Flo's 2008 December Travels

December Camping Adventures 2008


2008 DECEMBER ADVENTURE TO THE PINEYWOODS STATE PARK

Mom and dad are taking most of December off this year so we’re going to take a long camping adventure. We’re going to stay at a few parks in the Pineywoods Region of Texas. I’ve been on a few week long camping adventures but this time the camping adventure is going to be between two to three weeks long. This is fantastic!!!! I’m going to see different parks, hiking trails and meet new people and dogs. I’m very excited!!!



Dad waiting for mom

Click on photo to see all Wilson H. Fox Park in December Photos

LOCATION: Granger, Texas     SITE: Wilson H. Fox Park
DATE: 12/05/08 – 12/06/08     SPACE: 13     TRIPS: 45     DISTANCE: 55 miles

Mom has been off since the week of Thanksgiving but dad had to work. It’s Friday and dad finished working for the rest of the year. Now it’s time to start our camping adventure to the Pineywoods.

Friday December 5, 2008

The first stop is Granger Lake at Wilson H. Fox Park. It is about 55 miles from my house. We’re going to camp here for the night. When we first got to Granger Lake we tried to get into Taylor Park but it was closed for the winter so we went to Wilson H. Fox Park. Forty percent of the camping areas at Granger Lake are based on first come first serve. This time of year you won’t have any problem getting a site. The man at the gate said it dies after Thanksgiving. We drove around the park to see what campsite we wanted. We picked site 55 because it was away from the other campers because sometimes I can be a pest. We arrived about 5 pm. Mom and dad set up camp and than we had dinner. Mom and dad had ham sandwiches and I had my special food. After dinner we went for a walk around the campground. I was a nice easy walk. W didn’t walk too far because it was starting to get dark. We walked the loop we were in and by the lake. The walk was about ½ hour long. When we returned to the Minnie we went in for the evening.

Saturday December 6, 2008

I woke mom and dad at 7:00. Mom fed me my special food while dad and she got dressed. Than mom and dad sat down and ate breakfast. After breakfast we went for an hour walk around the camping area. We avoided the other campers so I got be off leash. While we were walking I explored. We walked by the lake and the playground. The walk was very nice and peaceful. When we returned to the Minnie mom and dad broke camp. While the Minnie was warming up mom took a pictures of the park. After mom finished taking pictures it was time to go. Our next stop is Mission Tejas State Park.

Mission Tejas State Park sign

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LOCATION: Grapeland, Texas     SITE: Mission Tejas State Park
DATE: 12/06/08 – 12/08/08     SPACE: 13     TRIPS: 45     DISTANCE: 162 miles

Mission Tejas State Park is located in Weches Texas about 162 miles southeast of Wilson H. Fox Park. Mission Tejas State Park is a beautiful 363.5 acre park surrounded by gorgeous pine trees. As you walk around the facility you can read about the park’s history. The park was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in 1934. There are two historic buildings in the park. One building is a replica of Mission San Francisco de los Tejas (the first Spanish mission in the province of Texas in 1690). The CCC rebuilds the mission in 1934. The other building is a restored log cabin (Rice Family). Joseph Remund Rice built it in 1828 and it was restored in 1974. The home served as a stopover for immigrants, adventurers and local residents traveling the Old San Antonio Road. Mission Tejas State Park has many things to offer people of all ages. Mission Tejas accommodations are:

Saturday December 6, 2008

We left Wilson H. Fox Park at 8:30 am. On the way to Mission Tejas State Park mom and I took a nap. This is the first time we have ever been here so it was very exciting. When we arrived at Mission Tejas State Park it was 12:30 pm. Dad checked in and mom took pictures. I stayed in the Minnie because the park was too close to the main highway. When they finished we went to campsite 13 to set-up camp for the next three nights. After we set up camp we had lunch. Dad had a sandwich, mom had pizza and I had a little gizzard for a snack.

After lunch we went on a 4 mile hike. We hiked the nature trail (.6 mile) to the main entrance. At the beginning of the hike we met a man and two girls hiking back to the campground. As we hiked the trail we hiked through beautiful pine tree which made the trail feel good on your feet. When we were almost to the entrance we came across four concrete blocks and a sign explaining what they were. The blocks were what were left of a fire tower. The location is called Fire Tower Hill. We read the sign and than continued our hike. At the main entrance we saw the Rice Family House. We walked through the house and read the history of the Rice Family House. After we finished exploring the house we walked across the road to the hiking trails. There were two trails. One trail went to the picnic area and was .7 mile. The other one was to the pond and it was 1.4 miles. We decided to hike the trail to the pond because it was longer and it takes you to the picnic area.

The trail to the pond was very beautiful. We hiked up and down hills, over bridges and down rock walkways to get down the hills. The trail goes through trees and along a creek. I had a lot of fun climb down the walkways and over the bridges. I also did a lot of exploring. By the time we got to the pond we were tired so mom and dad sat on a bench to rest. The pond was very nice I wanted to go swimming but dad wouldn’t let me. That was ok because it was still nice just looking at it. After we finished resting we went to the picnic area.

The picnic area is very cool. It has a few toys to play with and of course mom had to try a few of them out. Mom tried to slide down the slide but half way down she got stuck so she had to push herself down the rest of the way. She tried to get on the tire swing. She succeeded to get part of the way on and dad told her she better get off before she got hurt. The coolest thing was the diggers. We never seen a digger before so mom tried one out. She had a lot of fun digging. She sat on a metal seat and moved its arms to dig a hole. After mom finished playing we went back to the Minnie.

When we got back to the Minnie we sat down for rest. After our rest we went on another hike. We hiked about 2 mile. As we were walking to the trail we met another neighbor. The neighbor had two dogs I was very excited to see them and they wanted to play with me. The dogs’ names were Suzy and Ruby. We didn’t play because we were on leash but we did say hi and check each other out. When we finished checking each other out it was time for us to continue our walk to the trail. The trail we hiked was part of the Old San Antonio Road. The trail was very easy. There are signs along the trail telling you about the trail and where to go. One sign said there was a grave site up the hill of a mother and child. They were buried on the hill because the father didn’t want the creek to flood the graves. Another sign explained what the small dirt mounds along the trail were and how they were made. The dirt mounds were made by wagon wheels as they traveled along the Old San Antonio Road. When we finished our hike we stopped at the Mission San Francisco del los Tejas. After reading about the mission and its history we went make to the Minnie.

When we got back it was dinnertime. Mom and dad had beef stew and jambalaya for dinner. I had my special food. It was starting to get cold so we ate inside. After dinner we stayed in the Minnie. Dad read, mom worked on her book and I slept.             

Sunday December 7, 2008

I woke mom and dad at 7:30 am. Mom got up and fed me my special food while she got dressed. After I finished my breakfast mom took me for my morning walk so dad could get dressed. When mom and I returned to the Minnie mom had breakfast with dad. After breakfast we went for a 4 mile hike.

Today our 4 mile hike was the Old San Antonio Road. It was a great hike. We saw deer, read signs on the Old San Antonio Road, an old cemetery and where the CCC bathhouse use to be. We hiked the trail to the park boundaries fence line which leads you to the Weches Cemetery. When we arrived at Weches Cemetery mom took pictures. Weches Cemetery is a nice old cemetery. After mom finished taking pictures we hiked to the CCC trail to the picnic area. We stopped along the trail to look at the CCC bathhouse. When we got to the pond we stopped and rested. After our rest we hiked through the picnic area back to the Minnie.

When we returned to the campsite our neighbors were getting ready to go home. I went over to them to say hi. After I said hi mom and dad took me to our site. As we were resting at the campsite two of the girls came over to play. One girl was six years old and the other girl was three years old. They played with me until it was time to for them to leave. When the family left mom and dad sat down and had lunch. For lunch mom and dad had sausages and mom gave me a snack. 

In the afternoon we went for a 2 mile hike on the Old San Antonio Road. We hiked the section we hadn’t hiked before. During the hike we saw a few more deer and a couple of hog traps. It was a great hike. We hiked to the creek. Mom took pictures of the creek. The creek had a lot of water in it. I was tempted to go swimming but the water was too far down. On the way make to the campground we saw what was left of a homestead. When we got to the homestead the trail ran out so we had to make our own trail. We hiked through trees to get back to way the trail was. We hiked to the CCC bathtubs where we rested. After our rest we took a shortcut through the trees to get to the pond. I like hiking through the trees because it’s challenging and different. By the time we got back to the Minnie I was very tired. So we hung around the campsite for the rest of the day.

Before dinner mom and dad took me for a walk around the campground. We didn't go too far because I was still tired from our hike in the morning. When we returned to the campsite it was dinnertime. Mom and dad had jambalaya and I had my special food. Mom baked cookies after dinner. We stayed inside for the rest of the night.

Monday December 8, 2008

I woke mom and dad up at 7:30 am. Mom got up and fed me my special food. After breakfast mom took me for my morning walk. When we returned to the Minnie mom had breakfast with dad. When mom and dad finished breakfast we went on a 2 mile hike.

Our hike was to back to the Weches Cemetery. When we got to the cemetery we walked through it and mom and dad read some of the headstones. While they were reading the headstones I did a little exploring. Mom and dad thought it was interesting to see how long people lived. After mom and dad finished we went back to the hiking trail. We hiked the Lightening Trail. When we were hiking up a hill on the trail we met a couple dogs Bailey and Scott. I wanted to play but Scott wasn’t friendly so I let the dogs continue their hike. We didn’t want to do the whole trail so we took a shortcut through the trees down the hill. When we got to the bottom of the hill we got back on the trail to hike towards the pond. We hiked over a couple of bridges to get over a creek that feeds the pond. Today when we got to the pond we didn’t stop we continued our hike back to the Minnie. Once we were back mom and dad broke camp. It was time to continue our adventure. Our next stop is Daingerfield State Park.  

 

Flo and mom at Daingerfield State Park

Click on photo to see all Daingerfield State Park in December Photos

LOCATION: Daingerfield, Texas     SITE: Daingerfield State Park
DATE: 12/08/08 – 12/11/08     SPACE: 33     TRIPS: 45     DISTANCE: 143 miles

Daingerfield State Park is 45 miles southeast of Mission Tejas State Park. Daingerfield State Park is 60 miles west of Texarkana. Daingerfield State Park is a 506.913 acre park with an 80 surface-acre lake. The park was made by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in 1935. We stayed in Dogwood Camping Area at site 17. Daingerfield State Park is a beautiful park with many accommodations for people of all ages.

Monday December 8, 2008

On the way to Daingerfield mom and dad stopped at Taco Bueno in Longview. I didn’t mind stopping because it gave me a chance to crawl up in mom’s chair and take a nap while mom and dad had lunch. After lunch we continued our adventure to Daingerfield State Park. We arrived at Daingerfield State Park at 1:00 pm. The lady at the gate told us that there was only one other camper besides us and he was in Mountain View. We drove around the camping areas to decide where to set up camp. We decided to stay in Mountain View because the restroom had a shower and Dogwood didn’t. We didn’t stay in Big Pine because we didn’t want full hook-ups. Mom and dad set up camp in campsite 33. After mom and dad set up camp we went on a 2 mile hike.

The hiking trail is great because you walk on pine needles and leaves all the through your hike. The trail weaves through the trees and over a creek. When the trail goes over the creek at different places you don’t have to worry because you hike over it on bridges. The trailhead starts behind the restroom. The trail goes up a steep hill you don’t realize how steep the hill is because you gradually climb to the top. Once you get to the top the view is gorgeous. Along the trail there are places you can stop at to look at Lake Daingerfield. As we hiked the trail I explored. The hiking trail ends at the day area.

When we got to the day area we walked around it. The day area has a lot of things to offer people. The accommodations are beach area, bathhouse, fishing pier, concession stand, boat rental place, swimming platform, boat ramp, fish cleaning area and picnic area. The day area is very nice. When we finished walking around the day area we went back to our site. On the way back I saw ducks swimming in the lake. When we got back to the Minnie we went inside to rest.

We rested until it was time for dinner. Dad decided to barbecue pork steaks for dinner. While dad was barbequing we saw a red-headed wood pecker and a dog from the neighborhood came to visit. I was so excited to him that I started to bark. The dog was going to run away when mom and dad called him and said I was just saying hi. It took him awhile but then he decided it was ok so he came to our site. The dog and I played. We didn’t play too hard because I was on a chain. I still had fun playing. When dad finished barbequing we went inside to eat. Mom fed me my special food and than sat down with dad to have her dinner. While we were inside my new friend went to see the other camper in the park. When it started to get dark my friend went home. We stayed inside for the rest of the night. Mom baked cookies.

Tuesday December 9, 2008

It rained all night. Sometimes it rained hard and woke mom and dad up. But I didn’t care I slept right through it until mom woke me up at 5:00 am. I thought it was time to get up but it wasn’t. Mom told me that she had to close the windows she had opened before she went to bed. When she went back to bed I went back to sleep. I slept until 7:30 am. Mom got up and fed me my special food while she got dressed. After she got dressed she took me for my morning walk. At first I didn’t want to go because it was raining a little. Mom was determined to take me out so she convinced me that it wasn’t raining hard. I was glad mom did because I really had to go. When we returned dad was dressed and mom and dad sat down to have breakfast. When they finished their breakfast we went on a 3 mile hike.

Today we hiked the Nature Trail. The Nature Trail starts at the day use area and ends there. The Nature Trail goes all the way around Lake Daingerfield. The trail has markers all over the place so you can see all the different plants that grow here. When dad checked in yesterday the lady at the desk gave him the Nature Trail Guide book. We stopped at each marker and read what the plants were. I thought this was cool because we learned about different plants and what they look like. I probably won’t remember too many of them but it were still cool. As we hiked the trail I did some exploring in the trees. I would have loved to go swimming in the lake but Mom and dad didn’t give me permission so I stayed on the trail. The trail is flat so it made the hike very easy. During the hike it rained on and off but we didn’t get wet because of all the trees. The trail goes over a bridge and on the other side of the bridge is the dam. While we were hiking over the dam we hiked in the fog. This was so cool!!! On the other side of the dam the trail turns and when it turns the lake is on both sides of the trail. The trail continues behind Big Pine Camping Area to the beach area. Along the trail there are benches so you can sit down rest when you get tired. When we got to the day area we saw ducks swimming. I wanted to chase them but I was too tired. We had a great hike.

When we got back to the Minnie mom dried me off. After mom finished I wiped my head on her and dad because I really don’t like my head wet. When I finished wiping my head mom fixed lunch. Mom and dad had tamales and I had a little gizzard snack.

In the afternoon we stayed inside. Mom and dad took a nap and read. I crawled into mom’s chair and slept. When dinner came around mom and dad finished up the tamales and had beef stew. Mom fed me my special food. Later in the evening mom made cornbread muffins.        

Wednesday December 10, 2008

The rain is gone but it’s cold outside. The temperature is in the 30s so I let mom and dad sleep in. I woke them up at 8:00 am. Mom got up and fed me. When mom finished getting dressed I was waiting for her to take me on our morning walk. I didn’t hesitate because it wasn’t raining and I like the cold. When we returned mom and dad had breakfast. After breakfast we went on a 3 ½ mile hike.

Dad wanted the roads to dry a little before we continue on our adventure to Atlanta State Park. So mom and dad decided to stay another night here and we had to go to the office to pay. We hiked the Nature Trail and the main road to the office. It was a great hike.  Dad took the leash off me during the hike because it’s easier on him and I can do a lot more exploring. Sometimes when I’m exploring I will pick up a smell and I’m on a mission to find out what the smell is. But I don’t go too far because I don’t want mom to worry about me. During my exploring I will occasionally look over my shoulder to make sure mom and dad are coming. When I get to my destination I will either wait for them or I run back to them. I enjoy getting ahead of mom and dad. Once in awhile during our hike mom and dad would stop to look at something so I would stop my exploring and run back to them to see what they were checking out. One example is yesterday when we were hiking by the dam dad saw a square rock with the number 1 on it and today he wanted to see if there was another rock but he couldn’t. Dad gave up and we continued our hike. The Nature Trail Y’s off at a bridge right before the Big Pine Camping Area. If you go right you go to the camping area and the left takes you to the main road. We went left because we had to go to the office and we already had gone by the camping area. We were starting to walk the main road when we met the park hosts. They were a couple from Canada. They have been park hosting in Texas for eight year and this was the first year they were here. They like to follow the rodeo around but this year they decided to do something new. They were glad they did. After mom and dad visit their visit with the hosts we continued our adventure to the office. When we got to the office dad paid for the next night. Afterwards we started back to the campsite.

