“The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.” –Jacques Cousteau
A beach with perfect sugar white sand only a five minute walk from our campsite. I think I am in heaven!
Gulf Islands National Seashore at Ft. PickensThe beach at sunsetGulf Islands National Seashore
Our home for a week is Ft. Pickens Campground in Gulf Islands National Seashore on Santa Rosa Island. I’ve been doing a lot of walking on the beach and beach chair sitting.
Site A1 Ft. PickensReady for Beach Chair Sitting on the Gulf of Mexico
We’ve taken a couple of hikes on the half-mile Blackbird Marsh Nature Trail near the campground.
Along the Blackbird Marsh Nature Trail
It is nest building time for Ospreys and several nests can be seen in the area. Ospreys are frequently seen soaring over the campground and a few of the nests can be viewed close up from the nature trail.
Pair of Ospreys on the nature trailPair of Ospreys on the nature trailOsprey
And the sunsets over the Gulf of Mexico are breathtaking!
Sunset over the Gulf of Mexico
More of the Fort Pickens area coming up in my next post.
Our latest RV journey took us past many pecan orchards in south Georgia before we arrived at our first destination, Eastbank Campground on the banks of Lake Seminole. Although located in Georgia, the closest town is Chattahoochee, Florida. From our campsite we were treated to a beautiful sunset our first night.
Sunset over Lake Seminole at Eastbank Campground
The campsites are large and many are waterfront. It was a great place to wind down from the hustle and bustle of being at home.
Eastbank COE Site A01Loop A at Eastbank COE CampgroundFoggy morning on Lake Seminole at Eastbank
We tried geocaching in nearby Chattahoochee, Florida. Our first two attempts were a bust but we enjoyed looking around the train car at the Heritage Park.
Heritage Park in Chattahoochee, FloridaHeritage Park in Chattahoochee, Florida
We ended the day watching another beautiful sunset.
Another beautiful sunset over Lake Seminole
Henry checking the GPS
Our second geocaching excursion took us to part of the Chattachoochee Nature Trail along the Apalachicola River.
No amount of looking over, under, and around the boardwalk helped us find the geocache but I found something better. A baby alligator was sunning himself beside the boardwalk.
Palmettos beside the boardwalk on the nature trailI spotted this baby alligatorBridge over Apalachiacola River
We were determined to find the geocache at the train car so we returned there and Henry found it!
Henry with his first geocache find
Later we drove to the Jim Woodruff Lock and Dam to take a look. The dam and locks were constructed for navigation, hydro- power and recreation purposes on the Apalachicola, Chattahoochee, and Flint River systems.
As we traveled east from Louisiana to Alabama on I-20 we crossed the Mississippi River into Vicksburg and stopped at the Welcome Center to take a break. It was drizzling rain but we were still able to have a beautiful view of the mighty Mississippi.
The mighty Mississippi River in Vicksburg, MississippiCannon display at the Mississippi Welcome Center in VicksburgBarge in the rain on the Mississippi River
After our short stop we continued on our journey. Our destination was Prairie Creek Campground near Lownesboro, Alabama, the first Corps of Engineers park we ever stayed in. Were we pleasantly surprised back in 2007 to find big sites, paved pads and a well maintained park. Ever since that first stay in a COE campground we look for them whenever we are traveling.
Our second visit to the campground did not disappoint. When we weren’t enjoying the view of the Alabama River from our site we took a drive to explore the dam.
Robert F. Henry Lock and DamWalking down to the riverAlabama WildflowersAlabama River
The sunsets were gorgeous right from our site.
Sunset over the Alabama River at Prairie Creek Campground
Inks Lake State Park in Burnet (pronounced BURN-it DERN it) was our home for the 4 nights before Easter weekend. Thanks to my friend Tim in Arlington for recommending this park.
We arrived early in the day and were able to get a beautiful waterfront site. The bad news is we would have to leave on Good Friday because the park was full for Easter weekend. I knew we would love the area when we saw bluebonnets lining the roads to the park.
Our waterfront campsite was a great place to watch ducks, geese and all the water activities. We saw people paddling canoes and kayaks, floating on tubes, and fishing from motor boats. The sunsets were gorgeous.
Mallards at Inks Lake Dove at Inks LakeCanada Geese at Inks LakeHooded Merganser at Inks LakeTurtles on a log at Inks LakeSunset at Inks Lake
I love talking to locals to find out the best places to see. We stopped at Longhorn Caverns State Park one morning to ask about the tours. The ranger had seen me taking pictures of bluebonnets beside the road and he told us about a great scenic drive south of Llano. We were headed to Llano for lunch so we were off on a bluebonnet hunt after we stuffed ourselves with brisket and ribs.
Cooper’s Barbeque in Llano, Texas
Indian PaintbrushBluebonnets and Indian Paintbrush along Park Road 4Bluebonnets beside a streamBoots and bluebonnetsBeth in the bluebonnets
One afternoon we toured nearby Longhorn Caverns. During prohibition the cavern was privately owned and the cavern was run as a honky tonk and restaurant. In one of the large rooms was a bandstand with tables set up all around. When prohibition was repealed the owner gave the land to the state of Texas.
