State Parks near Port Orford, OR

Hello All! Thought I had better update our website as it has been almost a month since my last post. We have been on the Oregon Coast near Port Orford since July 5th. We spent our first two weeks (7/5-7/19) at Cape Blanco State Park. The weather there was cool, windy and very foggy. The next two weeks (7/19-8/2) we camped at Humbug Mountain State Park. It is amazing how much warmer it was compared to the Cape. During our stay at Humbug we had blue skies and temperatures in the low 70s. We plan to spend another two weeks here in the Port Orford area then may head up to Washington.


The docks at Port Orford. We have been watching a whale here for the last several evenings.


We have taken several day trips to towns up and down the coast. This photo was taken near Bandon, 25 miles north of Port O.


The waves near Gold Beach, 22 miles to the south.


The wreck of the Mary D. Hume which was built in Gold Beach in 1881. Originally used as a freighter, she was sold in 1889 to begin her 10 year career as a whaler in the Bering Sea. She then served as a tug boat until her retirement in 1978. The ship was in the process of being renovated when she was damaged beyond repair by a storm in the 1980s.


I had to get a picture of Shelby next to this sign. The city of Gold Beach has a sense of humor! What a hoot!!

The Oregon Coast Camping Experience...

The following are a couple of examples of the varied camping rigs we have seen while on the coast.


Handcrafted and decorated, this “Gypsy Wagon” caught Donnie’s eye.


A 1937 Pierce Arrow camping trailer.



A custom made motorcycle camping trailer.


One of our more unusual fellow campers! If it is cold enough to wear a sweater it may be too cold to wear a skirt (or should we call it a kilt??). Either way, camping in Oregon is always interesting!!

There’s no photo to accompany this story, but I have to share it with ya’ll... Donnie was out one morning walking Shelby near the biker/hiker camp sites at Humbug Mt. State Park. He saw a bicycle camper crawling out of his tent with a life size inflatable doll. Seems he was letting the air out of his female companion! Stranger than fiction!!

Westward!!

Back on the road again! We are now at Cape Blanco State Park on the southern coast of Oregon. I’ll post more photos soon. The following pics are of the first few weeks of our trip...



Church rock south of Moab, Utah.



The entrance to Arches National Park (north of Moab). We would like to see this park some day, but decided not to try the road up to the entrance. Maybe next time we’ll camp in Moab and drive up to the park (without the fifth wheel) to check out the campsites.



After three nights (Chama, NM, Price, UT and Jerome, ID) on the road, we arrived at one of our favorite places to “camp”, Three Island Crossing State Park near Glenns Ferry, ID. We reserved a space for nine nights and would have stayed longer but the park was already booked up for the July 4 weekend.
While staying here, it was nice to get to know Bob and Catherine Wyman from Sandy, UT. They were great neighbors and we really enjoyed visiting with them. Bob, can’t wait to try the clam chowder at Pier 101! Thanks for the tip!
We also met Gene and Diana Minner from Idaho Falls. Too bad we only got to talk with them one evening, but hope to see them and the Wymans again.



The three islands in the Snake River that the pioneers crossed while on the Oregon Trail. Donnie took this photo from an overlook south of town. Looking down on the islands really made us realize the hardships of traveling the Oregon Trail. Those pioneers were tough cookies!!



A section of the Oregon Trail that is still visible near the overlook.



Two of the three Sister Mountains west of Redmond, OR. All three of the peaks exceed 10,000 ft.



Donnie and Shelby checking out the Umqua River (in Oregon). Where they are standing is one of the spots used to launch river rafts. Almost looks like Donnie is reeling in his “catch”!

Hill Country Wildflowers

After spending the last two weeks at the Mason TX City RV Park, we are leaving tomorrow. We plan to head to Abilene State Park near Buffalo Gap. This has turned out to be one of the better years for bluebonnets and other wildflowers here in the Mason area. We have spent several nice days driving various highways, farm to markets, and ranch roads taking photos of the beautiful blooms. Below are a few of my favorites.

Bluebonnets on a farm road southwest of Mason.


A field of bluebonnets on the Willow City Loop between Fredericksburg and Llano.


Prickly Poppies and more bluebonnets on a ranch road off the Willow City Loop.


Wildflowers growing along the side of Highway 87 south of Mason.

Mason TX Author

This statue of the characters in the book "Ole Yeller" is in front of the city library. The author of the book, Fred Gipson, was born on a farm near Mason and spent his school years here. He returned to the area in his later years purchasing a ranch. The Disney movie based on the book was first shown at the Mason Odeon Theater in 1947.


An old one room school near Mason where Fred Gipson's sister Stella taught school. Stella Gipson Polk wrote several young adult works of fiction.

Fort Richardson State Park in Jacksboro, TX

Our site at the state park near Jacksboro, TX. The last time we camped here was quite a few years ago when we still lived in Denton. It is a nice park with a walking trail near the creek, a low water crossing and a small stocked lake.


Quarry lake near the entrance to the state park. We always saw a fisherman or two trying their luck here.


Another view of our campsite. We liked the trees that blocked the wind and provided a nice shady place to sit during the day. If it had been a lot cooler I'm sure Donnie would have built a campfire, so maybe next trip.



