LOCATION:   Hill County Johnson City, Texas    SITE:  Pedernales Falls State Park
DATE:  12/03/2010 - 12/05/2010    SPACE:  48    TRIP:  61   DISTANCE:  45 miles


Friday December 3, 2010

It's Friday we going camping at Pedernales Falls State Park for the weekend, I patiently waited for mom to get home from work. After mom called dad and told him she was leaving work, dad called Pedernales Falls State Park to make sure there was opening for the weekend. They told him that there were a few sites opened he told them to put his name down for one of them. Mom got home at 2:00, I ran down the driveway to greet her. We said our his and than she went inside to change her clothes. Afterwards she finished getting the Minnie ready for the weekend. We arrived at Pedernales Falls State Park about 3:00 and checked in the lady at the office said there were a few opening to night but tomorrow they were full. We went to our site and set up camp. After we set up camp we walked down to the Pedernales River so I could go swimming and dad wanted to check out how to cross the river if we wanted to hike the other trail on the other side. We found where to cross and decided that we could cross the river we just had to be careful and the water was going to be cold. After walking to the river we walked around the campground for about an hour and than we went back to our campsite. We sat in our chairs until dinner. Mom fed me my food and than made ham sandwiches for dad and her. After dinner we stayed inside, mom worked on my website, dad read the paper and I slept. Later on in the evening mom baked oatmeal cookies. 

Saturday December 4, 2010

We woke up at 7:15, mom and dad got dressed. Mom fed me my breakfast and than sat down with dad and had breakfast. After we were all fed we went on a 6 mile hike for 3 hours. Usually during our visit at Pedernales Falls State Park we hike along the river and up the hill for 3 hours but today we're going to hike another trail. The trail was a 4 mile loop and was located across the Pedernales River. Mom and dad changed from their hiking boots to other shoes before they cross the river. The water was cold but mom and dad made it to the other side, I didn't mind at all. In fact it felt good on my feet. When we got on the other side mom and dad changed back to their hiking boots. As they were changing their shoes a couple of boys came by with fishing poles and had to cross the river to get back to the campground. They didn't change shoes they rolled up their pants legs and took off their shoe and walked across in bare feet. After mom and dad finished changing shoes we hiked up a hill to get to the trailhead. At the trailhead there was a bench and a sign showing the trail, they were made by an Eagle Scout Troop. This was great because this was the first time we hiked this trail. The trail was a 4 mile loop trail through trees, along the park fence, up and down hills and out in the open without any shade. We were glad we were walking this time of year instead of in the summer because we were a little warm. The trail was very nice and easy. When we finished the loop mom and dad sat on a bench and I laid on the ground I was tired and hot. Mom and dad drank some water and mom gave me some water. She didn't give me too much because we were real close to the river, where I could drink some more. After our rest we hiked back to the river, where mom and dad changed shoes. During our hike we didn't see anyone but once at the river we saw a lot of people crossing the river to hike. Mom and dad were amazed to see all the people crossing the river because the other times we had visited Pedernales Falls State Park we had never seen anyone cross the river to go hiking. On the way back to the campground we had to climb up a hill steep hill and I was tired so I was walking very slow. We passed a family just starting their hike and mom and dad told them I was friendly so they didn't have to worry. The lady felt sorry for me because I was tired, when she got to me she pet me and said poor baby. When we finally got back to the Minnie I was too tired to climb in my chair so I just laid in the dirt. Our neighbors had two dogs and they barked to say hi and I didn't even pay any attention to them. When lunchtime came around mom and dad had hamburgers and mom gave me a snack. We stayed around our campsite most of the afternoon.

In the middle of the afternoon we walked to bathroom. As we were walking to the bathroom a group of people on horses stopped at the bathroom. I started to bark and mom told me not to scare the horses. One man said I wouldn't scare his horse because it was use to dogs. I've seen horses before but it's still very exciting to see them so close because I don't see them all the time. A couple of the men tired their horses to a tree, I was getting a little braver and started to walk close to them to check them out but mom pulled me back. After watching the horses for a little while we went back to our campsite. For dinner mom and dad had hamburgers again and mom fed me my food. After dinner we stayed inside and relaxed.   

Sunday December 5, 2010

We woke up at 7:00 and mom fed me my food and than sat down with dad to eat breakfast. After breakfast we walked down to the picnic area and the group campsite. We walked for about an hour. As we were walking by the picnic area we saw a few deer. When we were walking towards the group campsite mom and dad heard people so we turned around and headed back to the Minnie. On the way back we walked by the camp host RV, she was in her car, when she saw me she got out and came up to me to say hi. I was glad she did. After we said our hellos mom and dad took me back to the Minnie so we could go home. We had a great time at Pedernales Falls State Park but now I have to leave so I can get some rest before we go camping again.

