A Visit to San Angelo, TX

Thursday – Friday, September 29 & 30, 2016

We arrived in San Angelo and are staying at a really nice state park with large pecan trees to shade our RV.  Nice and quiet as it is away from the main highway and there are only four other RV’s in the park. 

San Angelo is about 200 miles south of Lubbock and still in the West Texas area.  Population is almost 100,000 so it is not a small town.  It is the home of Fort Concho and Goodfellow Air Force Base.  The town was founded in 1867 when the United State built Fort Concho, one of many forts built to protect the frontier.  Settler Bartholomew J. DeWitt founded the village outside the fort at the junction of the North and South Concho Rivesr.  The town was named after DeWitt’s wife, Carolina Angela.  The name was changed to San Angelo in 1883 at the insistence of the U.S. Postal Service.  The town was a trade center for farmers and settlers and the lawless cow town was filled with bars, brothels and gambling casinos. The Santa Fe Railroad arrived in 1888 and the Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railway in 1909.

A visit to the Visitor Center provides us with lots of literature and suggestions from the attendant on various things to see.  We drive around the old part of the city getting our bearings for our next day venture to various attractions.  Outside and long the river is the beautiful statue.

On Friday we drive in to San Angelo and begin our visit on Concho Street where we hope to visit Miss Hattie’s Bordello and Museum but tour times do not jive with our plans.  (Miss Hattie moved to San Angelo in the late 1800’s married to a Mr. Hatton who apparently had a real taste for alcohol which did not set well with Miss Hattie who proceed to divorce him.  She got the upstairs and he the downstairs with Miss Hattie opening a bordello in her half in 1902).  Wonder how long Mr. Hatton lived downstairs or if he frequented the upstairs?  Guess we will never know.

Across the street is Eggemeyers General Store which has an interesting shop filled with all manner of merchandise including candles, toys, cards, things Texas, kitchen utensils, jams and jellys, beers and wines and homemade root beer.  I could have spent hours in the store but we move on across the street to an interesting antique store and on up the street taking in some of the old buildings dating to the mid to late 1800’s. 

We also plan to take in the Railway Museum but as in many towns, the Museum is only open on Saturday’s.  The museum houses memorabilia and artifacts including a permanent model train  layout depicting San Angelo in 1928. 

Moving down the road, we stop at Fort Concho where seventeen buildings on the fort grounds have been restored and five have been reconstructed.  A short video gives us an overview of the fort and its early as well as present living history demonstrations.  Buildings are for the most part made of native limestone so common in construction here in Texas.  The original property included at least 40 buildings and 1600 acres.  The fort opened in 1867 and closed in June 1888, its role in the settlement of Texas frontier over.  Buildings open to us are the Enlisted Men’s Barracks, Living History Stables, Mess Hall and Kitchen, Headquarters, the Hospital, School/Chapel and Officers Quarters.  Each building gives us information about the room and is nicely furnished to depict what it had been used for. 

Enlisted Men's Quarters

Mess Hall and Kitchen

Headquarters

Court Martial Room

Hospital

School/Chapel

One of the Officers Quarters homes includes a Museum of Telephony.  What a collection of old phones and phone equipment. 

We get a good workout walking the Fort grounds and our tummies are saying it is time for something to eat.  I find a restaurant called Twisted Root Burger Co. with an old truck on the roof.  Below are pictures from outside and inside.  On the menu is The Verde Burger which includes Hatch Green Chili, Pepper Jack Cheese, and Guacamole.  Really yummy and a taste from home.    Our table top is shot gun shells under glass.  We found out this restaurant had been seen on  Food Network ‘s Diners, Drive-ins & Dives.

One unique thing we kept seeing around town were the painted sheep statues which were painted by local artists.  The sheep represent the history of San Angelo and the wood industry.

We finish the day taking a few pictures of some of the murals around town 

and walking on the curving Celebration Bridge across the Concho River 

where we find this mermaid statue and pavers purchased by local citizens bearing a message.  The Mermaid is a bronze sculpture which depicts a fresh water mermaid with outstretched hands holding up a mussel containing a Concho Pearl.  These unique pearls are found only in the local rivers and lakes in this area.  

A beautiful park covered in pecan trees and picnic tables and benches line one side of the river here with the Museum of Fine Art and an outdoor amphitheater on the other. 

A wonderful sunny and warm day in this interesting old city. 

Signing off until the next venture.

Back on the Road

It has been almost a month since we arrived in Albuquerque for our doctor appointments.  Everything went well for the two of us.  Good reports from all doctors and Kathy's mammogram as well.  Whew!  We are so thankful.  Had to find a new dentist as ours retired, but new dentist is great and we look forward to establishing a relationship with him.  Had our cleanings and Ron had a couple of fillings, but in April we will have to see about several crowns.  UGH!  and so expensive.  Oh, well, will enjoy the winter travels and worry about the crowns later.

