Casita McSita's Travels

Pedernales Falls, a Texas Thanksgiving

2011-11-28T19:18:00.001-06:00

This past Thanksgiving, we traveled down to Pedernales State Park, 34 miles west of Austin, Texas. A very large park out in the Texas Hill Country, with a unique water feature. The Pedernales River comes into the park and cascades down a series rock uplifts, into pools, through narrow gorges, meets up with a small underground springs, then slows down downstream past Cypress tree lined banks.

The weather was warm and sunny, followed by cool and cloudy, dark and rainy, then cold and sunny, ending with windy and more sun. We relaxed in the sun, took hikes, ate, took more hikes, ate some more ... well you see the pattern. Thanksgiving dinner consisted of a marinated pork loin, garlic mashed potatoes, green bean almondine, salad, a little bit of wine, and ended with pumpkin pie served with real hand whipped cream.

I highly recommend Pedernales State Park as a place to experience the beauty and diversity of the Texas Hill Country. Be prepared for a lot of hiking up and down, nothing here is flat. There are many photo opportunities here, with some of the best light right before sunrise and long after sunset.

The Casita worked perfectly, keeping us warm and dry during the night rainstorm, and hot showers when needed (no shower sandals required). I felt for the poor tent campers when it rained, but been there done that!

Don't ask ...

Lake Sommerville State Park, Texas

2010-06-06T14:50:00.012-05:00

Well, it's been a long time since I updated my travels with the Casita. Recently we were able to take some time off and scooted down to Sommerville State Park down near Brenham, Texas.

It was during the week so we pretty much had the whole park to ourselves. Campsite overlooked the lake with plenty of space between neighbors.

The weather was great as we made some day trips through the hill country, taking photos and seeing the sights.

All in all, a fun trip with Casita McSita!

Bluebonnet Casita Rally 2009

2009-04-27T23:41:00.019-05:00

This was our third year to attend this gathering in the Texas Hill Country. As always, we had fun with our friends visiting and laughing and telling stories. Held once again at the Skyline RV Park in Bandera Texas, there were around 141 molded fiberglass travel trailers and their owners in attendance. We had a chance to look at each other's "eggs" and get some new ideas to improve our own.

There was a pot luck dinner night, a beer and wine tasting night, coffee and breakfast every morning, stuffed jalapenos with friends ... it was hard to go hungry. We started out the event at the Cowboy Bar cooking our own steaks and some dancing. The people at the Cowboy Bar really do it up right and make all us Casita people feel very welcomed.

There was also time to take the short hike down to the Medina River in back of the park with friends. The water was clear and cool perfect for strolling downstream.

Plenty of photo-ops for everyone with their friends and their trailers.

A beautiful part of Texas, perfect temperatures, plenty of food and fun, lot's of visiting, and great people, all combine to make this an event worth attending. Looking forward to 2010!

As always, enjoy the photos, just don't take them.

Matagorda Madness

2008-12-10T21:23:00.076-06:00

It's December once again and time for a trip down to the beach. It's the third annual gathering of fiberglass travel trailers and their owners, affectionately known as Matagorda Madness.

The weather this time of year can be anything from sunny and pleasant, to wild, wet, and down right cold and nasty. The first year of the gathering had sleet and rain and howling winds. The second year was sunny and pleasant, and this year had everything from freezing cold windy days to mild calm days.

The event was held at the LCRA (Lower Colorado River Authority) RV Park in Matagorda Texas.

It is literally where the Gulf of Mexico and the Colorado River meet. Shrimp boats go down the river and out into the Gulf to fish.

The beaches are great for walking, riding a bike, letting the dogs run, and looking for seashells.

The beach is also a great place for a bonfire. In fact we had so much firewood we had a bonfire three nights in a row thanks to our "Firemaster" Ranger Duke.

Several classes were taught by the wonderful staff at the LCRA Nature Center, including GPS usage, beachcombing, animals of the area, birding, and kayaking in the bay.

