NOVEMBER 2007
USA-Mississippi-Florence
Thursday 1st back onto the Trace then north to the
closed section where the road works were, we turned round to continue
the Trace. On the return journey, a Deer crossed the road ahead
of us, it joined two others and all three looked at us before bounding
leisurely into the trees. The rest of the journey passed
uneventfully, but at our camp at Davis Lake a Woodpecker attacked the
tree next to us, the first Woodpecker to be seen in action. It
flew off before being filmed. Friday we rejoined the
Trace and travelled southwest stopping to look at the Historic sites on
the way. We passed a dozen Wild Turkeys and a Hawk. We
camped at Ratliff Ferry, another fine day amid beautiful 
scenery.
Saturday 3rd we carried on down the Trace, visited the historic and nature sites, as well as seeing two more Turkeys and a deer as we passed the outskirts of Jackson. We ended a pleasant day camping at the Mississippi State Park outside Natchez. Sunday was spent visiting three “Plantation” Houses in Natchez. The Civil War really had a huge effect on the owners of these houses, one is still unfinished as the original owner had nothing left at the end of the war. Monday we travelled west into Louisiana to see a “working” plantation, two videos and a tour of the ex-slave accommodation, was all we saw. Tuesday a rest day, Mervyn was suffering with a heavy cold but still managed his washing. We had a fine view of the River Mississippi on a sunny day. Wednesday we returned to the state of Mississippi and continued east to the (Interstate) I-55 where we turned south to the Junction with I-10 where we left the Interstates to follow the state roads to our camp alongside the River Mississippi. Mervyn was still feeling poorly so Howard drove all day, a fine sunny day. Thursday we paid a visit to a Doctors, Howard needed a prescription as he was running out of tablets and Mervyn was having back pains, This took most of the morning and having crossed the Mississippi we found a huge traffic jam. The police officer was most unhelpful refusing to talk to Howard. We returned across the river and went west to the next bridge. We had to miss out the plantations we had planned to visit so we continued south west to Morgan City, another fine camp. Friday a short day to Abbeville to collect our post, it wasn’t there.
Saturday 10th into the post office, still no mail. As Howard had broken glass in his throat (well it felt like it) we visited to the Pharmacy and obtained some tablets. Sunday a rest day. Monday same again, it is a national holiday, Veteran’s day. Tuesday the post office is open but no mail, we shopped and returned to the camp. Wednesday still no mail, we decided to move on into Texas. We ended up at Beaufort. Both of our colds seem to be leaving us, GREAT!!!!! Thursday we drove on through
Houston, only a six lane Interstate, to shop
at the local Camping World. A DVD Player (Pal & NTSC), a tyre
pump (up to 120psi) and an American cable (50ft of 30amps). On to
a nearby camp. Friday
back to the Camping World the DVD player did not play Pal (UK) the pump
would not reach the battery and/or tyres and they charged double (30ft
of 50amps) for the cable. A total refund and we bought a better
(more expensive) pump and paid the correct price for the cable.
Our next camp was at Luling, a State Park.
Saturday 17th before leaving we saw three groups of deer, five medium size, four including a stag and five with a baby. A short drive into San Antonio followed. We booked into the camp and shopped for food, we visited the Mission of San José on the way back to the camp. Sunday into San Antonio by bus, $1, and a short walk to the Alamo. We had a Tex-Mex meal at Rio Rio Cantina, very good and very large, we had to leave some. Monday we stayed at the camp for a rest day, Howard again went into San Antonio to try to buy a Cowboy Calendar, no luck. Tuesday we left the camp and visited the other Missions, then on to Bandera. Wednesday after four days of overcast, today we had some overcast and some clear skies. We drove to Mason stopping at The Enchanted Mountain on the way. The Enchanted Mountain was a sacred place for the Indians. It is a Pink Granite Monolith, like a huge skull, appearing out of the forested Hill Country. During the Morning Howard saw three deer alongside the road, medium size all with short horns, possibly Pronghorns. Thursday on another short day we drove to Fort Mckavett a frontier fort, it is in the process of bring renovated. It was not on our direct route and we arrived to find the gates locked and a sign reading open Friday to Monday. We noticed two rangers working so we drove in through the maintenance gate and were greeted with booklets for a walking tour. “There are some other people here so off you go and when you return I will open some exhibits for you“. We set off and seeing some people in a house tried the door, only to find it locked. It opened and an off duty ranger said we could join his family on a guided tour. The tour was superb in spite of the bitter wind. After lunch we drove to San Angelo arriving just before 1500, we arrived at the camp just after 1600. Friday we shopped and then took a two hour drive to Sonora where we collected our post (on time here) and then went on to the camp at the Caverns of Sonora, for lunch.
