April 12th - Home again

Well it was a great adventure.  We are home again and must say adios until our next road trip.

359 Km.

Total trip mileage 9,437 Km.

April 11th - Hillsboro, ND

It was a bright sunny drive across South Dakota and into North Dakota to Hillsboro Campground.  It appears a stiff Northwest wind is the price you pay for clear weather when migrating north in the spring..  A very nice little campground, a bit close to the I29 but convenient to restaurants and gas.  Of course it's a small town so just about everything is convenient.  We will winterize tomorrow morning and head for home.

450 Km.

April 10th - Sioux Falls

Well, we drove through Nebraska and into South Dakota.

Nebraska, not as green as further south

Missouri National Recreational River just across the border into S.D.

We are camped in Sioux Falls as the weather at home doesn't look good until Tuesday.  As hard as it is to believe, the photo below says it all as to our campground.  It is the price you have to pay for good wifi and it is pretty deserted and out of town.

Yep, another Jellystone, Kirk didn't like Yogi

April 9th - Columbus, Nebraska

We drove with a 25 -35 mph tailwind across Kansas and into Nebraska.  Less green but with foot high winter wheat in places and crab apple trees in full bloom.  It was about 45 degrees fahrenheit and sunny.  The only other entertainment were state police who seemed adept at catching BMW's  for whom the 75 mph speed limit was not fast enough.  We stopped in Columbus in a nondescript little campground with a few other travellers.  

530 Km.

April 8th - on the road again

We left in the early morning and traveled the Texas byways instead of the I35 until just outside of Gainesville.

will miss this green and Bluebonnets

Then onto the I35 and hammered through Oklahoma and across the border into Kansas. 

Cam says he forgot how much he liked just being on the road.

We camped in Oasis RV Park about 4 miles into Kansas near the I35 where we stayed last year.

543 Km.

April 7 - 32nd wedding anniversary

We went to town for breakfast and did some grocery shopping then back to camp to spend another 30 degree Texas day with the coots, pied-billed grebes, frogs, snakes, roadrunner, and other critters.

our site

Common Whitetail Skimmer

Leopard frog

Cricket frog

Ended the day with a Texas style steak barbecue.  We had planned on going into town for dinner but decided the outdoor venue at camp was nicer.  Packed up our belongings in prep for departure tomorrow.  We will miss the symphony of sounds each night.

April 6 - Wind, ghosts, flora & Fauna

We went into town to check the air on the CRV tires.  There was a strong north wind and the water flow over the dam had increased to a steady flow.  A water snake was swimming across (not in photo).

Mineral Springs is most famous for its Baker Hotel.  There are 2 old hotels left over from the heyday  of the 1900's when tourists came to the highly popular mineral springs.  Today it is in decay and the site of ghost tours on Saturdays.  It has beautiful stone work and balconies and must have been quite the place in its glory days.

Baker Hotel

most fast food spots in a town we've seen so far

We drove out to Penitentiary Hollow in the park which has a viewpoint and is popular with rock climbers.

I will not miss the snakes of Texas.  There are 68 species of snake in Texas.  I have seen more snakes in the last week than I saw in the last 18 months.  Guaranteed at least 2 snakes a day swimming by our RV window and others along the trails, where I'm fishing, etc.  Then, I was driving out and thought I saw a mouse on the road.  Twas not a mouse, my first wild tarantula, I think I like the snakes better.

tarantula (mouse size)

Other pleasanter photos.

about an inch long beetle found on oaks

Kirk and I spotted this giant Rock Toad in our walking travels.  My mother would love it for her garden.

April 5 - Fishes

We decided to stay until Friday morning after checking out the weather forecast.  I went fishing in the morning and in the afternoon.  I took Kirk in the afternoon and I think he lost a pound shaking while I caught and released fish.  They were small but fun.  White crappies and bluegill.

Bluegill

White Crappie

Otherwise, just relaxing at our site.

April 4 - Mineral Wells area

Kirk and I went for our morning walk.

Cardinal

our campsite in early morning

Later we visited Clark Gardens near the park.  Quite an amazing garden for an out of the way spot.

azaleas

even saw a water snake here 

Peacock in Clark Gardens

We toured the nearby town of Mineral Wells. Then spent the afternoon relaxing at our campsite enjoying 30 degrees.

April 3 - Lake Mineral Wells State Park, Tx.

We left Jellystone early, restocked our groceries and headed for Lake Mineral Wells State Park.  It was another lovely wildflower strewn drive.   This time with purple and solid pink paintbrushes as well as the usual bluebonnet lupines and peaches and cream paintbrush.  

 yes, that is the road into the campsites down there

hope it doesn't rain

Mineral Wells was emptying out of the weekenders when we got here.  It went from packed to nobody but a couple of campers in about 2 hours.

eye level, hmm

Kirk's not so sure about this

We are camped right on the water and if the lake rises even a bit we could be in it.  It is old growth post oak and blackjack oak forest mixed with grasses and cacti.  

The lake has numerous species of fish and Kirk and I spent about an hour in the heat of the day trying to catch one.  We also walked about 2 miles of trail.  We were tuckered out when we spotted Cam cruising by and caught a ride back. 

98 Km.