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A Heritage Trip

I recently found information that my birth father Charles F Bruce was buried in Biloxi National Cemetary in Biloxi MS.

So off I went back to the land of humidity.

I found a death notice and where he lived and what I thought was his grave but, someone else was buried there. He had been moved six years after he was buried, as of now I still haven’t found out who moved him or where he is buried.

What makes this strange is my adopted Dad was also moved. A psychiatrist would probably tell me that I married 5 times looking for my daddy, I don’t plan to marry again but I am still looking for my daddy.

So I headed home with a freezer full of Cajun seafood.

Most of the rest of my trip was uneventful till I hit Junction TX and the Junction City Park. I planned on a nap and wound up spending the night.

Llano River

If you can get a spot near this dam sleep is easy.

And it’s free, no hook ups.

To get off I-10 I took the Sheffield Loop exit to Hwy 90 which took me through Marathon, Alpine and Marfa to Van Horn. It is a good highway and very scenic.

Sheffield Loop picnic area
Valentine Texas

From Van Horn to home

Gualdalupe Peak

And more heritage. My grandmother taught school in the late 1920’s on a ranch in Orange NM and would often go down to Salt Flat Cafe and motel for entertainment. My mother had some neat pics of her in front of the motel in her flapper dress, most of the motel part is gone and the cafe is now closed.

Salt Flat Cafe and motel.

One more side trip. Hueco Tanks is a must see archological site. These pics are just a tease till I go back.

cave behind interpretive center
cave drawings
cave drawings.

There was so much destructive graffiti that they now limit the amount of people in the park. You can make reservations at the Texas State Parks website.

Till my next trip.

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Devils Tower

July 2018

It’s a short drive from Rapid City SD to Devils Tower Wy I chose to get off the interstate on rt 34 which becomes rt 24 in Wyoming very scenic and one short 8% grade.

If you wish to buy a town Aladdin WY is for sale it consists of a General Store and a population of 15. Wikipedia says it sold at auction in 2017, but I noticed the for sale sign is still up.

I decided to spend the Fourth of July at Devils Tower National Monument. 

The Belle Fourche River campground is at the base of the monument next to the Prarie Dog town.  The sites are level with a picnic table and fire ring no hookups, with my senior pass it was only $10 per night. If you must have hookups there is a KOA right next to the entrance.

I grabbed a site next to the creek with a prairie dog town view.

 

I love to walk, but I haven’t done a lot of Hiking in years, so I decided not to take Matilde up to the visitor center but to hike the 1.6-mile trail from the campground. Uphill but gradual and hoot to come back down.  You start off from the Amphitheater straight through the Prairie Dog town.

There are other trails this one goes all the way around the base.

At the visitor center, I got my passport stamp and token and enjoyed a Ranger talk about The Parachutist who got stuck on top for a few days.

I was able to visit with the ranger about volunteering as he and his wife do. And It helped me make up my mind to apply.

Located near the picnic area and entrance to the campground is the Circle of Sacred Smoke Sculpture by Junkyu Muto given to the American people as a gesture of world peace.

The night sky is mesmerizing I sat outside the first night for hours just enjoying the stillness and the clear night sky.

What I did not expect was the incredible view I had from my picnic table during the Fourth Fireworks.

Here is a picture of the boys chilling before the fireworks which they definitely didn’t like.

And the last picture I took.

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Dinosaurs and The Badlands

June 2018

If you read my earlier post about Agate Fossil Beds then you know I like dinos but mostly the bone kind, however, there seems to be an abundant supply of large green dinosaurs in the Rapid City area.

There is one on the top of a hill in Rapid City that I haven’t found the way up to yet, but it’s on my list.

And then there is this one.

I’m tooling down the rt44  on the way to The Badlands, and this large dinosaur is sitting in the middle of a field. This one I turned around for, so I could get a picture to prove that there are dinosaurs everywhere.

The little town of Scenic is. Next, I got a nice picture of the old Jail but nothing was opened when I went through, but there are signs of life, maybe another time.

Approaching the Badlands National Park, there is excellent scenery even before to enter the park itself.

Once inside it is amazing.

Plenty of trails to hike both short and long and all are ” take your breath away” beautiful.

After stopping at the Visitor Center for my passport stamp and token, I headed back west on the loop road and stopped every chance I could to take in the wildlife.

I did go up to Wall SD but didn’t stop this time it was to busy.

 

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Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse

June 2018

The first glimpse will take your breath away.

You can drive your rig up to the monument there is plenty of parking, and I saw all sizes going up and down. I chose to rent a car so that I could have more versatility.

Once inside the entrance, if you are a Hitchcock fan, you can’t help but think of North by Northwest.

A large variety of food is available, and of course, the view is fantastic.

I enjoyed the museum for hours there is so much to learn. The studio area was closed for renovation, so I guess I will have to go back again.

The Crazy Horse Memorial is close, and their museum is all nations with case after case of artifacts.  You can view the residence and sit outside and watch native dance.

 

My only disappointment is that I don’t see well at night so I did not attend either night lighting, which by the way is part of your parking fee which is good for 24hrs.

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AND OFF WE GO.

June 14, 2018

Leaving Rockport Texas was bittersweet.  Hurricane Harvey forever changed the future of Rockport and me and mine.

For the first time in my life, I have no schedule. And only my social security check as a stable income.

I do not plan on moving fast or more than a couple hundred miles at a time.

First Stop

Bandera Texas the Cowboy Capital of Texas

This sculpture is across from the http://pioneerriverresort.com/

Where I always stay when I am passing through this area. On the River and within walking distance food and fun.