Southwest For The Winter 2019-20
This page is part one---there are 5 parts.
Click---to go straight to Part 2
Click ---to go straight to Part 3
Click---To go straight to Part 4
Click---To go straight to Part 5

 

 

 

So once again---as winter approached our hometown, me and Debi and
Didi headed South in our motorhome for warmer weather with our
toys in tow. Again we would be camping, hiking, bicycling, walking
and enjoying the company of the many people we would meet along
the way.....and I did a lot of riding on my adventure bikes and would give
my Roal Enfield Himalyan and workout as it was new to me.
It was "our adventure......this is not a story of me just riding.

First stop was at my good buddy Sam Correro's house---he's the creator of the Trans America
trail if you didTn't know. He seemed keen on my motorhome and asked many questions as he
didn't seem to know the workings of one, which surprised me as his girlfriend of many years
owned an RV sales for years.

 

 

I luv this sign in front of his house in Tennesee----ground zero for the TAT.
We stayed at their house for a few days and really enjoyed our time together and talked of trails
and the future of the TAT-----------he's 80 year old---------is he retiring ?????
That would be a big NO!!!!!!!!
Sam and my wife Debi here----Debi has become good friends with Sam and his girlfriend Laura.

 

 

 

 

 

Sam and Laura were so nice to us and took us out to eat at the coolest place.
When we left I turned the motorhome toward the Natchez Trace Parkway.
The trace is several hundred miles long from Nashville, TN. to Natchez, MS.
History abounds along this route---so much I could tell---google it.
Merriweather Lewis was buried along this original Indian trail.
There are many original sections of this trail that are unpaved....I rode them years ago.

 

 

We spent some time here walking around the field of Mounds and hay bales.
Nice to be in some warmer weather. Sam had brought me here years ago while I road
his brand new trail he laid out down here. I was the first to ride it and make
a gps track of it. It's called "The Mississippi Hillcountry"---story on my website.

 

 

Just say the word "Walkabout".........and Didi is ready to go.

 

 

 

Me too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Girls

 

 

 

We did a timed photo here--------the first one I fell down !!!!

 

 

 

 

 

We camped at 2 different camgrounds along the trace------both were free.
As in..................FREE !!!!!

Why did we come down the trace-----most riders stick their nose up at it--boring they say.
I loved poking a long at 45mph looking at stuff. No traffic, very pretty.
No commercial vehicles are allowed on the road....nobody tail gating me.
I really love the less traveled roads.

 

 

 

 

 

 

After the Natchez Trace we headed West and boondock camped many times (free).
Debi loved that----drove clean across Louisiana into Texas and camped on Belton Lake.
This helicopter was doing practice water drops which entertained us for quite awhile.

 

 

 

Finally ended up in Kerrville, Texas where we would camp for days and
I get my bike out for some Texas Hillcountry riding.

 

 

This is Kerrville's city park--use to be a state park.
Really nice--lot's of hiking and mountain bike trails here.
I got out my Milwaukee electric chain saw and cut up enough wood that lasted for days.

 

 

I couldn't wait to get out my new Himalayan motorcycle.
So I tore up some Hillcountry on it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I rode thru Luckenbach, Texas and listened to these guys play awhile.
Population 3-----2 guys and a chicken.
Population was 2 the last time I was here-----------I hate change.

 

 

 

 

The main reason we were in the area was to see our son Marty who lives and works in Austin.
He helped cut up some more firewood and spent the day and nite.

 

 

Debi, bless her heart kept us fed.

 

 

Marty had to go back to work and there was nothing else for me to do.............so..........
I went for a ride.
Marty did come back for X-mas dinner and we had such a great time.
X-mas dinner on a picnic table at camp---Debi cooked a traditional big X-mas dinner in our
motorhome---a first for us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I got a kick out of these signs------never seen any like it before.
They warn you of slick creek crossings.
This was on Loudon road on my Texas Butler map and the map warned you of the slick crossings.

