On the Way

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Historical Markers

Let's get off on the right foot:

There are several "Traveler's Rules " we've made up as we've traveled.  They include:  never pass up a meal, never pass up a bathroom, always go where one of our two travel "bibles" tell you there may something to be found ("Scenic Byways", and the "Frommer's National Parks"), and lastly,

you MUST stop at all historical markers.  

Here are a random selection some we saw this trip.  Not included are ones that indicated three towns that have disappeared, and the buffalo trader's center where at one time, the owner had 1,100,000 hides on hand.   

Santa Fe Trail 

                                                            The Rider                                        The Horse 

The 1st American Legion - Post Number One

Crow Butte - Battle ground of the Sioux and Crow

Wild Horse Sanctuary 

Young Skunk's Home 

American Mustangs

AND 

How could I pass up these signs in Gillespie County, TX? 

and the courthouse

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The Alamo

We had never been to the Alamo and Jackie wanted to make certain it was the center of our trip to Colorado.   You can honestly fell the history there, regardless of the fact that only one building, the barracks, and one wall are original.   One cannot help but become more solemn when, at the front door of the church (the symbol of the Alamo), there is a sign that states that this is sacred ground and gentlemen will please remove their hats while in the building.   We learned a great deal about the battle, however perhaps the most unusual fact was that there were brothers in the battle - one with Santa Anna  and one with Sam Houston.   The brother in the Alamo was slain along with all the defenders, but was spared the burning of the corpses when his brother asked Santa Anna for his body, and his is the only Alamo defender that was actually buried. 

                        Jackie walks the outside wall                             The marker across the street honoring

                                                                                                             those who died.

                        The plaque outside the Alamo                     The brass cast of the original Alamo grounds 

Jackie outside the front door of the church              

        The alamo ground are well kept and quite beautiful      The stream that goes through the grounds 

          More of the grounds 

         Part of the wall, part of  last remaining original buildings                      A view of the church

                        The last remaining original building                                     The famous Alamo well 

The normal tourist view of the Alamo 

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San Antonio

San Antonio is every bit as beautiful as one is led to believe.   Our GPS guidance system did take us through a great deal of San Antonio that the guidebooks may ignore.   The downtown is teriffic and the "River Walk" is everythnig we had heqard.  It was colorful, well maintained and manicured and is eaily seen as the hart of this city.   We had been told, after seeing the Alamo, to visit a holtel that is associated with a great deal of San Antonio, and America's history.  The Meger Bar, part of the hotel, is an example.  The hotel could be pasrt of a museaum, inasmuch as it has some fantasrtic photogrphs and displays. 

                    The sign says it all (the bar is original)                            Today's "raging"  San Antonio river 

                                                    We took a trolley ride of the historical sections of the city                       

There are a number of old missions - spaced at 5 miles intervals 

This is the newest of the old mission - and the only one that has not been renovated

Watermelons and other wares sold on corners 

As the day was warm and we had only the day for San Antonio

we took a boat ride on the River Walk .  We advise this the only way to see

most of the entire walk and was mush less costly than expected - $5.00

The scenes along the ride were very special.  

These are several of a large number of sites photographed. 

Take a short ride along River Walk 

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LBJ's Ranch

We took a exceptional number of "back roads" - actually state roads.  We travels just a fast as the interstates and saw more than we could have ever seen on the interstates.   On stop was F4edericksburg Texas.  We advise anyone traveling through Texas to try to make a stop there.  It was wonderful little town - maybe a bit too yuppie for some, but its a real taste of America.  We ate dinner at a small place which served a local sausage.  Not knowing that, we asked if we could buy some of the sausages we had for dinner.  The waiter, a local young man, told us the butcher was only about 12 miles way, but not to drive that far, as they are sold at the town's Wal-Mart! 

