Category: Roads & Routes
Still More Reasons to Love Texas Food
November 5, 2012 by Rex Vogel · 1 Comment
Texans take their food as seriously as they do their football. Many Winter Texans and other visitors to the Lone Star State have the good sense to agree with them—that Texan food is that of the gods. 1. City Market Barbecue fans head to downtown Luling to satisfy their craving for City Market’s succulent brisket, hot links, and pork ribs. © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved One of the great joys of RVing is visiting new places and making interesting discoveries. Another is just the opposite—revisiting those places that demand a closer look. Sometimes that second chance leads to a third—and a fourth. City Market in Luling, is such a place. The meat-market-turned-barbecue-restaurant started in 1958, and over the years has become a barbecue icon. This is the arguably the best barbeque in all of Texas which helps explain why Luling is perennially included on our Texas itinerary. 2. Lockhart: Barbecue Capital of Texas A short hop, skip, a jump from Luling is Lockhart, the Barbecue Capital... [Read more...]
Fabulous Fall Camping Activities–Part 1
November 4, 2012 by Diane Berry · Leave a Comment
That time of year when the weather cools and the leaves start to change colors can provide some of the best camping of the year. Fall camping can be some of the most beautiful and comfortable due to these changes. Many communities have terrific activities planned for fall, due to a decline in tourist travel as the children head back to school. This can only add to the fun that is possible at this time of year. This fall, we took the opportunity to attend two small communities’ versions of Oktoberfest, one in September, the other in October. While both had polka bands, they were actually quite different, both in terms of the mood presented and the activities available for participants. We thoroughly enjoyed both experiences. The Taos Ski Valley in northern New Mexico was our first Oktoberfest experience of the year. They had had the wisdom to combine their festivities with a 10K run up a ski hill (in which we did NOT participate) with the food and polka festivities of the typical German... [Read more...]
50 Things We Love About Texas
October 23, 2012 by Rex Vogel · 5 Comments
1. Texas Hospitality 2. Paso Del Rio, or River Walk, the Jewel of the City (San Antonio) 3. Fresh from the Gulf shrimp and oysters When in the Clear Lake/Galveston area we head for Rose’s in Seabrook for a supply of shrimp. © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved 4. Exploring the pine and hardwood forests of the Piney Woods of East Texas 5. Saying howdy 6. The Alamo 7. Texas’ wide open spaces 8. Hiking Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, north of Fredericksburg 9. Tex-Mex, especially in far South Texas 10. The way small-town drivers wave to everyone they pass 11. The timeless beauty of Presidio La Bahía near Goliad, and its rural setting 12. Stopping for lunch at almost any small-town BBQ joint and sitting elbow-to-elbow with folks you have little in common with except that you all love good ‘cue 13. Blue Bell Ice Cream. Wow! 14. The wind-swept, dynamic rippling sandscapes in Monahans Sandhills State Park is one-of-a-kind 15. Stopping for kolaches at a small-town bakery 16. Driving... [Read more...]
“THROWED ROLLS”
October 22, 2012 by Professor95 · Leave a Comment
Have you ever been in a restaurant where the servers throw huge 5-inch in diameter, hot, yeast raised rolls across the room with hopes that you will catch them? If you answered yes, you have most likely visited one of the three locations where Lambert’s has one of their original “Throwed Rolls” cafes. We stopped at Hinton RV Park just off I-55 in Sikeston, MO. When we checked in, the park attendant handed us a packet of information on local points of interest. The one that caught our eye was for Lambert’s Café. We were told that Lamberts would send a driver to the RV Park to pick us up for dinner and then bring us back to our RV. With an offer like that, how can you refuse? When we arrived at the restaurant our chauffer took us to our table, gave us some preliminary warnings and left us to our server. At that point, a young man in jeans and red suspenders came down the center isle of the restaurant shouting “Throwed Rolls” and then pitching them to anyone that held... [Read more...]
Bits and Pieces – On the Road Again
October 15, 2012 by Professor95 · 2 Comments
While I love to write, our recent adventures have left little time for sitting down at the computer and keying up a blog. I have more ideas than hair on my head (BTW – I am not bald) but by the time the opportunity to write gets here I am too doggone tired from all of the day’s exciting activities and end up going to bed! Just to give readers an idea of what is going on, we left the zip code address in Virginia right after Labor Day. Since then we have traversed across North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri and into Kansas. Our plans are to leave our current spot in Hutchinson and head south to Branson, MO, for a few days taking in many of the shows, exhibits, tours and having some just plain old fun. From there we may swing north again to Elkhart, IN, to see Amish Country and the birthplace of our RV. Since we are expected in North Myrtle Beach, SC, by November 1st for a two week stay with friends in our Cedar Creek RV Owners... [Read more...]
