Gimme Shelter! - Sun., July 22

San Antonio, Texas:

Fallback to Plan B for our Volkswalk today. Our original intent was to do the 13K (7.8 mi.) Volkswalk that traversed the Riverwalk from Mission San Jose to Mission Concepcion. 

Ready to start the Mission San Jose Volkswalk--perky!

 

When we arrived at Mission San Jose, I asked the park ranger for the walk box. He told me the lady who keeps it up had just been in the other day but had not updated the box.

What that meant to us was, she didn't put the new directions for the walk in the box. The walk we wanted to go on had been closed due to construction on the bike path. However, the bike path opened up three weeks ago between the two missions. She did not put new directions the start box, in fact there were no directions for this walk at all.

Disappointed but still determined to do a Volkswalk today, we went on the only walk in the box--10K (6.2 mi.) Mission Reach walk. By the time we were ready to start the walk it was 11:20 a.m. and 90 degrees!

This walk started at Mission Concepcion so we drove 3.5 miles and parked there to start our walk. Most of the walk was on the Riverwalk where we ride our bikes, so the scenery wasn't new to us. We did go through Concepcion Park which we hadn't yet seen (except the outskirts from the bike path). It was just plain HOT.

Here are photos from the walk.

Our start point, Mission Concepcion:

Metal diorama, about 7" tall at the top of the towers.

Photo at Mission Concepcion...still somewhat perky.

Mission Concepcion

We enjoyed this sign.

Couldn't go in the mission as church was in session.

We walked around the mission thinking we'd see inside when we finished the walk.

From the Mission Concepcion, we walked to and through Concepcion Park.

Workout equipment at park.

Impressions along the Riverwalk.

 

Bob having fun.

Art inscribed in the bridges.

Love the bike path bridges.

Snowy egret and anhinga.

Hot, hot, hot; coming up on 95 degrees. Gimme shelter! The only shade on the trail was under bridges. 

We had the option of making this a 6K (3.6 mi) walk. I was so hot I really wanted to go back to the Mission, hop in the car, put on the air conditioning, grab a Dr. Pepper and have lunch. Yes, folks, I was whiny. 

Bob encouraged me to go on. I made a deal with him. I would continue if we stopped in the shade at every bridge along the way to cool off for a few minutes. "OK," he said. We continued on. Here's one of the bridges. There was a cool-ish breeze under this one!

Not so perky anymore...now full-blown whiny mode.

Great egret.

Bridge with art of a different kind.

Our walk took us to the Yturri-Edmonds House & Mill.

Mill.

Yturri-Edmonds House

 

 
From this point, we headed back to Concepcion Park and Mission Concepcion. And we walked the whole 10K! I am so happy we did not do the 7.8 mi Volkswalk today. We'll save that for when we return to San Antonio in September! Maybe it will be cooler then.

A train went right over us.

Bob is fascinated by trains. He didn't have trains in Hawaii where he grew up.

Mexican ducks?

 

Viewpoint in Concepcion Park

I couldn't wait for this walk to end. When we returned to Mission Concepcion we were going to tour the church as it had been refurbished recently. Also Bob wanted to buy "Texas" by James Michener from the Park Service AIR CONDITIONED office. However, when we returned from our walk, the office was closed with a sign saying they would return at 2:30 p.m. The church was closed as well. We think they were having lunch/siesta.

The rest of the day hadn't gone as planned, why should that change now. We did, however, stop at a convenience store and buy COLD soft drinks to recharge our by-now depleted reserves, drove back to the 5er for lunch, and rested in our nicely air-conditioned living room. 

Oh, except I vacuumed and did laundry in the RV park laundry room. Bob emptied the black water tank and put the bikes up on the ladder to start the departure process. One more day here, then we're off on our trip, barring any unforeseen circumstances.

Tomorrow, my Escape pod gets its much needed detailing. I will be here in the 5er waiting for the RV repair guys to show up and finish repairs.

Everyone take care. Stay cool and stay safe.

Travel Bug out.

Ride Like the Wind -- Thurs., July 5

San Antonio, Texas: 

Bob whisked off to work at 7:00 a.m. while I finished my sleep; woke up at 10:30 a.m. (This night owl goes to bed at 2:30 a.m.) After a shower, I washed out the kitty litter box, made it fresh and nice with new litter. Breakfast consisted of sweet Bing cherries, Cheerios and string cheese.

My priority today was to drive to Cotulla and pick up our mail. We moved to San Antonio so quickly two pieces of mail were left there. 

Bob said, "Why don't you call the post office and have them forward the mail." Duh. So that's what I did. Rocky at the Cotulla Post Office was very sweet, took down our new address and is forwarding our packages to us. Yay, Rocky!

That left me with a free day. Since "Marvel's The Avengers" isn't playing very many places, I decided to see it in downtown San Antonio. After reading reviews of the AMC Cinema at Riverwalk, it seems the parking is $8.00 and the movie is $4.00. Not on my watch. I decided to ride San Antonio's City Bus into downtown. The bus stop is directly across the street from the entrance to the RV Park. Cost of bus one way $1.10. Easy as can be.

