Spring 2023: Gulf Shores

Easter Sunday, 4/9: 296 miles, parked at the KOA in Baton Rouge, Louisiana

We had a long drive today, so we were on the road by 9:00. Traffic was rather light until about noon, when the roads started getting busy. The route was I-610 east and north out of Houston, and then I-10 almost all the way. Shortly before Baton Rouge, we picked up I-12, which is a northern bypass around New Orleans. The park is convenient to access and the transient sites were all gravel with a cement patio. There was a large area to the rear of the park nearly full of more permanent RV's.

Baton Rouge KOA

Site 22

We are the second from the far end on the right side.

We met an interesting couple next to us traveling in a truck camper. They had a F-450 dually diesel carrying a truck camper with 3 slides. They were pulling an enclosed trailer. I asked if that was for motorcycles. Nope! He is a retired mechanic engineer and rancher. Don was as typical a Texas cowboy as you could get. He was tall, lanky, wore a Stetson cowboy hat and cowboy boots. With his smooth Texas drawl, he could sell anybody anything. As a retirement project, he and his wife manufacture dog treats and the trailer was full of them. They travel and sell them at craft fairs and festivals all over the southwest. I had a great visit.

Monday, 4/10: 229 miles, parked at Gulf State Park, Gulf Shores, Alabama

I-12 to I-10 to Rt. 59 south.

Black arrow points to our site, 426.

Today was a lesson in patience. Remember the old adage, "Patience is a Virtue"? Well, today I learned it the hard way. We had a shorter drive today, so we were going to leave by 10:00. We made a quick run to a nearby Walmart to get diesel fuel. The line was huge. "I'm not going to wait in line. I'll go to another place where I won't have to wait". Just down the road was a Circle K station with no lines. Yea!! Pulled up, put my card in, and the pump didn't work. I go inside and I'm told, "Oh, that pump must not work. Sorry, but thank you for reporting it. Try pump number one". So we navigate to pump number one. Now the card reader there doesn't work!!!! So I take the card inside, pay and then pump the fuel. FINALLY, we pull out of the KOA 30 minutes late!!!! If I had only waited 5 minutes at Walmart.

Then.......As we are going south on Rt. 59 toward Gulf Shores, the GPS blurts out, "You can save 15 minutes by taking the Foley Beach Expressway". So who in their right mind wouldn't save 15 minutes of stop and go traffic? We follow Siri and the GPS. She or It tries to take us into a rear entrance of the park and we end up on a dead end dirt maintenance road. We finally find a spot to turn the camper around, get a few wild stares from local utility workers, and finally make our way to the front entrance of the campground. There, trying to save 15 minutes cost us 45 minutes!!! Therefore total for the day: we tried to save 20 minutes, and it cost us almost a total of one hour and 30 minutes. UGG!! 

So trust me: PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE!

Gulf State Park is probably our favorite campground of all the ones we have stayed at in the lower 48 states. The sites are huge, the roads are paved, there are full hookups, and there are 28 miles of nearly flat hiking and biking trails. And there are lots of places to eat and shop in the surrounding area. We are going to relax and enjoy this campground for the next 11 days.

Gulf State Park, site 426.

One of Judy's daughters, Christl and her husband along with their daughter and granddaughter rented a condo and flew to Gulf Shores for Spring Break.  So they will be hanging out with us from time to time.  They stopped by after we arrived to say "Hi" and catch up and meet Parker and Zoey. We grilled a flank steak along with a bunch of hot dogs for dinner.

Zoey giving a watchful eye as everyone wants to meet the new puppy.

Tuesday, 4/11:

This morning Christl's crew and Judy went to the nearby zoo and had a great time.  I stayed back at the camper with some back pain issues flaring up.  Judy was home by 1:00 for a light lunch and then our afternoon naps.  About 5:30 Christl and family came to the camper and brought Low Country Shrimp Boils for dinner.  Then we sat around a campfire until the mosquitos came out.  

Wednesday, 4/12:

Laundry day!!!!  Yep, we had 10 days worth of laundry to do.  The campground has a huge laundromat.  You would need it for 486 camping sites.  We got there about 9:00 and only one other person was there.  By 10:30 when we left, the place was nearly full.  Anyway, it's done for awhile.

For dinner, we met Christl and crew at the Flora-Bama.  The food was GREAT and the atmosphere was relaxed and informal.  We beat the dinner rush by going at 5:00.  I ordered shrimp and grits, which I love, and Judy had some excellent fish tacos.  Flora-Bama is right on the state line.  In fact, our truck was parked in Alabama, while we dined in Florida.  

Thursday, 4/13

We had a terrible wind and rainstorm overnight.  Fortunately the dogs slept through it.

We visited Christl and family at their condo for an hour or so this morning. By noon, the skies had cleared and it warmed up into the low 70's. After lunch, Christl's crew came to the campground to visit the Nature Center. Later we all sat outside and visited. Christl and Judy decided that Parker needed another bath, so that was their project. He didn't mind it a bit, and it was nice enough outside for him to bask in the sun and dry off. Dinner was pizza and wings. We ordered from Chico's and they even delivered to our site at the campground. We had an interesting chat with the delivery guy. He had family in the PlattsburghNY and Burlington, VT area. He was familiar with North Country and Adirondacks.

