Having only gone “RVing” once before for a weekend with the boys several years ago, some people might have thought Frank and I were crazy to sell everything, buy a motorhome and RV fulltime. However, Frank and I knew we could spend time alone together since we had been together 24hrs a day for the last couple of years without any problems.  So, we sold the house, bought the RV and set out on our fulltime adventure on June 10, 2021.  We love fulltime RVing and have no regrets.  There are some things we have learned along the way in the past six months.

            We bought a used, older diesel 45’ motorhome (2008) because it was a layout we loved, was in our price range, and had lots of storage.  Of course, the first few days (in our driveway), Frank had to start fixing some issues, which gave him time to figure out a lot of the systems.  Still, when we headed out there were some items still not working, including our leveling jacks.  Eventually he would replace the right parts and get them working. There are still some items that need to be worked on, but Frank keeps researching before starting on some of them.  For example, our dishwasher still isn’t working correctly.  Hopefully, that will be fixed soon – HINT HINT Frank! 😊

            On travel days we have developed a routine in which Frank takes care of the outside stuff: water, sewer hose, loading the bikes, car hookup, etc… while I take care of the inside: picking some items off the floor for the slides to come in, bringing in the slides, retracting the leveling jacks, etc… After the car is hooked up, I do the blinkers so Frank can check the lights.  There have been a couple of hiccups like forgetting to bring in the small awning over the door.  We just recently found out the engine must be turned off for the awning to work.  Who knew? 😊

            How do we decide where to travel and what to do?  That falls to me.  I ask Frank, but he just tells me wherever I want to go is fine and he says he likes what I’ve picked and what we’ve done.  I use the free app / website RV Parky to plot the general route for the year and to select possible campgrounds.  Based on people’s comments and suggestions, I make modifications. Due to RVing being so popular now, we must try to get reservations in advance as much as possible, so we can’t be as spontaneous as we might like.  State and national campgrounds must be paid for at the time of the reservations and many places require a deposit that varies from one night’s rent up to ½ of the total price. In some very popular areas, we have had to pay for those totally in advance, too.  Some campgrounds do have on-line booking, but there are still a lot that require a phone call to book a site. A few books are kept handy for me to refer to find some unique places or scenic drives, but I also use the internet. Before we arrive at a new place, I refer to Trip Advisor for the top sites / attractions to determine what would interest us.  If there are a lot of options, I usually ask Frank if he would like to do ….. or —- and he’ll give me his feedback. Recommendations for restaurants on Trip Advisor and Yelp are helpful and I also refer to the Diners, Drive-Thrus, and Dives App to see if there is anything in or near where we will be visiting. We have visited historic homes and museums, taken tours and hikes, sampled area specialties, and really enjoyed ourselves.

            We have determined there are three different types of groups in most campgrounds: permanent, stationary residents, travelers, and campers.  The permanent, stationary people chose to live in an RV for various reasons ranging from saving money, traveling for work assignments, and temporary situations that turned more permanent. They can usually be identified by the permanent steps, decks, and various outside items around their home. We are travelers since we like visiting places, trying new things, and learning about the area. However, at night, we like to be inside our home (the motorhome) on our comfy couch and recliner and watch TV together, read, etc… Campers are those that set up an entire outside living area. They tend to spend the first ½ hour to hour at the site hauling out chairs, rugs, grills, hammocks, firewood, lights, outdoor games, etc… The evenings and many times most of the days are spent outside and they usually have a fire going in the evening. While staying at Lake Livingston State Park for Christmas there were even people who put out Christmas blowups and Christmas lights for just a two-night stay.  Great that they have the spirit of the season, but that’s a lot of stuff to haul around and set up.  We are more minimalist in that area.  We did have a tiny tree inside, but that was the extent of our decorations this year since we spent Christmas day at our oldest son’s house. So, permanent, stationary residents, travelers, or campers – each is great and to each their own!  We will remain travelers and kudos to the permanent residents and campers!

            When we tell people that we fulltime RV, most people are fascinated and ask questions about it.  Many have expressed they want to do it, too or have friends and family that are fulltime.  The popularity has led to numerous Facebook groups, which are very helpful for those thinking of starting fulltime or those starting out.  People ask questions from how to fix something on their RV to what to do in various areas.  One thing I would recommend when joining any new group on Facebook is to use the search bar at the top of the group and search for what you want.  Trust me, 99% of the time the question has been previously addressed. It becomes rather tedious for those of us in these groups to keep seeing the same questions.  Only after going through the comments and posts that turn up after your search, should you pose your question.  I belong to an Instant Pot group, and it was so tedious to see the numerous posts: “I just got an Instant Pot, what should I do first?”  Please do some research before posing questions.  There are groups for everyone.  There are National Park groups in general and groups for specific national parks like Big Bend and Guadalupe Mts.  Also remember, that some people with no expertise do chime in because they “think” they know the answer.  I’ve asked Frank numerous times about some responses about electrical, etc… and he has shaken his head and told me the correct answer. As has been pointed out in these groups, do your research rather than just trusting total strangers.

            One of the big questions and decisions that must be made involves internet access.  Some parks offer free wi-fi and a few of them are really great.  Some of them buffer quite a bit but are useable for streaming TV shows.  Some are a total no-go.  State parks and National Parks do not offer Wi-Fi services, so while it saves money to camp there, we end up using more data from our plan.  We have a hot spot for Direct TV Stream which we use when there are no other options.  When we use that up, we start on the 40 gigs on Frank’s phone’s hot spot.   If we use all that, then we start using the 40 gigs on my phone’s hot spot.  Most of the time, it’s not a problem.  However, there have been a couple of places where we could not access any internet with our hotspots. It’s a good thing that Frank and I like reading, too. We try to always have a book or two downloaded on our personal digital devices.  This year’s adventure to the Rockies and more remote areas will probably test our internet access even more.  We have purchased a booster system, so we will see how that works out.  Who knows, we may end up like Robin Williams in the movie “RV” where he was on top of the RV with his arm stretched out trying to catch a signal. lol

            E-bikes intrigued us from the beginning, but we didn’t know if we were “bike people”; therefore, we bought a couple of used standard bikes in Cincinnati along with one for Bo for his visit.  They were okay, but I couldn’t do the hills and I really didn’t like my bike.  We determined we would have to go ahead and purchase the e-bikes. After reading a lot, we went to a few places to check some out.  Bike Lane in the Woodlands had a very helpful man that let us try out the Aventon Pace 350 and 500. While there we saw a big comfy looking seat on a bike, and I knew I needed that for my comfort. 😊 Aventon Pace 500 Step-Thru turned out to be the winners for us.  Pedago is a well known e-bike brand and highly thought of, especially by themselves.  For the price of one Pedago, we were able to buy our two Aventon’s on Cyber Monday with a $300 discount for buying two.  They arrived within a few days and were super easy to assemble.  A return trip to Bike Lane allowed us to purchase a heavy-duty hitch bike carrier and the large comfy seat.  E-bikes are heavy and require a heavy-duty bike carrier.  After a couple of days of riding them, Frank ordered him a slightly smaller version of my big comfy bike seat. On our very first day of riding the bikes, I took a tumble.  The road in the park had been repaved in the past year and there was a steep drop off. Of course, I found it when I turned to talk to Frank and got too close to the edge going about 11 miles an hour. (It’s a good thing I slowed down from 20 miles an hour.)  Frank says I bounced a few times and that it was a good thing I was wearing a helmet.  I skinned my left forearm up really bad, had three separate spots on my left knee, one on my right knee, one spot on each palm of my hands, a bruise on my left cheek and a goose egg on my left hip. Yikes!  I definitely left skin on that road! If you know about RV beds, you will know that we “climb” into them.  (Yes, we can walk around our king size bed, but we still have to climb in a little.) With scrapes on my left knee, forearm, etc… it was interesting to figure out a new way to climb in and out of the bed. I ended up climbing in by putting my right knee down (not on the scrape side) and flopping over into bed.  I had to climb out carefully so as not to hurt the scrapes on my palms since I place my hands on the side wall and pull.  It’s always an adventure. 😊  I did get back on the horse / bike and love it.  The kids gave us backpacks, fenders for my bike, and a rack for Frank’s bike for Christmas, so we are looking forward to more bike riding in our adventures this year. 

            Go West Texas RV Couple, Go West!  We will heed that advice and go west to Arizona before heading north.  Lots of national and state parks are on the agenda for this year.  It will be a matter of if the weather cooperates with us as to how much we will be able to see and do. On the list are: Big Bend, Davis Mts, Guadalupe Mts, Carlsbad Caverns, White Sands, Saguaro, Organ Pipe Cactus Monument, Petrified Forest / Painted Desert, Grand Canyon, Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument, Zion, Bryce, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands, Arches, Rocky Mountain National Park, Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, Glacier, and more……  We hope you will follow along on our adventures on our Facebook Page – The Texas RV Couple and we’ll try to do some more YouTube videos!

Till Next Time,

Beth Cervenka

Come Explore with Us!

            Having been to the Smoky Mountains on two previous occasions, I knew about Cade’s Cove and was excited to share it with Frank.  However, I learned this time about Clingmans Dome, which is closer to Cherokee, North Carolina.  Yes, something new and it would be the highest elevation in the Smoky Mountains.  I was game and we decided we would do it when we moved to another campground in Cherokee. We arrived, set up camp, and set out.                        

            We made a quick stop at the Visitor’s Center on the North Carolina side and then set out driving towards Gatlinburg with Clingmans Dome – our destination.  We were lucky enough to see a male and female elk on the way. There were observation points and Frank pulled over to accommodate my photo addiction. I had seen mention of there being a lack of parking spots at times at Clingmans Dome.  As we approached the area, we saw some people parked on the side of the road.  My first thoughts were oh no, we are going to have to hike into the Dome.  However, we kept driving to the parking area and found a space. Yay!  Good for us!

            Clingmans Dome Observation Tower, which is 45 feet tall, has been around since 1959, but I had never heard about it until this trip.  It is on the highest point in the Smokies and along the Appalachian Trail at 6,643 feet and straddles the North Carolina and Tennessee state line.  Wow!  I read it had a ramp up to it and that it was steep.  Looking at a picture of the dome and the ramp, I quickly thought, I can do that!  I did read that it was not wheelchair accessible due to it being steep.  Looking at the picture, I thought, “Well, the ramp isn’t that long.  I can do that.”

            Obviously, I only took in what I wanted to take in.  At the bottom, there was a sign saying there was a .5-mile trail to the dome.  Okay, a half mile isn’t so bad, and it’s paved.  We’re good.  Those were my thoughts for the first few SECONDS.  Quickly realizing this was much steeper than I anticipated and now knowing it was a half mile of steep incline, I became concerned.  However, I’m a hardheaded, determined person and I was bound and determined to conquer it. Even if I did huff, whine, puff, complain, and come up with various solutions to solve this problem along the way, there was never a thought of giving up.  Yes, we saw others give up and decide to “sit it out” while family members, etc. went on.  Luckily, there are benches every so often for people to sit and rest.  You can’t see the next one as you are climbing and rounding bends as you ascend this “path.”  I would spot a bench and just focus on it.  Every time someone else was sitting there, but that did not deter me. That bench would be my resting place.  Some people stopped and rested on some rocks or tree trunks, but I wasn’t so sure I’d make it back up from such low positions, so the benches were meant for me.

            Frank kept encouraging me with comments like, “Breathe in through your nose and exhale through your mouth.” The problem with that was that my nose was clogged up so when I tried that, I didn’t feel I was getting enough air and then my nose started running. His next words were, “If you stopped talking, it would be easier.” Really?  I’m coming up with all kinds of ways to “fix this problem” and you want me to stop?  My ideas were: an incline train, a ski lift, a tram, etc… I shared those ideas with anyone and everyone within my vicinity, especially to the people resting with me on the benches along the way.  Frank’s next words of advice were, “You don’t need to stop at that bench, you can make it.” “Yeah, well, I don’t want to “make it” just now. I want to rest and try to catch my breath.”  He didn’t suggest that one again.  His next words of encouragement were, “Slow and steady, slow and steady.” I reminded him that was why I was stopping at the benches. 

            Then low and behold, we saw the Appalachian Trail and the sign where it crosses the path up to Clingmans Dome.  That lifted my spirits, and I was even able to step down the trail so that Frank could take a picture of me “walking the Appalachian Trail.” You will notice the energy and enthusiasm I am displaying for the picture.  I then insisted we have pictures next to the sign.  He grudgingly agreed to have his picture taken by the sign but refused to pretend he was walking the trail.  Party pooper.  Oh well, I walked the Appalachian Trail, so there! 

            After the short, uplifting stop by the Appalachian Trail, there was more of the steep path to traverse.  Frank kept saying we would have to climb stairs up to the tower, but I knew that wasn’t true because I had seen the ramp.  After about two more bends in the path, we made it and saw the tower.  Thankfully, there was a circle at the bottom with benches around it so we could rest to prepare for the final trek up to the Dome.  While we were sitting there, I jokingly expressed my suggestions to the people gathered there about how that trek could be improved. They were all on board and we started talking and laughing about how much we would pay for such a conveyance and the price kept getting higher and higher as to what we were willing to pay. I must say that I expressed that the engineer who designed that “path of torture” should be shot.  Yes, that is a little violent, but I came up with that on the trek up, so I think that is forgivable given my lack of oxygen.   I will amend it to say he should be held accountable, and something should be put in place to help those of us who are not quite so “athletic” or who don’t hike every single day in the mountains. 😊

            The ramp to the dome was actually quite easy. The part I thought they had “warned” us about was not the worrisome part, it was the “path” / “trail” to it.  The temperature kept falling on the trek up and it had become a little chilly.  As we moved up the ramp, we really felt the wind.  We reached the top – YAY – and the mist, fog, “smoky” part of the mountains obscured everything but the tops of the very closest trees.  A little disappointing, but I had just climbed a half mile straight up (that’s my description and I’m sticking to it), so I was proud for just making it up there!  Yay me! (And Frank).  Frank wanted to hurry up and get down from the Dome and the ramp because he felt it was shaking and not very sturdy.  I really wasn’t concerned about that and took my pictures before agreeing to go down.  It was quite breezy up there.

            Going down was so easy compared to going up.  However, some people with bad knees have expressed that was the worse part for them.  I was probably still on my “high” from conquering the “path / trail / cliff climbing” that it felt easy.  When we reached the bottom, I was able to take some pictures of the view that were breathtaking.  No, I didn’t get any good pictures up top, but the ones at the bottom made up for it. 

            What did I learn?  Read a little more carefully, but honestly, I wanted to go up there and was determined to do it.  You might want to take a jacket because it is much cooler up there than at the parking lot.  Make use of the benches. Wheelchairs are not advised or allowed and there is a reason for that.  I still wish there was an alternative for those who aren’t in such great “hiking shape” so they can access the Dome.  They can still have the path so others can prove their “might” and physical prowess, but some accommodation for the rest would be nice. When I posted my little excerpt on my Facebook page, I shared it on the National Parks Fan Page.  Most people understood my humor (I used emojis) but one lady called me out and said it wasn’t bad and she did it regularly and she was in her 70s.  Kudos to her!  I’m not her!  I’ve had four back surgeries, I have spinal stenosis, and I’ve just started walking / “hiking” in the past few months.  I also don’t live in the mountains and “I’m not a mountain goat!” Altitude does play a role in this! 

            If you are going to the Smoky Mountains, and I recommend you do, be prepared for Clingmans Dome.  It’s okay to just take pictures from the parking lot.  Also, I recommend staying in the Cherokee, NC area rather than the Gatlinburg, TN area.  Cherokee is a little less “touristy” and is a lot less crowded.  My other words of advice if you are wanting to go during the fall for the changing of the leaves: look up when the Tennessee and North Carolina schools have “fall break.” There were a lot of kids in Gatlinburg and that’s when I learned about their fall break being the first or second week of October and we were here the second week of October. I think that was one of the reasons there were so many people, and it was so crowded.  You might want to try the third or fourth week of October.

            Do go to Clingmans Dome and make an attempt if you can. If not, there is not shame in parking lot pictures!

Till next time,

Beth Cervenka

Come Explore with Us!

            Back in the summer of 1991, I was selected to go to a seminar for teachers in Fairfax, Virginia. I was excited about it and since they were not paying my way there, I decided to do some sightseeing on my journey. I made some stops and one of those stops was in Nashville to see the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.  However, the visit proved to be a little underwhelming. While in Nashville in late September 2021, Frank and I made plans to visit the museum. Recalling my previous visit, I hoped they had improved it in the last 30 years.  I am happy to report that they have definitely improved it and we greatly enjoyed our visit.

            The Country Music Hall of Fame was established in 1967 “to create a research and educational organization that would give the world an insider’s view into country music. The non-profit organization, Country Music Foundation, was chartered by the state in 1964 to collect, preserve and publicize country music artifacts and to showcase the history of country music. Through this foundation, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum was established and since then, has grown and evolved into the iconic organization that it is today.” (From their website.) The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum that I visited in 1991 no longer exists as it was demolished after a new and downtown building was opened in 2001. It was then more than doubled in 2014. The new building consists of 350,000 square feet, storage for archives, event space, and the Taylor Swift Educational Center.  They even have performance space in the CMA Theater and the Ford Theater.

            The new museum is a far cry from the one I recall visiting in 1991.  We started on the third floor which showcases the history of country music and the people who have played a role in its history.  It is well organized and flows nicely. We elected to purchase the audio tour and it greatly enhanced our experience.  Just like our Titanic visit, numbers were used to key in the audio for more information.  There are musical instruments, handwritten lyrics, posters from the Hatch Print Company, and costumes from performers through the years.  Recognizing people I had heard of and “knew” due to Hew Haw, Porter Wagner, and The Grand Ole Opry felt familiar and like I had “come home,” so to speak.  Of course, there were some that I had not heard of, but Frank knew most of those. 