I'm not sure if this photo is large enough to read this plaque, but it supplies the basic information about Fort Richardson. In 1867 the fort was built to repel Comanche and Kiowa Indian attacks and allow settlement of the area. Around 1878 the fort was abandoned because settlers had moved farther west.


The post hospital is one of seven buildings left of the original fort.


Shelby in the ruins of the old guardhouse.

Mason TX

We have spent the last week in Mason, TX at the city RV park. Plan to head to Stephenville next. Hope to visit old friends and get H & R to do our taxes. Better them than me!!


Our home on wheels. We have enjoyed our stay here, except for one day that was very cold, cloudy and gusty. This photo was taken today. Just can't beat blue skies and sunshine!


This is a view of our back yard, better known as the Mason city golf course. It is a nine whole course that gets lots of use by the locals and campers alike. We haven't even been dinged by a golf ball this trip!


I couldn't resist taking this photo of one of the locals at a convenience store. Check out the hat, boots with spurs! One of the things that makes Texas unique!!

Corpus Christi TX

We always enjoy "camping" near Corpus Christi. So much to see and do here.


The harbor at Corpus Christi. We had lunch across the street at Whataburger (the only two story one so far), then walked along the harbor wall. Two of our favorite things: the Corpus Christi bay and Whataburgers!!


A replica of the Nina docked in the harbor. The other replicas of the ships of Christopher Columbus are dry-docked at the Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History. The museum has so many exhibits, including one of several 1554 Spanish shipwrecks.


A view of the USS Lexington from the bridge crossing the ship channel. The aquarium is in the foreground. The Lex was commissioned in 1943. During WW II her planes took out 372 enemy planes in the air and 475 more on the ground. The Japanese reported several times that The Lexington had been destroyed but she continued to fight, prompting Tokyo Rose to dub her "The Blue Ghost". You can tell I find WW II naval history fascinating! We have visited CC so many times and finally got to tour the Lex. It was a great experience and good exercise too, crawling up and down all those ladders.


One of the planes on display on the flight deck.


This photo gives you an idea of the enormous size of this aircraft carrier.


Okay this one is for Rylee and Parker... PaPa is pretending to shoot down some enemy aircraft!


Cute sailor, huh!! The city aquarium is in the background to Donnie's right. This is the first trip to CC that didn't include a trip to the aquarium. It is a great place to visit with the gigantic salt water tank (sharks, etc.) and the dolphin show.


A Great Blue Heron fishing at the edge of the ship channel.


This ship was being unloaded one day when we stopped by the CC docks. It was carrying sections of the bases for wind generators. We didn't realize these came from Singapore. Most of the wind generators we have seen were being trucked in from Mexico. This was pretty interesting watching the ship's giant cranes at work.


A tanker on its way out to the Gulf. Next to it is the ferry that takes passengers on an hour long cruise of CC bay. We plan to do that next trip also.


No, I'm really not a baseball fan, but had to include this photo of Whataburger Field, home of the Corpus Christi Hooks. I can't pass a Whataburger sign of any sort without thinking of our Mom (mine and Kathy's). It was her favorite place to eat. So...guess it is hereditary!!


A view of WB field from the bridge. We also found a great place to eat near here, Brewster Street Ice House. They had seafood, burgers, chicken-fried steak, salads, etc. Ever have a fried avocado salad?? I have, and would definitely order it again.

Port Isabel

Tomorrow we are leaving Rio Hondo for Mustang Island State Park. Plan to stay there a week and check out some of the private RV parks in the Corpus Christi/Rockport area for next winter. With no daily access to WiFi, this may be our last blog for a week or two.


Port Isabel Lighthouse State Historic Site. The lighthouse, constructed in 1852, was in use until 1905. The site was dedicated as a state park in 1952. Of the 16 lighthouses originally constructed on the Texas coast, it is the only one open to the public.


A view of the Queen Isabella Memorial Causeway to South Padre Island. At two miles, it is the longest bridge in Texas.


The SPI skyline.

Iwo Jima Monument February 23, 2010

Today is the sixty-fifth anniversary of the flag raising on Iwo Jima island during World War II. This memorial is on the grounds of the Marine Military Academy in Harlingen. It is the plaster working model for the original bronze sculpture at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C.
Posting this photo is our way of honoring the brave men and women of the U.S. military past and present. Their service and sacrifice can never be taken for granted.

World Birding Center in Mission TX

A fountain in the city of Mission.

We spent yesterday at the World Birding Center at Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park near Mission. The park offers a tram ride that covers a three mile loop. There were several birders there either riding bikes or hiking. We chose to ride the tram and hike a few of the trails off the loop. Donnie handled the photography, while I had my binoculars and trusty bird book in hand.



We saw several Great Kiskadees at two different bird blinds. We learned that the Kiskadee inhabits two places, south Texas and Burmuda.
There were a lot more birds here than Resaca de la Palma State Park, the birding center we visited near Brownsville last winter.



Found in Texas only, Green Jays, cousins of the blue jay, were very abundant in the park. This is the first time we have seen them here in the valley.



The Altamira Oriole is another bird found only in the southern tip of Texas. The park attracts the birds by setting up feeders with lots of fresh orange halves attached.