The wind has been terrible since we arrived here on Monday. Double red flags have been posted on the beach, which means the beach is open, but the water is closed to public use.

 

Friday, 4/14

I got silly this morning and posted the following on FB. Our Golden Retriever puppy, Parker, was wild this morning, and I just couldn't resist:

"Parker the Puppy here: Being a puppy is so much fun. I just have to tell you about a totally funny time this morning. Dad woke at 5:30, got me out of my sleeping crate and I took him for a walk. Back in the camper he made coffee and I napped for a bit. Mom woke about 6:30 and boy, was I ever excited to see her. I love my mom!!

I was running and jumping and having a great time. So dad, in his wise old ways, decided that now was a good time to shower so I could have some bonding time with my mom. And wow, did we ever play. At least I thought it was play. Apparently mom didn’t think it was so much fun. She doesn’t like it when I nibble on her toes, pull her bathrobe, or I get caught behind the recliners chewing on the electrical cord.

Dad said it was the most non relaxing shower he has ever had. The camper was rocking, mom was yelling, I was barking and Zoey, my sister, was howling in protest about all the noise. So now it’s mom’s turn for a shower, and by now, am I ever tired. So I lay down for a nice long nap and mom gets a relaxing shower, and dad gets a relaxing cup of coffee. Mom says she got the poor end of the deal, but I love my mom so much!!!!"

Today was a perfect weather day. Sunny and 75. The beach flags were changed to yellow this morning. We stopped at the Condo to chat with Christl and crew. They were all outside at the pool enjoying the sun. Judy and I made a Walmart shopping stop on the way back to the camper. Later, after naps for everyone, the crew came here for dinner. We had burgers, hotdogs and a steamed mix of potatoes, onions, carrots, and peppers. Ice cream cake was served to celebrate the upcoming birthdays of Judy and Ava.

Watch out.  The magnificent 4!  😀

Saturday, 4/15

Heavy rain is again forecast for late afternoon and evening, and sure enough it did, although not as bad as the other night.  The rain mostly quit by 5:00 and we all met at the Hangout Restaurant for dinner.  It was loud, busy, and fun with lots of music and families and kids. 

I got some play time with Parker before bed.

Sunday, 4/16

For Christl and her crew, Spring Break is over. Christl and Kylee have to get back to teaching tomorrow. They have an 11:00 flight out of Pensacola this morning. They stopped by the camper about 7:00 for a quick goodbye. We had a blast with them, even if the weather didn't always cooperate. 

Monday, 4/17:

It was a beautiful morning. Parker and I went for an early walk, and saw the morning dawn over a lonely Long Leaf Pine. Being the tallest one around, it must have survived many a hurricane. We did a couple loads of laundry, got caught on on our blog writing, and got our afternoon naps in. The day turned out being a beautiful sunny and 75 one.

We got the e-bikes out for a ride for the first time on this trip. The first 9 days of the trip were go, go, go. Then in the Hill Country we were doing something every day. In Houston we spent every day with Pamela and Clyde. Christl and her family were here the last week. So, here we are, all by ourselves, with nothing to do. LOL. We love our RAD e-bikes. They are very comfortable to ride with the fat tires and padded seats. You can use them with no peddle assist all the way to full battery power and no peddling needed. Judy has had her bike for about a year, and after riding hers, I finally broke down and bought one last fall. In fact, today was the very first time I rode it, and we had a great ride. With over 28 miles of paved hiking and biking trails, there is something for everyone.

When walking the dogs, I caught a beautiful view of the constellation Orion and the planet Venus over the camper tonight.

Tuesday, 4/18 thru Friday, 4/21:

We were blessed with 4 more days of absolutely beautiful weather. Everyday was sunny and in the mid 70's. The dogs were constant entertainment. Zoey was sure there was something in the woods. There are dozens of fresh armadillo digs every morning. They are a nocturnal animal and we have yet to see one. But apparently every night they come out and dig for grubs in the sandy soil. Most homeowners in the south consider them a real nuisance because of their constant digging.

I take back not seeing an armadillo.  Later in the week Parker and I saw 2 of them on our walks, both times just as darkness was beginning to fall.  

On Wednesday, we went for a late breakfast at the Woodside Restaurant, with is part of the campground. Then we took a late afternoon long bike ride and ended the day by grilling some filet mignons for dinner. 

Thursday was Judy's birthday. So, to celebrate we went grocery shopping at Walmart. 😀 Kidding aside, we had a nice relaxing day. We had agreed about a month ago that Parker was going to be our joint birthday present. Mine was last month. It has been an interesting month on the road with a puppy. Lots of laughs, lots of exercise, some tough love lessons and lots of cuddle time. He and Zoey are gradually becoming more friendly as Parker smartens up and Zoey becomes more forgiving.