            The second floor features the artist from 1960 to the present so there were a lot more that I was familiar with. Buck Owens, Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Kris Kristofferson, Waylon Jennings and up to some of my favorites including Alabama, Garth Brooks and Brad Paisley. Interwoven in both the third floor and the second floor are some special exhibits on Martina McBride, Kacey Musgraves, and the exhibit “Outlaws & Armadillos: Country’s Roaring 70s featuring the “Outlaws of Country Music”: Waylon, Willie and the boys so to speak.  Frank accused me of reading every single thing in the Martina McBride and Kasey Musgraves exhibits, but the exhibits are well done and drew me in. I wish I had been able to view their past exhibits.  The museum has featured Jason Aldean, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Blake Shelton, Brad Paisley, Miranda Lambert, the Zac Brown Band, and Chris Stapleton in the past in their special exhibits “examining country music in the twenty-first century.” They have also featured Loretta Lynn, Bob Dylan, and Hank Williams, Jr.  As well as these featured exhibits are done, I wish I had seen the previous exhibits. 

            Definitely add the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum to your “Bucket List.” You won’t be disappointed.  We spent three and a half hours touring the museum and no, we did not read every plaque or see every video that was featured.  Allow plenty of time and you may want to take a break for a bit to eat or a drink on the first floor if you need a break.  There are different options in which you can add a tour of the Hatch Show Prints and / or the Historic RCA Studio B Tour.  We opted to just do the museum, but we did add on the audio portion. The basic price is $27.95 for an adult and tickets can be purchased online.  I definitely recommend buying tickets in advance online for any and all events these days due to limited times and limiting crowds. Check out the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum; I’m sure you will enjoy it!

Till next time,

Beth Cervenka

Come Explore with Us!

Branson, Missouri has become a destination for many people in the last several decades and we wanted to check it out. When we first arrived, all the signage for the attractions and concert venues struck us as very touristy and a little bit like Vegas (minus the casinos 😊). Unfortunately, there were no “big” names preforming when we were there and just lots of “tributes” to various bands and performers, which was disappointing. However, we did want to check out some attractions and the Titanic Museum was on the top of the list. (They did not allow photography inside the museum, so those photos come from their website.)

           One of the first attractions that is hard to miss in Branson, is the Titanic Museum, which is done in the shape of the ship and even has an “iceberg” along the side.  This attraction was certainly on our list of must-sees, and it did not disappoint. I did wonder why there was a Titanic Museum in Branson, which is landlocked. According to their website, “The Branson Titanic Museum is one of two Titanic-themed museums owned by John Joslyn, who was part of a 1987 undersea expedition to explore the ship’s remains. While the ship-shaped museum seems huge, the exterior is built to half-scale of the actual Titanic.”  Due to the pandemic, we purchased our tickets online and received our “boarding time.” As we were “boarding” we were each handed a card with a person’s name, his / her biography, and if the person was a first-, second-, or third-class passenger.  We were instructed to keep our eyes open as we toured the museum to find out the fate of our characters.  Frank’s card was for the ship’s barber, who was a part of the crew. My card indicated I was a first-class passenger – a lady of means.  I was pretty sure “my” character would survive but was a little worried about Frank’s character. 

            We were also given audio “wands” and told that whenever we encountered a number along the way, we were to key the number into the wand to hear more information about what we were seeing.  Youth and children had different numbers for their audio tour at times.  I thought that was a neat idea to have special audio aspects for them to keep them interested.

            Seeing the grand staircase was impressive but what I found eye-opening was the floor in the area before the grand staircase was the most expensive material at the time. No, it wasn’t marble or granite or any kind of stone. It was linoleum square tiles.  What?  Yes, the linoleum tiles that everyone had in their homes, schools, and stores at one time and are now considered so cheap that no one wants them, was the most expensive flooring material at the time the Titanic was built in 1911 and 1912.  Go figure. 

  Personal effects of passengers and passengers’ biographies where interesting. There was an entire room devoted to the musicians and we learned there was more than one band on board, so when “the band played on”, they aren’t exactly sure which musicians those were.  There was an area for various crew members and there we found Frank’s character – Gus, the barber.  I was relieved to learn he would survive the voyage and continue his career as a ship’s barber.  Whew! 

            In one part they show angled “decks” to show what the pitch of the deck would be like at various times as the ship went down.  Some kids loved trying those out, but I really had to hold on to the rails to try to even take a step or two up the inclines and that was with rails on both sides that I could reach.  Imagine with only one rail or if I had no access to the rails at all.  I believe I would have been sliding back and into the water as the ship went down.

            The museum picks a different group each year to focus on for special exhibits and this year they featured the Jewish passengers and crew.  There was even a kosher kitchen and chef on board. An odd little connection is that Anne Frank’s father – Otto Frank – had gone to college in Heidelberg with Nathan Straus Jr. (whose friends called him “Charley”), the son of the founder of Macy’s department stores. (Straus’ parents famously went down with the Titanic when his mother refused to leave his father behind.) They became good friends and remained in contact.  Otto Frank enlisted Straus’ help in trying to leave Europe for America, but the destruction of the American Embassy in the Netherlands and the U.S. entering the war thwarted those efforts.

            As I had assumed, my character did make it off the ship and survived.  We spent about two hours going through the Titanic Museum and we recommend it. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes because you will be standing and strolling the entire time. While it did have audio wands and some exhibits that would appeal to children, I would not take young children or any child that wasn’t really fascinated by the Titanic.  My grandson, who is 10 is fascinated by the Titanic, so I would have taken him. Be sure to check out the Titanic Museum in Branson!

Until next time,

Beth

Come Explore with Us!

            On what I thought was July 13, but was actually July 14, we headed to Eureka Springs, Arkansas to tour the Holy Land, gain insights by participating in the Backstage Tour, and view the famous Passion Play.  I was confused and it wasn’t the day of the play, but that’s another story.  On the way, I spotted a sign about Martin Greer’s Candies and pointed it out to Frank.  Chocolate was calling out to me, so as we came upon the store (in the middle of nowhere), we had to stop.  I reminded Frank that this was one of the reasons we chose this life – to be able to do spontaneous stops and enjoy. I sure did want some chocolate. Little did I know that this stop was going to really brighten our day.