We left Albuquerque today for Lubbock, Texas where we are staying at an Elks Lodge where we have stayed before.  Very active lodge and nice RV facility with full hookups.  Will move on tomorrow headed to the Austin area for a week plus visit with Kathy's daughter Laurie and family and then a couple of weeks elsewhere though we have not decided where as yet.

We have reservations in Kerrville for the month of November and look forward to our time there and exploring other nearby communities as possible sites for a future sticks and brick home in Texas.  No hurry for that as we are still enjoying our travels too much to settle down.

Signing off until we arrive in San Angelo tomorrow and explore that area.

Traveling to Albuquerque

Saturday and Sunday, August 27 -28, 2016

We arrived in Loveland, CO today where we are staying at an RV Park just east of Estes Park where we have stayed before.  This Park suffered a major flood from the Big Thompson River three years ago.   The River runs right next to the campground and it appears the Park to still be recovering from the effects.  We were disappointed in the upkeep of the Park and had hoped that it would be in better shape by this time. 

Our visit to Loveland was in conjunction with seeing my old college friend, Judy Partain who lives in Ft. Collins.  I spent Sunday with Judy and she and I had a chance to do a bit of shopping and gabbing in the old town area of Ft. Collins.  Great shops and a cute restaurant for our lunch.  Ron elected to go back to the RV after lunch.  Wonder why he did not want to shop and gab? 

We also had a chance to see my daughter’s old childhood friend, Tracy and her new husband, Mike who also live in the area.  Thank you Mike and Tracy for a wonderful dinner and conversation.  

Tuesday, August 29, 2016

After an overnight in Raton, we have arrived here in Albuquerque for the month of September.  There will probably be very little in the way of blogs during the month while we attend to doctor appointments and catching up with friends; however, if something interesting arises I will be sure to keep you posted. 

Our intent is to leave here around October 1 for Texas where we will spend October and November with a bit of sightseeing, etc. along the way. 

Signing off for now.  

Scotts Bluff, NE and Area

Yes, the Ballards are still alive and traveling but I have gotten a bit behind in my blogging so will catch up a bit here by posting our travel to Albuquerque on two different days.

Friday, August 26, 2016

Our summer travels are quickly ending.  We left Rapid City this morning and are spending the night in Gering, NE at a lovely city campground we discovered several years ago.  Having made the trip to and from ABQ to Rapid City numerous, numerous times, we are always open to going a different way to see some different countryside which is what we did today.

Traveling from Rapid City we headed south to Hot Springs, SD and then on to Chadron, NE and continuing south and then west to Gering which is located next to Scotts Bluff which is the home of Scotts Bluff National Monument.  We only stayed in Gering one night, but since we had pictures from a previous visit, I thought my readers might enjoy seeing what there is to see in the Scotts Bluff area. 

Scotts Bluff Monument

The Monument is a majestic landmark used by Anerican Indians, fur trappers, pioneers and modern travelers.   The bluffs are named for trapper Hiram Scott who reputedly died in the vicinity around 1828.  Early pioneers abandoned the riverbank and cut through Mitchell Pass to avoid the rough terrain. 

The Visitor Center gives you information about the human and natural history of the area and contains a collection of paintings by William Henry Jackson as well as a video about the Oregon Trail and the Monument.   Outside is a display of various wagons used by the pioneers to cross the country including this wagon made by Studebaker,

Made by Studebaker

this overland wagon which was the most common one used by the pioneers

Overland Wagon

as well as this Conestoga Wagon used by freight companies and the military.

Conestoga Wagon

Gering is also the home of the North Platte Museum which has a beautiful display of artifacts which explore the valley’s history from nomadic Indian villages to the Oregon Trail travel and early settlement.  One of the things I found interesting was this boat called a “Bull Boat” which was about 4 feet round and made from buffalo skins.

Just a short distance from Scotts Bluff is the town of Minitare where you find Lake Minitare and this one of seven inland lighthouses found in our country.  The lighthouse was built during the Depression to be “a point of light and hope” for Panhandle residents.  It is four stories high and has a 360 degree view from the top.

Further east from Scotts Bluff is Chimney Rock National Historic Site which a pioneer  called “the most remarkable thing I ever saw.”   The Rock was visible to the emigrants for several days before they actually arrived at the site.  The Rock has a 120 foot span and stands 325 feet from tip to base.

 

Chimney Rock

At another point along the highway you can see Jail House and Courthouse Rocks.   Courthouse Rock rises 340 feet above the valley floor and gets its name because of its blocky shape.  Oregon emigrants thought the rock looked like a courthouse so the smaller rock was therefore the jail.  There is a story told about a band of Skidi Pawnees who fled their enemies, the Sioux by climbing Courthouse Rock.  With cliffs on three sides and only one difficult path to the top, the Pawnees were trapped.  The Sioux camped at the bottom and waited for their enemies to give up from thirst and hunger.  Late one night, the Pawnees made a long rope from their pony lariats, quietly descended the cliff one by one and escaped.  