Parker learned today to jump on the sofa all by himself. Oh boy, one more puppy headache for us. He is so proud of himself. 😀

It was too hot and muggy to bike, so we started doing some breaking camp chores. One included mounting the bikes. That took about an hour to mount and cover them. They are a bit heavy and need to be mounted really secure. We even have a special 5th wheel certified bike rack for e-bikes. While we were doing this behind the camper. Parker went crazy and dug a huge hole in the sand while we were out of sight remounting the bikes on the RV bike carrier.

And so ends our wonderful 11 day stay at Gulf Shores.  Tomorrow, we are off to Carrabelle Beach RV Resort on the Florida Panhandle.  Stay tuned.

Spring 2023: Houston

 Tuesday, 4/4: 229 miles, parked at Lakeview RV Resort, Houston, TX

The drive today was four hours. We left Peach Country at 9:30 and arrived at Lakeview at 1:30. Traffic was a bit of a zoo for this Country Bumpkin, but with the generous help of the females in my life (Siri and Judy) we arrived safely and reasonably stress free. 😅

Lakeview RV Resort, Site 133

Lake by day

Lake by night

Lakeview is a large park with sites surrounding 2 manmade lakes. All the roads and pads are concrete, and the landscaping is immaculate. Many of the RV's here are long term. One of the reasons is the nearby renowned medical facilities at the Texas Medical Center. TMC is the largest medical complex in the world with over 10 million patient visits a year and employing over 120,000 staff. One of the collaborators is the well known MD Anderson Cancer Center. A shuttle bus services the campground to the medical center.

Judy's daughter Pamela stopped over for a visit shortly after we arrived. We last saw Pamela in October 2022 on our Mississippi River trip. 

Wednesday 4/5: We drove to Pamela and Clyde's home about 10:00.  They took us to the amazing  Houston Farmers Market, and then to the El Bolillo Bakery across the street. 

El Bolillo Bakery

We picked up lunch at Pinkerton''s BBQ and took it back to the house to eat. 

 

Cafeteria style lunch at Pinkerton's BBQ.  The place was packed!

  

After naps at the camper, Pamela picked us up and we met Clyde at Hungry's in Rice Village for dinner.  Clyde had ordered starters for us with a platter of homemade garlic hummus and another one of baked goat cheese, and they were amazing.  For dinner I had honey ginger salmon and Judy ordered lemon pasta with shrimp.  Both dinners were excellent.

Hungry's at Rice Village

Thursday 4/6: Parker had a vet appointment at 10:30 this morning to get some more puppy vaccinations that were due. Neartown Animal Clinic was recommended by Pamela, and the service was amazing. Sarah, the tech, and Dr. Brandi Miller were excellent with Parker. After the vet visit, we stopped at Pamela and Clyde's for a short visit to introduce Parker to Clyde. Parker and Clyde hit it off instantly.

Then it was back to the camper to take Parker home and grab a nap. We went to the Menil Museum for a visit, and then across the street to the Menil Bistro for an early dinner. For starters we ordered a cheese platter to share, and for dinner, Judy and I had salmon, avocado, citrus salads, which were not what we expected, but never the less, excellent.

We had expresso back at the house, and then back to the camper by 7:30. Having slept all day long because of his vaccinations, Parker was in full riot mode this evening. Then to top it all off, there was a strong thunder and lightning storm during the night. Zoey was panicked and on and off the bed at least a dozens times. It was almost impossible to get any sleep. Parker the puppy, however, slept through the entire event.

Friday 4/7: Pamela stopped by the camper shortly after 10:00 and took us grocery shopping. Since our last visit here, we have wanted to go back to a Central Market grocery store. CM appears to be a high-end foodie place. For example, imported ham from Spain, French cheeses, great beer selection, in house chefs and bakery. We wanted to shop the huge fresh seafood display. This is how Wikipedia describes CM.

"Central Market deliberately limits floor space allocated to packaged products, allowing more space for fresh produce, meat and seafood, bulk products, and chef-prepared items. The produce section stocks items such as crab-apples, Meyer lemons, sweet limes, and pink lemons that are hard to find at other stores. The limited space for packaged products is devoted primarily to items that cannot be found at other supermarkets. Other aisles follow the same pattern with an emphasis on local, imported, organic, and gourmet brands rather than standard supermarket products."

We also stopped at H.E.B., the grocery chain that owns Central Market, to pick up some generic items like coffee pods, etc. We were back to the camper by noon and we agreed to meet Pamela later in the day for dinner plans.  

Well, dinner plans change.  As did the weather.  With heavy rain all afternoon, wet dogs from their walks, and tired bodies and brains from the previous night of thunderstorms, everyone decided to take the evening off and just stay home.  So we spent a slow and relaxing time at the camper, munching on snacks,  watching TV and reading, and basically, just resting up for a busy day tomorrow with better weather in the forecast.

Saturday 4/8: Pamela came to the camper, and she and Judy went for some girl talk coffee at Starbucks.  They didn't return until 2 hours later.  The rain finally quit and the temperature warmed up to the mid 70's. For our goodbye dinner, we cooked salmon, peppers and onions over black bean rice at the camper.

This was our second visit to Houston to visit Pamela and Clyde, and we had a really good time.  We can't wait to return.

Circus act trying to get adults and dogs to pose at the same time.

Tomorrow, Easter Sunday, we are on the road again heading east.