            The first thing I noticed was the sign which indicated it was a father and son tradition.  I love stories like that. The very next thing I noticed where all the beautiful flowers sprawling everywhere in front of the small shop; of course, I had to take some pictures of them.  As we entered the small shop, we could see glass towards the back where workers were making candy.  There were also displays behind the glass with all sorts of chocolate delights.  How was I going to narrow down my choices and not spend a fortune?

As I looked around, I noticed several vivid paintings on the walls. A young lady came out to help us and explained that the largest one showed the original Martin Greer, Sr, his son, Martin Greer, Jr., and his son as toddler, in a room making candy.  She followed this up by pointing out that the owner of the shop was the artist and had done all the artwork in the shop.  That is not something you usually find in a candy shop, especially out in the middle of nowhere.

            About that time, an elderly man with a walker came into the shop from a side door.  The employee introduced us to Martin Greer, Jr, who began to chat with us. Originally born in Texas, because his father was in the military, we learned that his father began making candy in 1924. Just think, that is almost 100 years ago.  Mr. Greer was proud to say that he was 82 years old.

            Frank tells me I talk to too many strangers, but he chatted quite a bit with Mr. Greer on this occasion.  Mr. Greer pointed out some booklets on the side wall that he was selling, and I had to purchase the one about his years as a candy maker.  (He even includes his business plan in it.) When we told him we had retired and I had been a teacher, we learned the Mr. Geer had been an art teacher, principal, and superintendent.  He also happened to be Dr. Greer. He told us a little about the family history of making candy and then invited us to his studio next door.  I felt so privileged to follow him to his studio.

            The studio is covered in art, papers, some pottery, and the usual debris of having lived a creative life. Dr. Greer told his about his first job teaching art and how he was certified to teach elementary, but they wanted him to teach high school.  So, while teaching his first year, he had to go back to school to become certified for secondary education.  We commiserated over funding for schools and his first year he was allotted two cents for every art student for supplies.  That’s right – two cents.  In order to help with the funding of art supplies, Dr. Greer and his students produced animated films that were shown for an admission price and they also produced some puppet shows to augment the art fund. He even had some old 16 mm film in canisters of those animated films. 

            Dr. Greer was proud to show us a few pottery pieces he had done and how level they were on the bottom with a ridge.  I don’t know much about pottery, but evidently that was a big deal and he accomplished it on his first pieces. I nodded and smiled like I knew what he was talking about and complimented him on his pieces. 

            We learned during our time there that Dr. Greer’s wife had passed just the week before and he was grieving.  By reading his booklet, I learned that it was his second wife, and she is the one who insisted that the front had to have flowers and look inviting.  According to him, he would have been fine with fake grass.  lol

            Martin Greer’s Candies are made using “the best chocolate you can buy” and by “staying true to the recipes.  In his booklet, Dr. Greer states, “The recipes came from Rigby’s Reliable Teacher, published in 1897, and the recipes published by Bakers Chocolate in 1820.  Hand dipping is better than machine run chocolates.” Dr. Greer’s father’s advice was, “If your product is not better than what people can get at a store like Walmart, then the people will have no good reason to buy what you are making.”  They use Peter’s Chocolate, a milk chocolate, which was invented in Switzerland in 1875.  There is a lot of history behind these candies.

                Of course, Frank and I bought chocolate; I just forgot to take pictures of it before we ate it. Oops! We bought two pieces we could have right away in the car that had caramel, peanuts, and milk chocolate. YUM!  I had to have a small container of Rocky Road Fudge, and then an assorted box.  They make all the candies there in that shop, package them and even ship them.  According to his booklet, he has the tourist trade passing by in the summer, the locals buy from him around the holidays, and there is the shipping of his chocolates to the tourists who fall in love with his candies. I highly recommend Martin Greer’s Candies!

  If you are ever in northern Arkansas, please put Martin Greer’s Candies on the list of must stops.    You might not be as lucky as we were to meet Dr. Greer and see his studio, but you will surely love the chocolates! 

https://martingreerscandies.com/

Until next time,

Beth Cervenka

Come Explore with Us.

The words “walking” and “hiking” are not associated with either Frank or me – at least they were not before we started our fulltime RV journey.  Now we find ourselves walking / hiking on a pretty regular basis. On our second day in Hot Springs, we headed out to Garvin Woodland Gardens and discovered a perfect place for walking and enjoying nature.  (Sadly, the entire time I lived in the Houston area, I never visited Mercer Arboretum and Botanic Gardens.  That will have to change!  It is now on my list of things to do when we return to the Houston area.) The Garvin Woodlands Gardens was a wonderful experience for us, and I hope you will check them out when you are in the Hot Springs area.  (I hear Christmas time is just “magical.”)

            The weather was just perfect! Not hot and not cold, simply perfect.  We did arrive shortly after they opened at 10 a.m.; we walked the gardens, and I took a lot of photos as we followed the paths.  The hardest part was a slight incline up to a lookout point.  Don’t get me wrong and think we hiked the entire area. There is an “undeveloped” area known as the Hixon Family Nature Preserve that had a long trail around it and is noted for its birding opportunities.  We did not venture into that area or that trail.  The two miles and approximately two hours we spent was just right.  (There were lots of stops for photos and enjoying nature.)

            According to the Garvan Woodland Gardens website, the land for the gardens was clear cut in 1915 and Mrs. Verna Cook Garvan vowed never to let it be cut again.  According to the garden’s website, “Mrs. Garvan’s father had operated Wisconsin-Arkansas Lumber Co. and the brick company (Malvern Brick and Tile) before his premature death in 1934. Shortly afterward, she assumed control of the company’s various holdings as one of the first female CEO’s of a major southern manufacturing business and served in that capacity until her retirement in the 1970’s.”  That would be impressive today, but it is even more impressive that she did this in the 1930s. Mrs. Garvin had a rather interesting life. Her first husband, Lonnie Alexander, tried to commit her to a psychiatric ward in Florida when they were going through their divorce. OH MY! Finally, the divorce was settled, and she remarried in 1960 to Patrick Garvan, Jr. a wealthy man from New York.  They decided to remain in the Hot Springs area where they met.