Saturday 24th on a cold grey day we saw a large Stag and a small deer then we visited the Sonora Caverns where the inside temperature was 30C so we left our heavy coats at the entrance. The Caverns were superb and the guide excellent. Having bought some homemade fudge we left the Caverns to travel west on I-10 in light rain to camp at Ozona. Sunday we continued our journey south to Comstock and visited the Seminole Canyon with some really beautiful pictograms. Unfortunately the camp at the canyon was closed so we drove three miles east to another camp. Monday we went southeast parallel to the Rio Grande and then east to Carrizo Springs to camp. Tuesday we followed road 87 south through Laredo and went on to the Falcon State Park seeing our first Road Runner on the way, then we camped on the bank of the Falcon Reservoir also the Rio Grande. As we were settling in we saw five Javelina and a deer where a man was illegally throwing out deer corn. Wednesday we saw one and then three deer less than twenty yds. away before we left the camp. We drove southeast to Mission to camp. We spent the afternoon at a garage where they looked at the aircon but couldn’t find the leak, no charge. Our next visit was to the computer repair shop to try to sort out why it had stopped playing the recorded DVDs, after 30min no luck, no charge. Thursday we drove round in the morning, first to the garage to see about the cab aircon not working (when we tried it yesterday) “come back 1000 on Monday“, on to the post office, our post was there, then to Walmart pharmacy for tablets for Mervyn’s rheumatism. We returned to the camp for lunch and paperwork. Friday was a rest day washing, then relaxation.
scenery.Saturday 3rd we carried on down the Trace, visited the historic and nature sites, as well as seeing two more Turkeys and a deer as we passed the outskirts of Jackson. We ended a pleasant day camping at the Mississippi State Park outside Natchez. Sunday was spent visiting three “Plantation” Houses in Natchez. The Civil War really had a huge effect on the owners of these houses, one is still unfinished as the original owner had nothing left at the end of the war. Monday we travelled west into Louisiana to see a “working” plantation, two videos and a tour of the ex-slave accommodation, was all we saw. Tuesday a rest day, Mervyn was suffering with a heavy cold but still managed his washing. We had a fine view of the River Mississippi on a sunny day. Wednesday we returned to the state of Mississippi and continued east to the (Interstate) I-55 where we turned south to the Junction with I-10 where we left the Interstates to follow the state roads to our camp alongside the River Mississippi. Mervyn was still feeling poorly so Howard drove all day, a fine sunny day. Thursday we paid a visit to a Doctors, Howard needed a prescription as he was running out of tablets and Mervyn was having back pains, This took most of the morning and having crossed the Mississippi we found a huge traffic jam. The police officer was most unhelpful refusing to talk to Howard. We returned across the river and went west to the next bridge. We had to miss out the plantations we had planned to visit so we continued south west to Morgan City, another fine camp. Friday a short day to Abbeville to collect our post, it wasn’t there.
