Cattlemen's Steakhouse at fabens ranch

We are heading across Texas. We decided we don't need hook up tonight.  We have shower water and solar.   We started looking for free Rv parking spots.   While doing that I saw a Cattlemen's Steakhouse and ranch fabens, tx.   This would have us arrive at 7pm.    Leave us a 3 hr drive tomorrow.   I called cattlemen's steakhouse, they have Rv parking and we can stay overnight free.   So that plan sounds fun.   The place has many great reviews.  

Texas Cowboy Crawl

We met at the Longhorn Saloon with Mark Mims and his daughter Serena.  He brought his trailer with four horses.    We were to ride our horses through town and stop at some local cowboy bars.
My horse is Chili, Norm's horse is Oreo.  We were given a quick how to lesson, signed our release form and then we mounted our horses and headed into town.  
This is the first time Norm was ever on a horse.  
Horses must stop at traffic lights.   We went through town and had our first stop at The 11th Street Cowboy bar.    We hitched our horses at a hitching post.  Unmounted the horses and went in the bar.  It is a very old bar.  there are bras and other memorabilia of the past hanging everywhere.  We could only get beer or wine.    No pretty fruity drinks here.  
After a couple of beers there we headed down to the river and walked the horses along the side for a bit.   At one point my horse decided to trot faster than the others.   I pulled on his reins to stop him, but I was hanging on tight with my legs and feet, which apparently means go to the horse.  So he was going fast.   They told me to let go with my feet and he stopped.  
We went on to the next bar.   It is the second oldest longest running bar in Texas.   We hitched our horses out back and went in the back door to the Arkey Blues Silver Dollar Saloon.   It is a dark, smoky, basement bar.   There is a band playing country music.  We had a beer there and then headed next door to the Chicken Coop bar.  We went in there and had a fireball shot.   I was gabbing to some poor guy named Tom.   He was watching football, this is the first football conversation I have had in months.   I decided to root for the Greenbay packers with only 2 minutes left in the game.  They were ahead and I was thinking I could get a cheesehead in Arizona where the superbowl will be played.   But, unfortunately, when I pick a team, they lose, and they did!  (Sorry Tom!!)
We headed out back, got on our horses and headed back to the Long Horn Saloon.  We ended our horseback riding for the day.  I gave my horse a big hug.  We went into the Longhorn,  listened to some country music the band was playing.
We left there and headed to get some much needed food at the Brick's River Cafe.   We then headed home.   We walked through the drive through beverage barn and into our RV.     We went to sleep right away.  I cannot handle a pub crawl anymore!

We decided to stay

We have decided to stay to do the cowboy weekend.    We moved our RV to a campground right next to the bar crawl.    It is not a nice campground, but there will be no driving after drinking.   The RV park is called Bandera RV park.   The owner is nice, we talked to him on the phone.   $20 a night full hook ups and wifi.   He said he was putting us in his new section and there would be dirt instead of grass.   We said that was fine.   We checked in the sites are very rough looking.    We put our RV in its site and headed to town to see the shootout.

Our unplanned stop, my as well find a steak

Earlier today we had an unfortunate event with the window break.   After diverting into San Antonio to get it repaired without success, we decided to look for a campground off I10 .  So I started up the passport america app.  I found a couple.   So we headed into Kerrville and located a campground called Triple T RV park.  $17.50 a night with full hookups and wifi.  We picked our site and hooked up.  After speaking with the staff and asking for a good place to get a Texas steak, we went to OST restaurant.   It was a neat place, with John Wayne memorabilia.  We ate our dinner in saddles at the bar.  The food was okay, definitely not a Texas size steak.   We dd speak with other resturant customers who told s that the town we are in is Bandera, s the cowboy capital of the world.  They told us there is an old style shoot out on Saturday and Sunday there is a pub crawl on horses which returns to a bar with country music band.

Was it a bug??

While driving  on I10 in Texas  East of San Antonio  something  hit the window  on the driver side it shattered  the outside  layer.    We duct taped  it and started to  do research.    I  called  Gulfstream they stated our window manufacturer  is out of business.    They did state  any window repair place  could  fix.    So I called  ahead  to San Antonio and spoke with  a glass place.     Upon  our  arrival they informed us it would take about a week.  they would have to remove the whole unit and order a new one and fabricate it.   Since our plan was to head to Norm's mom house, we decided just to continue on.  

The fire museum of Texas, Beaumont, Texas

Another Harvest host location,  we are allowed to stay in their parking lot overnight free.  We went to the museum today.  The admission is free.    It is a small museum, very nicely done.   Outside are Dalmatian colored fire hydrants and the (third largest) fire hydrant in the world.   It was a publicity hydrant placed by Disney when the movie 101 Dalmatians came out.  

The Rig Museum, Morgan City, Louisiana

Thanks to Harvest Hosts we are staying for free at a real offshore drilling rig.   We took the personalized tour.   $6,   Virgil a supervisor gave us a personalized tour.   We saw the living and eating and working quarters aboard an offshore oil drilling rig.    Unique experience.   

