DAY 2 – 11.30.07 Friday
Due to the lack of breathing equipment, I was awake early. Brenda’s husband,
Due to the lack of breathing equipment, I was awake early. Brenda’s husband,
Richard, dropped off some last minute mail that had been delivered to their home –
Brenda is my new “Post Office Box”
Walked across the parking lot to WalMart to pick up some last minute things,
stopped in at Subway for a breakfast sandwich – but they were out of eggs –
hhhmmm….is this the way this day is going to be? Already a stumbling block on the road to Rockport! So, breakfast was a toasted ham, cheese, onion, green pepper sandwich – kinda like an omelet without the egg! Everybody tied down, locked in, …….IT’S TIME!!!
Oh, My Word ! What have I gotten myself into!!
Pulled out of WalMart about 7:30 and headed east on Hwy 107 – going along OK –
some construction, but very little traffic and the sun is behind clouds (good for me!!)
Crossed I-35, taking Hwy 7 over to Hwy 77. As I passed Jan Johnson’s place,
I saw the door to the bird house open – so I beeped the horn, waved, and just
kept driving. What a wonderful experience I had working with her Dad, Orville Lyons – WOW – that man was terrific! Helped me so much and taught me so much about birds,
especially his beautiful cockatiels.And Jan is a joy to know…..little did she know I would be dumping my dolls and books on her to put in her EBay store! How’s that for using friends!
(jansantq on EBay)
Somewhere heading south on Hwy 77, I hit my comfort zone.
My clenched jaw relaxed, my death grip on the steering wheel relaxed and
somewhere in the back of my mind, I came to the realization that I could and would do this.
I missed having Li’l Bit in the seat next to me, but thought it best to leave her in the RV with the rest of the critters. She has a tendency to crawl across my lap when she needs to go out and wants me to stop. A couple of hours into the trip and things are going great – no problems, relaxed enough to pull into a gas station for potty break and get a soda.I forgot I had my house on my back and it was equipped with potty and sodas! Oh, well, the walk did me good. Now, getting OUT of the gas station. I pulled in, nice wide drive – left the rig setting out front – getting ready to pull out – what happened to the nice wide drive! I had to pull out of a itsy bitsy
narrow drive with a drainage ditch. Oh, well, I’ve been driving this thing for almost two hours - -I can handle it – and I did! Didn’t even cut anyone off in the process of pulling back on the highway – DAMN, I’m good!
See the exit sign for Taylor – toot and wave to Andrea – no, she isn’t there,
but that is where we have been meeting for lunch, again – a three month wait for the next lunch!
Coming into Giddings – straight shot through town….stop light green – OOPS – MY STOP LITE IS RED!! The green was for the left turn lane – put on the brakes – keep on the brakes – slowing, slowing, steady – WHEW – STOPPED. The poor little guy that had started across the street wisely decided to return to the curb! When I was stopped – out in his crosswalk, he walked by, smiled, gave me a ‘thumbs up’ and went on….I was even impressed with myself – pulling that thing to a stop in the center lane with vehicles on my left and right – and just took a little space out of the crosswalk!
Coming into Giddings – straight shot through town….stop light green – OOPS – MY STOP LITE IS RED!! The green was for the left turn lane – put on the brakes – keep on the brakes – slowing, slowing, steady – WHEW – STOPPED. The poor little guy that had started across the street wisely decided to return to the curb! When I was stopped – out in his crosswalk, he walked by, smiled, gave me a ‘thumbs up’ and went on….I was even impressed with myself – pulling that thing to a stop in the center lane with vehicles on my left and right – and just took a little space out of the crosswalk!
Getting closer to LaGrange – need to watch for the truck by-pass – no way do I want to take this rig up that winding bluff road! There it is – truck advisory – watching for Hwy 609 – there it is – swing wide to the right – oops, bet I should have taken that on-ramp. Yup – should have taken the on-ramp – next sign “NO OUTLET”!! Good thing I practiced backing up. It was not a busy road so I lined the rig right up on the yellow lines down the middle and backed square down those lines until I got back to the on-ramp. YEE-HAW!! I did it! And, in the process of having to turn around and come back, I found that Czech bakery. That place had the best carrot cake when I was there many years ago – maybe I’ll stop on the way back to Gatesville in March.
Avoided the bluff road and now back on Hwy 77 headed south. Made another stop to check critters – all is well in the back of the rig – took a walk around – probably need to check a tire the next time I stop. I’m gettin’ the hang of this! Hallettsville, next stop --- Hwy 77 sign – sharp right up ahead –DAMN – it’s taking me through town – down a narrow two lane street with cars parked on both sides of the street. I know there is one smart lady in Hallettsville. She saw me turning right and decided it would be wise for her to back up a little and let me through! This street takes me to the town square – well, at least going around the square is all left turns.
Wait a minute – THAT is the highway – one block south of where I am – so I just go straight thru the square – Oh, My! This is a one way street going the OTHER way – OK – I’m just about to the corner – I made it – back on Hwy 77! I’ll remember next time – go a block beyond the right turn sign!
Next stop, Victoria – watch for the bypass – found the bypass, poorly marked as it was.I needed to get up on the highway and off of the frontage road before I saw another one of those “No Outlet” signs. As I started pulling to the left to get on the ramp,I received my first middle-finger salute as the guy displayed his road rage by waving his middle finger shouting something and beeping his horn. Oh, I hope he got that out of his system….I’m sure I just ruined his whole day!
I feel quite greatful that I made it this far before experiencing such a display of disgust!!
Friends in Rockport, Deryl and Elke, told me to come via Hwy 239 to Trivoli – that I did and it was a good highway and easy traveling. I didn’t even bat an eye crossing the causeway. I decided to stop and fill up with gas just beforeI took the HWY 239 cut off. I haven’t figured my mileage yet, but I don’t think it will be too bad – I still had ¼ tank when I pulled off to fill up.
(P.S. – mileage was 11.2 mpg)
As I was doing my walk around to check tires, etc, one of the truckers told me to check one RV tire when I got where I was going. He noticed a spot looked like it was thinning out.
As I was doing my walk around to check tires, etc, one of the truckers told me to check one RV tire when I got where I was going. He noticed a spot looked like it was thinning out.
At 2:30 PM, I pulled into Rockport 35 RV Park http://www.35rv.com/
I learned my lesson – don’t travel on Friday! When I pulled off of HWY 35 into the park,
I was THIRD in line to check in! Allison had me down as needing help backing in – Truer words were never spoken! She called one of the other RVers – he whipped me in and had me set up
before I could say “Thank You”! What service!
Now, settle the critters – we had a minor incident – evidentially the rachet straps I had for holding the bird cages in didn’t do the trick. They had tilted forward – still strapped together! No one was injured. Fortunately I had fruit in their cagesfor travel, so their water bowls were empty. I did have some seed to clean up. When I said, “What happened!” Zamba, the grey parrot, goes “WHOA” Must have been quite a ride!
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