 

LOCATION:   Austin, Texas    SITE:  McKinney Falls State Park
DATE:  12/10/2010 - 12/13/2010    SPACE:  35    TRIP:  62   DISTANCE:  36 miles

Friday December 10, 2010

We're going camping at McKinney Falls State Park this weekend but I had to wait for mom to get home from work. Mom arrived home about 2:00 I was in the Minnie waiting, when I saw the car come up the drive I jumped out of the Minnie to greet her. Mom said hi to me and played with me then we went inside so she could change her clothes and finish getting the Minnie ready for our adventure to McKinney Falls. We've been here a few times but each time I get excited. We arrived at McKinney Falls about 4:00 because we had to drive across town to get there. Dad had called before we left the house and was very surprised to see that they had a lot of opening for the weekend. The park is located in Austin so it's usually full. The lady at the office assigned us a campsite for the weekend, as we were driving to the site we noticed that there were only a few other campsites taken by campers. We set up camp and than we walked down to the picnic area and tent camping area. Both areas are located by Onion Creek and there is a paved trail to walk. We walked for about an hour as we were walking by the picnic area I met a dog and her two masters. When we walked by the tent camping area, there were no body there. After leaving the picnic and tent areas we climbed up a hill, this was a workout by the time we got to the top I was tired. The rest of the way back to the campsite was pretty slow, I was glad dad took me off leash because that way I could take my time and not slow down mom and him. When we got back to the campground we saw a few young girls walking around they were too far away for me to say hi and also I was too tired. When we got to the Minnie we set up our chairs and sat on them until dinnertime came around. Mom fed me my food and than fixed sandwiches for dad and her. After dinner we walked around the campground and than we went inside for the evening.     
  
Saturday December 11, 2010

We woke up about 7:15, mom fed me my breakfast and than sat down with dad to have breakfast. After breakfast we went on a 4 mile hike for 2.5 hours. We hiked the Homestead Trail which is a 2.8 mile loop trail. But we had to hike about a half mile to get to the trail. We hiked by the Horse Trainer's Cabin by the Smith Visitor Center to the Lower Falls. As we were crossing the falls we had to be careful because it was slick and I stopped once in while to get a drink. I also slipped a couple of times crossing the granite rocks at the falls. The walk across the falls is gorgeous and we saw a couple of white cranes standing in the water. We also stopped at the falls to watch them, the falls aren't big but their still beautiful to watch. Once across the falls we found the Homestead Trail, the trail takes you right by Thomas F. McKinney's Homestead, which was built sometime between 1850 and 1852. He was one of the first colonists in Texas. He was a prominent breeder of race horses with his own stable and race track. His home, stone fences and the first flour mill was built by slave labor. After hiking by the homestead we hiked through trees to the park fence line and by the Texas Park and Wildlife buildings and back to the falls. After we hiked by the Texas Park and Wildlife buildings we found a concrete table and bench to rest on for a little while. During our rest I did a little exploring and mom took a few pictures. After we finished our rest we headed back to the campground. When we returned to the falls we saw people starting to get around. Earlier there were no one at the falls but now there were. The group of girls we saw the night before were playing in the falls and one of their mom was watching them. There was a group of people just starting their hike and we walked by a couple that were just starting their hike. We all said our hellos and than continued our hikes. Mom stopped and took a few pictures of the girls playing, dad and I continued hiking across the falls. It was easier crossing the falls this time because the sun was out and made the falls not as slick, which let mom catch up with us. When we got back to the Minnie we were all tired so we went straight to our chairs to rest. While resting we saw one of our neighbors walking her two dogs, when she got back to her site she got on her bike and rode it around the campground. After resting a little while mom and dad got up and barbecued hamburgers for their lunch. Mom gave me a little snack.

After lunch we went for a walk around the campground, we walked about an hour. As we were walking we noticed a few more campers had showed up and I met the neighbors dogs as we were walking by their site. They weren't too friendly so I just continued my walk back to our site. When we got back to sat in our chairs and relaxed for the rest of the afternoon. When dinnertime came around dad barbecued hamburgers and mom fed me my food.  

Sunday December 12, 2010

In morning we woke up about 7:30, mom fed me my breakfast and than sat down with dad to have breakfast. After breakfast we went for a walk to the picnic area and the tent area. As we were walking I met another dog but her owners told us that sometimes she is aggressive towards other dogs. That was ok I still had a chance to see her. When we walked by the tent area there was a few more campers then we saw Friday. We saw a few deer in the trees as we were walking back to our campsite. When we returned to the campsite we broke camp and headed back home. We had a fantastic time at McKinney Falls State Park.



LOCATION:  Smithville, Texas    SITE:  Buescher State Park
DATE:  12/17/2009 - 12/19/2009        SPACE:  06   TRIP:  63    DISTANCE:  68 miles