The French Quarter, New Orleans

Today we are staying at the French Quarter RV Resort.   It is in the French quarter and is $50 a night.  That is half off with passport america.   The place is nice, behind a brick wall with spikes on top. It also has a security gate.   There is a nonheated pool, and hot tub.   There are nice showers and restrooms.   The sites are brick and neat.   After checking in at elevyn we headed by foot to Bourbon St.   We went for a reminiscent hurricane at Pat O'Brien's, then we went across the street for an Elvis burger at Yo Mamma's.   This was a reminiscent place also.   From when we went on the cruise out of new Orleans 4 years ago.  We had a couple of hurricanes while walking back to the Rv park.  We went to the hot tub and pool.   It is cold at 47 degrees.  After a nap we returned to the French quarter.  Norm has broken down and has put on long pants.    That is a first since we left.   We walked around had a dinner of gumbo, jambalaya and chicken wings.   We went back early.   Took the dogs for a walk at the nearby park and went to bed.  

Gulfcoast Gator Ranch and airboat tours

Tonight  we are staying  at  a  Gator Ranch in Moss,  Mississippi.    This is a free parking spot overnight,  thanks to Harvest Hosts.    We did the walking  tour and airboat ride for $30 each.   This place was greatly affected by Hurricane  Katrina.  In fact,  all of their  gators floated out.   One of the pictures is the Katrina waterline.  

Johnny 's RV resort, Theodore Alabama

Passport America $17.50,  nice Lake for walking the dogs around off leash.    They could  swim in it.  

What were we thinking!!!

We have arrived at our new location.   Old Pavilion RV park,  Keaton Beach, Florida.  We discovered this gorgeous rv park right on the gulf of mexico .  Or site has a 270 degree view of the ocean.   This site is $20 a night with full hook ups and wifi.  The sunset here is priceless.   The unfortunate part is we arrived here the same day as the arctic blast from up north.   The campground manager had to turn off the water for the evening to prevent ruptured pipes.  The wind is howling and it is cold.   We had to turn on our furnace.  I had to put on a jacket and long pants.   Norm is still being a rebel, wearing shorts.  We were gonna stay for just 2 nights, but after discovering the sewer line for the rv outside is frozen,  we decided to stay until tomorrow when it will be warmer and unhooking won't be a messy job.

My first day of driving the rv

So I figured  it was time.    I  wanted to  start where traffic was light  and  the road straight.    I  started  in florida  on I10.   As soon as I  started I was sorry.     It is  harder  than it looks.    The Rv is 40 ft long plus another 20ft for the tow dolly and car.      So 60 ft to think about  before changing lanes and slowing  and increasing  speed.     The steering wheel is wiggley  and requires  constant  attention.    No just going  straight.   Then a truck  comes up on the side  and it's sideways  air pushes me toward  the  gutter.    As I  am trying  to keep  it straight and not over compensate.   The rumble  strip  is loud.     My stress level  was through  the  roof.    norm said I did fine.     But before finishing up my eighty  miles,  a big Rig came up on my left side.    He must have been texting  and  swerved into my lane  almost  hit me.    The words that came out of me are not fit for this blog.     I  switched  out of driving.    I  will  try another  day.    That is enough for today.

Orange picking, a must do before leaving Florida

Today we are actually heading south from where we are staying.  I went to purchase some oranges.  I asked the man selling them where I could pick them.  He gave me the name  "Hancock Groves"  Dade City, Florida.  I couldn't pass up the opportunity to see orange trees.   We arrived at the grove.   Received our basket picker,  wagon and bag, and we were off!   I have my boots on, because my cousin, Maryann, assures me there are snakes in the trees.   We picked a medium size bag of oranges and grapefruits.  I sent some to my father in Connecticut.  It is his birthday next week.    

 

by the way ,  no snakes observed.   Just the little guy sitting on an orange

Norm's birthday party with the manatees

While talking with some local Florida residents.   Upon being asked where to see manatees,  they states Crystal River, Florida.   After a little internet follow up, we came up with our plans for Norm's birthday.   We went to an RV park just north of Crystal River "Cattail Creek Rv park" Yankeetown, Florida.  It was $15 a night full hook ups and wifi.   I do not recommend this place.   The showers were dirty and there was no hot water.   There does appear to be some amount of work being done there and possibly with some time it will improve.   The next morning, we packed our inflatable kayak and snorkeling equipment into the car.    we went to a dive shop to get myself some flippers.    We were able to rent flippers and a dive flag.   We had already watched on the internet the required video that tells you how to safely watch the manatees in their environments legally and without posing a threat to the manatees.    We blew up the kayak at a local park and paddled out of a river and up into a different branch,    It took about 30 minutes.   We saw many humps of the manatees in an area that is closed to humans.  we went a little more upriver and we came to "Three sisters spring"   there is a roped area where the manatees hang out and rest.  People cannot enter,  but the manatees can swim out.  There was a few manatees.   At one point a mother manatee and her baby swam right under us.   I could see so clearly a scar on her back from a boat propeller.    Her baby was about the same size as me and the mamma was huge.