40 Border travel

ROPA?  clothing for sale?

     Our next planned stay was the Stillwell Ranch and RV by the Big Bend Park nearly 500 miles away, and yes we would still be in Texas. Huge state.  We were planning on traveling the US side of the border along the Rio Grande River.  Since we were traveling alone we had been cautioned to travel during daylight hours, use filling stations in populated areas and we didn't think the "don't pick up hitchhikers" applied to us. 

It's not always sunny, but still no rain!

     February first we started out on Highway  83 we headed West until it turned North following the Rio grande we were seeing border patrol vehicles quite often now and passing thru inspections stations by every border crossing area.  I seen a nice herd of Brahman cattle just as we approached an inspection stop, I didn't think it would be wise to do a U-turn in plain view of the station.  I didn't think the German shepherd could catch us, however I would give the patrol vehicles an even chance.  I think their helicopter standing by would probably do the trick.  I would get my picture some other day.
     We passed thru the inspection area's quickly.  Evidently we didn't look like drug smugglers or aliens.  Sometimes we thought we were in the middle of filming an episode of "bad boys" or America's most wanted.   It is a little intimidating as you approach and all the high tech scanners are pointed your way and then the German shepherd circles your vehicle.  
       We had been told not to miss the Roma High School along the way.  It was huge, resembling a major college campus.

Typical Texas cemetary

      Not wanting to be stuck at night between major cities we stopped early at Laredo.  Made a bad decision here, tried to get a screen protector, called to check on availability and of course when we got there they didn't have one.  Maybe stubborn but once I decide on something it is hard to shut it off, two hours later we had a screen protector.  A stop at an ice cream store helped settle me down, comfort food my favorite thing.
   The next day we continued our travels changing to highway 277  at Camzo springs.  As we traveled we kept gazing across at Mexico across the river to our left.  I think in my mind I had been expecting a river like our Mississippi so it was quite a shock to see how little water there was at times.    Again we stopped early in Del Rio, even had time for a nap.  That felt good maybe this traveling is running us down?
     Super bowl Sunday morning we headed out, just north of town we took highway 90,  our goal was to get to Stillwell's tonight.  Before we committed we wanted to make sure they had a place we could watch the Super Bowl,  Barbie (our Stillwell contact.) assured us we could, in fact they were having a Super Bowl party.  This must be a more civilized place then I had been thinking.   The next morning we turned onto hwy 90, I was starting to be comfortable with this Texas landscape,  at first the lack of  shade trees and plush green grass bothered me.  But now I decided I could live here.  Lots of open area, mostly rocky with small scrub trees and brush. 

Guarding the border

     We have been hearing that grandson Colton asks if Gram-ma and Gram-pa are still in Texas, cute.

Jet Pilot?

     We have been very fortunate on this trip to get travel advice from many people, on this leg we had received good ideas form "forum George" and a new internet friend Bob from Canada, (currently in Florida.) I'm beginning to wonder who keeps the lights on in Canada from October thru April.   Here are a couple of examples of the notes we receive.  "Not sure there is a road number but only one road. If you get to Study Butte, you have passed it by 15 miles...ha ha There is a nice cafe, cabins, camping, etc there....you will be surprised."  Or  "just before you get to the Park entrance takes you to the Stillwell Ranch...then go on down to the bridge to Mexico...You can not cross....Mexican soldier is there with a machine gun...ha ha but you can look at the river.."   and with these bits of advice, maps and the internet we adjust our travels,  sometimes we are lost and just stumble on neat places.

Amistad Recreation Area on the Pecos River

   
     At one point we were behind a Semi that had been traveling slower than the posted.  As we peaked a hill we could see for miles down the hill and across the other side,  we made our move about the same time he did.  Never pass a loaded semi going down hill.  That load he's carrying gives him great acceleration.   Seventy, seventy five, eighty?  Last I seen it was eighty five as we pulled around him.  Of course now I realize he was speeding up to make the next hill.   And on the up hill side was a passing lane.  Lesson learned!
     We turned into Langtry to visit the Judge Roy Beam museum.  It would be great to have really know this character.  Skirting and sometimes breaking the law all his life he ended up squatting on a railroad right of way erecting his saloon and becoming a Justice of the peace.  He called himself the "Law west of the Pecos" and had a reputation for adjusting the fines to whatever the accused had in his pockets.  He sentenced two men to death and then secretly arranged for them to escape.  Although legally not able to grant divorces he did so for $10.00, he charged $5.00 for marriages and his parting blessing was "May God have mercy on your souls." 