Kayaking through the Nature Preserve area of the bay allowed an often unseen look at the area. The sun was out and the water calm as we paddled through looking at herons, pelicans, Roseate spoonbills, and red drum fish. Our guide Marcus, even threw a cast net to show us a sample of the young fish breeding in the area.

Matagorda Madness always has time for getting together with old friends and sharing a meal. You can't leave hungry when there's people serving everything up from a Mountain Man Breakfast to bacon wrapped stuffed jalapeno peppers.

As with all good things, this event came to a close. It was sad leaving the beach, but even sadder leaving friends. We have a lot of good memories and some photos to remember them by. Please enjoy the photos ... just don't take them. Thanks.

For more information on Matagorda Madness go to: http://www.matagordamadness.com

All photos on this blog are ©2008

A 5000 mile trip out West

2008-08-09T10:52:00.099-05:00

This is what I like about Casita McSita, the opportunity to see beautiful new places and meet beautiful new people. The impetus for this last minute trip was that a camping spot opened up in the FGRV Rally in Bandon Oregon. It was starting to get hot and miserable in Texas and it was in the seventies in Oregon. I thought what the heck, drive 2000 miles, and get to meet with other small travel trailer owners from the West Coast, Canada, Colorado, and Texas.

Bullards Beach St. Park Bandon, Oregon

The trip up there consisted of nothing more than wake up, drive, get gas, give the dog some time in the grass, eat a power bar, drive, drive some more, snap some pics while driving (carefully of course), get more gas, and drive even more. Stops included Amarillo Texas, Rawlins Wyoming, Boise Idaho, and Bullards Beach Oregon.

The get-together was held at Bullards Beach State Park. It is a very nicely run park with clean facilities and great access to the beach. The historic lighthouse is also open for tours. The rally consisted of pot-luck events, a fun craft-beer exchange, trailer tours, a book exchange, some informative workshops, and a bonfire with smores. The best part of it was making new friends.

Crater Lake National Park

After the Rally was over we headed to Crater Lake National Park, about a 4 hour drive from Bandon. It is something I've always wanted to see since I did a book report on it in 5th grade. Coming from Texas, it was quite a shock to see snow on the ground in July! Crater Lake is unlike anything else. It is filled only with melted snow and rainfall because no rivers or stream run into it. The "crater" in Crater Lake is actually on Wizard Island. It is one of the volcanoes that formed after the main one blew. We camped without hookups under the shade of the tall evergreen trees. This is definitely one place that should be on your must-see-list.

Yellowstone National Park

It took two days to drive across eastern Oregon's high desert and irrigated farm fields and Idaho's vast open spaces to get to our next camp site, Grizzly RV Park in West Yellowstone, Montana.
I highly recommend staying here and driving into Yellowstone for day trips. It is a spotlessly clean RV park with full hookups, clean showers, and a great location near everything. Our site backed up to Gallatin National Forest. We managed to get in a day of whitewater rafting on the Gallatin River in Montana. Great rapids, fly fishermen everywhere, cold cold water and a super entertaining guide made for a fun day.

I don't know if any of my photos can do justice to Yellowstone. It is a place of bubbling pools of hot water, shooting geysers, wildlife, grand vistas, and pieces of American History. It is a place all Americans should see in their lifetime.

Grand Teton National Park

Perhaps overlooked due to it's proximity to Yellowstone, the Grand Tetons are a place unto themselves. Jagged mountains of rock shoot straight out of a smooth body of water. There are great vistas with water in the foreground
and mountains in the background.

We camped at Colter Bay RV, the only place to stay in the park with an RV. Our site was terribly unlevel with a huge hole in the ground. We only had one day to stay here as we headed south towards Colorado and eventually Texas.

Rocky Mountain National Park

We stayed at Elk Meadow RV Park and Resort, just outside the entrance to the park. You basically are camping in a field with dusty dirt roads, with great views and non-working wi-fi. It's literally adjacent to the park.