The house below caught our attention when we hit main street.  The entire town, at least on Main Street and the surrounding blocks have beautiful homes and the main street is full of unique shops - and German restaurants.  After visiting LBJ's ranch - about 1/2 hour away - we stopped at Fredericksburg for lunch.  We ate at a very much local place called "Porky's Hamburger and Onion ring Factory".   Had a great cheese burger, but the reason to stop is the onion rings.  We are certain we or you will never have more unusual or better onion rings.

Do visit Fredericksburg - besides how can you go wrong in Gillespie County? 

One of the unusual homes on Main Street

The LBJ Ranch is a National Historical Park 

The elementary school he attended - at 4 years old

Part of the beautiful grounds - pecan trees everywhere

The family cemetery - the red stones are LBJ's family

the slightly larger  stone is LBJ             

The family home.  Mrs. Johnson sat on the porch nearly every day, 

often waving to the tourists.

Some of LBJ's toys - including cars, the famous Lincoln convertible, 

and the runway constructed so he could be flown in. 

The LBJ ranch still has livestock

Including a goat that eats his morning feed and then stays in the trough the rest of the day.

Also, the prize bull that comes in from the field in the morning and then lays down 

until the eighth, and final tourist bus of the day comes through, then he gets up 

to go back to the field for the night.

They also have a rescue horse that took an immediate liking to Jackie.  As soon as he saw 

her, the ears went up and he all but said, "Come pet me, please."               

Some of the fields and the stream on the ranch.

The Park Service has bi-hourly bus rides.  We were the only one's on the earliest bus, so we got a very personal tour.

Timing is everything - and for the 1st time ever, we were too early or too late!  

The next day was to be LBJ's 100th birthday.  As Mrs. Johnson had passed away, 

the home was to be open for the first time the next day.  Also, for the first time, 

tourists were going to be able to drive around the ranch for the fist time.

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Capulin Volcano

Out on the highway, and we see an unusual formation on the rather flat plains. 

A volcano?  Sure enough!  We stop a a historical marker and then the National Monument.

The view from the top 

Volcano in the distance - the road to the top clearly visible.

Formations on the road.

              A bird's eye view of the road and the caldera.                           

All the plateaus and hills in the panorama are old volcanos

See a moving panorama shot 

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Royal Gorge

While visiting our fiends in Canon (pronounced Canyon) City, we went to see royal Gorge - 

or Royal "Gouge" as the locals call it.  Using our friend's 1/2 price annual pass, it still cost $42.00!   

We had the option to drive across, walk across or ride a trolley across.   not really understanding 

how high, rickety and swaying this wooden bridge was, I elected to drive across.  A Mistake!

Jackie, who is without fear of heights, asked to stop 1/2 way across to get out and take pictures.

I stopped and only then notices how the bridge was swaying - swaying just like the bridge in

Washington or Oregon did before it collapsed.  I then told Jackie she had 30 seconded to

get back in - or finish the way across walking.  I was really shook!

Show off! (notice the flags straight in the "breeze" and the old wooden floor on the bridge!)

Its pretty damn high - the highest cable bridge in the world.

Want a thrill? Ride the Skycoaster.   

The only problem is that the winds were so high it pulled the glasses of tourists and the

coaster (you're really ties to a rode and swung over the gorge -UGH!) was closed down.   

Look carefully at the shot below to the right - see the guy flying over the gorge?

       The trolley going over the bridge, with the gorge below.                  

See why I think its nuts to go across the bridge!

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Skyline Drive

We were fortunate to visit some of our closest friends, "snow birds" Lynn and Bill Johnson.  We've had our fist road trip with them last years to Savannah GA.   We remained friends.....

We've tried to talk them into moving full time to FL, but after seeing their beautiful home in Canon City CO, and going around the town itself, we see why they don't want to give up their roots there.

While there, they took us up, way up, above their home to Canon city's Skyline Drive.  The road reminds you of Oh My God road to Silver city.  The view is spectacular and the dinosaur foot pints make this a memorable experience.  And as Jackie will remind you, "There's no guardrails!"