Looking for Pee Wee's Bike

Tuesday, March 13, 2018 

 Day 14 since we left home found us still in Texas.  Going through the widest part of the state takes days.  We kept seeing signs to visit "historic" Ft. Stockton.  The word "historic" is used often on the road to get you to visit.  Works for me. 

Ft. Stockton is another little dusty Texas town hanging by a thread and their claim to fame is the fort.  My idea of a fort is one with high walls making it a fortress.  This one was just a cluster of buildings and barracks.  I suppose it was an oasis to the settlers when there was nothing else around.  I always wonder what it would be like to grow up in these little towns that seem so alien to a north east girl.

We found a burrito joint for lunch. Lots of pick up trucks parked outside so it had to be good.  Our goal is to never eat at a franchise unless we are starving and have no other option.   This was a little family run place and just right. 

The real goal for the day was Fredericksburg, Texas.  Our new friend Joe from the boat trip told us about it.   What an adorable town.  Germans founded it and there were Germanic street names and Bavarian relates everywhere.  It was also spring break and very crowded for a Tuesday.  Why do mild climates get spring break? What do they need a break from?  Too much sunshine?  Anyway we walked from shop to shop and although it was full of German restaurants had dinner at a Tex-Mex place.  It is rather close to San Antonio so that is probably where it draws the crowds from.

Spent the night north west of San Antonio in a Walmart parking lot.  Nice and quiet; no big trucks.  During the night I got up to use the bathroom and had a major vertigo episode.  The room was twirling around like boozey room spins in your twenties.  I literally had to crawl.  So worried how I was supposed to ride home with the world spinning around me.  But morning came and gravity was working fine.  Got to get this checked out when we get home.

We drove to San Antonio on a back road and the rolling countryside was gorgeous and in early spring bloom.  Can't wait until that magical week happens at home when the trees just start blooming. The colors are so vivid and hopeful.  It's our reward for getting through another Northeast winter.

Arriving in San Antonio early to make sure we found a parking spot near the Alamo; it was a gorgeous day.  Parking the motorhome in urban areas takes a bit of planning and luck I guess.  So far so good.  Sometimes we have paid for two parking spots as we do stick out a bit but usually don't have to. 

The lines for the Alamo were quite long but determined to look for Pee Wee's bike we hung in there. Alas, no basement, no bike.  The Alamo and it's history was pretty cool but to us the real treasure was San Antonio the city.  What a precious place.  The Guadalupe River runs through the heart of the city and it couldn't be more charming.  We took the riverboat ride, (Paseo del Rio) and marveled at the buildings and the budding trees, bistros and blooming flowers.  We also took the on/off bus tour and had lunch at a Texas BBQ place.  San Antonio gets 5 stars!  Go there!

Time to move on for the night. To change things up a bit we booked the night in an RV park near Corpus Christi.  Thought it would be fun to get the grill out and make dinner for a change.  We got settled into our spot and Dave went out to put down the awning and set up the grill while I prepped the food.  He came back inside and said "it's happening again!".  I didn't know what he was talking about but quickly realized that thing that happened to the tire on the passenger rear side, was now happening on the driver's side rear tire.  This time the tire was gong flat fast.  So we started the whole hassle of roadside assistance again.  Of course it was after 5:00 p.m. and my very calm, patient husband was handling it quite well. Just like when things get challenging on our Blue Moon cruises.  He is definitely the right person for these little annoyances! Me, not so much!  Next morning a mobile tire service repaired the valve stem problem for us (so much for preventative maintenance-Mercedes Rochester will have to make this right!) and we were on our way to check out Padre Island.

Padre Island is not what I pictured.  It was much less. Being an overcast day didn't help; it was bleak and unattractive.  I'm sure there must be beautiful developments and scenery there but we didn't come across them.  Looks like a terrible place to be when the inevitable hurricanes hit; no protection at all.  Texas seems to be a country within a country and vastly different from one end to the other.  Really enjoyed our drive through that state.

It was a short ferry ride across the river to get  back to the main highway.  Of course we stopped at another Mexican restaurant for lunch.  This is my heartburn tour for sure - but so worth it.