In 1956, after the demise of Verna Garvan’s first marriage, she began developing the land into gardens and considered making it a future residence as it bordered Lake Hamilton. The plans for a home were scratched when her second husband passed in 1972.  She marked every tree and laid out all the paths. All the new plants were chosen by Mrs. Garven and she selected each location. She worked on the gardens for 40 years introducing thousands of plants. There are more than 160 different types of azaleas, so I would love to revisit the gardens in the spring when they are blooming. Mrs. Garvin chose award winning architect E. Fay Jones, of Thorncrown Chapel fame, and his business partner, Maurice Jennings, to design an open-air pavilion of native stone and redwood. It was under construction when Mrs. Garvin passed in 1993. She left the property to the Department of Landscape Architecture through the University of Arkansas.

            The paths are mostly shaded and are either paved or are packed gravel. Visitors are allowed to bring dogs on a leash for a $5 fee.  If I lived in the area, I would certainly purchase a membership and use it for walking and enjoying nature.  Please remember, before we started this RV life, I never walked.  I guess I’m starting to like nature and enjoy walking in different places.  Who knew?  As I told Frank, every area is different and interesting.  It’s not like walking in a subdivision where you just pass the same houses every time and of course in Houston in the summer, it is HOT!   

            There are different areas in the gardens with various styles of bridges as there are numerous small waterfalls. A children’s area features a maze of rocks for them to figure out, plus a waterfall and man-made cave. To top that area off, there is a treehouse bridge.  What child wouldn’t like that? Be sure to take your young children; they will enjoy the children’s area, the bridges, the waterfalls, and skipping down the paths.

Anthony Chapel, one of the famous “glass chapels” is located at Garvin Woodland Gardens.  Maurice Jennings, who worked with E. Fay Jones to design Thorncrown Chapel in Eureka Springs in 1979, and the Mildred Cooper Chapel in Bella Vista, mainly designed the Anthony Chapel, the largest of the three glass chapels in Arkansas. It is gorgeous and a perfect place for a wedding for those with the money to pay for the venue.  I always thought the chapel was open air due to the way it looked in photos, but it is glass, six stories tall, and can seat 160 guests. (They do offer cheaper “elopement” packages.)

Photo courtesy of the Garvan Gardens Facebook Page.

            I don’t want to give it all away, but I urge you to check out Garvin Woodlands Gardens if you are in the Hot Springs area or even make a special trip to check it out. It is a $15 fee per person and children 4-12 cost $5 each. Those that aren’t able to walk the paths can do a Golf Cart Ride tour for an additional $15 per person.

Until Next Time,

Beth

Come Explore with Us!

            Hot Springs National Park boasts several hiking trails, and it is close to the town of Hot Springs.  Having been to the area back in 2004, I was familiar with Bathhouse Row, but I had not been to all the other attractions in the area.  Since we would be here for about eight days, I wanted us to take our time and leisurely discover the area.

On our first full day, we did a morning hike on a trail out of Gulpha Gorge Campground in Hot Springs National Park. I thought we were on a short trial, but I was confused, and we were on a different one. Evidently, we should have turned right and we turned left, oh, well.  I really wish they would put one of those large plexiglass covered maps at the trail points with the “You Are Here” marker like they do at the malls. Maybe I would be less confused. lol.  

The trail we took was well defined, but it was uphill the entire way.  Remember, I’m not a mountain goat.  lol.  We walked and enjoyed the natural habitat until we intersected with another trail. Since it was our first day out, I thought it best that we turn around rather than risk overdoing it.  It was easier going downhill, but it was getting hotter by this time.  We returned to the coach to have lunch and chill for a while.  After all, we needed to recover from our hike.  😊

            We decided to do the 6 pm Duck Tour around Hot Springs, which is run by the National Park Service.  I’ve always loved the Duck Tours, or really any tour of areas I’ve visited because they give a lot of unique information about the area, and I learn quite a bit. It’s always nice to look without having to worry about driving, traffic, and navigating an unknown area. 

            Our driver was a local firefighter, and he was knowledgeable and didn’t insist that we “quack” when he told a joke.  He would just say a sarcastic, quiet “quack” after he told a joke. He wasn’t the most personable duck driver / guide I’ve ever experience, but it was 6 pm and it was fine. We drove down the main area, including Bathhouse Row, and then out on the lake where the “Duck” becomes amphibious, and we motored around the lake. Some homes of the wealthy and the significance of the home and / or person owning the property were pointed out. It was a nice time to be on a lake. If you’ve never taken a duck tour or any tour of a place you are visiting for the first time, I highly recommend them.  You will learn so much more and see so much more.  I like taking them first to get a “feel” or “lay” of the land, so to speak. Most of them also point out great places to eat, including local favorites. The Duck Tour guide did point out a “home cooking” restaurant – Phil’s that was only open until 6 pm.  We did take his recommendation and eat there on another day. Our guide even pointed out the “Duck” graveyard.  They buy the old Ducks from around the country that are no longer working and use them for parts.  The Ducks are from WWII and have been modified for their purposes, but they are no longer produced.  The Duck Tour was $25 a person, which is a little steep, but then again prices are rising on everything.

            We enjoyed our Duck Tour and definitely recommend it for later in the day if you are there in the summer.  Remember, it is a metal vehicle / boat.  There is a covering, but it does get warm.  😊

Until Next Time,

Beth

Come Explore with Us!

https://youtu.be/LsquS0jUE4Q Watch our YouTube video about our time in Waco.

Before we were married, Frank, the boys, and I took a weekend trip to Waco, Texas to visit the Dr. Pepper Museum and the Texas Ranger Museum plus a festival in West, Texas.  We enjoyed it, but I must be honest, I have wanted to go return since the rise of Fixer Upper with Joanna and Chip Gaines.  The Silos sounded intriguing, and after all, I had purchased Joanna’s first cookbook and made some of her recipes. When planning our trip, we knew we were heading from San Marcos to Hot Springs, Arkansas.  Texarkana would be a stopping point, but I noticed that Waco was on the route.  Bingo! We could check out Magnolia Table and the Silos.

