ROCKPORT, TX, BAY VIEW RV RESORT

Bay View is our Western Horizon (membership) Resort so we stay for "free". The park isn't one of WHR's best but since it is free, we put up with the lack of maintenance. This year when we pulled in we found the local gas company drilling for natural gas - the office told us they have the mineral rights in the park. Some of the sites have been torn out so they could drill and another drill location was in the middle of the main road through the park so a new/temporary detour road was built. They were drilling close to our site and it was pretty noisy but this morning they moved to the back of the park. We were told by someone we met on our walk that this park had been sold. We haven't been able to verify that yet.

We arrived 2 days before our reservation so we spent 2 nights at the Drifters RV Park. It was very nice but lots of trees. We were still able to get our satellite TV and internet though but we sure had to be careful backing into the site with trees on both sides of us and park so our slides wouldn't hit the trees. The sites are very large though - just some trees can interfere with parking. The reviews were all very good and their monthly fee is just $225 (we pay electric) - we may stay there for a month (Jan/Feb) before we head to the Rio Grande area.

Rockport is still my favorite area to spend the winter. Today it is a humid 77 degrees. I can put up with the humidity. I think I like this area so much because it reminds me of Birch Bay (without the rain).

This photo is one of our favorite walking places - I took this picture last year.

ROCKPORT, TX

We will be in Rockport thru the end of November then we will be in Pioneer Beach RV Park, Port Aransas, Mustang Island, for the month of December. We are currently staying at the Drifters RV Park but we will move to Bayside, our Western Horizon Park, on Monday morning.

Before leaving Austin we went to another car museum (our 3rd so far). This museum is out in the middle of nowhere - we were staying 20-30 miles outside Austin and the museum was another 15-20 miles from where we were staying. But, it is a very nice museum with beautiful old cars - 100 or more. Worth a trip if you are ever in the area.

AUSTIN, TX, 11/12-14

11/13: After staying just one night in Sherman, TX (50 miles north of Dalles/Ft. Worth), we will stay at least 3 nights in Austin before heading south to Rockport.

GROVE, OKLAHOMA

You may be wondering why we would spend time in Grove, OK. Friends (Ron and Sharon) at Latitude 49 told us we must see Har-Ber Village in Grove. They were not wrong. This museum is amazing - it's like all the museums we've ever seen all at one location. There are 115 exhibits - many old cabins from the 1800's that were disassemble, brought in from various mountain areas in different states, reassembled at this location. Not only log cabins, with furnishings of the day, but exhibits of stoneware, glassware, bedroom furnishings, wicker, dress and hat shops, pottery, weapons, cookware, on and on. We spent almost 3 hours to see all the exhibits but we've heard you can go back again and again and see things you've missed. I am sure we will return. www.har-bervillage.com if you are interested in seeing some info on the wonderful museum).

Judy/Lynn: You would love this place. Sharon/Gary: not so sure you would get into all the antiques.

We almost got into a major car crunch on our way back to the RV park. A young kid ran a red light as we were turning on a green light. I saw him first and was able to yell at Royle to STOP. Because of circumstances at this light, which I won't go into detail here, I know there were angels in the air watching over all of us.

I heard this morning that OK has lowest fuel prices. We filled the coach with diesel on our way to RV park, 4 miles from OK state line, and paid $2.79 cash price, credit card price add 7 cents.

It has been so cold here so instead of going to Oklahoma City as planned, Tuesday morning we will head south to Texas.

Photo here is of a photo from the Har-Ber Village. More in photo gallery.

LEAVING BRANSON, MO

We had a good time in Branson but time to move on again. We enjoyed the Stagecoach RV Park. The owners are so friendly and since the park is a few miles out of town, they have a free shuttle to/from the shows. We went to the afternoon show for Tony Orlando and the Lennon Sisters so we just drove to the theater. We went to a night performance for Bobby Vinton so took advantage of the free shuttle. The RV van has a painting of a stagecoach on the side - so cute. We were dropped off and picked up right at the theater door. The RV Park is just down the road from the State Park and they have a wonderful walking, paved, trail so we walked about 3 miles every day - we could see the water from the trail so it made a very pleasant walk. We are trying to work up to our 4-miles again so we will be ready for our beach walk when we get to Pioneer Beach RV Park on Port Aransas, TX.

Photos of Tony Orlando with the Lennon Sisters and of Bobby Vinton; last photo was taken on our walk at the State Park.

We will be heading for Grove, OK in the morning. BTW, we found unleaded fuel here for $1.89!

BRANSON, MISSOURI

We arrived yesterday afternoon at the Stagecoach RV Park just outside of Branson. What a beautiful drive through Arkansas. I often hear about people retiring to Arkansas because of the low cost of living but still wondered why anyone would want to live in Arkansas. Never been there but had it in my mind that it was a dreary place to live. Wrong. At least north of Little Rock, AR is beautiful. Branson is just a few miles north of the AR border and is also beautiful - in the hills with water all around it. Many of the performers live here in Branson year-round and I would bet they have beautiful big homes on the hills with water views. This morning we took a trip to Eureka Springs, AR - about 40-50 miles SW from our park. It was a place we were told we had to see and we weren't disappointed. The town has an old historic district with homes (small and large) built on hills with narrow roads winding around the district. Also lots of touristy little unique looking stores. Reminds me of Jerome and Bisbee Arizona.

I made reservations to see a couple of shows while we are here - Bobby Vinton who performs with the Glenn Miller Orchestra and the other show is Tony Orlando who performs with the Lennon Sisters (don't know what happened to Dawn). So many choices it is difficult to choose.

The photo here is one I was able to get from the motor home as we traveled north from Little Rock, Arkansas to Branson, Missouri. I'll take photos of Branson area this week.

DOWNTOWN MEMPHIS

Yesterday we made a trip downtown to see the Peabody Hotel and eat at the Rendezvous restaurant. Apparently, both well known and popular sites in Memphis. You may have heard of the Peabody - known for the ducks that "march" into the hotel and swim in a water-well in the hotel. I was able to get photos of the ducks swimming but way too many people in front of me to get a photo of the ducks marching in. A couple of photos in the Memphis Area album.

We had heard about the Rendezvous restaurant and it met my standards for a great meal. It is well known for barbecued ribs. It is located in an alley and then downstairs. Not sure we would have gone there if we hadn't already heard about it.

We were going to check out blues street but decided to just head back to the park.

Tomorrow we head for Branson, Missouri - we will be there for 5 nights.