Texas is more than a state; it's a state of mind. Texans are proud of their state (which used to be an independent nation) and there are lots of reasons why - Texas hospitality, Tex-Mex food, a great tradition of Texas music, and plenty of natural beauty. If you want to get out and see the country in your recreational vehicle, Texas has lots to offer.
East Texas has the best of the American south, with woodlands and lots of water. Further up in the Texas panhandle, everything is flat and green with endless blue skies. Out in western and southern Texas, the land becomes desert and you can camp right against the border. Texas is huge, and there are things to see in every corner.
Big Bend National Park, located in the far southwest corner of Texas, is known for its rugged beauty, and also for its isolation. This makes it a great spot for those who want to get away from it all. While most of the country has been divided up and tamed, Big Bend is still wilderness at its best.
You'll find a variety of natural wonders in Big Bend - from the Rio Grande River to the sky high mountain basins only an hour's drive away. The park also features desert, which is why it's like three parks in one.
There are three campgrounds run by the National Park where you can take a motor home. Between these three parks, you can find something to suit your needs. Make a reservation if you plan to head out there.
For more rugged camping in Big Bend, try the Basin Campground. The drive down can be dangerous for big rigs, so this site is recommended for smaller motor homes. Big rig parking can also be difficult here. Still, it's a great place if you want to really be deep in the wilderness.
Enchanted Rock is named after a giant rock that inspired fear in both Indians and settlers alike. The Indians of the area believed the huge rock was inhabited by ghosts, and early adventurers avoided exploration for years by because they believed it swallowed people.
Located mid-state near Fredericksburg, the Enchanted Rock sits right on the edge of the Big Sandy Creek. It is one of the biggest "batholiths" (giant underground rocks) that has been uncovered by erosion. Nowadays, the ghosts are all gone, and you can go hiking, climbing and backpacking on the rock. If you don't feel up to climbing it, there are plenty of hiking trails that surround the rock, where you can get a good view of it.
Unfortunately, you won't be staying in your motor home right at the edge of the rock. The camping close to the rock has no RV hookups and no sites big enough to pull in to. You're better staying in Fredericksburg. One good spot in Fredericksburg is the Fredericksburg RV Park, a nice facility with all the conveniences you could want. It has 100 sites, Internet access, cable TV and pretty scenery. They take reservations
If you don't want to be land-locked, Padre Island National Seashore is an option. It is located just south of Corpus Christi, and stretches along the Laguna Madre. It is a barrier island with lots of wildlife, native plants and activities to enjoy. It's the longest stretch of undeveloped barrier island in the world.
In addition to the ocean, Padre Island has rare animals including exotic birds and sea turtles. Watching the birds and the sea turtle releases are big tourist attractions. There is also great camping, a sky full of stars, and outdoor activities like bicycling to enjoy.
Destination South Padre RV Resort is perfect for all rigs. It's made specifically for recreational vehicles and offers a great view of the Laguna. It can be crowded during the tourist season, but with great views of the Gulf of Mexico and cooling ocean breezes, it is a popular spot. They take reservations.
There are things to do and see throughout the state. You can easily spend a couple of weeks touring around the state. The Lone Star State is a great place to explore with your recreational vehicle.
I was just in Hooters which was in a pier, off the sea wall, out over the Gulf a few weeks ago. I had a great Tuna sandwich on the back deck, sitting on top of and looking out over the water. It was peaceful, it was relaxing, it was there, something that can no longer be said. Concrete and pillars remain as a shadow of what used to be.
My favorite souvenir shop where I bought my kids sea shells & t-shirts is also a faded memory, nothing but sticks on the beach and in the water.
The Lone Star Rally is one of my favorite events, something I look forward to every year. A little Bourbon Street madness on the Strand, all kinds of vendors and events galore. The great weather, the biker community celebrities and the awesome new biker stuff.
Moody Gardens was suppose to host the Beach Boys but now they have to remove the beach which crawled it's way into the lobby and probably a couple of floors above. Hotels which would have been full in another 6 weeks will probably still be replacing walls and hoping for a working sewer system.
I live north of Houston & let me tell you Ike was one sneaky SOB. The beginning of the storm up until the eye wall was just what you would expect. Some rain, some wind, a bit gusty at times and the ensuing blackout. No big deal, been there done that, got the t-shirt to prove it!
The back end of that storm was un-freekin-believable, killer winds and torrential downpours of rain. Trees falling over, roots & all, fences down, glass rattling so hard, you're waiting for the implosion. Ike did more damage in the last hour than he had in the previous 5.
Yes I did say he, that was one thinking storm. How do you get your self graded as a force 2 and do more damage than a force 4 or 5. You've got to be one thinking, deceptive entity!
We hadn't had much rain for quite a while so there was no way that rock hard, dried out ground could soften up enough in a few hours to have trees falling over, or so we thought! In the beginning Ikey rained & blew just enough to soften the ground and weaken the root systems of the trees. Then, like a great fighter with a one two knock out punch, he came back around and ripped the trees right out of the ground, throwing them through buildings, fences and cars.
Here's a little history straight from Milton Elford's account which appears in: Halstead, Murat, Galveston: the Horrors of a Stricken City (1900) "When they awoke on the morning of September 8, 1900, the 38,000 residents of Galveston, Texas were unaware that this day would be their city's last. They had no idea that before the day was done, 8,000 of their fellow citizens would perish with the city. The culprit was a hurricane. The storm swept in off the Gulf of Mexico packing winds up to 135 mph - a category 4 storm in modern terminology. The storm propelled a fifteen-foot surge of water before it; easily swamping the 8.7-foot-high island that Galveston called home. Together, the wind and the water destroyed everything in their path and created the worst natural disaster in America's history."
See any similarities? If you continue to investigate, you'll notice a lot of similarities. The one thing that is totally dissimilar (thank God for the forced evacuation) was the death toll.
I sure do hope the Rally is postponed and not canceled. I'm hoping for a somewhat speedy recovery so the island will be capable of hosting it. The title surge knocked around everything but that Texan breed Galvestonian spirit.
The Lone Star Rally merchants look forward to the crazy bikers streaming in with their attitude of fun and their willingness to drop a little coin. The bikers look forward to the events, checking out the new stuff and enjoying a little hair down letting.
This time of the year is beautiful in Texas and I sure will miss visiting my favorite restaurants and bars when I ride down that way. As it appears now, they are no longer there.
I hope they rebuilt it soon. The island has come a long way since I started going in the 80's and I've enjoyed seeing it come of age. It is truly one of my favorite places. Knowing many people from there, I know they have that "6 Million Dollar Man" attitude. We can rebuild it, We can make it better!
Has Ike decimated the Lone Star Rally? The answer is NO! The Rally is still on and Galveston is dedicated to making it what it always has been, One Great Time! I just hope that everyone that was going is still going and even more show up in support of this beaten but not knocked out community.
"Long Live Galveston and Long Live The Lone Star Rally!
Both Andrew Stratton & Vance Lane are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Andrew Stratton has sinced written about articles on various topics from Motorola Cell Phone, Tummy Tucks Before and After and Political and Social. Texas is one of the largest states in the Union and it has a variety of activities for vacationers to enjoy. From mountains to beaches, Texas has much t. Andrew Stratton's top article generates over 246000 views. to your Favourites.
Vance Lane has sinced written about articles on various topics from Gift Ideas, Motorcycle Tips and Motorola Cell Phone. The Time Rider,Time Rider(TRACLLP) is a company created by bikers for bikers offering motorcycle tours, a character with a story line and a product line called