            Originally, I wanted to visit when it wasn’t summer due to fewer crowds and being cooler, but since it was on the way, we would just have to make do.  I knew we would need to arrive early at Magnolia Table due to lines.  A friend who moved to Waco, advised us to definitely go early and showed us a wait time of two hours around lunch time.  Therefore, for the first time in a long time, I set an alarm and it was at the crack of dawn – 6:20 am.  We arrived about 7 am and there was a line, but not very long.  We checked in, had a seat in a nearby covered area and waited for a text to inform us it was our time.  I decided to try the Farm Eggs Benedict which featured Jo’s buttermilk biscuits, a poached egg and Hollandaise sauce while Frank ordered the Pancake Breakfast with buttermilk pancakes, two eggs, tater tots, and bacon. Frank and I have both made Jo’s buttermilk biscuits and they are good!  Frank’s pancakes were great, but the Hollandaise sauce was very strong and heavy on my dish. I would recommend you try something else unless you really LOVE strong Hollandaise sauce.  Would I go again, absolutely!  The restaurant was chilly, but I’m sure it was to make sure it would remain cool as the day heated up and there were more people.  The black and white tiles and old-style school lights, and flooring were very fitting. Good job, Joanna!

            After breakfast, we drove to the Silos, but they didn’t open until 9 am, so we were able to make a quick trip to a local CVS before returning to park and walk to the Silos.  Everything is very neat and clean. The AstroTurf is nice looking and you can tell its not the cheap kind. There is the main shop, but there are also other little cottages with shops and another large shop for Magnolia Home (furniture, etc…) There are a variety of food trucks where people can order and eat in the various vignettes around the buildings.  Of course, at 9 am, they were not open. The bakery was open and there was a line for it, but we were still full from our breakfast.  There was a small area with plants and a “shed” where people can purchase seeds, etc… named Magnolia Seed + Supply. Since this was at opening time on a Thursday morning, it was not crowded and there was a nice breeze. A family was playing Wiffle ball in the Katy “ball park” area and some girls were playing with a Jenga set in another area. There is a corn hole set, balls and other toys for kids to play with and a nice reminder to return whatever they use.

            Since we are full-time RVing, we did not purchase anything from our sojourn to the Silos because we have no room.  There were several items that caught my eyes, and I was like a little kid touching all the textures of the pillows and rugs. Oh, well, touching doesn’t mean buying. 😊

            After slowly walking around the Silos, we returned to our car but I wanted to see the small shop on Bosque that started their retail business. We headed there and I caught a quick picture as we passed by.  We also located Clint Harp’s shop – Harp Design – for a quick picture.  As you can tell, I’m fans of Chip and Joanna Gaines. I’ve watched all their shows, multiple times, I’ve read their book, and bought the first cookbook.  Now, I’ll just have to purchase the second cookbook, right? 

            We had a great dinner that evening at a local hangout – George’s – in Hewitt with Lou and Kathy Liro, who moved to the area from Houston.  I met Kathy through scrapbooking about 2010 and then had the pleasure of selling their Houston home last year.  Both their daughters attended Baylor and now live in the Waco area. They are now enjoying retirement and their grandchildren.  Thanks Lou and Kathy for a great meal and company!

            If you are headed to Waco, please check out the Dr. Pepper Museum and the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame Museum along with Silos.  They are informative and worth the visit!

Until next time,

Beth

Come Explore with Us!

            Texas State University is in San Marcos, Texas, and it is where my youngest son attends college, so we have visited several times.  I also spent three weeks there for three consecutive summers back in the early 1990s for graduate level classes on geography that were free for teachers and provided lodging.  It’s a great campus and is located about half-way between Austin and San Antonio.

            On the way to San Marcos, we grabbed some barbeque from a roadside place we had never heard of before – Diamond A Goss Bar-B-Q. Yes, they are inside a convenience store.  They advertise that their BBQ road trip worthy.  The chopped beef sandwiches we had were very tasty and we recommend you give them a try.  They are located at 18484 TX-80, Belmont, TX 78604, which is about halfway between Gonzales and Sequin and south of I-10. 

            Leisure Camp and RV Park in Fentress, Texas was our home for two days after leaving the beach in Port Aransas.  The camp is along the banks of the San Marcos River and since we planned on tubing the river (a popular activity for the area), it seemed it would be perfect.  The park was nice, but they charge for guests, so Patrick’s visit for a few hours cost $8.00.  That seemed a little steep since we were paying to camp there.  They are in the process of expanding the campground with a new section and a new entrance office. Small cabins are available for rental if anyone is interested in that option.

            We picked up Patrick at his apartment our first evening in order to give him some “stuff” from our downsizing and to take him to dinner.  He suggested a small place called Taiwan Bowl; so off we went only to discover it and his next suggestion, a Japanese place, were closed on Mondays. While trying to decide where to eat, I saw the sign for Grins and remembered being told that was a great place to eat.  Patrick had also heard the same thing, but had not eaten there, either.  Decision made.  Upon entering, we saw signage indicating they were famous for their Chicken Fried Steak, which is a favorite in our family.  After being seated, we noticed how hot it was. We ordered drinks and mentioned the heat to the waitress who brought our attention to their clothing in order to beat the heat. They were wearing skimpy work-out clothes in which the pants had been cut off to make shorts. She then proceeded to tell us it was always like that in there. The three of us ordered their “famous” Chicken Fried Steak and tried to cool off with our cold drinks; alas, it was futile. The Chicken Fried Steak was nothing to write home about and thus Grins is not a place I would recommend. At the end, Frank said, “Let’s get out of this sweatbox.” 

