More "Wows" (Part 4 of ?) (11/30/2014 to 3/1/2015)

Location: New Rockdale RV Park; Mansfield, Louisiana

Today is day 75 since Brandon's second stroke. Small improvements continue with Physical/Occupational/Speech therapy and we remain hopeful. Looks like I may be back on the road in a few weeks. Time and circumstance will tell.

This post is a continuation in a series of posts. Since I have been stationary for a while, I have taken that opportunity to organize my past travels into these posts. It will be very useful for me in the future. Although I have chosen some pictures that represent some of the places where I visited, it in no way completely captures that place. If you want to see more pictures of a particular place, you can use this map or others on this blog to help isolate the date, then use the archives located on the right side of each post to locate that date. It is the best I can do for right now. 

This route is from after Thanksgiving of 2014 to early Spring of 2015. I stayed at about a dozen Texas State Parks before heading to the southwest U.S. 

I chose this picture to represent the Gulf coast of South-east Texas and South-west Louisiana. It is the road to Sea Rim State Park. I didn't stay there and only visited, but this foggy morning on this lonely strip of road says it all. It is worth the trip.

I was camped at McKinney Falls State Park in Austin, Texas when all the hub-bub was going around the country concerning supposedly police mis-treatment. I found myself at this memorial, which seemed appropriate. It is the Texas Peace Officers' Memorial for all the Texas police who have given their lives in service to the public. Not a single person was at this memorial, but thankfully, neither were any protesters. 

Sunrise over the Gulf of Mexico while parked on the beach. Mustang Island State Park is perfect for these early morning times. It is great to be able to drive for miles on the beach to find a great spot. 

This is the disappearing water at Goose Island State Park. Aransas Bay is there for as far as you can see, but at this moment in time, the water was so still, it acted as a mirror to reflect the clouds making it seem as though the water disappeared and the horizon disappeared. It was amazing.

Although this is a peaceful looking picture. It is at the Presidio near Goliad. Several hundred men, fighting for the independence of Texas were murdered here. It was much worse than the Alamo and is barely remembered. It is a shame to forget history.

Wildlife was everywhere while staying at Choke Canyon State Park

Clouds before a sunset at Lake Corpus Christi State Park. Can you see what looks like a "screaming eagle" with wings spread over the entire width of the picture? 

Javalinas wandering through the campground at Falcon State Park. After talking with some of the Border Patrol Agents and State Police, I don't think I will be back to this state park. The positives of the place do not outweigh the negatives.

Sunset over Lake Casa Blanco at Laredo, Texas. Although it was also very near the border, safety was not as much a concern as was at Falcon.

The Pecos River. 

Seminole Canyon State Park. It represents the arid desert part of west Texas. It is also the only campground in all my travels where I could not pick up a reliable cell signal. 

A weather front passing through West Texas. I've been to Wyoming and Montana, but the skies in Texas are also "Big". :)

More West Texas with the Davis Mountains in the distance

Looking out a window of a CCC built building at Davis Mountain State Park. It was a very peaceful place with great views. 

After the sparsely populated areas of rural west Texas, your mind gets a jolt when you get to El Paso. That is old Mexico in the distance.

The Saguaros of Arizona.  

Tomestone and the shootout at the O.K. Corral. 

Arizona, the land of sunsets. :)

I went to Sedona in search of "vortexes" and instead found a peaceful spot where a Buddist Stupa was located. I admit there was a sudden calming of the spirit as I walked up the hill to this place. It is a place to return.

Can't go to Arizona without wandering in the desert, albeit on a long dusty dirt road. This is Chicken Springs Road that heads west out of Wikieup, Arizona. I camped in the area so that I could drive the road I had seen on Google Earth. It was a day well spent.

Hoover Dam.
Well worth a visit and takes almost a whole day

Las Vegas.
Fremont Street was interesting, other than that, it was a nice layover in a big city.

Airplane tour of the Grand Canyon. At first I wasn't sure if it was going to be worth the expense, but it was. I'm glad I did.

The Colorado River at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. 

That ends this post. These summaries are harder to do than I anticipated. Trying to choose from so many pictures is very tough. I will see a picture and it will make me think of the place and I will start going through all of the pictures. I guess simple minds are distracted easily. :)

Ya'll take care of each other. I'll Cya down the road.