  
       There is a rumor that some of the illegal fines he collected went to help the poor and children with medicine and food.  He said it might help him on judgement day.   He sounds like he was an ornery old cuss, but one of his oddities was his infatuation with Jersey lily a British actress.  He fell in love with a picture of her and claims to have named the town and his saloon after her.  Writing her several times she sent him and the town a fountain for naming it after her.  He didn't like the gift saying everyone here drinks beer.  ( from his saloon and courthouse of course.)  Her visit to the town came  ten months after his death.  She was presented with his pistol.  An interesting story. click "here" for more information. 
     Stopping at Marathon ( last town before Big Bend park) we were fortunate to have a great burger at Johnny B’s.  Around two o'clock there was a small hill with the road cut thru the rock hill.  We knew that the Stillwell lay just ahead.  What lay in store for us there.  Our plan was to wait two days for our mail and medicine form the Mayo clinic to catch up with us.  A couple of trips to the park and we would be on our way.  But tonigt, get registere set up our little home and enjoy the Super Bowl with friends we hadn't met yet. What do they say about the best laid plans?

     This is our path from Alamo to Stillwell's.  Interactive  Map   I just found something interesting, ( at least to me.) the removable graft on the side of the map shows our average speed at reference points. If you hit the play button in the lower left corner it will replay our path.

39 BYOB?

      It was a short ride from Port Isabel to the "Valley"  we were headed for Alamo TX to visit my cousin Sandy and her husband Jerry.  They have been enjoying the sunshine of the valley for many years.  It is a welcome relief from their residence in the middle of Minnesota.  Like many of the Valley residents it probably started out with short visits or like the group we just left in Port Isabel, some came in their RV's then became wrapped up in the activities spending more time each winter.   They moved into more permanent structure's and called it their winter home.  The Valley has accepted them and seen the value of these visitors and have changed the slang "snow birds" to a respectable "Winter Texans"  they even have a publication devoted to them and their activities.
    Someone once said there ain't nothing in the valley but Mexicans and old people!  Reminds me a little of the line from Tom T Halls song."Old dogs, children and watermelon wine."  God bless little children while their to young to hate!  Well I'm here, wonder which one I am?  Mexicans?  Remember Mexicans and native Americans were the first Texans, something to think about.  Old people?  Lets take a look.
     This area is not actually a valley.  It is an area along the Rio Grande as far south as you can go without a passport.  
     Sandy and Jerry were expecting us and soon we were enjoying a delicious lunch and catching up.  One of the questions people contemplating retirement always wonder, is what do you with all your time?  Sandy immediately pulled out her activities calendar, and it seemed from that time until we left we were always doing something.  One sign I seen read, Retired: Nothing to do and I have trouble getting it done by Noon.
     Of course some of it was our hosts showing the local flavor. They had three side trips in mind.  One of the first stops was the Mexican flea market.  I would compare it to a county fair.  Once you find parking you go up and down endless isles.  Commercial type ventures like a western boot store with doors, tents with aisles and aisles of  clothes, electronics, fruits and vegetables, there's a puppy, and some chickens (live), cemetery monuments.  A huge pile of shoes, yes pile. It was very interesting and fun.

Spanish moss is not a parasite like Mistletoe!