Crystals in Longhorn CavernThis dog was formed naturallyLonghorn CavernLonghorn CavernEastern Pipistrelle bat about three inches long at Longhorn CavernEastern Pipistrelle bat about three inches long at Longhorn CavernLonghorn Cavern State ParkBuilt by the CCC in the 1930’s at Longhorn Cavern State Park
One morning we took a hike on the Valley Spring trail in the state park. The trail started out beside the lake and wound through the woods with wildflowers growing beneath the trees.
Blondie getting her feet wet at Inks LakeDeil’s Waterhole on Inks LakeBluebonnets beside the Spring Valley trail at Inks LakeTop of the waterfallBeside the waterfallWaterfall at Inks Lake
Inks Lake State Park has moved up near the top of my list of favorite state parks. Our site was a back in paved pad with water and electric hookups, a picnic table, fire ring, and lantern hook. We had a huge area beneath shade trees to set up our chairs and watch the world go by. There are two fishing piers, a marina and boat launch, canoe and kayak rentals, playground, camp store, and several hiking trails. Click to read my campground review of Inks Lake State Park.
There is so much to see and do in the Texas Hill Country we could have stayed a month and not seen in all. Unfortunately, we only had about two weeks to explore this beautiful area in the heart of Texas. The hill country includes San Antonio and Austin and extends west about 200 miles. Driving through the area on mostly twisting, two lane roads we saw canyons and creeks, dance halls and wineries, historic sites and ranches, quaint small towns and old homesteads, green grass and more wildflowers than I ever imagined. We dined on barbeque and schnitzel and I bought a cowboy hat!
Our first home base in the hill country was Cranes Mill, a beautiful Corps of Engineers park on Canyon Lake near New Braunfels. We enjoyed driving on the country roads to explore the area. The bluebonnets were really starting to bloom and we saw more and more each day.
The first order of business was to eat some Texas Barbeque. One of my brothers lived in San Antonio for a few years and told us not to miss the Salt Lick in Driftwood, Texas. We started out our first full day in the hill country driving the back roads to have our first taste of brisket, ribs, sausage and turkey. After our delicious lunch we stopped to visit the Dr. Joseph Pound homestead. Dr. Pound and his family settled there in 1853 and raised 9 children. His descendants lived in the home continuously until 1983.
Salt Lick BarbequeBuckboard used by the Pound familyBall Moss on live oak at the Pound HomesteadPound Homestead in Dripping Springs, Texas
On a beautiful sunny Friday we took a drive to Luckenbach and a winery near Fredericksburg.
Luckenbach, TexasLuckenbach, TexasLuckenbach Dance HallMusic on a sunny Friday afternoonDown in Luckenbach, Texas, ain’t nobody feeling no painLuckenbach, TexasFat Ass Winery, Fredericksburg, Texas
We enjoyed touring the LBJ State Park and Historic Site in Stonewall. Lyndon Johnson was our 36th president and spent much of his presidency at his ranch on the Perdanales River. Adjacent to the ranch is the Sauer-Beckmann Living History Farm, a working farm which recreates a Hill Country farm at the turn of the 20th century.
The driving tour of his ranch goes around the air strip where he would land in a small plane he called Air Force One Half because Air Force One was too large to land on the landing strip. President Johnson left the ranch to be enjoyed by all the people so there is no charge to tour the park.
Hog at the living history exhibitSaddles at the LBJ RanchAt the LBJ RanchIn the show barn at the ranchBluebonnets on the LBJ RanchAir Force One was to big to land on the landing strip so he called this plane that flew him from Austin “Air Force One Half”
We also enjoyed visiting some of the towns in the area. Many of the older buildings in the hill country are made of stone because of the lack of wood for building.
Gazebo in New Braunfels, TexasHenne Hardware in New Braunfels – since 1857Comal County Courthouse in New BraunfelsOne of the stone buildings in FredericksburgHome in Gruene, Texas
On a sunny Palm Sunday we strolled through the town of Gruene where we enjoyed music at one of the oldest dance halls in Texas. Our Sunday drive continued to the artistic town of Wimberley and a walk along the banks of the Cypress Creek.
Gruene Water TowerGruene Hall is one of the oldest dance halls in TexasGruene Hall on a Sunday afternoonGruene Hall on a Sunday afternoonSign in Wimberley, TexasTotem beside Cypress Creek in WimberleyCypress Creek in WimberleyCypress Creek in Wimberley
While driving around we passed many interesting ranches and the Albert Dance Hall and Twin Sisters Dance Hall. Although we were still a little early to see the bluebonnets in all their glory we enjoyed seeing patches of them beside the roads.
Sculpture at the entrance to a ranchGotta love TexasBluebonnets near Stonewall, TexasBluebonnets near Stonewall, TexasBluebonnets and Indian Paintbrush
When we weren’t sightseeing we enjoyed our large lake front campsite at Crane’s Mill.
Cranes Mill Campground on Canyon LakeWe saw deer almost every day at Cranes Mill CampgroundDeer, Canyon LakeSunset over Canyon Lake
Wandering Dawgs 