AUGUST 19, 2014.
Texas Hill Country. This will be our winter home this year, starting in November and continuing ’til early Spring.
WE’VE DECIDED. It took a while, being from sunny Southern California, for us to completely comprehend the need to pick a warm spot to spend the winter. Our San Diego climate is so mild year-round that no seasonal considerations are necessary. However, with snow, ice and other extreme winter weather in many parts of the country, it becomes important for us to have a place by November to avoid any conditions that would make RV life difficult. We considered lots of spots along the Gulf Coast, but ultimately concluded that the Texas Hill Country near San Antonio, in the central part of the Lone Star State, will be our winter home this year. We’re planning to spend three months there, beginning at Halloween…the end of October. We’ve settled on an RV Resort that looks very inviting on its website. Speaking with the park managers this morning by phone confirms the “word on the street” that the folks in the Hill Country are among the friendliest in the entire country. The two people at the Admiralty Park with whom I chatted couldn’t have been more gracious or helpful. We’re looking forward to meeting them!
A country road in the Hill Country not far from where we’ll be staying. We’ll see some Fall colors when we arrive just in time for Halloween. I plan to stick with the “tall, dark and handsome-dude” costume I wear ‘trick or treating “every year.
TEXAS HILL COUNTRY: A PRIMER. We’ve been doing a lot of research about the Hill Country. Here’s what we’ve learned. There’s something special about the place, from the unforgettable wildflowers and sunsets to the best real barbecue food and hospitality. Nestled in the heart of the Lone Star State, the area provides all the luxury a country-luvin’, good eatin’, and line dancin’ person could want to have. Southern charm and friendliness are a given. Rustic country homes, genuine cowboy grit, rich German culture and breathtakingly beautiful countryside. An antique shoppers paradise, we’re told. (As if we have a place for anything like that right now!)
Charming little towns like Comfort, Bee Hive, Lakeway, Kerrville and Marble Falls. I don’t know what’s there…but each one sounds like it’s worth exploring, doesn’t it? The towns in Hill Country are defined more by landscape than zip codes. Meandering roads stretching over endless rolling hills and valleys mimic the fluidity of the rivers. The trees…mostly live oak and cypress, are jungle-like in their volume. The landscape is lush in most places. The hills are swathed in trees, grasses and shrubs. And in this beautiful setting, criss-crossed with rivers, creeks, natural springs and lakes sit the wonderful towns of the hill country.
San Antonio River Walk at dusk. Shops and restaurants line the banks of the River.
SAN ANTONIO. The RV park where we’ll be staying is just outside San Antonio. It’s a major city, so we’ll have access to all the city offers. It will be a fun place to spend the holidays, although we’ll be homesick at times for sure! San Antonio has been referred to as “every Texan’s favorite city.” One claim to fame is that a famous stew called Chili was “invented” here. Ever heard of it? (The city is also the birthplace of Cheetos, Pace Picante Sauce and Fritos. You didn’t know that either, did you?) San Antonio is home to some of the best, most-famous barbecue in the world. Attractions include the Alamo, the beautiful River Walk and Spanish missions. Stock shows and rodeos…You bet! A huge military presence: Lackland Air Force base and Fort Sam Houston, along with Randolph Air Force base…headquarters to the air education and training command. In other words, if you want to learn how to become an Air Force pilot and fly one of those way-fast jets with vapor trails shooting out the back, here’s where it happens. El Mercado and the Cathedral of San Fernando…the beautifully aged architecture looks astonishing when lighted with floods at night, are also right here.
Another section of the River Walk. It extends along the San Antonio River all the way from the city to the RV Park where we’ll be staying.
WE’RE PRETTY EXCITED ABOUT OUR WINTER PLANS. When we arrive, I’ll start adding posts to the blog about all there is to see and do in the area. I’m going to work on my camera skills between now and then, ’cause I think I’m going to have lots of chances to use them come November.
SEE Y’ALL IN THE HILL COUNTRY…
