Spring 2023: Stonewall, Texas

Thursday, 3/30: 237 miles, parked at Peach Country RV Park, Stonewall, TX

I-35 south to I-14 west to 190 west to 281 south to
Johnson City, and then 290 west to Peach Country RV Park.

The drive today was four and a half hours and it went smooth.  There was fog and misty rain a good share of the way, but the weather cleared by the time we reached Peach Country, arriving about 2:00.

Peach Country RV Park entrance.

Site 21

By the time we got set up, the weather was in the high 70's and muggy. It was also very windy. We sat outside for a bit, but then settled in for leftovers for dinner, dog walking, book reading, and bed.

Friday, 3/31:

Today is what we call, a down day. That is, we didn't have to break camp, travel and then set up camp. The past 9 days, and 2,000 miles, have been a whirlwind, with only one down day. That was just to get to Texas. From now on, our adventure will be much less ambitious with most stops consisting of 5 to 10 days. Now we can relax and enjoy the surrounding area.

That's our camper, first one on the right with the bike rack.

Parker needed a new collar, and Judy found this store in Fredericksburg called Dogologie. What a find! We bought 2 harnesses, each a different size for a growing puppy. Parker was a hit as we walked the streets. After Dogologie, we found a laundromat. The campground has only 2 washers and dryers that are almost always in constant use. The commercial laundromat was clean and huge. So in the space of an hour, we got all the laundry done for the past 9 days.

First walk with the new harness.

We have met some wonderful folks who love dogs.  In fact, almost everyone here has a dog or two.  One couple, Mark and Linda,  the activity planners for the campground have especially taken to Parker and Zoey.  Mark retired as the director of the IT department of the Pasadena School District, Linda is a retired Pasadena elementary teacher.  Many of the campers winter here, although you would never know it.  The campsites are generally very neat with little "stuff" piled up under or around the camper.

The afternoon ended up being sunny and 89.  It was even too hot for us Northerners to sit outside for very long. We have to acclimate to this weather.  😀

Saturday, 4/1:

About 9:00 this morning we went shopping at the Johnson City Farmers Market, about 15 miles away. This was their opening day. We got there 9:30ish and the crowd was just beginning to show up. With the purchase of a T-shirt, fresh strawberries, blueberry jam, blueberry muffins, organic freezer beef and chicken, and some artisan ear rings, we left more than a few Gouverneur dollars for the local economy.

Next we hunted up the Lyndon B. Johnson State Park and National Historical Site, only about 2 miles from the campground. When Johnson was President, the ranch became the Texas White House. The National Park Service website has great information. Wikipedia also has some good facts and photos. It was, and still is, a working ranch. LBJ spent a considerable amount of his time here as President, hosting foreign dignitaries and holding cabinet meetings on the front lawn. An airport runway and hanger were built to shuttle back and forth between Washington and the ranch. The actual ranch home is closed for renovations, but the rest of the ranch is open to the public. Born in 1908, Johnson grew up in a home with out electricity or running water. He is considered the last of the Frontier Presidents.

Texas Whitehouse at the LBJ Ranch.

We were back to the camper by 12:30.  This is only the second time we have left Parker, who was crated, alone in the camper, along with Zoey.  It worked out well and both dogs were sleeping when we got back.

Sunday, 4/2:

We decided to relax this morning. My cousin, Laurie Clarcq is coming from Austin this afternoon for a visit and dinner, so that will be our activity for the day. It's been many years since we have visited, and we had a wonderful time catching up. One of the very few redeeming qualities of FaceBook is that it allows friends and family to easily stay in touch. In this case, without our FB posts on our trip, she would have never known about us being near her in Texas.

Monday, 4/3:

One of the reasons we came to the Hill Country of Texas was to see the spring wildflower bloom. The bloom is very dependent on Mother Nature, much like the changing of the leaf color in the Adirondacks. Well, we got lucky. The flowers are in their glory now. So a roadtrip is called for to view them. One of the more popular itineraries is called The Willow City Loop. Most of the road travels through private, open range land. The road travels over numerous cattle guards, in lieu of gates. We drove the loop early on a weekday morning, and the traffic was light. Oxeye Daisy and Blue Bonnets were predominant, along with a sprinkling of others. The Blue Bonnet is the Texas State Flower.

We decided   Fredericksburg Brewing Company was a good place to grab lunch.  Since there is such a strong German heritage, we ordered a traditional German meal.  I had schnitzel and Judy had a Reuben.  Both were excellent meals.

It was a fun day. I had no idea how beautiful the Hill Country is. The area is close enough to Austin and San Antonio that it is becoming quite the tourist attraction. There are new vineyards and wineries popping up everywhere. By the looks of the money being invested, it is on tract to become the Napa Valley of Texas. 

Pedernales Vineyards

Along with that development, local boutique shopping is increasing, including Farmers Markets and antique shops. This region of Texas is also a huge peach growing region, which unfortunately were not in season yet. So much to see and do and learn here. We will be back!!

Tomorrow, Tuesday, we are off to Houston for 5 nights.