 

 

 

 

 

All of them were bone dry.
I wasn't going to go down this road by myself----but couldn't resist a look see.
No problem----------none were slick.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Short Video

 

 

 

 

Looky who showes up---my best buddy Dingweeds.
He was passing thru on his way home from visiting his kids in Houston.
He took a short ride on my Royal Enfield.........I know what he was thinkin'
It's Ok but it ain't no WR

 

 

 

Left...Tim (Tewster) shows up.........Dingweeds wife Julie and a lifelong friend from my Hometown,,,
Hank Holz. He's a geetar player.........we played a lot but he's different than me........he can sing.

 

 

 

 

The hiking and bicycling trails around here are awesome.
We've been here before and have hiked and biked them all....Miles of trails.

 

 

 

 

Meet Shirley and Lee.....camped in their Casita Camper close to us.
The nicest couple you ever met and me and Debi extended an act of kindness to them that
just made us feel warm and fuzzy all over.
Debi had cooked this huge X-mas dinner and there was more food than we could eat.
I went over and invited them to eat with us and you should have seen the smiles on their faces.
I didn't know what they were going to do for dinner---------heck maybe McDonalds ???
They couldn't have been more thankful---------I will never forget these two.
They were...........in love.

 

 

 

 

 

 

When Debi is cookin.........me and Didi keep a close eye on her.

 

 

 

It's a family tradition for us to have ham and beans on New Years day.

 

 

 

Somewhere along the road I noticed my awning looked strange.
A pin had come out and I made a temporary fix with a drive pin and fixed it right later
after aquiring some bolts in Rock Springs, TX at a store that had everything.

 

 

 

We made it to Amistad National Recreation Area to our next campsite.
We stayed here for almost 2 weeks.
Why ???? $3 a nite for old people.........$6 for younger folks and we made friends with
everybody in the very small campground. The weather was so nice, and the riding was good.
This is just North of Del Rio, Texas.

 

 

This road use to go thru till they flooded the lake.
That bridge intriqued my interest.........greatly. I wanted to go out there.
Debi told me I wasn't......I was too old she said...........she tries to look out for me.
But like a kid I don't like someone telling me no.

 

 

 

 

Everyday all of our new friends showed up ...........here we are having a potluck dinner.
Everybody brought something to eat. It was just awesome.
Everybody was so interesting----some world travelers.....some full time RV'ers with no home.
Some just like us--------but all the stories were captivating to everyone.

 

 

 

Yeah Buddy !!!!!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This guy was a hoot----had an A class motorhome and pulled an electric car behind it.
And I got to drive it.....very cool.

 

 

John on right.........was a very accomplished blues guitarist and singer.
He played in many bands........blues was his thing. We played several times while here,
mostly around the campfire.
He played a small Martin Guitar. John and his wife sold and gave away their house and
what ever else they didn't need and hit the road in their toy hauler...they had 2 BMW
motorcycles in the camper.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So one day----Me, John and his wife went for a ride.
They didn't know the area's sickle roads so I found some great ones for us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This road Southwest of Rock Springs had more deer on it than I ever saw.
We rode slowly for more than one reason.

Turns out John and his wife are like me---------they get bored real quick going fast.
We got along well and stopped and looked at all kinds of stuff.

 

 

Most of these deer were trapped between very tall rancher fences and had no where to go.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The guy standing there took this little guy with him no matter where he went.
Cutest thing I ever saw----he went out on the lake with it-----or should I say..him.

 

 

 

 

Ok-------remember the bridge------------------the one under water.
With a huge protest from my wife I had to walk out there.

 

 

Debi ask these 2 young men to rescue me if I went under--------did the road go thru
all the way to the other side ?????

 

 

Looks like a floating barge--------the water was freezing but I kept going while Debi took
pictures of the last thing I ever did !!!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The ducks couldn't stand to watch and buried their heads in the water.

 

 

 

 

 

I was going to walk all the way to the other side---but beyond the bridge the road was gone.
As in.................gone !!!!
I luve this picture with the ducks going by-----they're thinkin' "Stupid Gringo"

 

 

 

 

So me and Debi walk back to camp hand in hand.

 

 

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