2013 Quartzsite RV Show Dates Announced
October 13, 2012 by Rex Vogel · 1 Comment
Every January something happens that is hard to believe, unless you have seen it! Major gem and mineral shows as well as vendors of raw and handcrafted merchandise peddle their wares to snowbirds, collectors, and enthusiasts, making Quartzsite the place to be the first two months of each year. Numerous food choices ensure you’ll never go hungry! © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved According to the Arizona Highway Department, as many as 750,000 to 1,000,000 people, mostly in recreational vehicles, converge on the sleepy little desert town of Quartzsite, located just 20 miles east of the California border on Interstate 10, for the rock, gem, and mineral shows, plus numerous flea markets and the Quartzsite Sports, Vacation & RV Show. “If you’re looking for anything related to RVs, you’ll find it at the RV show in Quartzsite,” says Kenny King, show promoter. There will be several hundred new and used RVs on display in 2013 and over a dozen service bays will be offering immediate... [Read more...]
2012 National Parks Fall Foliage Guide
October 8, 2012 by Rex Vogel · Leave a Comment
As summer comes to a close, the bright blues and greens that characterize the sunshiny season are replaced by a deeper, more vibrant palette. But there are so many destinations to choose from, each with their own unique rainbow of fall colors. The National Park Foundation (NPF) wants you to get outdoors and enjoy one of nature’s most spectacular seasons in your national parks. In announcing the 2012 National Parks Fall Foliage Guide the NPF says, “These parks boast exceptional fall colors, however they represent only a few of the national park sites where foliage lovers can enjoy the spectacular spectrum of the season’s palette.” The list below includes information on region-specific flora as well as estimated timing on the peak of their colors: Nez Perce National Historical Park (Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington) Peak foliage times range across the rivers, canyons, prairies, and mountains of this park which overlaps four states. The short-grass prairies of White Bird Battlefield... [Read more...]
Best Kept Secret in Camping: Maricopa County Parks & BOGO
October 4, 2012 by Rex Vogel · 1 Comment
One of the best kept secrets in the World of RVing is campgrounds located in county parks! But where are they, and how do you find them? A delightful end to another day in paradise at Usery Mountain Regional Park. © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved Sometimes they’re located in Woodall’s and Trailer Life Campground Directory. Often times they’re not. County parks are often relatively small and off the beaten path. But if you’re looking for a quiet place to relax, do some bird watching, hike a near-by trail, or do some great sightseeing, it might be well worth seeking out some of these neat spots. A county park system worth checking out is Maricopa County Regional Parks in Arizona. The parks circle the Phoenix metropolitan area and all are within a 45-minute drive from central Phoenix. And unlike Arizona State Parks, no Maricopa County park has been closed or has suffered cutback in services. With 10 regional parks totaling more than 120,000 acres, Maricopa County Regional Parks... [Read more...]
Top Fall Color Hotspots in National Forests
September 26, 2012 by Rex Vogel · 2 Comments
Fall colors are about to burst all over the country and the U.S. Forest Service wants you to get outdoors and enjoy one of nature’s most spectacular seasons in your national forests. “Autumn is a wonderful time of the year to plan a trip to see the beauty of your national forests,” said Tom Tidwell, Chief of the U.S. Forest Service in an agency news release. “As tree experts, we have incredible resources on our website to help you plan a great adventure this fall season.” From coast to coast, state and local economies are boosted because of the fall season and for many rural communities, fall color tourism is a major source of revenue. Hotels, restaurants, and local shops rely on the influx of dollars generated by fall visitors. For example, the New England area receives an estimated $8 billion in local revenues annually due to fall activities. Throughout the Midwest, millions of visitors hit the road to enjoy the sights. In the West, the mountains provide destinations filled... [Read more...]
SUMMER TOMATOES AND GASOLINE
September 8, 2012 by Professor95 · 1 Comment
We’ve stuck pretty close to the brick and mortar dwelling this summer. Now that both of us are retired, we are not locked into summer travels when it is often too hot, expensive, and crowded. Knowing we were going to be here during the summer months of July and August, I once again got out the old ’55 Ferguson tractor and rototiller to prepare a planting bed for tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, and beans. We generally transplant our tomato plants outdoors sometime after the middle of April when the chance of frost is minimal. If the weather is good, we can expect succulent, vine ripened tomatoes beginning in late June. A fresh tomato and mayonnaise sandwich is always a summer favorite. When the crop comes in, we have tomatoes running out the kazoo. There are so many tomatoes we become wasteful, cutting sandwich size slices out of the center of the ripe fruit and throwing away the rest. We give tomatoes to all our children, neighbors and friends that have none – they often... [Read more...]
