Camp Dempsey - Humble (H is silent) TX

 

Mariners Win!

051126 - 051326  I was overdue visiting Camp Dempsey. I really appreciate Robbie's Grandma and Grandpa’s hospitality. It was fun catching up visiting and true to form the visit was eventful, baseball and golfing. We attended the Astros game against the Mariners, I was impressed with the ballpark and enjoyed the Seattle win! In the morning we went golfing at Tour 18 Golf Course, featuring a collaboration of replicas of famous holes in golf. Most of all, I got to meet Robbie. My visit was short enough to not be long and long enough to not be short. Next thing I knew I was on my way east to Louisanna, looking forward to my next visit to Texas. 

Tour 18 Golf Course

Gulf Coast of Texas

 

Magnolia Beach, TX

I had an uneventful overnight at the rest area, got an early start towards the Gulf Coast. When I was looking for a place to camp, I found dispersed camping at  Magnolia Beach  so I made sure I went to check it out. The beach faces northeast on Magnolia Bay. There were quite a few places to park and camp. It looked like all the others parked on the beach were fishing. I didn't trust what I read online, so I booked a county campground up the coast, but this place would have worked fine. I parked on the beach and made lunch and then took a quick walk down to a virtual cache at the end. 

Quintana Beach

Quintana Beach County Park is right on the coast and right next to Freeport LNG Propane where they process deliver and transfer to ships. There were very large ships coming and going the whole time I was there.  After dark, their deck lights lite up the whole campground. 

I enjoyed the weekend walking on the beach and riding the Jangurandi and finding the geocaches in the area. The was a geocache right in the park, only about 400' from my space. I went out to the Quintana jetty and talked to locals fishing. They were catching "Speckled Trout" about 16 to 20 inches.  This really put me in a Jimmy Buffett mood, "get jalost in the reggae mon and walk along the beach."  

👀Here is a link to my Photos. 👀

Quintana Beach

Jagurandi

 

San Antonio Mission vs Midland Rockhounds

Nelson Wolff Stadium.

050826 Well, when I left the campground, I wanted to make sure I had a full tank after the game so I pulled into a place called Buc-ees, a well-known huge gas station in the south. I mean they got hundreds of gas pumps and they make all there treats right there in the store. There was a virtual cash there where you had to take a picture of the beaver known as Buc-ee. I got all gassed up provisioned and hit the road, Like I said, I took my time in the morning so by the time I got on the road it was well the past 1400. I had only an hour and 20 minute drive to the stadium. 

Fanny pack giveaway

I pulled into the stadium, there was already half a parking lot full of people and they had their chairs out at the gate.  What’s going on I thought maybe they are the staff or something I parked but I stayed in a van. There was still more than 3 hours before first pitch. I kept watching or more people got in line with lawn chairs and drinks as if they’re gonna be there for a while. When I pulled in, there was a sign that said $12 for parking, but there was nobody there to take the money so after about an hour I looked up and there was a guy there with a remote scanner, taking money for parking so I got out of the van and I walked up to him and explained that I came in early and there was nobody here to take the money so I offered to pay the $12, but he just waved me off and said you're good. I asked him why is everybody waiting at the gate? He said there is a giving away to the first 4000 people and I’m thinking wow 4000 could be a crowded game so I looked up online to find out that the gates open at six an hour before the game so 6 o’clock, I got out of my van I’ve gotten in line. I really didn’t care if I got something free, but I got in line and I got through the gate and I got a free fanny pack that says San Antonio Mission on it. There was a big crowd, probably a sell out. Attendance 5,562. 

The first thing I wanted to do was get a hat and a sticker, but that was a really long line for the Team store and it was a

Ballapeño

pretty small Team store so I figured I’ll come back later in the game, so I went and got hotdog and a beer found my seat. The time went quick waiting for the game to start, I watched Ethan Salas, the Padres #1 prospect, warming up outside of the dugout where they had a pitching machine and he was standing probably about 30 feet  taking really fast pitches.  Had a nice high school choir sing the national anthem and we were ready for baseball. 

