Strange to have it warm up as it did on Friday, the 16th of November. As intended spent a quiet day catching up on photo-editing and E-mail. Walked over to catch the shuttle bus to the Ryman shortly after 5. If only others were as considerate and had not kept us waiting past 5:30. See review of the show in the music section. The Christmas lights were impressive going and coming but not the same to a Canadian without snow.
Waked a mile and a half up to Shoneys for breakfast buffet Saturday Morning after it warmed up. Then crossed the road to take in the Opryland Hotel Complex. You have to see it to believe it.
Sunday morning got off around 8:00 and headed south. After my experience dining out at Dennys and Waffle House made my own lunch and walked over to a DQ at a truck stop for a sundae. After seeing too many grossly overweight Americans took my ice cream back to my Van. Arrived in West Memphis on the Arkansas side of the Mississippi around 1:00 and was signed into my campsite by a young Filipino Lady. Was directed to a site overlooking the Mississippi with a perfect view of barge traffic. After settling in went for a walk along the campground's trail system stopping to climb to the treehouse and noting the nearby rail line. Several permanent homes on the site were on stilts to assist in keeping them above the Mississippi flood line and the bathhouses/laundry rooms were in movable trailers. Aside from the tugs pushing barges upstream all night the place was peaceful.
Monday morning I got off at 8:00 headed West for Texarkana. The only major city along my trail was Little Rock which I bypassed around 10:30 in the morning. At some point stopped for a sandwich and filled up my fuel tank before resuming the journey. At the Texas-Arkansas Stateline the interchange remains as confusing as ever after the reconstruction. It is aligned so that one can get to the Texas Welcome Centre but getting to the KOA involves driving 4 miles west, then coming back to crossover the highway and find the exit to take the frontage road to the park. The nearby motel was forced out of business by this change. The campground was just as I found it a year ago--noisy but convenient.
Got off around 7:30 Tuesday morning to begin the long drive--376 miles across Texas to Dallas on I-30; then down I-35 to Austin. The sky remained largely overcast and the day unremarkable save for the long miles behind the wheel in heavy truck traffic. Encountered only one or two left-lane hogs and with few hills little trouble with passing trucks along a four-lane highway. Stopped at a rest area for lunch and a break. The approach to Dallas is on a bridge crossing a large impoundment lake. Stopped along the frontage road somewhere south to get gas at $3.05. From there to Anderson Lane too much traffic, too much construction, and too many changes in the speed limit. It varied between 55 and 75 for reasons I couldn't fathom.
Got into Austin at 2:00 PM as predicted months ago and got settled. After running A/C to remain alert the 80ยบ F heat hit hard. As his welcome Pastor Karl took me along with two others to visit the Maline Heritage Swedish Graveyard out in Elroy near the site of Austin's F-1 track. What remains is a line of Mesquite trees, an old well with wrought iron pulley and gravesites outlined by concrete enclosures with tilting tombstones bearing Swedish names replete with Umlauts. After dinner joined a community meeting attended by two off-duty local constables in uniform. Enjoyed meeting them.
In my first full day walked the property and dropped in on the church Admin to use their Wi-Fi to send the all clear to my friends and family back home. Attended noon communion and met a few people I'd known from former years. Joined a neighbour for a trip to Whole Foods, Costco, and HEB where we loaded up on free samples. I bought cheese at Whole Foods and Apple Strudel bread at HEB among other groceries. Was back at church at 7:00 where I was welcomed at the youth-led service by more old friends. Settled in for a quiet evening. For my second night actually slept 7 uninterrupted hours.
On American Thanksgiving went walkabout before settling down to read while I waited for my hosts to pick me up for dinner. They were down running the 10 K Turkey Trot. More power to them. Brought along a quart of Nova Scotia Maple Syrup for my hosts and brought music to play as ordered to entertain their guests. My host and I enjoy singing favourite hymns. Sat at table with twenty for a lavish turkey dinner. Got a ride home around 8:00 PM after all the other guests had left.
Black Friday my neighbour arrived 15 minutes before 7 to take me on a 3.25 mile hike around Town Lake. On the way home we stopped to sit at the foot of the new Willie Nelson statue in front of the Moody Theatre. Willie didn't seem to mind but he didn't offer us any bud. The sculptors didn't leave room for anyone to slip a roach between his lips. There's a 20% remote chance of rain today but the most I expect is an overcast gray sky. After I got back refilled my onboard water tank, cleaned my RV windows and the kama-kazi bugs off the front hood and chrome. Made a further circuit of the church property on litter patrol, the wind constantly blows in a new crop from our messy neighbours. It's Black Friday, should I do some online shopping? I still haven't read my daily comix.
In fact didn’t get those comics read until early Saturday Morning. Also did that online shopping at 4:30 AM as well. Got out for another hike around Town Lake, hit the Farmer’s Market and wandered around Zilker Park. The rest of the day was quiet. Well, the neighbours have rented one of those inflatable jumping rooms and the kids are rather noisy. This is just the kvetching of a crusty old bachelor.
