Big Bend, San Antonio, TX

 25 February     Anthony, NM - Terlingua, TX     319 miles     5 hours 25 minutes

Long drive today and at times, pretty interesting. Anthony, NM is right on the border of New Mexico and Texas. As we approached El Paso, we could see Mexico right across the way...very, very, close. Looked very congested, lots of shacks and very trashy but very colorful which was nice. 

Today was a long drive but in the middle of it, we made a stop at Prada in Marfa, TX. Strange to see a Prada store out in the frickin boonies. There were items on display. This is a roadside attraction.

We're headed to Big Bend National Park, I've been wanting to do this for a long time. Big Bend National Park roads end at the Rio Grande, the boundary between the United States and Mexico. It's in a remote part of Southern Texas. 

We're staying at Roadrunner Travelers RV Park in Terlingua for 2 nights. Nothing fancy, a gravel lot with full hookups, total was $115. It's located a few minutes outside the National Park.

26 Feb  Santa Elena Canyon

We spent the day on the west side of the park. We drove along the 30 mile Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive. It highlights the geologic splendor Big Bend is famous for. We continued to the magnificent Santa Elena Canyon, where limestone cliffs rise 1500' above the Rio Grande. 

We hiked the trail into the canyon. Just magnificent. The trail was a little rocky with some climbing at the start but just very beautiful. Hard to believe Mexico is right across the river. The limestone cliffs were unbelievable, towering straight up above us. 

 

Towards the end of the hike, Joe almost ran into a rattlesnake. He heard the snake rattling and stopped right away. It was a big one! We watched it for a bit and found another path to take. So scary!

27 February     Terlingua - Rio Grande Village Campground      46 miles   2 hours

We moved into the park today. It was about an hours drive but we made a stop at the visitors center on the way. Rio Grande Village Campground is located on the east side of the park. It's dry camping and cost $16 a night. The campground is pretty big, about 100 sites. When we checked in about 1pm, there was a lot of gnats. So much that we couldn't hang out outside. We're still not feeling well so we just rested in the afternoon. Later, we took a drive to Boquillas Canyon Overlook. There was a bunch of Mexicans with their trinkets for sale. I guess they just crossed the river. Made me kind of nervous. 

28 February    Hot Springs and Chisos Mountain

This morning we took a drive to the Hot Springs. The hike was a short one along the Rio Grande. It was very nice because there weren't too many people there. The hot springs were at a very nice temperature, felt so good. It's a riverside hot spring so when it got a little warm, I just jumped into the river to cool off. Really enjoyed my soak. 

We took a drive to the Chisos Mountains this afternoon. The mountains are so pretty, at a high elevation so very green.  Very different from the rest of the National park. We took a short walk to the Window View and went to the visitors center. 

When we got back to the campground, we took out our bikes and went for a ride. There's a lot of gnats so I found some mosquito nets that went over our heads. I think I bought it when we went to Alaska, about 10 years ago. Came in handy.

I wanted to do one more hike at sunset but we were pretty wiped out. We're still kind of sick and we have another long drive tomorrow. We enjoyed our stay at Big Bend National Park. It's one of those "need to do it once" kind of park. So glad we came. 

01 March     Big Bend National Park - Castroville, TX     388 miles     9 hours 15 mins

Leaving at sunrise

Another long drive today. We left Rio Grande Village Campground at 645am. This is a huge park, it took us over an hour just to drive out of Big Bend. We made a couple of stops along the way. We had a very late lunch at Oasis in Uvalde, TX. Pretty good stop. It's a restaurant inside of a sports store.

We're staying at Alsatian RV Resort in Castroville, TX for 8 days. We've been on the go since we started, staying put for just 1 or 2 nights then moving on. We really need this stay, time to clean up, do laundry, relax, and try to get in touch with our doctor to help us kick this cold. We paid for the week and the added an extra day, $310. This is a nice RV resort. Very spacious sites, swimming pool and hot tub area, right next to a golf course. San Antonio is about 1/2 hour away. 

We went to our first HEB market. So fun! I enjoy going into local markets and this was a good one. They sell everything. We got in touch with our doctor and he put us on antibiotics so I hope we start feeling better soon. I have a really awful cough and just feel like crap. Joe's pretty sick too.

03 March    Alamo and River Walk

I finally got to see the Alamo and River Walk. This is something I've wanted to see for a very long time. It's like Big Bend National Park...."yep, I've seen it but I don't think I'll be back." Very, very crowded and the water is so pilau. It's a good thing the temperature was pretty comfortable. The Alamo was interesting, lots of history here. Lots of tourist and pretty crowded. 

05 March  The Pearl

The Pearl is a historic landmark in San Antonio. Hotel Emma was the highlight. The hotel building was originally Pearl's Brewhouse, built in 1894 and a San Antonio landmark ever since. A brewery back in the 1800's now a complex offering dining, shopping, and a farmers market on the weekends. 