      We took a trip to the Santa Ana National wild life refuge,  They advertised Ocelot's and even had pictures so we could identify them from Bob cats, they even had a hot line to call with instructions what to do if we seen one.  Maybe today will be the day!
         At the refuge we climbed on a tour bus and headed toward the border, because of border activity part of the roads were avoided.  The tour guide pointed out the various trees and bushes, ( I wanted to ask about the ocelot, however I remained silent.  My camera was ready.)  One of the trees that amazed me was the mesquite.  The reason it grows so well here is because it's tap root can go down to 200 feet, amazing.  It is known as an invasive species because it hubs like clumps choke out surface vegetation
.  Here is what one early pioneer wrote. [Mesquite is] “the devil with roots. It scabs my cows, spooks my horses, and gives little shade.”  I think he was against it.  Three quarters of all the mesquite grows in Texas 56 million acres.  We were told that it spread north by the early cattle drives,  cattle eating the seeds would spread the seeds on the trail.  Sometimes the trunk appears like it has been burned however we found out this is the sap that turns it black.  We were able to climb a tower to look over the forest. Ruthie even climbed it with her repaired knee. 
   We visited a cemetery in the refuge.  Some of the early settlers were given a grant of land one mile wide and 15 miles long. ( a days mule travel.)  Imagine the danger for these people as the land they owned was fought over, they were indeed in the middle.
    I'm beginning to believe the Ocelot is a mystical creature.

Don't forget to pick up the pig's head on your way home.

     The days at the park were filled with everything from movie night, ( bring your own snack) watching shuffle board tournaments, a park rummage sale, sitting outside enjoying the sun, doughnut day at the park.
    People from the park are always busy doing something, if you are outside someone is bound to stop by like their friend Tom (from Iowa) he usually stops by on his golf cart for a short visit.  He has a Harley trike and several of the residents are now getting into three wheeled adventures.  They have a nice group that goes out on a ride a couple of times a week.  Their next door neighbor Wayne has a pretty red one on order so they can join the group, I hope Gloria likes it.  I hear their are even plans to start a motorcycle-club, with jackets.  We met Shirley and Jerry, their neighbors from the other side, this was a very outgoing group,  one of the couples was from Dresser Wisconsin where our daughter and family live. 

      I can't remember how we got started on the subject.  How does anything start, somebody opened their mouth. Well anyway we were telling them about the time in Arkansas we stopped for a bite to eat and Ruthie was teased about ordering a pronto pup.  The clerk said he had been in 47 states and had never heard such a thing.

          What's a ROPA?  I asked when Sandy mentioned one of the places we were going to visit.  You'll see she said,  I now have been and it is still hard to understand.  The best I can do is, bulk clothing, some new, some over production,( for example the losing football teams championship t shirts that were prepared ahead of time)  but mostly used, recycled clothing.  Banded in a large bale and stored in a ware house.  You can buy clothing by the pound.  It was quite a site.  People come and search thru the piles after the bands have been cut.  There are rows of warehouses filled with Ropa clothing.   My treasure's were some suspenders and a strap for a camera, I had seen enough.  Thank you very much.

      A trip to an Aloe Vera ranch and manufacturing plant named Hilltop gardens was much more soothing.   I remember Sandy saying we had to go down Uncle Peters road to get there.  The gardens were peaceful.  A wide variety of flowers and aloe Vera plants arranged along walking paths.  A welcome break from Ropa and the flea market.
    It turns out Sandy is a "dog on a stick"  aficionado and had the answer to our pronto pup/ corn dog controversy.  As she explains corn dogs have a coating made with a base of corn meal and pronto pups start with flour.  Thank goodness, no more sleepless nights. Now there is only one mystery from this trip, the gravity assisted vehicles from Mulberry Mountain in Arkansas??
     During a break from activities Jerry took me on a private tour of the facilities, an indoor swimming pool, a recreation area with pool table, a complete wood shop, a large community area with massive kitchen area and of course a shuffle board area.  As we circled the park in their golf cart we stopped many times for introductions,  because of the mild weather the residents were out and about by-cycling, walking planting flowers, polishing their motorcycles?  No old people here.  
     Today was going to be another new experience, we were on our way to the jam session up at the community center. I imagined a group of 3-5 people bringing their instruments and a small group of spectators, (probably friends or spouses of the participants, obligated to attend I suspected. )  Maybe a few songs and a sing along.   The bad thing about preconceived conceptions.  You are usually wrong!  Sandy had warned us to start out earlier so we could get a good seat, my first clue was the row of golf carts parked outside and then the parking area filled with cars.  As we entered it was obvious by the excited sound of people visiting and musicians tuning their instruments.  This was going to be an event.  The 150 seat community center was full.   I don't know exactly how they made the arrangement, a entertainer would get up and start their musical contribution and the rest would join in with their instruments.  There were over 30 musicians. They come from local parks to join in, despite aches, pains and yes terminal illness here they are sharing their talents. 
     I think of  a grand child up north somewhere, sitting in school looking out at the frozen ground and drifting snow.  Daydreaming about their grandparents rocking on a porch, maybe knitting, soaking up the warmth of the sun.   Yes Virginia, there are times like that.  But today your Gram-pa is strumming his guitar and singing "if I had to do it all over again, I'd do it with you!" dedicated to his bride of  67 years, maybe your great grandmother is line dancing in the back, ( yes one with the aid of a cane.) and here comes a polka, and here I go, I figured Ruthie couldn't pass up a polka, even with her knee.  We danced a few of the songs and then "man down"  actually it was "woman down"  Ruthie hit my foot. ( I apologize.) and despite both our efforts down she went.  She hurt her hand and pride.  I admire the vitality of this group.  Yup no old people here!
      While we were in Port Isabel one of my posts on Facebook brought a message that we were very close to another classmate that winters in the valley.  I tried calling and then did an email to see if we could see them on this trip. 