More travel news tomorrow.

The Black Hills of South Dakota

Thursday – Sunday, August 19- 21, 2016

Our first five days in Rapid City were spent relaxing and seeing family while enjoying the Elks Lodge RV accommodations and meeting and making some new RV friends.  Meeting new people is always enjoyable and learning where they have been in terms of campgrounds and places just adds to our own list of places and parks for the future. 

Today we came to the town of Custer for four days to do more relaxing away from the city. So far we have not left the RV due to the gusty winds and intermittent rain showers.   Also the temperature has dropped down considerably and as I write this at 12:30 p.m. on Friday, the temperature is only 53 degrees, 5 degrees lower than when we got up this morning.  Has fall arrived already? 

Our summer has been one of very different temperatures.  We really can’t complain as we have not had the hot, hot 90 degree temps for more than a few days since we left Albuquerque on

June 1.   I know when we arrive back in ABQ on August 30 that the temps will still be very hot compared to our summer on the road.

Saturday under warmer temperatures and some sunshine we take a drive through Custer, Keystone and Hill City, all little mountain communities here in the Black Hills.  It is quite busy today though not as busy as I have seen it on previous visits to the area.  It is also the end of the season and the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is over. 

Ron has taken me through these areas and Custer State Park many times in the past, but today we visit several places I have not been before.  Keystone is one of those.  The 1888 Narrow Gauge Railroad from Hill City has just arrived so you can see the engineers filling the water tank for their return to Hill City and people anxiously awaiting their boarding of the train. 

From Keystone we do a lengthy drive through Custer State Park where we take in the Needles and find the eye of the needle which I have not seen previously.  From the point where this is, you must pass through a one way very narrow and low tunnel made through rock.  This is just one of many in the Park.

Earlier in the day while driving on this same road in a different location, we found a 35 foot motorhome who had not seen the sign saying 10 feet wide and 10 feet 7 inches tall for a tunnel.   This poor fellow had traveled up a very narrow two way, hairpin curve road with no barriers one and ½ miles from where the last place to turn around could be found.  He was attempting to back down.  Not sure how if he made it down or who helped him, but we know that there are at least several people who do this every year here.  The secret to safe travels is to not trust your  GPS completely unless specifically made for motorhomes since it does not take into account your RV height, width or weight restrictions, be extra vigilant in observing signs that tell you widths and heights in an area and most importantly know what the height, width and weight of your RV is.  It can keep you out of this kind of trouble.    

Our next stop was at Sylvan Lake (one of many lakes in the Park and area) which has a general store, gift shop, and boat rental facility.  There is a path around the lake and numerous places to have picnics and fish in the lake. 

Further along and through another one way tunnel, we stop at the cathedral spires for a couple of pictures.  At this point we spot a climber who has reached the top of one of the narrow needle rocks.  I zoomed in, but you can hardly make him out.  From another angle, we saw there was another climber with him and yet another still trying to make the top.  It gave me the shivers just looking at them up there.

Part of the drive takes us through what is called the "Pigtails" which is several corkscrew type bridges which make a 440 degree turn as you climb next to the mountain.

The rest of the day we spend driving through various roads in the Park and lastly in the Wildlife Loop where late in the afternoon we come upon a very large herd of buffalo grazing off a short distance away.  It always excites me to see buffalo in the wild. 

This pronghorn up on a hill and lone buffalo enjoying the sunshine were about the only other wildlife we saw.  Several deer were spotted but most were where we could not safely photograph them as we drive by.

While most people know about Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse

when contemplating a visit to this area, there really is a whole lot more to see.   Rapid City attractions include the Norwegian Stavkirk Church,

Dinosaur Mountain, bronze sculptures of the Presidents on city streets, Story Book Island (an amusement area for young children with different sets of buildings depicting various story book stories), numerous lovely parks, The Journey Museum (a beautiful museum definitely worth the visit), historic old buildings and of course shopping.  Within a 50 miles radius of town is the Black Hills with sites I mentioned above, Wall Drug, the Badlands, the famous motorcycle rally city of Sturgis, Spearfish (they do a Passion Play each summer here which is very nice), 30 miles from spearfish is Devils Tower which is quite impressive, the old cowboy/mining towns of Deadwood and Lead and lots and lots of beautiful countryside and other museums and attractions.  The Black Hills is full of resorts, campgrounds, and state parks so there is something for every kind of tourist. 

While Rapid City is Ron’s hometown so he is prejudice, it is also one of my favorite places to visit in the summer to relax and enjoy the peace and beauty of the Black Hills of South Dakota. Monday we return to Rapid City for a few more days before heading toward Albuquerque.