We made a stop at the Japanese Gardens afterwards. It's a Sunday, so very crowded. The grounds were nice with koi ponds but the plants didn't look good. I think its off season, I bet everything starts blooming later in the season. 

07 March   Historic Market Square

Today we went to visit the Historic Market Square. It's a 3 block outdoor plaza lined with shops and restaurants in downtown San Antonio. Historic Market Square is the largest Mexican market in the U.S. We felt like we crossed the border into Mexico. Lots of fun going into the shops and seeing all the touristy stuff. We ate at Mi Tierra, very festive inside. The food was great, I had a taco salad with chicken. This is the best taco salad ever, I really enjoyed it. We went to the bakery after and bought too much. Everything looked delicious we got carried away. When we got home and started eating the pastries, they weren't that great. The best thing was the cinnamon cookies. Wish I bought more.

08 March  Missions

San Antonio Missions Historical Park is a designated World Heritage site. The park consists of 4 Catholic missions. A walking/biking trail connects the missions. 

We decided to bring our bikes and visit the missions. Excellent maps posted. We ended up doing 3, we ran out of gas....so exhausting. We rode over 10 miles. Yes, it's electric bikes but still.....

We missed Mission Espada but the other 3 were incredible. The architecture so beautiful. The grounds are very well maintained and there's a lot of information available with great exhibits. The missions of San Antonio were far more than just churches, they were communities. Each was a village with its own church, farm, and ranch. We spent a lot of time at each mission reading about the history and soaking up the beauty. So glad we were able to do this. 

Mission San Juan    

Mission San Jose is named Queen of the Missions, very well deserved. This historical site is incredible. We were impressed by its size and beauty. Great to see how people lived back then. 

Mission San Jose    

Mission Concepcion

The bike trails in this area are outstanding. It goes right along the river with exhibits about the area and some artwork, lots of benches and places to rest and enjoy the scenery. I wish we had a few more days to do more biking, we're finally feeling a little better after a few days of antibiotics. 

We enjoyed our visit to Big Bend National Park and San Antonio. This trip took us to the southern part of Texas, we hardly ever go this route and I'm not sure if we'll ever be back. So glad we were able to explore this area. 

Arizona, New Mexico

 20 February     Las Vegas, NV - White Tank Mountain, AZ     279 miles    6 hours

We arrived at White Tank Mountain Regional Park around 3pm. I forgot there's a one hour time difference so we gained an hour. We're meeting our friends here. Goody used to work with Joe years ago when they were in SSD together. He retired and moved to Phoenix and recently bought a used Tiffin Phaeton. They are new to RVing and wanted to hang out with us a few days to pick up some tips. 

We're staying at White Tank Mountain  Regional Park for a couple of nights. Electric and water hook ups for $36 per night. There's also a dump station. When we arrived, Goody and Donna was already waiting for us. Turns out Goody is sick too. So we all tried to have a good time but we were not feeling well at all. On top of that, the weather wasn't cooperating, it was very cold and windy.

The plan was to spend 2 nights here and move on to Gilbert Ray Campground in Tucson for 2 nights but the winds picked up Tuesday evening and was going to continue through Wednesday. We decided its not safe to drive so we extended 1 more night at White Tank Mountain. We had to dry camp in their overflow lot, $15 for the extra night. 

Our dry camping spot, pretty nice    

Joe, Donna, Goody    

We had a nice time with Goody and Donna but like I keep saying, we were still sick and the wind was crazy and cold. Joe showed Goody how to do the basics with RV camping, we'll just have to plan another trip. Goody and Donna decided not to continue to Tucson.

23 February     White Tank Mountain - Tucson, AZ       166 miles      4 hours 15 minutes

The drive to Tucson was pretty hectic. Lots of traffic and road construction. Gilbert Ray Campground  is pretty nice. The sites are a little tight and there's only electric hookups for $22 per night. I wish I was feeling better, this is a good place to ride our bikes. We are next to Saguaro National Park. Went to the visitors center and took a ride around the park. The sunset tonight was absolutely amazing. Wish we had a couple more days here. 

24 February     Tucson, AZ - Anthony, NM      315 miles     5 hours  50 minutes

We had a long drive today, made a stop for gas. Tonight, we're staying at a Harvest Host location. Mesa Vista Winery is located in Anthony, NM but we're right on the border of Texas. Nice, cozy winery with lots of room to park overnight. We had some beer and bought a bottle of wine. 

Spring 2023 Family Ski Trip

 This Spring we have a lot planned. The first thing is skiing in Brian Head, Utah. We planned a family ski trip back in March 2020 but that's when Covid hit and we had to cancel one week prior to starting that trip. It's been about two years and we're finally doing it. The kids will meet us in Las Vegas and we'll make the  three hour drive to Brian Head. 