The National Park is beautiful. We especially loved Bear Lake. It is located 9400 feet in elevation with a simple hiking path around it. Great views and simple details in nature to enjoy as you walk around the lake. The town of Estes Park is just a tourist town full of shops.

Creede Colorado

Our plans hit a snag as we were unable to stay near Salida Colorado so we headed farther south. One night was spent in Southfork along the Rio Grande River then onto Creede.
Creede is an interesting town with an interesting past. It was a silver mining town back in the 1880s with fortunes made and lost. The historic downtown rests right up against the mountainside mines. We loved eating Baja style tacos at Kips grill. High Mountain Arts is a great little shop downtown with original artwork, books, plants, and a few gourmet grocery items.

We stayed at Mountainviews RV Park and Resort just on the edge of town in a wide open meadow. This is a first rate place to stay with gravel roads, clean restrooms, super-nice people, and outstanding views of the mountains on all sides. We were even lucky enough to run into a fellow Casita owner there amidst the super-large motorhomes. Creede is at 8800 feet in elevation. We enjoyed cool mornings with an occasional late afternoon shower, and crisp clear starry nights.

As with all good things, our summer trip was nearing its end. We left the cool air of Colorado behind as we returned to Texas.

After 5000+ miles we returned home only after experiencing some of the vast beauty of this country and meeting some of the nicest people along the way.

Casitas and Fun in the Texas Hill Country

2008-04-09T14:04:00.029-05:00

April 2,2008 was the start to the Seventh Annual Bluebonnet Casita Rally held in Bandera Texas. Due to the success of last year's event it was once again held at Mr. Mack's Skyline Ranch RV Park on Highway 16, just outside the "Cowboy Capital of the World".

The first Rally get-together was at the 11th St. Bar in "Downtown" Bandera. It was cook your own steak night outside on the provided charcoal grills. Talented local musician played while some Casita Rally participants got out and danced with the eclectic locals. Cold Texas beer came from the bar that was decorated with willingly donated customer undergarments.

The next day at the Bluebonnet Casita Rally was one of walking around the park visiting owners and seeing their trailers. It was a great way to meet people from different parts of Texas as well as New Mexico, Louisiana, Colorado, Ohio, Michigan, and Kansas. The weather was great for walking your dog or in one case, walking "Jerry the Cat" around in his stroller. Other animals around the park ranged in size from the tiny yet ever-loveable Miss Molly (the better half of Sean), to the curious miniature Donkeys, all the way up to the amazing Texas Longhorns.

I can't mention enough how beautiful the area was around the Casita Rally location. The Skyline Ranch RV Park has about a half mile walk to the Medina River through pastures with some stunning Live Oak trees. The river itself is cool and clear with Cypress trees lining the banks. The park has many "Winter Texans" along with the 100 or so Casitas that week. Some good old fashion sing-alongs happened one evening.

The next day was filled with exploring around the nearby towns before it was time for make-your-own Burger Night and fun with Casita friends.

Before you knew it it was time to hook-up and head-out. The drive home included some stops in some of the small towns like Blanco, Lampasas, and Hico Texas. Lunch was at The Blanco Bowling Club in Blanco Texas. The lunch special was Chicken Fried Steak with salad, mashed potatoes (real), fried okra, and a piece of Jello cake with some ice tea, all for $6.42.

Life is good! Enjoy the photos, but please don't use them without permission. Thanks.

A Trip Down to Matagorda Texas

2007-12-12T13:49:00.000-06:00

It's cold, grey, yucky, icy, snowy... it's December. Time to head to the beach!

A perfect time to head South to where the Colorado River and the Gulf of Mexico meet. Matagorda RV Park is on a spit of land that you can reach by crossing a drawbridge (more on that later) and driving on the one road until it ends.