The Mission got out to an early lead off on a 2 RBI double in the 2nd and a pair of RBI singles in the 3rd. The Rockhounds score 1 in the 4th and 3 in the 5th to get within 1 run,  but the home team answered with 2 more in the bottom of the 5th and add on with 1 more in the 7th and keeping the Midland off the board through the 9th. Final score 8 to 4. Weather 78 degrees, Cloudy, game time 2:28. It was a good home win in front of a large crowd. I did go to the team store in the 6th inning. 

I made it out of the ballpark in good shape and hit the road south towards the Gulf of Mexico. I pulled into Live Oak Rest Area Southbound for an overnight.   Here is a link to my shared photos. Thanks for visiting 😀

Missions Win!

Palmetto State Park Campground

 

Beef committee watching geocaching activities

050726 My first idea was to stay here two days I didn't realize how far away the campground is from the San Antonio baseball park. So instead of driving back here after the game, I will stay on the road.  The space I reserved was seriously slanted, I would have to raise the port side of he van more than 10" and that would require jacking up the van. Luckily the office was manned and I was able to move to another site that was more level. One thing good about Texas State Parks, they allow geocaching!  It was raining a little, about an hour before sunset, when I set out on my geocaching walk.  I was able to locate all of them except one because my phone's battery ran out. 

not really knowing where I was at, I finished the San Marcos River trail and made my way back to the campground via the Mossycup Spur. 

The campground was filling up for the weekend and by bedtime all the spaces were taken, except for the real slanted one. 

In the morning I took my time because I have all day to kill before the San Antonio Mission baseball game starts. The gates open a 1800 and it looks like I can park at the stadium. 

Here is a link to the photos I took. Thanks for visiting 

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Caverns of Sonora - Sonora Texas

 

050626 I have never heard of Sonora before, let alone the caves. I discovered this place while looking for an overnight spot between El Paso and San Antonio. Turns out that this place is a working ranch and has a living cave on the property. Officially discovered in 1955, the cave was developed and protected, then opened for tours in 1960. When I pulled in, there was only one other RV. I was greeted by Peacock calls and Turkeys on the green making their way across the campground.

I was assigned a space with 30 amp hookup and water for only $20 dollars and was informed they had a tour scheduled in an hour. So I backed into my spot, got set up and went to meet the tour.

Our tour guide Elija covered the safety details of the tour that would take us almost 2 miles, 360 stair steps down 155’ into a living cave. Off we went, a young couple from Houston and myself down onto the cave. Elija was very knowledgeable. Soon we were learning about all the different speleothem forms; Stalactite, Stalagmite, Columns, Drapery, Helictites and flowstone. Half way
down the low ceiling path opened up into a vast underground room. We were cautioned not to touch the cave walls or any speleothem, even though we were only inches away, because the oils on our fingers would destroy the formations. I never thought of a cavern being live, but it is a slow moving natural act of growing and changing.

After the big room, we continued our descent  at a slow pace. There were lights installed in sections, Elija turned them on and off as we went. We entered an area with underground pools of blue water and in one section Elija used a black light to show how some of the speleothem glowed in the dark, it was beautiful and photographs just do not show how amazing it is.

When we reached the last room, we agreed to turn off the lights and take our rest in complete absolute darkness. It was amazing how dark it was. I could not see my hand in front of my face. It was quiet too, just small cave noises.

After we were all rested we started our ascent to the surface, I assumed we would just retrace our steps, but we took a totally different way up, saw more of the cave and it seemed to me there were not as many steps going up.

We emerged about 200 yards from where we went in, right next to the gift shop. Imagine that! I bought a shot glass, post cards and of course stickers. Oh and some home made fudge.

I got all the questions for the Earth Cache from Elija and posted my find. After I ate dinner, I stepped out to take a walk and saw the wild turkeys again showing off their feathers and I could hear the peacock over by the gift shop squawking “fuuuuudge, more fuuuudge.”

I left at 1000 on the dot and used the dump station at the rest stop off I-10 in Sonora, then headed east towards San Antonio.

Here is a link to my Photo Album.