Spring 2024 #8 - East Texas (and Oklahoma) and into the Piney Woods

We still have a lot of traveling to do on this trip. Time to get back to it. We are now at the East side of Texas, the area called the Piney Woods.

Our next campsite was at Copper Breaks State Park. Cute shelters for the picnic table. There was one of the original windmills and very friendly greetings.

We took a side trip into Oklahoma (because it was there). Just for part of a day, stopping at a cute, history museum and had then Barbecue for lunch, yum! There was enough for dinner too (and we only ordered one portion).

Back in Texas, Eisenhower State Park was just a place to stay for us. Might not rush back. The campsite was okay except that the rest rooms on our loop were closed (and the temporary ones were out of order (they said budget issues)) and the shower was a mile away! Someone said that the historical part was quite good.

Dean found an interesting old mill building to explore. 

Tyler State Park. Pretty campsites, a good sized lake with lots of people enjoying it. This was a good stop. 

They were getting excited about the eclipse (it would be in totality)

And then we stayed at Martin Dies Jr. State Park. 

It was magical! I knew I was someplace new and exciting.

This was the view steps from our campsite! It sort of felt like Disneyland, at Pirates of the Caribbean. I knew I wasn't in California anymore.

More Bayou!

 

Spring 2024 #7 - The Texas Panhandle and Palo Duro State Park

Texas Panhandle!

We made it to Texas! Our first real stop was Cadillac Ranch. 10 Cadillac, nose down in the dirt, spray painted for years (the paint is soooo thick). It's quite a fun installation. There is another one (we missed) that is made of VW's-next time. I also saw a "personal" installation made of kiddie cars. Drove past it and didn't have time to take a picture. I've also seen info on one that is set up like Stone Henge. So many interesting sights. I guess we can't see them all but we can try.

There was even a trailer selling souvenirs and spray paint. The area was really well maintained and lots of security around.

Texas Panhandle

and Palo Duro State Park

The Texas Panhandle is FLAT! We saw a lot of cows. We saw quite a few trains. And lots of wide open space. Dean was commenting on how flat it was and then we arrived at Palo Duro State Park!

Palo Duro is the second largest canyon in the United States (we were just at the Grand Canyon so we saw them both). We were able to drive to the bottom of Palo Duro and camped there for two nights. I enjoyed the perspective of being surrounded by the canyon. 

Nice campsites. Our neighbors from the Alpaca Farm were also our neighbors at Palo Duro. Below is the view from our campsite. There were cardinals and other birds flitting around for entertainment.

The camp store had Root Beer Floats! 

Behind the store there was a bird blind with lots of birds enjoying the seeds provided for them and water to play in.

A nice visitor center with informative exhibits. This one was about the CCC that had built many of the facilities during the 1930's, including the visitor center.

  

We left Palo Duro and found that Texas was still FLAT!

We did find some entertainment along the way at Midway (between Turkey and Quitaque and between New York and Los Angeles)

 

How many in your car? Anyone in the trunk? Do you want popcorn and a soda?

 

Spring 2024 #6 - New Mexico - Black Mesa, Bandelier NM, Los Alamos and Alpacas

 All of our campsites in New Mexico were at Harvest Host Locations. This provides a nice change of pace and quite a bit of variety. We stayed at a winery, a brewery and an alpaca farm.

Heading into the hills north of Santa Fe we had a good bit of snow and almost hail. We did fine with new, all-weather tires and the roads staying fairly clear.

Our first Harvest Host stop in New Mexico was at Black Mesa Winery and Cidery. Very cute, good wine and cider. They were having a birthday party for one of the workers so we got some extra community experiences. The festivities included Native American dancing, music and we felt like we had found some new family members. They sent us off with tamales, frito pie and cake for our dinner (since it was raining and our propane wasn't working this was a bit of a lifesaver).

Behind the winery was a nature trail with petroglyphs, many cacti and a labyrinth. Watson enjoyed walking the labyrinth.

Bandelier National Monument

We did a day trip at Bandelier National Monument. Next time we will stay in the campground, on the rim above the canyon. We were able to drive down to the Visitors Center (May through Oct a shuttle is required and dogs not allowed). Dean and I took a short hike to see the pueblo ruins. It was cool enough that Watson could stay in the van and take it easy.

The drive down to the Visitor's Center is beautiful. We are heading to the bottom of Frijoles Canyon.

The Visitor's Center, Store and Cafe (Indian Cuisine (East Indian not Native American) are in the buildings of the original lodge, built by the CCC in the 1930's.

The trail to the ancestral Pueblo dwellings starts at the visitor center and is easy and mostly paved. In the cliffs you can see caves and some have ladders so you can see in (we did not hike out to those). Look closely and you can see carved petroglyphs in the rocks.

Los Alamos/Manhattan Project National Historic Site 

The Manhattan Project NHS has a small visitor center and a walking trail around the city and historic buildings. Out of batteries on my camera so very few photos! We enjoyed the walk.

We stopped for coffee at this cute coffee shop. Those people who attended All-Church Camp will appreciate this sign. 

What Blue Tape?

Our Harvest Host was Bathtub Row Brewing. We were supposed to stay there a year ago but due to fires and evacuations had to change our plans. We're glad we were able to go back. I find that the breweries give a real opportunity to see the community and be a part of it, just for the evening.

Our "campsite" was across the street from Oppenheimer's House. 

The deer visited in the morning.

Windrush Alpaca Farm

The greeting committee!

When we arrived the hosts gave us food for the Alpacas 

(and Oatmeal Cookies for us).

We had a very informative talk from the hosts.

I usually get a photo of Dean worshipping the morning sun, as he enjoys his coffee. Not a sunny day but he's enjoying his coffee. There's a bit of frost on the ground.

Of course I had to buy some Alpaca yarn! So soft and exciting to think I met the Alpacas they fibers came from. 

I got to work (play) and made a hat while on the road. It even got cool enough by the end of the trip that I enjoyed wearing it.