The Easter Volksmarch in Comfort, Texas - Saturday, April 8, 2023

The Guadalupe Gallivanters Hill Country Volkssportsverein AVA walk club hosted today's Easter walk in Comfort, Texas, about 40 minutes west of San Antonio. I picked up Andy Thomas on the way to the walk. The fun part of today's walk, besides the walk itself, is that we got to find hidden Easter eggs along the route.

Andy and I checked in at the starting point at Comfort Community Park. Their small parking lot was full so I parked on the side street.

A local nonprofit group (fundraiser for a historic
 schoolhouse) sold breakfast and lunch.

The friendly folks at the starting area:
Carol, Tina, and Linda.

The weather was coolish when we started, but humid enough that I left my heavy coat in the car. The walk was cloudy most of the morning.

The first few blocks of the walk were in a neighborhood. Very shortly thereafter, we followed Old Cypress Creek Road along Cypress Creek. It's a lovely walk and there were wildflowers in bloom. You'll see photos of a number of them here.

Misión Bautista Hispana, Comfort, Texas.

We're taking the 10 km route. [Photo by
Andy Thomas.]

Cypress Creek, Comfort, Texas.

We had to watch out for cars and bicyclists as we tried to
photograph Cypress Creek from a narrow bridge.

This road is usually not too busy, but today it was alive with walkers, bicyclists and cars. It's no wonder because it is a very pretty place.

A typical Texas Hill Country farm road.

I accidentally took this photo of Andy.

And this one as well.

Antelope-horn milkweed (Asclepias asperula)

Asclepias asperula, commonly called antelope horns milkweed or spider milkweed, is a species of milkweed native to the Southwestern United States and northern Mexico. (Source: Wikipedia.)

I love the route this walk took today. We had many opportunities to capture farm or ranch scenes in photos. Plus, there was a large group of bike riders out on the same roads today. They were very friendly and many "hi's" were exchanged.

Comfort, Texas farm landscape.

Two walkers caught up with us as we snapped photos.

Here are a couple of the hundred or so bike riders
we saw today.

The entrance sign for Sussex Farm in Comfort, Texas.

Another grouping of antelope-horn milkweed.

Swallow nests under the I-10 freeway bridge.

Golden Smoke (Corydalis aurea).

At one farm, this handsome horse was at the fence watching all the walkers go by. I got closer and talked to it, but it walked away. However, it followed us all the way across the property and kept its eyes on us as we walked by. Doesn't it blend into the trees well?

Rusted, antique farm equipment.

A big patch of bluebonnets in a front yard.

You never know what you'll see in people's yards.

A great variety of wildflowers by the side
of the road. 

We crossed over I-10 and headed back into an old neighborhood with new construction. There was no sign indicating if the new construction would be homes or businesses. 

It was here that I found one of the hidden eggs inside the plastic cover over one of the directional arrow signs. The egg was pink and white, just like the sign. I almost missed it.

Me finding an Easter egg. [Photo by Andy Thomas.]

A cute cat hanging out watchin' the world go by.

We walked past Comfort Cemetery.

Sand verbena.

Historic Comfort school building.

Mural on a storage shed.

We then crossed busy Hwy. 27 and made our way into historic downtown Comfort, Texas.

Otto Brinkmann house shows an example of 
German Fachwerk construction technique.

Comfort Public Library.

Comfort Heritage Foundation building (formerly
Comfort State Bank).

This blank wall needed some "Help"!

Giles Hotel (previously Ingenhuett-Faust Hotel).

Downtown Comfort, "an antique town."

In downtown Comfort, we saw this uniquely painted SUV with a dog on top and a dog in the bed of the truck. Both dogs were very friendly. 

Shops in Comfort had all kinds of Easter decorations.

A fancy chicken coop complete with artwork.

Plymouth Rock chicken.

A beautiful rock home with an old Dodge 
in the driveway.

Replica statues of Chinese terra cotta warriors.

Jerusalem sage (Phlomis fruticosa).

A visit to the Texas Hill Country wouldn't be
complete without a longhorn steer!

When I turned in the Easter egg at the end of the walk, I was able to choose a flowering plant to take home. Because we are not around in summer to take care of plants, I gave my plant to a very enthusiastic fellow walker who loves gardening. It found a good home.

Thanks to the Guadalupe Gallivanters, we had a great time on this scenic walk!