The Colorado runs along the side of the park as it empties into the Gulf. You can hear the surf all day and night from your campsite. Shrimp boats head out at high tide down the river to do their work.

It's the second annual gathering of Fiberglass RV owners, called affectionately "Matagorda Madness".

People just driving by the park stop and pull in to see what's going on. Thirty one fiberglass trailers in one place is really quite a sight.

Nothing very formal, just some good times with good people who share an interest in small fiberglass trailers.

There's lots of free time to explore the miles and miles of beaches, look for seahells, fish, hang out, visit the town of Matagorda and learn some of its history.

The beach goes for miles and miles with very few people on them.

Sun, sand, and water with some Portuguese Man o' Wars scattered around to keep you on your toes.

Lots of interesting driftwood and seashells also.

To get to Matagorda you really have to commit to it. It isn't on the way to anywhere, that's part of its charm. You have to cross the Intercaostal Waterway by drawbridge right now.

When any medium size ship is in the I.W. the bridge has to go up to allow it to pass. Local cattlemen even drive their herds across it to get them to the mainland. Once the new bridge is complete they probably won't be able to that anymore due to the height and safety hazards of the new bridge under construction.

The town of Matagorda is in fact quite old. It was one of the first towns established in the State of Texas. A trip to the local cemetary shows tombstones from the 1800's.

My travels back home after Matagorda Madness led me through Texas farmlands, cattle on the roads, Walmart parking lots, and interesting small towns.

One town I visited was Shiner, home of Shiner Beer.

A quick tour of the brewery with the PR lady followed by some free sampling of the brews, made me stop at the local grocery store to pick some up.

It was across the street from this impressively built Catholic Church from the 1920's.

All in all an enjoyable trip to the Texas Coast.

A Trip Out to West Texas

2007-10-12T11:50:00.000-05:00

The summer heat has faded away and the cool mornings of fall have arrived. It was time to take Casita McSita out for a trip. We headed out to West Texas to swim at Balmorhea State Park. A natural spring fed pool built by the CCC back in the 1930's that produces 74 degree water year round. A watery oasis just outside the dry, dusty, sleepy little town of Balmorhea Texas.

After sunset, Mexican Bats swoop out of the picnic shelter's tile roofs to eat bugs all night. The smell of bat guano increases after an afternoon shower. We stay for only a couple of days and head to the higher elevations and cooler temperatures of the Davis Mountains.

A short 45 minute drive through some mountain ranges and you come to Fort Davis and The Davis Mountain State Park. A very clean, well run park, with full hook-up campsites and nice people. After much indecision, we settle on a campsite at the end of a road with only one neighbor in sight.

The usual park animals visit at twilight. A Momma deer and her young stroll by looking for food. Nothing. Later, a skunk on a mission walked briskly our direction, like we were in his way. A mad dash into Casita McSita and the confrontation was avoided. The night was a bit sticky as our fantastic fan blew a fuse and there was no backup to be had.

The next morning was cool and a trip into town led us to a real automotive business where we purchased all the 4 amp fuses they had for $2.50. Day trips were made to the art town of Marfa and the old railroad town of Alpine. Afternoon showers in the mountains gave us rainbows that went from one side of a hill to the other, a mere fifteen feet in the air.

The nights were clear and with the world renowned McDonald Observatory 13 miles away, we went to a star viewing. Looking through telescopes we saw clusters, galaxies, and the planet Jupiter with it's moons. A very enlightening evening.

Soon it was time to pack up and prepare for the long drive back. There was only one sighting of another Casita the whole trip. We were heading north to the interstate and he was heading south with a canoe strapped on his truck, possibly heading towards the Rio Grande River in Big Bend.

West Texas has beauty and decay. The old decaying oilfield equipment rusts away by the interstate, while new, white wind turbines take root in farmer's fields.

Just when you think there's not much in West Texas you get a surprise. Monahans Sandhills State Park is that surprise.

All in all a great experience seeing new things and meeting new people.