I hopped the bus at 3:00 p.m., rode into downtown, walked from the bus stop to the mall, was 1/2 hour early for the movie. The theater is the old type put in malls in the 1980s: no stadium-riser seating, no rocking chairs. Oh well. The $4.00 worked for me. Snacks cost as much as the movie and round trip bus combined.

"The Avengers" was a good summertime romp with loads of superheros. Led by Nick Fury, Captain America, The Hulk, Iron Man, The Black Widow, Hawk, and a god, Thor, all try to stop Thor's evil step-brother, Loki, from taking over the earth with his alien henchmen. I had a couple of good laughs along the way. I also noticed a few similarities to the early Star Wars flicks. Bob would not care for this movie.

After the movie, I walked about 1/4 to 1/2 mile across downtown to catch my bus back to the RV Park and was home just a little after 7:00 p.m. Rain must have fallen while I was in the movie because all the way back to the RV park, the bus kept splashing through puddles sending water flying up into the air. I'm glad I wasn't walking along that route!

Bob stopped at Costco (as it's near his work) to pick up a few items on his way home.

When he walked in the door, he asked, "Do you want to go for a walk or a bike ride?" 

I said, "Yes, I'd like to after I eat my dinner." We had a nice green salad tossed with kidney beans, cauliflower, sugar snap peas, carrots, red cabbage and pecans. Bob had a slice of pizza at Costco, so I supplemented salad with hummus, salsa and chips.

After we ate, Bob unlocked the bikes and off we went to the Riverside Bike Path. Dusk is a good time to ride. The temperature has moderated a little. The bike path is up and down, not steep, but enough for a good workout. On the downhill runs, we rode like the wind. On the uphill slopes I rode winded. Good for me, though, I was stronger this time than last time we went out riding. I need to get in shape for hiking in Yellowstone. We rode as far as the old Lone Star Brewery. I'm guessing it was about 5-6 miles round trip.

Anyone know what kind of heron this is? I don't think it's a great blue.

Bob at Lone Star Brewery entrance to Riverwalk Trail.

It's really not this dark yet. My flash had a mind of its own.

Old power plant--no longer running.

A few nights ago when we were sitting on the patio chatting, I looked down and saw a creepy crawly advancing rapidly toward my foot or chair leg. 

"Bob," I said, "Look, it's a scorpion." 

That sucker was moving fast. I jumped out of the chair and squashed it with my sneaker. One flat scorpion. After that sitting out in the evening wasn't looking so enticing.

Tonight, I took Bowie out on my shoulder for a walk on the patio. He loves these little shoulder excursions, by the way. Sniffing, sniffing, turning, looking, curious kitty. If I take Sunnie out on my shoulder, he freaks and claws my neck or shoulder trying to get back in the 5er. He will, however, stand in the 5er (if he's on the floor), and step out onto the first step. Since I don't want him to bolt under the 5er, I usually shoo him back in.

Anyway, I digress, while I had Bowie out on the patio, I looked up at the underside of our awning. There was a spider (maybe two) up there. We moved out from under the awning. No need to be in the path of a spider if it decides to drop down now, is there? {{{{shivers}}}}
We made it back in the 5er spider free!!

As you may remember, I love Volkswalking! Turns out San Antonio has 14, count 'em, 14 Volkswalks and a couple of bike rides too. I told Bob we could do a Volkswalk a day until we leave for Yellowstone. (Realistically, we won't because he's working, but each weekend we can do two! More getting in shape for hiking in Yellowstone.) I'll post on those as we walk them.

That's all folks. Travel Bug out.

A Splendid Evening -- Mon., July 2

San Antonio, Texas:

Today was relaxing and refreshing. Earlier today, I wrote a blog as I thought of it. That's quite a luxury as opposed to being a gate guard and having to jump up at the sound of the bell (to check someone in the gate) which interrupted my train of thought.

After writing earlier, laundry and vacuuming chores were finished. (I did EIGHT loads of laundry. Good-bye caliche dust!)

Bob started his new job today. He enjoyed getting to know everyone in the office. A change of pace and a challenge is just what he needed.

When Bob returned home this evening he wanted to go for a bike ride. First we put away clean laundry, re-made the bed, made and munched down egg salad sandwiches, then rode our bikes. One of the entrances to the newly opened Riverwalk bike/walk trail is at the entrance to this RV park. And get this, the brand new trail opened today. Yay for us! 

Dusk was upon us, but it was also the coolest time of day with no direct sun. We rode four miles roundtrip. Lovely new trail. Now if I could just keep the bugs out of my eyes, nose and mouth! After I've built up my biking muscles, we can bike into downtown San Antonio on this bike trail (20 miles roundtrip). The proximity of the bike trail was a major reason we chose this RV park. Good choice.

Full moon. Bike trail on crosses the river on a bridge here.

Some ups and downs, I'm learning to use all the gears.

Dusk descends.

Yeah, that's Bob WAY ahead.

Moonflower!! LOL.

Getting a bit dark. Love the lighted sign!

Our park entrance to the bike trail.

Back at the 5er we sat outside and had a protein bar and some chips. We had so much fun playing Sequence a few nights ago, I suggested we play a few games which we did. Bob reviewed some accounting data for a meeting with the company's accountant tomorrow morning.

Not much more to report since I've now done two blogs in one day.

I'll leave you with one kitty pic:

Sunnie's ready for the laundry.