Once the kids leave, Joe and I will head to Arizona to meet up with some friends. Goody and Donna just bought their first RV and we're meeting them for a few days to show them the ropes. We're so excited for them to start. Then we continue to Texas. I've been wanting to go to Big Bend National Park and San Antonio for a while. Our destination is Vidalia, Louisiana where Joe will attend a Freightliner class and rally. We'll be meeting our friends Mark and Julia. Once the rally is done we need to high tail it back to Las Vegas because our grandson Blake turns 1 on April 8th. 

Let the adventure begin......

10 February   Las Vegas, Nevada

Our family arrived in Las Vegas this morning. Our son Josh with his wife Casey and 2 children JJ and Jade, and our daughter Miki with her husband Justin and baby Blake. First stop, breakfast at Blueberry Hill.

 We checked into Mandalay Bay and went to the Shark Reef Aquarium. Kind of small but a fun place to take the kids. They enjoyed the sharks, the baby stingrays in the touch tank, and watching the jellyfish. There's a lot of different fishes and sharks, was very relaxing to watch them in their environment.

Sharks swimming overhead    

Then for dinner we went to The Tournament of Kings at Excalibur. Everyone enjoyed themselves. The show was very entertaining with great pyrotechnics and special effects. There was audience participation with lots of cheering, pounding on tables, and shouting for your knight. The food was good, cornish hen, potatoes, corn, and an apple dessert which we ate with our hands.

Josh, Jade & Casey    

Justin, Miki & Blake    

11 February   Brian Head, Utah

We rented a four bedroom, 2 1/2 bath house through VRBO. The cost was $2500 for 5 nights. The house was beautiful, very roomy, and lots of room for all of us. A little disappointed that the walkway to the front door wasn't cleared of snow. There was a bank about 3 feet high that we had to clear out ourselves. Right away we noticed the bed frame in the front bedroom had a sign, "do not use, broken", one of the dining room chairs was cracked so unable to use, and the remote for the garage door was missing. We had to manually open and close the garage door every time we left. So inconvenient. There was a nice microwave and oven but on the third day the screen went blank. We contacted the property manager and they said they have it noted down but nobody ever came to check it. So needless to say, unable to use the micro and oven. We had a hot tub, but it wasn't very clean. Lots of small things that bothered us but we had to just let it go and make the best of it. I just need to remember NOT to use Family Time Vacation Rentals again. 

Jade eating snow

Laura made us beanies    

Blake eating snow

Jade & JJ    

We've been looking forward to this ski trip for a very long time. JJ and Jade was so excited to play in snow and try skiing for the first time. We were there for 4 days, and was planning to ski  for 3. We had one real good day of skiing, after that a storm came through. We tried to ski one more time but it was pretty miserable. 

It was 0 degrees with a wind chill of -20. It was just too cold.

 It was so cold the kids couldn't even go outside to play. Couldn't make a snowman because the snow was so dry, couldn't even form a snowball. Very, very unfortunate timing for us. 

We still tried our best to have fun.

Too cold, we outta here

And to top everything off, everyone got sick. At first we thought it was altitude sickness because the  base of Brian Head is 10,000'. Everyone experienced headaches, nausea, shortness of breath, diarrhea, and just not feeling right. After the kids left Las Vegas, Joe and I got very, very sick.

Josh & Family    

Miki & Family

16 February   Las Vegas

Then it was back to Las Vegas for a few days.  We stayed one night at New York, New York. That was a lot of fun. After that the kids checked in at Golden Nugget, Joe and I got the RV and camped out at Main Street Station. The RV park at Main Street Station is very expensive now. For 3 nights it was $148.00. It's still kind of a dump but we stay there when family is in town. 

We spent Friday evening having drinks and dinner at Triple 7 Brewery and then walked over to Fremont Street to show the kids the light show. We haven't been to Fremont Street at night for a few years, it's still pretty crazy! We had a lot of fun. 

Noah met us in Vegas

On Saturday we took the kids to the Childrens Discovery Museum. A little pricey $16 per person, children and adults. JJ and Jade had a lot of fun exploring in a playful learning environment. We made the mistake of going on a Saturday. It was pretty crowded. 

Jade lifting herself up

Jade loves to draw

19 February   Aloha

Blake fits in the sink    

Our family flew back to Hawaii today.  We had so much fun with them, even though everyone was still feeling a little sick. The ski trip could've been better but we can't help that a storm came through while we were there. Hopefully, we can plan another ski trip soon. 

We'll miss everyone, especially the grandbabies, JJ, Jade, and Blake. 

Our site at Main Street Station RV Park

Joe and I start our road trip tomorrow. We feel like we're getting worse with our colds but we got plans to meet some friends. So moving on...