Saturday 10th into the post office, still no mail. As Howard had broken glass in his throat (well it felt like it) we visited to the Pharmacy and obtained some tablets. Sunday a rest day. Monday same again, it is a national holiday, Veteran’s day. Tuesday the post office is open but no mail, we shopped and returned to the camp. Wednesday still no mail, we decided to move on into Texas. We ended up at Beaufort. Both of our colds seem to be leaving us, GREAT!!!!! Thursday we drove on through
Houston, only a six lane Interstate, to shop
at the local Camping World. A DVD Player (Pal & NTSC), a tyre
pump (up to 120psi) and an American cable (50ft of 30amps). On to
a nearby camp. Friday
back to the Camping World the DVD player did not play Pal (UK) the pump
would not reach the battery and/or tyres and they charged double (30ft
of 50amps) for the cable. A total refund and we bought a better
(more expensive) pump and paid the correct price for the cable.
Our next camp was at Luling, a State Park.Saturday 17th before leaving we saw three groups of deer, five medium size, four including a stag and five with a baby. A short drive into San Antonio followed. We booked into the camp and shopped for food, we visited the Mission of San José on the way back to the camp. Sunday into San Antonio by bus, $1, and a short walk to the Alamo. We had a Tex-Mex meal at Rio Rio Cantina, very good and very large, we had to leave some. Monday we stayed at the camp for a rest day, Howard again went into San Antonio to try to buy a Cowboy Calendar, no luck. Tuesday we left the camp and visited the other Missions, then on to Bandera. Wednesday after four days of overcast, today we had some overcast and some clear skies. We drove to Mason stopping at The Enchanted Mountain on the way. The Enchanted Mountain was a sacred place for the Indians. It is a Pink Granite Monolith, like a huge skull, appearing out of the forested Hill Country. During the Morning Howard saw three deer alongside the road, medium size all with short horns, possibly Pronghorns. Thursday on another short day we drove to Fort Mckavett a frontier fort, it is in the process of bring renovated. It was not on our direct route and we arrived to find the gates locked and a sign reading open Friday to Monday. We noticed two rangers working so we drove in through the maintenance gate and were greeted with booklets for a walking tour. “There are some other people here so off you go and when you return I will open some exhibits for you“. We set off and seeing some people in a house tried the door, only to find it locked. It opened and an off duty ranger said we could join his family on a guided tour. The tour was superb in spite of the bitter wind. After lunch we drove to San Angelo arriving just before 1500, we arrived at the camp just after 1600. Friday we shopped and then took a two hour drive to Sonora where we collected our post (on time here) and then went on to the camp at the Caverns of Sonora, for lunch.
Saturday 24th on a cold grey day we saw a large Stag and a small deer then we visited the Sonora Caverns where the inside temperature was 30C so we left our heavy coats at the entrance. The Caverns were superb and the guide excellent. Having bought some homemade fudge we left the Caverns to travel west on I-10 in light rain to camp at Ozona. Sunday we continued our journey south to Comstock and visited the Seminole Canyon with some really beautiful pictograms. Unfortunately the camp at the canyon was closed so we drove three miles east to another camp. Monday we went southeast parallel to the Rio Grande and then east to Carrizo Springs to camp. Tuesday we followed road 87 south through Laredo and went on to the Falcon State Park seeing our first Road Runner on the way, then we camped on the bank of the Falcon Reservoir also the Rio Grande. As we were settling in we saw five Javelina and a deer where a man was illegally throwing out deer corn. Wednesday we saw one and then three deer less than twenty yds. away before we left the camp. We drove southeast to Mission to camp. We spent the afternoon at a garage where they looked at the aircon but couldn’t find the leak, no charge. Our next visit was to the computer repair shop to try to sort out why it had stopped playing the recorded DVDs, after 30min no luck, no charge. Thursday we drove round in the morning, first to the garage to see about the cab aircon not working (when we tried it yesterday) “come back 1000 on Monday“, on to the post office, our post was there, then to Walmart pharmacy for tablets for Mervyn’s rheumatism. We returned to the camp for lunch and paperwork. Friday was a rest day washing, then relaxation.
USA-Texas- Mission