On the way back we saw a few deer ahead of us. I wanted to chase after them but I was on leash and I was really glad because I don’t think I could have chased them too far because I was tired. When we got to the bathhouse in the day area we were tired so we sat down for a rest. While we were resting the garbage truck came around. I’ve seen garbage truck before but I never seen one empty dumpsters before so this was interesting to watch. After our rest we walked by the lake where we saw some ducks. A few of them were walking towards us until them saw me than they decided it wasn’t a good idea. I wanted to chase them but I was still on leash. When we got back to the Minnie it was time for lunch.   

Mom and dad had gumbo for lunch and mom gave me a little gizzard for a snack. After lunch mom and dad took a nap and so did I. When mom and dad woke up dad read a book and mom worked on her book. At 4:00 pm mom took me out for my afternoon walk. We walked around the campground. During our walk we met the other camper. I was so excited to see him mom let go the leash and I ran to him. He played with me for a little while and than handed the leash to mom. I really didn’t want to go back to mom but mom was getting cold and she wanted to go back to the Minnie. We said good-bye to the man and went back to the Minnie. When we got back it was dinnertime. Mom and dad had tacos and I had my special food. Mom baked cookies for dessert. We spent the rest of the night inside.

Thursday December 11, 2008

I woke mom and dad up at 7:30 am. Mom fed me and than took me for my morning walk. When we returned to the Minnie mom and dad had breakfast. We’re leaving Daingerfield State Park today and going to Atlanta State Park. Atlanta State Park is only 42 miles from here. Dad wanted it to warm up a little before we left. While we were waiting we went on a 4 mile hike.

The hike was a gorgeous hike up a hill and through the trees. We hiked to the day area and took the Nature Trail to the dam. At the dam the trail Y’s off and we went on the trail that went to the right. This trail takes you up a hill through the trees. We hiked the trail until we got to a big ravine and the trail ran out. Mom and dad thought maybe there was a bridge or some kind of crossover so we went looking for one. We couldn’t find one so we decided to go back to the Nature Trail. We had to hike cross country through the trees. Dad has a GSP so he has a good idea how far to go and where we were. Once we got to the trail we hiked until we got to the bridge where the trail Y’s off to go to Big Pine Camping Area. We went to the right again. We hiked to marker 15 where there was a bench. Mom and dad sat on the bench to rest and I lay on the ground. After our rest we turned around and headed back to the Minnie. When we got back mom and dad broke camp so we could continue our adventure to Atlanta State Park. We left Daingerfield State Park at 11:00 am.   

Flo and dad waiting for mom in the park

Click on photo to see all Atlanta State Park in December Photos 

LOCATION: Atlanta, Texas     SITE: Atlanta State Park
DATE: 12/11/08 – 12/13/08     SPACE: 1     TRIPS: 45     DISTANCE: 42 miles

Atlanta State Park is 42 miles east of Daingerfield State Park. Atlanta State Park is a few miles southwest of Texarkana. Atlanta State Park is a 1475 acre park on Lake Wright Patman Dam. Lake Wright Patman is a Corps of Engineer lake so there is no home on the banks. We stayed in Knights Bluff Camping Area at site 1. Atlanta State Park is a gorgeous park with hiking trail in between the camping. One of the three camping areas has lake view sites and the day area is by the lake. There are many activities to do at Atlanta State Park. The activities are swimming, boating, water skiing, fishing, canoeing, picnicking, hiking, biking, jogging and camping. The accommodations at Atlanta State Park are for people of all ages.

Thursday December 11, 2008

When we got to Atlanta Texas it was lunchtime so mom and dad stopped at Wendy’s for lunch. I stayed in the Minnie to nap in mom’s chair. After lunch we went to Atlanta State Park. Atlanta State Park wasn’t too far away from Atlanta. We arrived at Atlanta State Park about 1:00 pm. The lady at the gate told us that Wilkins Creek Camping Area was closed because of a water problem. She recommended site 57 in White Oak Ridge Camping Area. We drove around White Oak Ridge Camping Area and Knights Bluff Camping Area to find a site. There was no problem finding one because there were only a few campers. The sites in White Oak Ridge are beautiful because they are on a hill and look over Lake Wright Patman. We decided to stay at Knights Bluff because it was windy and cold if we had stayed on the hill it would have been colder. When dad checked in the lady was surprised we picked site 1. He told her we picked 1 because it was too windy in White Oak Ridge. After dad checked in we went to the campsite to set up camp for a couple of nights.

After mom and dad set up camp we walked to the day area. The day area was fantastic. It’s right off of Lake Wright Patman. It has a slide, swings, volleyball court, basketball hoop and a big grass area. The grass area is big so you could play catch, throw a Frisbee and other activities. There are benches around the park so you can sit on to look at the lake. We walked around the day area to the boat ramp and back to the Minnie. I was glad to get back to the Minnie because I was still tired from the hike we did this morning. Dad read, mom worked on her book and I slept until dinnertime.

For dinner mom and dad had tamales enchilada style and I had my special food. Later in the evening mom baked cookies.

Friday December 12, 2008

I woke up about 7:30 am I heard mom and dad talking so I whined to let mom that I was awake. Mom got up and fed me my special food. I ate while she got dressed. After I finished my breakfast mom took me for my morning walk. We walked around the loop and back this gave dad time to get dressed. When we got back mom and dad sat down to have breakfast. After breakfast we went on a 3 hour for 6 miles.

The hike was a beautiful hike. We hiked Volksmarch Trail (1.5 mile), Arrowhead Trail (1 mile) and a Hiking Trail that went around Wilkins Creek Camping Area and White Oak Ridge Camping Area (1.3 mile). The trailhead for Volksmarch Trail starts behind the restroom at Knights Bluff Camping Area. We hiked Volksmarch Trail to where it meets Arrowhead Trail. While we were hiking Volksmarch Trail we climbed up a hill. We didn’t realize how steep the hill was because it gradually ascended but it went for a long way. When you got to the top it leveled out so the trail was easier to hike. When we met up with Arrowhead Trail we hiked it to Hickory Hollow Nature Trail. When trail meets Hickory Hollow Nature Trail it Y’s off. We didn’t hike the nature trail we decided to hike the other trail. We hiked this trail to a bench in Wilkins Creek Camping Area where mom and dad sat down to rest. The bench looks over the lake so it was very enjoyable. While mom and dad rested I did some exploring. We were just sitting there enjoying the peace and quite when mom and dad heard a noise. They looked around and there was a group of deer walking down the hiking trail. When they saw us they stopped and looked at us. Mom wanted to take a picture of them so she got the camera out. When she was doing that she scared them and they ran up the hill. When I saw the deer running up the hill I wanted to chase them but dad told me to leave them alone. I was a little disappointed but I was also glad because they were too far away and I was starting to get tired. After the deer left we continued our hike to White Oak Ridge Camping Area. When we got to the camping area we walked around it. The view of the lake from the sites was magnificent and mom took a few pictures of the lake. After mom finished taking pictures we headed back to the Minnie. We were almost back and mom was tired. Dad found a log for them to sit on. While we were resting mom took pictures. After our rest we went back to the site. When we got to the site it was almost lunchtime.

It was a fantastic hike we hiked weaved in and out of the trees and we saw deer. The trails were great because they were wide and had a lot of pine needles to walk on to make the trails soft. The scenery was super there were a lot of plants with purple berries on them. The deer here have it made with all the berries to eat and a big lake for water when they get thirsty. I thought I was spoil.

