday and was it ever. The sky was clear blue and there was almost no wind and the temperatures rose into the low 80’s by early afternoon. We used the morning to get some work done and to get the motorhome clean again. I went over the entire exterior for the third time in ten days. It glistens. It does need a wax job, but I will find someone to pay to take that on. After lunch we decided it was time to get the boat out and see some of this park and reservoir from the water for the first time. It was great fun and we had a wonderful hour or so paddling around on Falcon Reservoir.

We have the boat stored in the back of the car for now so we can take advantage of any water we see that looks interesting. With the bikes and the boat we are definitely getting too many toys.

The coyotes are quieter tonight than they have been, The evening chorus and the dawn chorus have been something else. Last night I heard them in the middle of the night too. The first time we heard them I was prepared to call the ranger to quiet the rowdy party, I finally figured that any party making that much noise would have attracted the ranger themselves. Haven’t seen the creatures yet, I understand I may not see them. Did have a Javelina in our campsite this evening, they are not the sweetest looking animal and they make a skunk seem sweet smelling. Fortunately this one was alone not in the usual pack of six or more.