    .  No response until today. A phone call.  It turns out they are less than two miles from Alamo Paradise park where we are staying.  As we were already planning our departure the next day we made a quick trip over to pay them a visit.  David and Carol had slipped us into their schedule between park events and a soup supper that was being held in a local park.  All the soup you want for two dollars and BYOB!  We had a nice visit, it was great to see them if only for a short time.  Carol's brother came by to join them for the outing and they needed to be on their way or they wouldn't get a place to sit.

Winter Texan's Jerry and Sandy!

     It was time for us to return to our host park to ready ourselves for our next adventure.  Stillwell's and Big Bend! What's in store for us there?
Thanks Jerry and Sandy for a wonderful time.

Oh yes!   BYOB = Bring your own bowl!

38 Fishing Charter

     On one of our afternoon trike trips we visited the Laguna Atascosa wildlife refuge. Nice ride however it is  so large 98,000 acres that unless you are extremely lucky or spend a lot of time there your chance of seeing anything is pretty slim.  This is the closest we came to an Ocelot, seemed harmless enough.
      That evening the motel group had organized a pot luck.  Bring your dish to pass and something for the grill.  We had a hamburger with a grilled portabella mushroom on top.   What a great evening.  Early to bed, tomorrow was going to be a big day.   From the first time Lonnie and Jane had  

mentioned our Texas get together, they had talked about the fishing trips they take on the bay side, they had suggested that we join them if we visited them..  Since that conversation Ruthie has been looking forward to this fishing adventure.   Lonnie and Jane made the arrangement with a guide they had used before.  On January 23 we set off on our fishing trip.  Lonnie drove us to the dock and during breakfast Capt Cliff Fleming joined us for introductions.   We soon  loaded our gear and headed out to the Lower Laquna Madre Bay.  It was a gorgeous day.  As we went thru the Isabel fingers channel  he pointed out the unique houses that lined the water  way.   One of the homes reportedly belonged to the virus software billionaire that had went goofy in Belize.  Supposedly he had this mansion built and hasn't used it since.  It was a beautiful morning, we had on light jackets and were quite comfortable.  It didn't take long to reach the first "spot".   The Capt  supplied us with poles and fishing instructions.  Cliff's idea of fishing is artificial bait, casting and working the bait to imitate live bait.  The Capt refers to fishing with a floating bobber like we do on the Mississippi  back home as "sandwich eating and beer drinking fishing."  The poles had 10 pound test line and 5 inch Zman SwimmerZ Smokin Shad. ( I have no idea, it's what the Capt told me.                                         