While we were resting in our chairs the park host came by to visit. The park host was Bob Briston. He was hosting the park with his wife Diana. He talked about his adventures as park host. He is also a fisherman. He fishes for catfish and said the fish in this lake taste the best in this area. While he was visiting he paid a lot of attention to me. After he left we had lunch. Mom and dad had gumbo and I had a snack.

In the afternoon we sat in our chairs relaxing until mom and dad got cold. There are so many trees on each camping site that you couldn’t get any sun. Mom and dad wanted some sun so we walked to the day area. When we got to the day area we found a picnic table in the sun so dad could read and mom work on her book. Dad heard a woodpecker and he decided to find it so he took me on a mission to find the woodpecker. Mom finished one of her number games in her book and than she decided to join dad and me. Dad couldn’t find the woodpecker so he gave up. When mom joined us we walked around the rest of the park. As we were walking mom found a bird nest on the ground. It was so cool dad had to take a picture of it. After dad took the picture mom put the nest on a picnic table. We continued our walk around the park to the boat ramp. After we got to the dock we headed back to the Minnie.

About 4:00 pm we walked back to the day area. We walked around the park until we saw these cool benches by the lake. They look like they were made out of logs. We sat on one of the benches. As we were sitting there mom and dad watched the birds fishing I slept. We sat on the bench for about an hour before returning to the campsite. When we got back to the campsite it was time for dinner. Mom and dad had sausages and jambalaya and I had my special food. Later in the evening mom baked cookies.         

 Saturday December 13, 2008

Mom and dad woke up their normal time of 7:30 am. I was still asleep. I was very tired because we have been camping for a week and we hiked every day. Dad woke me up and asks if I was ok. I slowly opened my eyes while mom and dad got dress. When they were finished getting dressed I was awake. Mom fed me my special food and than she sat down with dad to have breakfast. After breakfast we went for a short walk. We walked to the day area and back. When we got back mom and dad broke camp because we were going to Martin Dies, Jr. State Park.

The Minnie in the parklot at Martin Dies

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LOCATION: Jasper, Texas     SITE: Martin Dies, Jr. State Park
DATE: 12/13/08 – 12/15/08     SPACE: 10     TRIPS: 45     DISTANCE:  181 miles

Martin Dies, Jr. Park is 181 miles southeast of Atlanta State Park. Martin Dies, Jr. State Park is located between Jasper and Woodville. Martin Dies, Jr. State Park is a 705 acre park on B.A. Steinhagen Reservoir. B.A. Steinhagen Reservoir is 15,000 acre reservoir. Martin Dies, Jr. State Park opened in1965 to public. Martin Dies, Jr. State Park is located on both sides of Highway 190. Martin Dies, Jr. State Park is least from the Corp of Engineers for fifty years. There are swamps through out the park so you have to be care of alligators. When we were there we didn’t see any mom was relieved because she real worry I would get eaten by one. Moms are that way always worried about little things like that. There are two big camping units (Hen House Ridge Unit and Walnut Ridge Unit). We stayed in Hen House Ridge Unit at site 10. Martin Dies, Jr. is very pretty park surrounded by water. Martin Dies, Jr. State Park has hiking trail through out the park. The most popular activities at Martin Dies, Jr. State Park are camping, hiking, boating, canoeing, fishing, swimming, mountain biking, wildlife and bird watching and other outdoors activities. Martin Dies, Jr. State Park accommodations are for people of all ages.

Saturday December 13, 2008

Martin Dies Jr. State Park is 181 miles from Atlanta State Park so this gave me the opportunity to take a long nap. When we got to Jasper Texas which is 7 miles from Martin Dies, Jr. State Park mom and dad decided to stop at Burger King for lunch. When they finished their lunch we finished our adventure to Marin Dies, Jr. State Park.

This time of year the state parks have special things going on. Today was a special day for Martin Dies, Jr. State Park because in the morning there was a guided canoe ride, snake feeding and at 2:00 pm you could build a gingerbread house and than sing Christmas carols with the staff. Mom and dad didn't participate in any of the activities.   

We arrived at Martin Dies, Jr. State Park at 2:30 pm. Martin Dies, Jr. State Park is a big beautiful park. The park is surrounded by a big reservoir B.A. Steinhagen Reservoir and swampland. There are signs throughout the park telling you to watch for alligators. I guess I won’t be going swimming. The park is divided into two sections the Walnut Ridge Unit and Hen House Ridge Unit. The Walnut Ridge Unit is on one side of Highway 190 and the Hen House Ridge Unit is on the other side of Highway 190. The headquarters are located in the Hen House Ridge Unit. Dad drove to the office to get a map of the park so mom and dad could decide which campsite to stay at. The park is so big that it took awhile to drive around it. Mom and dad decided to stay in the Hen House Ridge Unit at site 10. Dad drove back to the office and checked in. It was 2:30 pm when we finally got to the campsite. Mom and dad set up camp.

After mom and dad set up camp we went on a walk around the Hen House Ridge Unit. We walked for about an hour. We walked to the day area, tent area and the screen shelter area. In order to get to the day area you have to walk along the road. The day area is located along the shore of B.A. Steinhagen Reservoir. There is a beach area, picnic area, playground, boat ramp, fishing pier and a covered cleaning station. Across the street from the day area is the tent area behind the tent area there are camping sites. As we walked through the day area mom took pictures. It was a beautiful area with a lot of trees. After mom finished taking pictures we walked to the shelters. When we got to the shelters we saw a few people camping there. We found a picnic table to sit at to rest. After our rest we went back to the Minnie. When we got back to the Minnie it was dinnertime.

Mom and dad had enchiladas for dinner and I had my special food. After dinner we went for a walk around our loop and than went in for the night. Mom baked cookies. About 11:00 pm mom took me for a walk. As we were walking I saw a cat by the canoes. The cat just looked as us as we walked by. We didn’t go too far because it was dark.   

Sunday December 14, 2008

Mom and dad woke up at 7:30 am and had to wake me up again. Mom fed me my special food and mom and dad sat down to have breakfast. After breakfast we went for a 3 ½ mile hike. We hiked the Forest Trail and the Slough Trail.

It was a great hike. The trails were very easy because the trails are flat. Along the trails there is a lot growth. We saw a lot of tall beautiful Magnolias trees. We hiked across wooden bridges through out the hike because of the swampland. Along the trails there are benches. Some of the benches were old wooden ones and others were new metal ones. We hiked for about 2 miles when mom and decided to rest. As mom and dad rested they enjoyed the view of the lake. When I saw the lake I wanted to go swimming but mom and dad didn’t really want me to. That was ok because the lake was too rough to real enjoy it. It was windy and cool by the lake. Mom, dad and I didn’t mind it because it was humid and the wind cooled us off. I like letting the wind blow my ears back because it felt so nice. After our rest we finished our hike. When we got back to the Minnie we set up our chairs and sat in them until lunch.

Mom heated up leftovers for dad and her for lunch. The leftovers were enchiladas, beef stew and jambalaya. Mom gave me a chicken leg for a snack. After lunch we finished our lunch we decided to stay inside. Dad read, mom worked on her book and I took a nap. About 2:00 pm mom and dad took me for a walk. We walked to the day area and tent area. We walked around the day area and than we walked to where the RVs were. When we got there we walked to the fishing pier where we met the park host. He was from New York. He was fishing just to give him something to do. He told us that it’s slow this time of year. While mom and dad visit with the host I slept. After mom and dad finished visiting we headed back to the campsite. On the way back we saw a couple of armadillos. I wanted to play with them but I was too tired. We were almost home when we saw a man and two boys. I wanted to meet them but they were too far away. When we got back to the campsite we sat in our chairs and rested until dinner.

Mom and dad had tacos for dinner and I had my special food. Mom baked cookies after dinner. We stayed inside for the rest of the night.           

Monday December 15, 2008

I was doing my normal routine which is grooming and scratching when mom and dad woke up. It was about 7:00 am so I stopped my routine because mom and dad got up. Mom fed me my special food while mom and dad got dressed. Afterwards mom and dad sat down to have their breakfast. When they were finished they broke camp. We’re going to Lake Livingston State Park today. Lake Livingston State Park is 56 miles from Martin Dies, Jr. State Park.