Waked a mile and a half up to Shoneys for breakfast buffet Saturday Morning after it warmed up. Then crossed the road to take in the Opryland Hotel Complex. You have to see it to believe it.
Sunday morning got off around 8:00 and headed south. After my experience dining out at Dennys and Waffle House made my own lunch and walked over to a DQ at a truck stop for a sundae. After seeing too many grossly overweight Americans took my ice cream back to my Van. Arrived in West Memphis on the Arkansas side of the Mississippi around 1:00 and was signed into my campsite by a young Filipino Lady. Was directed to a site overlooking the Mississippi with a perfect view of barge traffic. After settling in went for a walk along the campground's trail system stopping to climb to the treehouse and noting the nearby rail line. Several permanent homes on the site were on stilts to assist in keeping them above the Mississippi flood line and the bathhouses/laundry rooms were in movable trailers. Aside from the tugs pushing barges upstream all night the place was peaceful.
Monday morning I got off at 8:00 headed West for Texarkana. The only major city along my trail was Little Rock which I bypassed around 10:30 in the morning. At some point stopped for a sandwich and filled up my fuel tank before resuming the journey. At the Texas-Arkansas Stateline the interchange remains as confusing as ever after the reconstruction. It is aligned so that one can get to the Texas Welcome Centre but getting to the KOA involves driving 4 miles west, then coming back to crossover the highway and find the exit to take the frontage road to the park. The nearby motel was forced out of business by this change. The campground was just as I found it a year ago--noisy but convenient.
Got off around 7:30 Tuesday morning to begin the long drive--376 miles across Texas to Dallas on I-30; then down I-35 to Austin. The sky remained largely overcast and the day unremarkable save for the long miles behind the wheel in heavy truck traffic. Encountered only one or two left-lane hogs and with few hills little trouble with passing trucks along a four-lane highway. Stopped at a rest area for lunch and a break. The approach to Dallas is on a bridge crossing a large impoundment lake. Stopped along the frontage road somewhere south to get gas at $3.05. From there to Anderson Lane too much traffic, too much construction, and too many changes in the speed limit. It varied between 55 and 75 for reasons I couldn't fathom.
Got into Austin at 2:00 PM as predicted months ago and got settled. After running A/C to remain alert the 80ยบ F heat hit hard. As his welcome Pastor Karl took me along with two others to visit the Maline Heritage Swedish Graveyard out in Elroy near the site of Austin's F-1 track. What remains is a line of Mesquite trees, an old well with wrought iron pulley and gravesites outlined by concrete enclosures with tilting tombstones bearing Swedish names replete with Umlauts. After dinner joined a community meeting attended by two off-duty local constables in uniform. Enjoyed meeting them.
In my first full day walked the property and dropped in on the church Admin to use their Wi-Fi to send the all clear to my friends and family back home. Attended noon communion and met a few people I'd known from former years. Joined a neighbour for a trip to Whole Foods, Costco, and HEB where we loaded up on free samples. I bought cheese at Whole Foods and Apple Strudel bread at HEB among other groceries. Was back at church at 7:00 where I was welcomed at the youth-led service by more old friends. Settled in for a quiet evening. For my second night actually slept 7 uninterrupted hours.
On American Thanksgiving went walkabout before settling down to read while I waited for my hosts to pick me up for dinner. They were down running the 10 K Turkey Trot. More power to them. Brought along a quart of Nova Scotia Maple Syrup for my hosts and brought music to play as ordered to entertain their guests. My host and I enjoy singing favourite hymns. Sat at table with twenty for a lavish turkey dinner. Got a ride home around 8:00 PM after all the other guests had left.
Black Friday my neighbour arrived 15 minutes before 7 to take me on a 3.25 mile hike around Town Lake. On the way home we stopped to sit at the foot of the new Willie Nelson statue in front of the Moody Theatre. Willie didn't seem to mind but he didn't offer us any bud. The sculptors didn't leave room for anyone to slip a roach between his lips. There's a 20% remote chance of rain today but the most I expect is an overcast gray sky. After I got back refilled my onboard water tank, cleaned my RV windows and the kama-kazi bugs off the front hood and chrome. Made a further circuit of the church property on litter patrol, the wind constantly blows in a new crop from our messy neighbours. It's Black Friday, should I do some online shopping? I still haven't read my daily comix.
In fact didn’t get those comics read until early Saturday Morning. Also did that online shopping at 4:30 AM as well. Got out for another hike around Town Lake, hit the Farmer’s Market and wandered around Zilker Park. The rest of the day was quiet. Well, the neighbours have rented one of those inflatable jumping rooms and the kids are rather noisy. This is just the kvetching of a crusty old bachelor.
No comments:
Post a Comment