 I think it's fisherman talk for artificial bait. ) The only thing I do know is that ten pounds isn't much for the fish we hope to catch.  We stayed at first spot for a short while casting and reeling in trying to imitate the Capt's actions.  I enjoyed this as I'm not a patient person, it gave me something to do.   We moved to a spot closer to the bridge that leads to the South Padre Islands and Cliff ( formerly the Captain, I feel like we know him now.)  had us change our cast and reel in procedure.  Soon the skipper had a hit. ( the fish know technique) immediately he knew it was a big one.  He made sure the hook was set and handed the pole to Jane,  for the next 30 minutes at least she fought the monster.       By having the brake set on the line so that when the fish starts to run away it will give and not snap the line you are able to land a much heavier fish than the line is actually tested for.  She would reel and then all of a sudden the fish would turn and run,  we didn't see the fish during this struggle.  While this was going on the rest of us continued our casting and reeling procedure's. Ruthie seen what she thought was a large sea turtle off the starboard bow. (Navy talk for right front.)  Cliff said he thought it was a black drum which he surmised we must have on Jane's line. 

 By this time Jane was getting pretty tired and asked Lonnie to take over the pole.  Lonnie continued the fight with several runs on the fish's part countered by Lonnie working him up to the boat.  We finally caught a glimpse of the monster, and Cliff confirmed it was a black drum.   Finally on the boat, approximately 39inch 40 pound,  on a ten pound test line.  Exciting!  We received a call from Lonnie and Jane after their return to Minnesota and found out Lonnie had caught a large black drum off the pier and was going to have his picture in the Port Isabel  paper.  Because it did not reach the required 52 inches to keep this black drum was returned to the water.        We moved on and several times changed our fishing technique for the different locations.  We spotted several dolphins working in less than 30 inches of crystal clear water on the flats.   Not a common site on our local river.  We were catching and releasing several white trout as we moved across the bay.  They had to be at least 15 inches to keep. 

        The map inset shows (on the water, at no time did the good captain did take his boat off the water,  That would just be wrong.) our fishing path.

     Ruthie was gaining a reputation on the boat, every time a fish was brought in she said now that's a keeper and the patient Capt Cliff had to get out the stick and prove it was just short of the mark.  After several of these challenges Ruthie said okay I'm not going to say it anymore. However the excitement of a fish brought on board would bring up "Now that's a keeper"   she just can't help her self.  It was getting late in the day and everyone had landed a keeper except for Ruthie.

   .   Cliff moved us to several places, we tried everything, and still no keeper for Ruthie,  I knew we were staying out past our chartered time limit however the good captain was determined to get a keeper for little miss "that ones a keeper".  

      Evidently the stars were aligned that day and the last catch of the day was a "keeper for Ruthie.  And the relieved Capt plants a kiss on her head.

 

         

  Another golden day for our memory bank, thanks to all who made it possible.  Now on to the Alamo, the town,  not the shrine.  

     A parting shot from Port Isabel!

    

37 Port Isabel

     Mr Google said it was around 180 miles to Port Isabel  we were again on a highway designed for speed and not scenery.  Highway 77 took us by some farm land that was actually tillable.  We hadn't seen much of that in Texas, mostly barren pastures with rocks of all sizes.  I had hoped to see some of the rice farmers we had heard about in Lago Vista.  Because of the drought the water controllers are threatening to cut off the water for them to grow their rice.  We were on our way to an appointment.  Last summer when we were letting our friends know of our travel plans, one of my former classmates ( you must think I was in a large class, not so 39 wonderful souls.)  invited us to Port Isabel.  They had been going down there for a month in the winter.  We had the information and were determined to join up with them. 
     On the way we drove through San Benito the birthplace of Freddy Fender.  I mentioned it to a lady later in the week when she said she was from there, she didn't seem impressed. We seen several of these truck/car caravans, we were told they are being transported to Mexico.   Our GPS brought us to the Southwind Inn, looking for a place to stop we drove past the front parking area and around to the rear in a vacant lot next to the motel,  immediately people on a upper deck started talking to us, from Canada and the upper midwest, they all knew Lonnie and Jane,  many of them do this get together every year.

Banana tree behind SouthWind, reminded me of
little shop of horror's.  

