Away We Go!!!!!

Away we go!  .... Just like in Disney's Peter Pan; except this time without the fantasy --- just the fun.

Roger here....  Before we "fly" (roll) off I need to show you the highlights of our last day at Retama Village in south Texas.  Dianne spent her last day walking her soul-mate, Bart, at the Cinderella Pet Rescue --- one of the dogs she walks twice a week.  She was very sad to say goodbye until fall.  She hopes that he will find a forever home, but would hate to not see him again.

If we did not already have two dogs, Bart would be a part of our family.   Dianne here...if you know of anyone who would like a smart, affectionate black lab, here's a link:  Dogs Available/Cinderella Pet Rescue info 

Our friend, Sue, fixed us an Italian dinner on the night before our departure so Dianne would not have to cook (yum), but first a round of Jim's frozen margaritas.

After dinner, we all took one last walk around Retama Village with our four dogs:  Click, Bandido, Tequila, and Gabe.

Sleep passed quickly.  Morning soon arrived.  I pulled the motor home out of our lot.

Wow, does the lot look empty, despite the new landscaping in the back.

After hooking up the trusty Toyota with the refrain of Peter Pan's song in my brain, away we go!  

Well, we have been driving for two days and we still have another full day before we get out of Texas.  Lest you think that everything works perfectly for us, the end of our first day (at least the first part of the end) was irritating.  

We had driven for four and a half hours to the small town of Carrizo Springs, hoping to stay in an inexpensive RV campground outside of town.  Our GPS, mapquest, and the directions from the campground website all failed us.  An obvious first turn in town did not appear in any of our directions.  So, we drove out of town (with no easy place to turn around --- these motorhomes require more space for u-turns than a car.  After some frustrated bickering (polite term), we drove to the next town, Crystal City, where Dianne was able to locate another campground off the beaten path.  What a find!  Things happen for a reason.  The Triple R Campground was just what we needed after a long drive.  You can see the view from our front window in the opening photo.

After setting up, we had time for a short hike in the rural campground before dinner.

The views as we strolled around the resaca (oxbow lake) were just what we needed.

In a short while, Dianne said, "Look! there's a motorhome just like ours!"  My reply was, "It is our motor home."  (Dianne here:  At times I'm a little spacey....)  A little while later, it was visible again.

We loved and ascribe to the placard that was displayed on the tree below.

After emerging from the trail, we wandered over to a deck that overlooked the Nueces River --- the original southern boundary of Texas before the Mexican-American War.  Such a tranquil place this is.

Before climbing back into the motor home, we returned to Neverland.  Tick Tock, Tick Tock, Crock!  Not a fantasy, this one.  He seems to have the beginnings of rusting teeth.  

After Dianne and I settled in for the night in this rural setting, our animals went on high alert.  Big Chuck and Tequila guarded against a large population of roaming house cats.

Hey cat, wanna fight?

Here, kitty kitty...

Bandido startled us with a series of urgent barks.  He was warning us that nine or more deer were getting a drink on the other side of the lake.  (Sorry, no pictures of the deer --- too dark.)  

I told you something was out there!  You guys never believe me until you look twice!

During our second day of travel, we forged on through Eagle Pass and Del Rio.  A scenic highlight was the crossing of the Pecos River.

Right now, we are settled in an overnight spot near Fort Stockton, Texas.  We have another full day of driving ahead of us until we take the long roll through El Paso, and finally cross into New Mexico.  More about that later.

We have two pet pictures of the day.  Both of them showing our doggies in travel mode.  Here is Tequila, snuggling next to me while I drive.  It is nice to have a furry friend to pet when the traffic is light.

AND. here is our fifty-pound lap dog, Bandido, crushing Dianne's legs in the passenger's seat.  She would not have it any other way.

Thanks for cracking the window, mom.  Laredo sure smells interesting!