            The plan was to float the San Marcos River the next day, but it was cloudy and overcast in the morning due to some rain during the night.  We determined that around 3 pm would be a better time and Patrick would come out to the campground so we could float from there or at least figure out a plan.  When investigating the camp’s floating service, we found out they let people off at a bridge up the road that would cost $20 to park if we did not use their shuttle.  To use their shuttle was $7 a piece or $21 for the three of us.  Not knowing a better solution for that stretch of the river, we decided to go on the shuttle.  There were some people in the water at the let off point, but we were really the only ones floating down the river.  It was quiet and peaceful but there were some downed trees and sandbars along that way that caused us to lift our bottoms or paddle to avoid the obstacles. Patrick had brought three tubs and we hooked them together with carbine hooks with me in the middle.  At any time at least one or two and sometimes all three of us were floating backwards.  When trying to avoid some overhanging branches, I did get dumped out and lost my favorite hat, which I had purchased in Greece in 2016.  Darn it.  

            We gradually made it down the river to the campground and then just hung out in the shallow water talking for a while before making our way back to the motorhome. Frank went to the front office area to buy some pizzas they were selling on to discover they were closed, therefore, he went on to Luling to pick up a couple of pizzas from Pizza Hut.

            It was a nice time to spend with Patrick and we enjoyed our stay. The campground was clean, but there was no wi-fi, which meant using our own.  (We’ve already gone over our limit; guess we will be looking into a better plan with more wi-fi data.)

Texas State has a nice campus in San Marcos and you can get a workout walking the hills.  There are good places to eat in San Marcos and on a previous trip we had a great burger at Gil’s Broiler and their famous Manske roll (cinnamon roll) for dessert.  We’ve also gone to a small mom and pop place for good Mexican food, so don’t let one bad experience spoil you on San Marcos (or any place) and its food scene.

Until next time,

Beth

Come Explore with Us!

When thinking about going camping or RVing, there are lots of groups on Facebook that provide insight and are helpful.  There are groups devoted to RV Renovations, Full-Time RVing, Texas Camping, etc… When we first started planning our journey to full-time RV living, I joined several groups, along with reading several books – I was and always will be a teacher. As we were talking about our first trip, Frank mentioned spending a few days on the beach below Corpus.  As I was researching some campgrounds on RVParky.com, someone in one of the groups asked for recommendations in the area.  Several people popped in to recommend Gulf Waters RV Resort west of Port Aransas.  After some investigation, I made the reservations, and we were both pleased with the resort.

            All the spots at Gulf Waters RV Resort are privately owned but the owners can choose to rent them out when they aren’t personally using them.  In my opinion, we were given the best spot.  The front end of the motorhome faced a pond, and we were just steps away from the boardwalk to the beach. It was a little startling the first morning to look out the large front windshield and see water.  We quickly found ourselves going for walks on the beach about twice a day. 

Our first night, we decided to eat seafood in Port Aransas.  I looked up recommendations and Fins was at the top of the list.  We drove around Port Aransas a little and saw a line out of Fins, even though it was just 5:00.  The line convinced me it was the place to be, so we parked at an off-site parking lot, walked over, and added our names to the list.  It was hot; it was humid. I was sweating and their frozen “Miami Vice” looked good. It was good! It was half Pina Colada and half Strawberry Daiquiri.  I think our total wait was about an hour. The bar tender recommended the Mahi Mahi stuffed with crab cakes.  Frank ordered it and I ordered some shrimp for us to share.  I wish I could say it was great and lived up to its reviews, but sadly it did not.  Everything, even the coleslaw, had too much pepper.  Now it is one thing for me to say it was too much pepper, but when Frank agrees, it is seriously too much pepper. He adds pepper to everything. (Good thing he didn’t this time.)

            A few years ago, we did a southern drive from Houston to Corpus Christi spending time in Rockport and on Mustang Island.  We booked a deep-sea fishing trip to catch red snappers.  It wasn’t like I had imagined.  We sat on a bench and rode for well over an hour.  The captain announced we were about to fish as he slowed the boat down and positioned it directly over a pipeline.  (We couldn’t see it; he just told us it was there, yea for GPS.) The helpers handed us the rods and reels and the bait.  As soon as the line went over and went deep enough, bam, we had a red snapper.  The limit was two per person so that quota was quickly filled and then we started the ride back.  My image of throwing a line out and reeling in and throwing it out and getting a bite and fighting it, nah, that didn’t happen.  When we returned, they offered to fillet the fish for us so we could take it home.  I don’t see how they could know which fish I caught versus someone else.  (They were all thrown in together, so no, there was no way to say it was the fish I caught.) By the way, the place we booked the deep sea fishing is right next door to Fins restaurant.

            Since we had the experience of deep-sea fishing out of Port Aransas, we thought we’d try just local fishing from a pier or jetty this time.  Afterall, Port Aransas is the fishing capital of Texas. We scoped out a long jetty late one afternoon.  It was a little treacherous walking in places due to the odd levels of granite, some crumbling concrete and not being a mountain goat.  After our long hike on the jetty, we decided we could just fish off the banks in a nearby park the next day.  We had no allusions of catching a lot (if any) fish.  Frank investigated the tide situation, and we were to leave the next morning at 9ish due to high tide at 10:30. However, the next morning was gray, drizzly, and very gusty.  Gusting wind is not ideal for fishing.  Knowing my lack of expertise in casting a line with a rod and reel, it is a good thing we junked the fishing plans.   I grew up fishing with a cane pole and a bobber in Louisiana lakes, so there was a good chance I’d just hook myself or Frank. Oh, well, I’m sure we’ll fish somewhere as we travel.

            We knew that people could park on the beach, but we didn’t expect to see people camping on the beach in tents and travel trailers.  It was quite crowded on the Saturday before Father’s Day, but rather vacant on Father’s Day, remember – very gusty wind. Travel trailer, ok, I could have done that, but a tent with a separate small tent for a portable toilet, eh, NO!  Not my cup of tea.  I think I would also be afraid the tide would wash us away in the night.  I like solid ground for camping and water for swimming.  Call me picky. 😊            

Port Aransas is a nice place for fishing and hanging out on the beach.  A lot of visitors rent golf carts or bring their own. It is also a great place to buy fresh seafood, which we did before our departure. I heard some good reviews of some other seafood places to eat, so we’ll probably try them whenever we head there in the future.  We will definitely keep Gulf Waters RV Resort on our list for a return visit.