We were getting to know this friendly bunch when a man came around the corner and said dinner was ready, (who was that?  The friendly deck  group didn’t seem to know.) I left Ruthie visiting with the welcoming committee and walked around to see if we could get a room.   It is the off season here so Ron and Cecilia soon had us all fixed up with a reasonable room.  We pulled up in front of our room, this was going to be nice, a small kitchenette in one corner with a folding table,  we were set.  We were covering the trike and Mr "dinner is ready" came again and said come join us for dinner, it’s all ready out back, (who is this man) I know, but this is how we meet people.  We followed him to the rear of the motel.  He had the grill going beef, chicken ,  fish, (he says he likes to be prepared you never know who is going to drop by) Ruthie checked our cooler to see what we could contribute to the get-together.  Cheese and crackers, wasn't much but Manny and his wife didn't seem to mind.  They lived inland from here in Mission TX and just came here for a little getaway.  We dined and visited with them until Lonnie and Jane came home.   It was great to see them again.  We visited until late, cleaned up and went to bed, quite a first evening in Port Isabel.
  

    The Southwind is directly across from an interesting cemetery.  In this area they make an art out of decorating the graves of their loved ones,  It seemed that a few of them made their living by shrimping and had shrimp boats etched on their markers.  Lonnie and Jane are quite the tour guides,  we usually walked to a local restaurant for breakfast then maybe out on the fishing pier to see how Joe the pie man was doing.  Joe and Carol are from a small town near us in Minnesota,  they have a apple orchard and reportedly make awesome apple pies.

  One afternoon they drove us down the beach on South Padre Island.  Very relaxing, I climbed a near by sand dune with a chair, relaxed and watched Ruthie, Jane and Lonnie strolling the beach searching for shells and hermit crabs.  Sometimes Ruthie and Jane would outpace us and go looking at the shops, they get along very well.  I like to think of Jane as Ruthie on steroids.  Lonnie and I just hung back and stayed our of their way.  We purchased a couple of souvenirs and they are hauling them home for us.

     We were very much at home here, unique shops and restaurants within walking distance.  In the afternoon sometimes we took a trike ride.  Old and new friends.  What's next?



   

36 Anchors away

  Today was pretty staight forward we packed up as quickly as we could, double maybe triple checked every thing.  Stopped by the club to return some DVD's say our good bye's and we were on our way.  To JW and Carla a sincere thank you.   It was a big relief to not have to think about accomodations for a few days.   One more low water crossing on the way out.     We made our way toward San Antonio to drop off the keys.  From there it was interstate 37 all the way to Corpus.  At 75 miles per hour it doesn't take long to cover the ground,  you hate to leave those extra mph laying on the table.      We can't save them up and use them when we are in Minnesota.    Our destination was the USS Lexington Museum.   This was our first view of the "Lady" as we started up the bridge to the bay.  Admiral Niemitz said "a ship is always referred to as "she" because it costs so much to keep one in paint and powder."  We stayed at a motel on the beach and ate at Blackbeard's,   we shared the talapia and it was amazing.  The pirates stew had been recommended by the Aircraft guard.     It was spicy but very tasty Arhhh ( that's pirate talk for very good) Ruthie keeps warning me about my spicy food choices. We had talked about going for a walk on beach until the margarita hit Ruthie.  We watched the sunset from the balcony, even better. 
    We bordered the USS Lexington and started our tour.  I had served on the USS Enterprise and Ruthie had always wanted to see what it was like.  This was a smaller version of the carrier I was on.  One of the staff said the Lexington could hide behind mine.  We had over 7000 service men on the Enterprise we worked 12 hour shifts.   I was assigned to RVAH 6 squadron out of Albany Georgia.  Our mission was to maintain the Vigilante jets which were originally designed to carry bombs and then converted for photo and reconnaissance missions.  If you would like more information or to see the Vigilante in action  click here!  It is an amazing plane.
    I joined the Enterprise just as it was departing for Vietnam after being repaired from self inflicted flight deck explosions.  RVAH 6 and the Enterprise battle group were part of the largest battle task force since World War ll.  It was quite a site to look from the flight deck and see ships in every direction.  

