Millersview, TX

Staying at the Seifert Cellars & Wild Vines winery tonight.  Had a pleasant 270 mile drive today across some quite varied Texas landscape.  We went from mixed desert to mesquite desert, all in flat country, to rolling hills to actual green fields that are green without irrigation and green grass in the highway median by the time we reached San Angelo.  And when you cross a river and look down, it actually has water in it, not just rocks!

When we got here we met Brenda, our host, and her dog Bandit.  Skye and Bandit got along immediately.  It’s a quarter mile walk to the beach on the Ivey Lake but Skye had a good long swim and stick catching time.  After four days of doing nothing she was happy again!  And this is a fenced vinyard to keep out vine eating critters like coyotes and deer so she can be loose.  Even more happy!  

We had a nice wine tasting of 5 varieties with some good munchies.  So we are happy too!

And this is the first night all winter that we have had supper outside!  Maybe it really is spring!  And so many birds all around us.  Carlene is having a fine time listening and trying to identify them.  With some help from Merlin, her bird app. 

It’s almost 9 and I’m still sitting outdoors in shorts and t shirt and comfortable   

On the road:

At camp:

Wine Tasting

The Flower Girl was at it again:

Balmorhea, TX

 Another fine travel day, and even warmer.  We left the dairy and wandered through the town until the GPS finally got us to I-10.  It seemed like a strange route, but that’s how it is sometimes.

185 miles later we are in Balmorhea TX at a combination of truck stop and campground.  We have been here a few times, nice cactus garden next to the campground.  It’s like a truck stop that decided to use the lot next door to open a campground.  There is a convenience store and saloon/ restaurant too.  

We have also scheduled Harvest Hosts for the next two nights, each about 260 miles apart.

Some scenes along the highway in west Texas

The campground

I refer to it as a cactus garden, but clearly Carlene sees a lot more than cactus!

In the adjacent store.  Has Dakota Joe been here?

Licon Dairy, San Elizario, TX

A fine travel day.  Sunny start, sunny drive.  First thing was to get the tires in Animas, the delivery truck had broken down on Tuesday so it was a Thursday delivery.  Had to order them from El Paso since they were not in stock locally.  No time to get them yesterday with all the hiking!

Got out of camp before 11.  Had a nice drive across NM on Rt9, stayed off the interstate.  Once in El Paso it was back into city driving on I-10, several turns from one multi lane to another, GPS also led me to Mexico twice with sudden turns.  Turn left then immediately turn right etc.

We got to our Harvest Host around 3, Licon Dairy in San Elizario, TX.  Set up and then got some ice cream!  It was 80 so it was a great day for ice cream.  This might only be the second time we have had ice cream this winter.  This place also has a petting zoo, so Carlene went to look around while Skye and I did stuff in the camper.  I was continuing research on the next couple days overnights.

Licon also has a small restaurant so we had supper there.  We also met the other two campers in there.  

It’s almost 8:30 and still 74.  Going to be a good night for open windows.  We had a bedroom window open last night until about 4.

Westbound towards Rodeo

That is Rusty’s RV Ranch in the center of the photo

The border wall in El Paso

At Licon Dairy: