Catching up or at least I will try

Here I am contemplating the Colorado River...Not the one that flows through the Grand Canyon, this Colorado River is in Texas. We were on our way to see Enchanted Rock and due to road construction and being ready to stop for the day, we turned to see Colorado Bend State Park. That is pretty much how we travel. We get up in the morning thinking we have a plan and by the afternoon we find ourselves somewhere completely different. The river was quite high and muddy from the storms mentioned in the last couple of posts. In fact, storms have been frequent during our month plus in Texas. As I was putting dinner on the table Dan looked up and saw an armadillo snuffling around just behind the camper.

I was so excited on only took a video...which did not load so sorry you cannot see it. grrr It looked like an armadillo :-)

Colorado Bend has a big network of hiking and biking trails. The next morning we took a bike ride along the river to see Gorham Falls. I checked with the ranger about trail condition. He told us the trail was good with just one narrow place where we would have to walk the bikes along a cable near a cave opening.

It was a very narrow ledge I went a head and Dan walked the bike as far as he could then I lifted it down so then Dan could climb down. I don't think anyone would be able to do it alone. We managed and went on our way.

In this area the spring growth was sort of taking over the trail.

The roiling river along the trail. After riding three and a half miles we had to park our bikes for the last 3/4 mile walk to see Gorham Falls.

It is a beautiful and enchanting place, difficult to capture with just an iPhone. Speaking of enchanting places. We left Colorado Bend and headed for Enchanted Rock State Natural Area. On our way we passed some of the big fields of Blue Bonnets in the hill country of Texas.

Enchanted Rock is a big batholith of pink granite poking out of the Texas hills. A fun climb takes you to a 360 degree view.

Part way up

The top

The decent

We misunderstood the description and it turned out we could not camp there...they only allow tent camping. We had to backtrack a short distance to a rough little RV park. They only charged us $15 to dry camp (no hook-ups) plus they had showers and a great view. We were the only ones in our area.

I have no idea why this lounge was left on the hill in the middle of a blue bonnet patch but I liked how it added contrast in the photos. There was pond out behind the camper and I walked around it for some evening photos.

From the Enchanted Rock area we traveled southeast to another Texas waterfall park: Pedernales. If you are a Texan it is pronounced "Perda-nah-las" (I think).

We spent a Thursday night at Pedernales Falls State Park. The park is only an hour or less from Austin and it was completely booked for the weekend. In fact all campsites in the Texas parks are reservable, none are first come first served. That can be rough on travelers like us who rarely make any kind of a plan. We had been told about Corp of Engineers parks at Canyon Lake that are not reservable so that is where we headed only to learn they do not open until May even though their web site says they open in April. Using our handy iPhone campground apps we located a city park in Yoakum. I called ahead and was told there would be plenty of space available.

So this is where we spent a quiet Friday afternoon and evening. Hub City Campground in Yoakum.
Destination Saturday: the Gulf of Mexico

Magnolia Beach, free camping on Matagorda Bay. Dan spent the afternoon chasing the shade around the camper.

Meanwhile I was a happy quilter with a view!
The wind was constant and tiring, but you can't beat the view. We didn't venture in, but there were many swimmers enjoying the water.
The next two nights we were at Goose Island State Park on our way there we visited Aransas Nat'l Wildlife Refuge. We missed the whooping Cranes by two days. I did see my first alligators though.

This one was about 15 feet away from us, we were on a railed board walk. We saw another that was bout twice this one's size but it was across a field and pond from us.
We encountered more wind at Goose Island but the view was great.

We walked out a long fishing pier located at the end of the camp area.

Sun through clouds second night at Goose Island

As I started writing my intention was to get caught up. It is not going to happen tonight. Too many miles and memories -- I am going to stop for now and leave the rest for another post.

It is Easter evening, we are in another quiet city park for the night.

Good night, peace be with you. Alleluia, He is risen.

1000 year old Live Oak