    Ruthie was determined to see it all.  I had not thought about the ladders to get from one deck to the other.  She gamely went up and down them all day despite having knee surgery just prior to our trip.   There could be as many as 90 airplanes on board.  The planes are kept in the hangar bay and then transported to the flight deck by an elevator.       The flight deck is over 1000 feet long, to help launch the planes heavy with armament and fuel a catapult is used to give it a boost.  Think of it as sending a small model airplane aloft with a rubber band sling.  Now we have it in the air how are we going to get it on board.  It is an amazing feat of crew and pilot skill.

    The Vigilante weighing over 40,000 lbs and coming in at over 150 miles per hour has to land and stop in less than 500 feet.  There is a tail-hook on the rear of the plane that will catch (hopefully, sometimes not.) cables stretched across the flight deck to bring it to a stop.   This is a picture of crew berthing.  I don't remember the locker in the middle.  My bunk would have been on the top right.  There were small directional air vents to bring in fresh or air conditioned air above each bunk.  One time I rotated and turned it on and my area was filled with talcum powder.  Doesn't matter where you go there is always a comedian.   Must have been okay, I still smile about it this day.   The ceiling was actually the flight deck where the planes landed, can you imagine sleeping with a 40,000 lb plane landing 6 feet above when the tailhook hits the deck followed by the scream of the arresting cables. That's probably why I can sleep anywhere to this day.  We were probably given this area since we were the ones that brought all the noise on board.  The ship's company slept lower in the ship.

      The chow line was just like this, as I remember the food was always pretty good only not the type they are representing here.   I think I recognize the server.  
     It was a lonely time away from friends and family, during missions communication was stopped both ways to prevent ship location information.  The result family didn't know for months our status.  And we had no word from the outside. 
    The hallways and ladders continued to amaze Ruthie they are designed to save space by not having normal stairs and landings.  A ladder is the smallest way to get a person from one floor to another in both directions.

       If you just wanted to go down it would be a pole in a fire station.  The halls have a door way with a secure closure designed to contain fire or water from entering the next compartment.   New sailors usually have a mark on their forehead from bumping the top of the hatch and a scar on their shins from not picking their feet up high enough to clear the bottom. It seemed you were always hurrying thru the corridors on your way to or from something. 
     It was a fun day that brought back a lot of memories.  I wish I had kept in contact with some of the men I served with.  However that was before Al Gore and the internet. 
   We finished just in time as over 500 boy scouts and their chaperones were assembling to spend the night on board.  I think the one carrying the teddy bear will be in for a hard time.

     One last picture and then Ruthie and I are on our way to our next "Port".

35 Admirals and Camels, oh my!

 Jan 14,

  While I describe the next few days you can come up with a caption for Ruthie's activities.
     We had been riding pretty regularly and with the hunt for lodging taken care of for a few days we were going to try and slow it down and relax a bit.    We walked over to the community club.  ( How about the street cleaner missed some leaves?)  The community is described in the brochure as a private resort community.  Pretty nice, pool, hot tub, and club house with a restaurant.  Homes of all kinds and RV's.  People of all ages, during the off season it tends to be inhabited with mostly retiree's like ourselves.  Great group of people.  ( Maybe, "I've fallen and can't get up."?)  Some met for breakfast and a get together for  bible studies.  They were all willing to help us in our travels with points of  interest, maps and brochures.  We couldn't have asked for better travel agents.

