WACO

WACO

About 3 hour drive north from San Antonio.  Huge outdoor billboards--"I rented this billboard to say I love you signed  Chip Gaines".   A little further down the road "And this one too, signed Chip Gaines". and "Dallas can wait, stop in Waco".

Texas Ranger Museum first stop with nice 45 min movie.  Lots of firearm displays.  Good info about the Texas Rangers--not that interesting for kids but we enjoyed.  No need to go again.

Nice campground.  Mark the owner was falling all over himself helping Pete get set up for the NCAA football championship.  Very convenient to highway--Northcrest Manor.

We booked a Brazo Fixer-upper tour several days ahead for $39 /3 hours WACOWand Joe was terrific.  Lots of Waco history from a native who seemed to know everyone.  Brazo's owns one of Chip and Joanna's fixer-uppers that they usually tour it but rented out the day of our tour.   Waco loves Chip and Joanna for their generosity, the 450 home renovations, the Silos area, 4 restaurants, and the huge tourism that it has brought to Waco which looks like it could use the help!  Ate at Magnolia Table--great!  All fixer-upper stores closed on Sunday.

We drove by Allice Tristen's  (age 76)  house and Joe stopped and she came over and talked to us.  She was the 2017 national winner of "The Great Light Fight" as seen on TV.  She started out doing this 42. years ago so that the little patients at the Children's hospital would have some Christmas cheer.. as the hospital windows look out onto her house.  It is a very small one story house on a small lot but it was covered  with Xmas. decorations that she was taking down.  Really fun talking to her.  She said people from all over the world come to see it.

Fort Stanton--just here overnight at the Wallmart along with about 18 otther RV's.
Rock Hound State Park near Deming, Tx next night.

Toured the Dr Pepper museum--ok not great.  It was a very worthwhile stop on the way to Tuscon.

Off to Destin--Wyndham Majestic Sun and San Antonio

Destin
Left 2 days after Christmas, first night Cracker Barrel near Birmingham, to Wyndham Bay Club Two (where we stayed several times), wouldn't let us in with RV, sent us to another guard station, he let us in with 5 day pass.  Hooray!  Turns out our room's AC was broken so they moved us to Majestic Sun in Miramar Beach (15 min away).  Nice 2 bedroom on the ocean so worked out fine!

Pelican on fishing boat at Emerald Grand, Destin

From Majestic Sun balcony

Ocean Club for dinner (2 for 1 meals 5 to 6 pm). make reservations. GREAT food!  Ate there twice.  Love McGuires' Pub across from Emerald Grand for lunch--huge portions!  AMC Commons IMAX
Cats--loved it.  Right next to movie is Kilwins Fudge--buy 1 get 1 coupon in hotel info--fantastic fudge (very smooth and lasts, staying good for days).  Went back for more on the way out of town.  Hiked short trail around pond near AMC with my new trekking poles.  worked well.  Christmas lights at shopping area there were beautiful.  Smash Burger for dinner good but looking forward to In and Out Burger and What a Burger!  Beach walks nice!  Very windy!

Topsail Hill preserve and State Park is about 20 minutes away and beautiful!  Well worth it.  Hiked 2 miles and very nice!  Great place for RV but would need reservations way ahead. 

Stopped at the Space Center Houston on way to San Antonio.

Mission control for upcoming Orion missions to Moon and Mars

San Antonio

Three days easy drive to SA.  We drove straight to Lulu's (Diners, Drive-ins and Dives) for lunch for a huge Chicken fried stead which Pete seems to think is "fine eating".  Bought one of their 3 # cinnamon rolls and still eating it after 5 days!

Chicken Fried Steak at Lulu's

3 lb Cinnamon Rol

Weather great, Wyndham La Casada terrific and right on the River Walk about 10 minute walk to restuarants.  4th trip here but first time seeing the Christmas decorations--up until 1/13/20.  Now charging $22 per day to park your car!  The river channel was drained and cleaned for 3 days.  Men and huge front loaders were scooping up muck, debris, several scooters--very interesting to watch.  All cleaned and fixed up in 3 days.

Riverwalk at night

Another Wyndham update but got our $100 worth.  Casa Rio and Landry's both great meals...both on River Walk.  Salt Grass is an economical steak house on the river walk. Didn't eat there this time but next time. Bone in rib eye is recommended. Beautiful evening ride on the riverboat along the canal with Christmas lights--fantastic!

Motorized scooters are all over...just standing on street corners, at hotels, etc. People download an app, scan a code on the scooter they want to use, then leave it wherever. Overnight they get redistributed to their correct locations. But, the locals hate them. People are getting hit and injured. I saw three that had been discarded in the river.

Texas Hill Country Tour on Gray Line Tours--$139 each but all day and Gary Fantastic guide!  LBJ ranch and National Park, seeing long horned cattle (12 feet across).  Lots of pecans to pick up and eat right under the trees.   Lukenbach town which is owned by Willy Nelson and Waylon Jennings--bought the town and keep it going as a music venue in a dance hall.  Really small bar with locals playing there all day long--so much fun!

Post office/general store/bar--Lukenbach, Texas

Fredricksburg also on the tour--an old German town where Pete and I ate BBQ with Gary our driver.  There was a Pacific War Museum that was wonderful and spent about 30 min in the lobby--no more time.  Loved this tour--high light of our stay.  Gary was a fireman and a real cowboy and told us all about his years on the Rodeo circuit for 22 years and he used his winnings to put 4 kids through college.  He showed how to rope!

Laser show on Cathedral was outstanding as usual and weather very nice.

Ate breakfast at Gunthers again enjoying Strawberry Pecan Waffles. The best food so far on the trip. They had a candy house in the parlor upstairs.