Before we left Martin Dies, Jr. State Park we decided to go on a hike in Walnut Ridge Unit. In Walnut Ridge Unit there are three hiking trails the Island Trail (.8 mile), a Loop Trail (.4 mile) and a trail that goes around the camping area. We hiked the Island Trail. In order to get to the trailhead we had to cross over a bridge. The island is surrounded by swampland. While hiking the Island Trail you have to be careful because there is a lot of growth and the tree roots have grown through the trail. As we hiked the trail we saw the swamp and birds fishing in the swamp. It was so humid the swamp had a lot of fog on it. The island had damaged from Hurricane Ike. When we were hiking we had to climb over fallen trees and this made the hike challenging. After we finished the Island Trail we started to hike over a large bridge to get to the Loop Trail. When we were halfway over the bridge we stopped and mom took pictures. After mom took pictures we turned around to go back to the Minnie because it was too humid to continue our hike. When we got back to the Minnie we continued our adventure to Lake Livingston State Park.     

 

Lake Livingston State Park sign

Click on photo to see all Lake Livingston State Park in December Photos

LOCATION: Livingston, Texas     SITE: Lake Livingston State Park
DATE: 12/15/08 – 12/18/08     SPACE: 107     TRIPS: 45     DISTANCE: 56 miles

Lake Livingston State Park is 56 miles north of Martin Dies, Jr. State Park. Lake Livingston State Park is one mile southwest of Livingston and 75 miles north of Houston. Lake Livingston State Park is a 635.5 acre park along Lake Livingston. Lake Livingston is a 84,800-acre reservoir. Lake Livingston State Park opened to the public in 1977. Along the shores of Lake Livingston there are big beautiful homes. We stayed in Pin Oak Loop at site 107. The sites in Pin Oak Loop are very small so you better not mind neighbors. Lake Livingston State Park is a gorgeous park with a lot of activities to do. The accommodations at Lake Livingston State Park are for people of all ages.

Monday December 15, 2008

As we left Martin Dies, Jr. State Park we had go over a bridge to cross over B.A. Steinhagen Reservoir as we were go over the bridge the fog rolled in. Dad had to be careful because the farther he drove the thicker the fog got. Dad drove in fog and mist all the way to Livingston Texas. When we got to Livingston mom and dad stopped for lunch at Burger King. While mom and dad had lunch I stayed in the Minnie to keep warm and sleep. After lunch we went to Lake Livingston State Park.

We arrived at Lake Livingston State Park at 12:00 pm. The lady at the desk told dad that one of the camping areas was close due to water the camping area was Hercules Club Loop. We drove around the park to see where we were going to set up camp. As we were driving around the park mom and dad noticed that the park had a lot of damage caused by Hurricane Ike. Mom and dad decided to stay in Pin Oak Loop site 107. There was only one more camper in the Pin Oak Loop. Dad drove to the office and checked. When he was checking in he asked the lady about the damage. She told him that they had hauled out over 25,000 trees already. After dad checked in we went to the site and mom and dad set up camp.

After mom and dad finished we went for a walk around the park. We walked 6 miles for 1 ½ hours. It was windy and cool when we were walking. Mom and dad got cold but I didn’t mind the cold at all. There is a trail that runs between the camping areas and the day use area so this made it easy to walk to them. We walked around the camping areas, tent area, day area and partly of a hiking trail. The walk was very nice and easy.

The area use area is fantastic. It has a swimming pool, picnic area, playground, fishing pier, boat ramp, fishing cleaning area, lookout tower and a park store. As we walked around the swimming pool we saw a recreation hall, lockers, concession stand and a bathhouse. There is a sidewalk that went all the way to Piney Shores Camping Area. The sidewalk went along way about 1 ½ miles. It was cool to walking along the lake on a sidewalk. When the sidewalk came to a cove and ended. We walked over a bridge to get to the side which was Piney Shores Camping Area. We walked around the campground. Piney Shores have a few premium sites that look over the lake. If you want these sites it will cost you a little more. As we continued our walk we came to the screened shelters. The shelters are right off the lake and very nice. There is a boat ramp and dock by the shelters. Across the cove from the shelters are big beautiful homes. While we were walking around looking at the area I saw a black cat and wanted to play with it. But I was on leash so I couldn’t. The walk continued down the trail that led us to Hercules Club Loop. We didn’t walk through this camping area because people were working on the bathroom and dad didn’t want to bother the workers. We walked a little farther and than turned around to go back. When we got back dad read, mom worked on her book and I slept until dinner.

Mom made a tamale pie for dinner and gave me my special food. After dinner we decided to stay in doors because it was too cold to be outdoors. Later on mom baked cookies.     

Tuesday December 16, 2008

Mom and dad woke up at 7:30 am and I sitting there waiting. Mom fed me while dad and she could get dressed. After they got dressed they sat down and had breakfast. After breakfast I was ready to go but dad wasn’t. It rained during the night and it was cold all dad wanted to do was curl up under a blanket and read a book. Mom took me for my morning walk. We walked around the campground. As we were walking we met a man that lives on the lake. He had lived off of Lake Livingston for 14 years. Mom visit with him until another man showed up. The new man was the first man’s walking buddy so mom and the man said good-bye and we went inside. When we got inside dad was buddle up under a blanket reading. Mom worked on her book and I went back to sleep.

We waited a couple of hours to give it a chance to warm up a little outside before we went on our hike. It really didn’t warm up too much but we still went on a 3 mile hike for 1 ½ hours. We hiked the Nature Trail. The trailhead is located across the road from the camping areas. When we got there we saw 2 trails. One trail was the Horse Trail and the other one was for hiking. The Horse Trail is just for horses and the Nature Trail is just for hikers. The Nature Trail is a boardwalk. The boardwalk goes all the way around the mile. The boardwalk made the trail very easy to walk. Along the trail there are places for you to stop at. Each stop had a sign about things to look at. We stopped at every sign and read them. The places we stopped at were a frog pond, duck pond, bird watching area, butterfly watching area and a plant garden. On the way back to the trailhead I got bored of walking the boardwalk so I jumped off the boardwalk and hiked a hiking trail that runs along side of the boardwalk. This was a lot of fun because I could do more exploring. Occasionally I would jump back on the boardwalk and than I would jump back off. I only did this a couple of times and each time I had fun. When we finished hiking the Nature Trail we decided to hike the Horse Trail. I know it is just for horses but today there are no horses so I don’t think they would mind. If you want to ride horses on the trail you have to rent them at the stables you can’t bring your own.

The Horse Trail starts next to the Nature Trail. The beginning of the trail runs along side the road behind a row of trees until the road turns to go to the office. When this happens the trail goes to the left of the road towards the Nature Trail. The trail was because I had a lot of room to explore. The only thing we had to watch out for was the horse droppings. We hiked the trail until we came up to a big mud puddle. There was a trail to the right of it so we took it. This trail took us back to the Nature Trail at the duck pond. That was ok because it was almost the end of the Nature Trail. We finished up our hike by hiking the rest of the boardwalk. After we finished hiking we went back to the campsite.

When we returned to the campsite it was lunchtime. Mom and dad finished up the tamale pie and mom gave me a chicken leg for a snack. We stayed inside for the rest of the day in order to keep warm. Dad read, mom worked on her book and I slept until dinner.

Mom and dad had spaghetti and I had my special food. Later on mom baked cookies.           

Wednesday December 17, 2008

Mom and dad woke up at 7:30 am and I was sitting there waiting for them. Mom fed me while she got dressed. Afterwards mom took me out for my morning walk. I was ready to go. When we return back to the Minnie dad was dressed and waiting for us. Mom and dad sat down to have their breakfast. When they finished their breakfast we went on a 7 mile for 3 hours. We hiked back to the day area. It rained last night and everything was slippery so we had to be careful walking.

When we got to the day area we climbed up the lookout tower to look at Lake Livingston. The steps going to the top were very slippery I slipped a few times go up. Dad kept telling mom and me to be careful. I thought climbing to tower was neat. The lake was very calm today because the wind wasn’t blowing but it was cold. Mom took pictures from the tower. As we were walking down the steps mom decided to take a nap. Not really she slipped and fell. Mom was ok so we continued our hike. We hiked along the sidewalk to the bridge.

When we got to the bridge dad told mom to hold on to the rail so she wouldn’t fall again. The bridge was very slippery I was glad when we got to the other side because I was having trouble getting a grip. When we got to the other side we hiked around the campground. As we were hiking to the shelters I saw a dog at his site and we both just looked at each other because we were too far away from each other to do any thing else. When we got to the shelter mom and dad decided to rest. As the rested I did a little exploring. When I finished exploring I was ready to continue our hike. We hiked to the camping area that was closed and then we turned around to head back.

When we got to the day area we hiked the main road to the park headquarters. We hiked to the headquarters so dad could pay for another night. As mom and I waited for dad we walked around the building looking at different plants and each plant had a sign explaining what the plant is. When mom finished reading the signs dad was waiting for us so we could go back to the Minnie. When we returned to the Minnie it was lunch time. Mom and dad had sandwiches for lunch and mom gave me a chicken leg for a snack. After we finished our lunch we stayed in the Minnie to keep warm.

Before dinner mom took me for a walk around the campground. While we were walking we met a young couple. They were staying in the same loop as we were. I thought our Minnie was small but their RV was smaller. It was a van. After I introduced myself to the couple mom and I went back to the Minnie for dinner. Mom cooked up leftover for dad and she for dinner and she gave me my special food. Later on in the evening mom baked cookies.      

Thursday December 18, 2008

Mom and dad woke up at 5:00 am to close the vents because it was raining on and off through the night. I thought it was time to get up so I was very excited. Mom told me that it wasn’t time to get up. Mom and dad went back to bed and I lay down to go back to sleep. We slept a couple more hours. This time it was time to get up. Mom fed me my special food while they got dressed. After they got dressed they sat down for breakfast.

After breakfast mom took me for my morning walk. We walked around the campground. When we returned to the Minnie I went back to sleep while dad read and mom worked on her book. We were waiting for the roads to dry a little before we continued our adventure. The next stop is Huntsville State Park. Huntsville State Park is only 45 miles from Lake Livingston State Park. We couldn’t check in Huntsville State Park until none because it was closed for a control hunt.   

 

Flo and dad resting during a hike

Click on photo to see all Huntsville State Park in December Photos

LOCATION: Huntsville, Texas     SITE: Huntsville State Park
DATE: 12/18/08 – 12/21/08     SPACE: 10     TRIPS: 45     DISTANCE: 53 miles

Thursday December 18, 2008

On the way to Huntsville State Park mom and dad stopped at Lake Livingston Dam. Mom and dad left me in the Minnie because I was tired and they weren’t going to be gone too long. The dam had two of its gates open. They saw a lot of pelicans, cranes and ducks playing in the water. The ducks really liked playing in the current. While mom and dad were watching the water and the birds they met a man that leaves in Livingston. After they finished visiting they returned to the Minnie so we could continue our adventure to Huntsville State Park. As we were driving down the road we saw a covered wagon being pulled by a couple of mules. The man pulled over so dad could get around him. Mom was too slow getting out the camera so she missed getting a picture of it. That was too bad because it was cool looking. When we got to Huntsville Texas mom and dad stopped at Long John Silver for lunch.

After lunch we went to Huntsville State Park which is about 5 miles from Huntsville. Huntsville State Park is a big beautiful park. We have been here before and dad knew where he was going to stay but he still wanted to drive around just to make sure. The first time we were here we stayed in Prairie Branch Camping Area because Raven Hill Camping Area was closed. This time they’re both open so we’re going to stay in Raven Hill. We decided on site 10. Dad went back to the headquarters to check in while he was there he asked the lady what type of hunt the park was closed for. She told him it was a squirrel hunt. Dad was surprised because we assumed it was a deer hunt. After dad checked in we went to the campsite to set up camp.

Afterwards we went on a 1 ½ mile hike. We hiked to the Coloneh Camping Area. Coloneh Camping Area has tent area, RV area, fishing pier, fish cleaning area and restrooms. When we got to Coloneh Camping Area we walked to the fishing pier where we a crane sitting on the railing. Dad took pictures of the crane until it flew away. After he flew away we walked on the pier and looked at the lake and the scenery around it. In a little while we continued our walk around the camping area. As we were walking around the campground we saw squirrels, a hawk and birds on the lake. We walked to the trailhead for Coloneh Trail. We hiked Coloneh Trail back to our campsite. When we got back to the campsite it was time for dinner.

Mom and dad had barbequed hamburgers for dinner. Mom fed me my special food. After dinner we went inside for the night.         

Friday December 19, 2008

Mom and dad woke me up at 5:00 because it started to rain and they had to close the open windows and vents. After they closed the windows and vents they went back to bed and I went back to sleep. At 7:30 I woke up mom and dad the rain had stopped and I was ready to go out. Mom fed me and than mom and dad got dressed. When mom and dad finished breakfast we went on a 7 mile hike around Raven Lake for 3 ½ hours.

We hiked to the trailhead a couple of sites from our site. The trailhead is for Coloneh Trail. Coloneh Trail took us to Coloneh Camping Area to get to Chinquapin Trail which goes around Raven Lake. As we were hiking Coloneh Trail I saw our neighbor and I was very excited to him so I ran to him. He played with me. When mom and dad reached us the neighbor introduced himself and visit with mom and dad. His name was Travis. After mom and dad finished visiting with Travis we continued our hike.

The hike was fantastic. We hiked up and down hills, over bridges, over the dam and through trees. The trail is very easy and nice. As we climbed up the hills it was a gradual climb and the hills weren’t too steep. The trail was covered with pine needles and sand which made the trail soft on my feet. There are benches along the trail to sit on to rest and enjoy the scenery and wildlife. During the hike it was very humid so I was glad when ever mom and dad sat down to rest that way I could lay down in the sand to cool off. The bridges we crossed over went off the swampy area of the lake. I didn’t go swimming in Raven Lake because there are alligators living in it. While we were hiking mom took pictures. During our hike we saw deer, fishermen, cranes, ducks and a few joggers. By the time we got back to the Minnie I was exhausted because we made around the whole lake.

While I was resting mom and dad had lunch. Mom and dad ate sandwiches and mom gave me a little snack. After lunch mom and dad went for a walk to Coloneh Camping Area. I stayed at the Minnie because I was too tired to move. Mom and dad walked to the fishing pier and around the campground. When they returned to the Minnie I was very happy to see them.

In the afternoon we sat outside relaxing and enjoying the park. Dad read, mom worked on her book and I slept. When mom and dad got tired of their books they just sat there and watched the birds and squirrels. There were cranes fishing on the lake, redheaded woodpeckers in the trees and squirrels chasing each other and climbing the trees. While we were outside we heard a loud crackling noise. Mom and dad looked around to see what the noise was. The noise was a big branch falling from a pine tree. About 4:00 p.m. mom took me for an afternoon walk around our campground. While we were walking we met Travis’s wife Helen. Mom and Helen visit for a while. When mom and I returned to the campsite it was dinnertime.

While dad was barbequing bacon for dinner another camper showed up. I was excited to see them because they had a dog so I had to introduce myself. Mom and dad didn’t think I would go too far because I was on my leash and a chain. But all of a sudden I was next store off my leash and chain. Mom came to take me back but I was too busy checking the other dog out. After I finished I went back to dad. Mom and dad weren’t sure how I managed to get loose because I still had my collar on and my leash wasn’t broken. When dinner was ready we went inside to eat. Mom and dad had bacon sandwiches and I had my special food. We stayed inside for the rest of the evening.                 

Saturday December 20, 2008

I woke mom up earlier then I normally did it was 6:30 a.m. Mom stayed in bed so I could do my grooming and scratching. About 7:00 mom finally got out of bed. Mom fed me my breakfast while she got dressed. After I finished eating mom took me for my morning walk. When mom and I returned to the Minnie dad was still in bed so mom and I waited for him to get up. While I was waiting I went to mom’s chair to sleep. When dad got up mom and him sat down to have breakfast. I continued to sleep until mom asked if I wanted to go for a hike. Of course I want to go on I hike what a silly question.