   As we have seen so much on our travels the drought has struck a major blow here also.  Lake Medina is now a fraction of itself and homes that once were lake front property now overlook cattle grazing in the lake bed.  The rancher has fenced it and is now using it for pasture land.  ( Maybe, the tread on this tire looks like it will last this trip.?) 
    Jan 15 ,
       28 degrees last night , I think they moved the bathrooms further away last night, a little nippy walking across the parking lot.  
     We stopped in Bandera for breakfast.  Old Spanish Trail restaurant.  It seems that every small town has it's meeting spot, if you walk in and haven't lived in the area for at least seven years it is advisable that you avoid the well worn seats.  If they aren't there already they soon will be.  Drinking coffee, playing cards, dominoes or dice.  Just a break in the day before their busy day.  It takes a long time to fit in.  Today it was easy, we rode in on our trike and Roy one of the regulars already had his VTX trike parked out front.  Nice looking trike, he had made some nice modifications to it.  While we were waiting for breakfast we tried to figure out who was on the trike.  No luck.  Soon he spotted our trike and came looking for us.  Roy is a promoter of the area, chairman of the historical committee,  a missionary passing out penny's with a cross cut out of them and thankfully for us, he always carries a supply of the hill country motorcycle roads.  ( Wish we had met him two days ago, we wouldn't have missed one of the twisted sister roads.   He also let us know we were in the second oldest Polish settlement in the US. 
     We had planned on riding today but sometimes your plans change.  We met Roy,  Ruthie was having a conversation with Eldon and Ann in another booth,  they were from Michigan and on their way to the Stillwell Ranch and RV park by Big Bend park.  Ruthie said they preformed at the museum at the RV park.    They invited us.  Wonderful, another destination.  Wonder if we will see them again?  It could be interesting.  Sometimes we just don't know where roads are going to lead, do we?  Roy ended up manning the camera to take our pictures on the saddle seats.   We modified our plans, Ruthie got her hair cut.  I made my way to the lumber yard to check out some plywood.  Our plan was to replace the end of a booth in our loaned camper that had suffered moisture damage.  Soon Ruthie was driving and I was carrying a two foot by four foot plywood board.  I'm sure it looked strange with just the top of my head and frozen fingers visible.  Laying the original end piece over the board we traced, cut, sanded, and stained.  It said stains and seals on the can.  However when I read the directions.  (Always, don't assume anything.)  It directed us to cover it with a polyurethane,  A call to the manufacturer confirmed, and they apologized for the misleading label.  Didn't help! Back on the trike, remember it had turned cold, a quick trip to Bandera for sealer.  We would let our little wood project dry while we rode tomorrow.
 Feb16th

     Stopped for breakfast at OST seen Roy and met his friend Dan, they were going to have a birthday party for him tomorrow.  I believe he was going to be 91.  He had a photo album and a mind filled with memories.  He had been born in New Mexico, the picture of his boyhood home has an arrow pointing to the room his grandmother lived in and the room he was born in.  He remembered times were hard and his father sold the 320 acres to a neighbor for an old car and four hundred dollars and they moved to Texas.  Dan's plan that day was to go home and tile his bathroom floor.  Happy Birthday Dan! Many more.

     We continued on our plan from a couple of days ago that had been modified due to meeting new people and the visiting that followed.   We rode to Fredricksburg to visit the Nimitz museum, hotel and Pacific war memorial. If you visit make sure you get an audio player, our volunteer guide failed to make us aware of them.    It was interesting, educational and depressing.    The way man treats man will probably never be understood unless you are in that position.  An enemy that was so determined to overcome that suicide missions were an honor.  The bravery of both sides to aid their country.   I was aware of the five Sullivan brothers that died on the same ship.  Today I seen a letter one of the brothers had sent requesting that the five brothers and two buddies be allowed to serve together.  They were all members of the same motorcycle club and were determined to do their part to help the cause.  There were many examples families had shared of their loved ones.  Very touching.  The lives lost, the sacrifices, and the injustice's.   The internment ( the governments wording, it looked like prison to me.) of American citizens of Japanese decent will be hard to forget.  When you hear of people not liking the census you might want to remember that it was the census bureau that identified a lot of these innocent victims.  Although others nationalities were "detained" the Japanese Americans were the largest group. Just think about it, what if the Nimitz family had been interned.  Would we have had an Admiral Nimitz? 
      Sobering, lets ride to clear our minds.  On one of the forums someone stated that at times it takes a tankful of gas to clear his mind. 
     \

     So what is a camel doing on the Camp Verde general store?   It is because our secretary of war Jefferson Davis ( we will be hearing that name a lot.)  decided to experiment with camels from 1857 - 1969 for the calvary and imported them to Fort Camp Verde.  When the civil war broke out there were 53 camels on hand.  The fort passed into the hands of the Confederacy,  and who was the president of the Confederacy?  Very interesting.
     Here is  a map of our travels in and around the "Hill Country"  if you would like an interactive map click this link.   Map

Almost forgot,  Ruthie lost another earring.  Finally found it when I stepped on it.  My apologies!