We hiked to Prairie Branch Camping Area. Prairie Branch was too far away that was good because I was still tired from yesterday’s hike. We hiked the Coloneh Trail to Dogwood Trail to Prairie Branch Camping Area. Once we were at the camping are we walked around the area. Mom took pictures. At Prairie Branch there are group shelters, boat dock, beach area, a CCC lodge, fishing pier and camping area. While we were on the boat dock we saw a group of young boys, a girl and lady learning how to canoe by a man. Mom took pictures of them. This was a lot of fun watching them rowing. They didn’t do badly at all for being the first time. The man teaching was very good and patient. Dad told the man he would take classes from him anytime. After watching them for awhile we continued our hike. We hiked through the campground to get to the hiking trails. As we were hiking through the area we saw a lot of people camping. Once we got to the trails we hiked Prairie Branch Loop until we got back to Dogwood Trail. By the time we got back to Raven Hill Camping Area we had hiked for 2 hours about 2 miles.

As we walked through the campground I met a group of teenagers. They were playing on the swings and little lookout tower. I was excited to see them so I had to introduce myself. After I said hi to everyone we walked back to our campsite to relax. As we were relaxing the group of teenagers came by. They played along the bank of the lake until it started to rain a little. After they left we stayed outside watching the squirrels and cranes. When the rain started to come down harder we went inside.

In the afternoon we went for a couple of walks around the campground. The first walk mom and I saw a man and his son kayaking. We stood on the bank watching them. When the boy came by he waved at us. After the kayakers left we went back inside. The second walk dad joined mom and me. We walked to the fishing pier and watched the squirrels. Our walks were very nice. When we got back to the Minnie after the second hike we stayed outside until dinnertime.

Mom and dad had tacos and I had my special food for dinner. Mom made some cookies earlier in the afternoon so she didn’t bake them after dinner. We stayed in the Minnie for the rest of the evening.     

Sunday December 21, 2008

I woke mom and dad up about 7:30 a.m. Mom and dad got up and got dressed. Mom fed me and than sat down and had breakfast with dad. After breakfast mom and dad took me for my morning walk around the campground. When we returned mom and dad broke camp. We’re going to Buescher State Park. On the way to Buescher State Park mom and dad decided to take a little detour to Elgin. We stopped at Southside Market so mom and dad could have lunch. While mom and dad had lunch I stayed in the Minnie. When they returned to the Minnie they had decided to go home instead of the Buescher State Park. It was going to be cold so they decided they would rather be at home instead of camping. That was ok with me because I was tired. We had been camping for 2 ½ weeks already so it was time to rest.    



2008 CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEARS ADVENTURE TO GARNER AND INKS LAKE STATE PARKS
Sign to Garner State Park

Click on photo to see all Garner State Park in December Photos

LOCATION: Concan, Texas     SITE: Garner State Park
DATE: 12/28/08 – 12/31/08     SPACE: 110     TRIPS: 46    DISTANCE:  186 miles

Sunday December 28, 2008

Today we’re going to Garner State Park. We were at Garner State Park in the Fall of 2006. It is a beautiful park and the Frio River runs through it. Garner State Park has many hiking trails. Garner State Park is 186 miles southwest of my house. It will take us awhile to get to Garner State Park this will give me time to sleep. On the way there mom and dad decided to stop for lunch at Quiznos Sub Shop.

After lunch we continued our adventure to Garner State Park. We arrived at Garner State Park at 2:30 p.m. Dad stopped at the headquarters to get a map of the park. While he was doing that mom and I went for walk. When everyone was back at the Minnie dad drove around park so mom and he could decide where to stay. Only half the park was open so it was easier to decide. Mom and dad decided to stay at Shady Meadows Camping Area site 110. Dad drove back to the headquarters to check in. Once he checked in we went back to the site to set up camp. On the way back we saw a herd of deer. This was to cool.

After we set up camp we went for an hour walk around Pecan Grove Camping Area, Oakmont Camping Area and Shady Meadows Camping Area. This was a great walk. While we were walking around we saw the Frio River, putt putt golf course, volleyball court, tennis/basketball court, park store and laundry. While we were walking through the campgrounds we saw people playing football and playing in the river. As we were walking by the river I met a few people. One of them wanted to pet me so that was great. A little farther down the road I met a chocolate lab named Georgia. Georgia and I checked each other out while my parents and her mom talked. When they finished talking we continued our walk. I was a few more dogs. This was great. When we got back to our campground I saw an armadillo. I wanted to play with it but dad told me to leave him only. When we got back to the site it was dinnertime.

Mom and dad had ham sandwiches and I had my special food. After dinner we went for a walk around the campground. While we were walking I saw another armadillo. After our walk we sat outside in our chairs to enjoy the campsite before it got dark. While we were sitting there the armadillo I saw during our walk came over to visit. I was very excited I watched him for awhile. When he got pretty close I decided to play with him but he got scared and ran up the hill. Shortly after he did that we went inside for the night. While we were inside we watched people showing up and deer walking around.   

Monday December 29, 2008

I woke mom and dad up at 7:30 a.m. Mom fed me my special food and than she sat down to have breakfast with dad. After breakfast we went for a 5 mile hike for 3 hours.

The trails we hiked were Old Entrance Road, Highway, Wilks, Foshee and Pecan Grove Camping Area. The hike was very challenging. The trails we hiked went up and down hills, along rims of the hills, over big rocks and narrow at places. During our hike we enjoyed the gorgeous scenery of the hill country and the view looking over the campgrounds and river below. During the hike we met a couple of couples. The first couple was very friendly. The second couple had a couple of dogs. I wanted to meet the dogs but they said the lab was friendly but the sherpard wasn’t. We saw a few deer in the trees. At the end of the last hiking trail ended in Pecan Grove Camping Area. When we got to Pecan Grove we walked by the shelters and by the pavilion and gift shop. At we got to the gift shop we hiked to the Scenic Overlook and back to the campsite. I had a great time on the hike.

As we were walking through our campground I met one of our neighbors. She is a golden retriever but for some reason she didn’t like me. This surprised her family because they told us she was friendly. When we got back to the Minnie it was lunchtime. Mom and dad had soup and I had a snack.

After lunch we took a nap for an hour. When we woke up we walked to the Frio River. On the way we met a girl taking pictures of squirrel in a tree. When we arrived at the river mom and dad let me go in the river. The river felt good on my feet. We walked for about an hour. As we were walking back to the Minnie I met another neighbor. I’m not sure what kind of dog she was but she was very friendly. The dog’s name was Ruby and she was staying at the site right next to our. When we got back we sat in our chairs and relaxed.

As we were resting we met a couple from Midland Texas. They were wondering how to get to the river. Dad told them and they were very grateful. After they left it was dinnertime. Mom and dad had stew for dinner and I had my special food.

After dinner we went for another walk around the campground. As we were walking the couple from Midland was back from the river so mom and dad visit with them for awhile. After our visit we went back to the Minnie and went inside for the evening. I had a great day now it’s time to rest.   

Tuesday December 30, 2008

I let mom and dad sleep in. I didn’t wake them up until 8:20 a.m. Mom got up and fed me my special food. While I was eating my breakfast mom got dressed. Afterwards mom took me for my morning walk. When we returned mom sat down with dad for their breakfast. After breakfast we went on a 5 mile hike for 3 hours.

Today we hiked different trails. The trails we hiked were Bridges, Foshee, Campos, Highway and Wild Horse Creek. The hike was great. We hiked steep hill. We had to rest more often during this hike because the hills were steeper. Once we were on top the hills we saw magnificent views of the hills. The trails ran through trees and this kept us cool. At places we had to be extra careful because there were loose rocks and dirt. One place dad had to help me up on top of a rock because I couldn’t get a good enough grip to do it myself. I had a great time climbing over the rocks.

During the hike we meet a youth group. This was the best part of the hike because I got a lot of attention. I made sure that I said hi to everyone. When we were hiking Highway Trail we saw a couple of joggers. A little while later on Wild Horse Creek Trail we met a couple of our neighbors. The neighbors were a man and his son. They both played with me. They were just starting their hike and we were almost finished. Mom and dad took pictures through out the hike.

When we returned to the campsite I was exhausted. I lay on the ground because I was too tired to get in my chair. Mom and dad rest for a little while before they had lunch. Mom and dad had ham sandwiches and I had a snack.

After lunch mom and dad took a nap. When they woke up they went for a walk around the camping area. They left me in the Minnie because I was too tired. When they returned they took me for a short walk. When we finished the walk we sat outside and enjoyed the afternoon.

For dinner mom and dad had chile Mac and I had my special food. Mom baked cookies after dinner. We stayed inside all night. Dad read, mom worked on her book and I slept.   

Wednesday December 31, 2008

I woke up at 7:30 a.m. and waited for mom and dad to get up. They woke up shortly after I woke up. Mom fed me my special food. While I ate mom and dad got dressed. Afterwards mom and dad sat down and had breakfast. After we finished our breakfast we went for a walk. WE walked around the campground for an hour. When we returned to the Minnie mom and dad broke camp. We were going to Lost Maples Natural Area today.

a Waterfall

Click on photo to see all Lady Bird Park in December Photos

LOCATION: Fredericksburg, Texas     SITE: Lady Bird Johnson Park
DATE: 12/31/08        SPACE: 00     TRIPS: 46    DISTANCE:  109 miles

Wednesday December 31, 2008

The drive to Lost Maples Natural Area was a very beautiful. The road had a lot of curves and the scenery was gorgeous. When we got to Lost Maples Natural Area the park was closed for a control hunt. The park wasn’t going to open until 2:00 p.m. and it was only 10:00 a.m. Mom and dad decided to go to Inks Lake State Park because there was nothing to do for 4 hours. Inks Lake State Park is 190 miles from Lost Maples Natural Area.

The route to Inks Lake State Park was a scenic route. The road ran along the Guadalupe River and there were homes and lodges along the river. Mom and dad saw deer, antelopes and a bob cat. When we got to Kerrville mom and dad stopped for lunch at Taco Casa. After lunch we continued our adventure to Inks Lake State Park. Dad drove about 90 miles and we stopped at Lady Bird Johnson Park. Mom and dad thought I might need to go for walk. We walked around the park. When we finished our walk we finish our adventure to Inks Lake State Park. I don’t remember most of the ride because I slept. But mom told me what they saw.


A sign to Inks Lake State Park

Click on photo to see all Inks Lake State Park in December Photos

LOCATION: Burnet, Texas     SITE: Inks Lake State Park
DATE: 12/31/08 – 0103/09     SPACE: 60     TRIPS: 46     DISTANCE: 66 miles

Wednesday December 31, 2008

We arrived at Inks Lake State Park at 2:30 p.m. Dad checked in and we went to our campsite. The campsite we stayed at was 60. Mom and dad set up camp. After they finished we walked around the campground. We walked for about an hour. We walked to the day area and the lake. When we got to the lake dad let me get my feet wet. That felt good because my feet were tired from our hikes at Garner State Park. As we walked we saw a lot of people and their dogs. When we got back to the campsite we sat in our chairs until dinnertime.

For dinner mom and dad had bacon sandwiches and I had my special food. After dinner we went for another walk. We walked the opposite direction towards Devil’s Hole. Along the walk we saw a lot of dogs. There were too many dogs for me to meet so I settled for the ones were walking on the road. I had a great time on the walk. When we returned to the Minnie we went inside for the night. Mom baked some cookies.   

Thursday January 1, 2009

Happy New Year!!!!!

Mom and dad woke up at 8:30 a.m. I was already awake doing my morning routine. Mom and dad got dressed while I finished my routine. After I finished mom fed me my special food. Afterwards mom and dad had their breakfast. After breakfast we went on a 5 mile hike for 3 hours. We’ve been to Inks Lake State Park before and have hiked the trails. So dad knew where the trails were and where they went.

Today we decided to hike the trails the opposite way than we did before. The trails we hiked were green, blue and red. The trails run on both sides of Park Road 4. We have a great time hiking these trails because they’re not too hard to hike. The trails run up and down hills, through the trees and over rocks. The scenery is beautiful. When you hike these trails I recommend you to dress comfortable because you’re out in the open and it gets hot.

During our hike we met a woman and her two dogs. The dogs were very friendly so we checked each other out. As we continued our hike it was very peaceful and we didn’t see anyone else. When we got to the parking lot we met 3 people. They all played with me. When I finished playing we walked back to the campsite. It was a slow walk back because I was very tired. By the time we got back I went to my chair to rest before lunch.

For lunch mom and dad had bacon wraps and I had a snack. After lunch mom and dad went for a walk around the campground. I stayed home because I was too tired to move. When mom and dad came back we sat outside to relax.

Late in the afternoon more people were showing up. A family showed up behind us. They thought it was great that I had my own chair. After the man set up camp he came over to visit. As he was visiting he played with me. After he left we continued relaxing in our chairs until dinner.

Mom and dad had grill cheese sandwiches for dinner and I had my special food. When we finished dinner mom baked cookies. When it was starting to get dark mom and dad took me for a walk. We walked around the campground. We saw a lot of dogs and people. When we returned to the Minnie we called it a night.

Friday January 2, 2009

I woke mom and dad up at 7:30 a.m. Mom fed me my special food and than sat down with dad to have breakfast. After breakfast we went for a hike. We hiked for about an hour. We hiked to the Devil’s Waterhole. Devil’s Waterhole is a very popular hang out to go swimming. It was a beautiful hike. We hiked over rocks. When we hiked over the rocks we had to be careful not to fall. When we got to the Devil’s Waterhole we didn’t see a lot of water in it because we’re in a drought. The scenery was beautiful. Along the trail there are trees and cactus but you are mainly out in the open. I had a lot of fun during the hike. It wasn’t too long of a hike because I was tired. When we got back to the campsite we sat in our chairs and relaxed. While we were resting our neighbor came over to visit and play with me. We didn’t do too much all day. I was very glad because I was too tired to do anything.   

Saturday January 3, 2009

Mom and dad woke up about 8:00 a.m. I was waiting for them. We had breakfast and than broke camp so we could go home. Mom and dad wanted to get home early so they could rest before they went back to work on Monday.

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December Hiking Adventures 2008
A house in Lakeway

 Click on photo to see all Hamilton Greenbelt of Lakeway Photos



LOCATION: Lakeway, Texas     SITE: Hamilton Greenbelt of Lakeway     DATE: 12/25/08     DISTANCE: 8 miles

Merry Christmas, I hope that you had a great day. Mom and dad took me on a hike. We went to Hamilton Greenbelt in Lakeway. We have been here many times but every time we come here we have a great time. Today was no different. We hiked the primitive trails. The primitive trails are 2 miles long. The trails are used a lot but at the same time they are maintained very well by volunteers. Since the last time we were here the volunteers had chanced them a little. The changes were great. The trails are easy to hike but not too easy. At places you climb up hills which gets your heart pumping but this is a good thing. When you get to the top of the hill you can rest.

At the beginning of our hike we saw a few deer. When I saw the deer I wanted to chase them but I couldn’t figure out how to get them through the trees but I did try. Afterwards I came back to mom and dad. During our hike we met a few people and dogs. The first people we met were a man and woman from the neighborhood. When I saw them I started to cry for them. When they got closer they stopped to say hi. Afterwards we continued our hike to Hurst Harbor Arm of Lake Travis. When we got to the Hurst Harbor there wasn’t much water in the cove. There was so little water that the boat docks were sitting on the bottom. I wanted to go swimming but mom and dad told me no because they were afraid I would get muddy with what little water that was there. We continued our hike up a hill. When we got to the top of the hill the trail turned and started taking us back to the beginning. As we were hiking back we met a couple more people and they had dogs. One person was a lady and she had two dogs. One of the dogs was a small white dog and the other one was a two year old Brittany. Both the dogs were very friendly. The Brittany really wanted to play but it’s very hard to play when on leash. As all three of us were saying hi another dog and his master came by to say hi. The dog was a three year old Border Collie named Foster. After we all said hi the lady with the two dogs said good-bye so they could continue their hike. Foster stayed a little while longer. Foster and I played a little and than we said good-bye. After Foster left we finished up our hike. It was a great hike because I met new friends and people.