Crossroads Trailer Sales  (1230 Harding Hwy. Newfield, NJ 08344)  is having their annual Photography Contest.

… looking for your best animal photograph from your camping or RVing trip – whether it’s funny, silly, beautiful, or just interesting. Your entry must be a photo that you have taken, or a photo that someone has taken on your behalf.

The contest is open NOW and closes June 3, 2012.  Winner will be announced June 10.  Crossroads Trailer Sales will select a grand prize winner to receive $250 cash. One second place winner will receive $100 cash, and one third place winner will receive $50 cash.

Website: http://www.crossroadstrailers.com/contest-rules.asp

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/CrossroadsTrailers/app_208195102528120

My Entry

Rags, the RVing Dog

San Antonio Sacred Spaces

In San Antonio are many haunted, religious and spiritual places: the Alamo, Menger Hotel, the Mission Trail, Paseo Del Rio, San Fernando Cathedral, the Catholic Universities and the Oblate retreat.

Oblates of Mary Immaculate

The Oblates of Mary Immaculate of the Southern U.S. Province erected the most perfect replica of the Lourdes Grotto in the USA. It is the spiritual center of the Missionary Association of Mary Immaculate and Oblate Missions. Located on park-like grounds of five acres, the Grotto honors Our Blessed Mother as Our Lady of Lourdes in the Old World and as Our Lady of Guadalupe in the New World

The Grotto

The Grotto is concrete shaped to resemble the cave in which the Blessed Mother appeared to St. Bernadette in Lourdes. Within the grotto a statue of Our Lady of Lourdes looks down upon Bernadette who is kneeling in prayer.

The Hill of Tepeyac

Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared to Juan Diego.  First, beautiful music was heard from the hill. Then the music stopped and a gentle woman’s voice said, “”Juanito, Juan Dieguito.” When he reached the summit, he saw a Lady standing there who told him to come near. He marveled greatly at her superhuman grandeur. Her garments were shining like the sun and the cliff where she rested her feet was pierced with glitter.

Climb the walkways on the backside of the grotto and light candles, leave flowers, annoint yourself with Lourdes water or leave little men and women statues and body parts, representing the people for whom you are praying.  You will be amazed at this shrine.

Information

Both the Grotto and the Hill of Tepeyac sites welcome pilgrims from around the world and serve as eternal signs of hope for all who visit.The Lourdes Grotto & Guadalupe Tepeyac open 7 days a week 5am -10pm Admission is free. Prayer requests, Lourdes water and gifts are available

• Map to “Our Lady of Guadalupe & Tepeyac de San Antonio”
• Grotto Events & Mass Calendar

We spent eight days at San Luis Pass Park in Brazoria County, a small park on the tip of Treasure Island. This 15-acre park had a view of West Galveston or Chocolate Bay from every space or cabin. There was plenty of parking for boat trailers and cars. Clean bathrooms and laundry, along with the friendliest staff in Texas, made this stay a very pleasant experience. RV facilities include 69 paved sites with full hookup. Back-in and pull-through sites were available with 30 and 50 amp services. Wi-fi was free and could be accessed everywhere in the park.  We also had free cable TV!

If I could not stay here in an RV, I would opt for one of the cabins on the point by the wetlands.  We paid $32 per night for premium waterfront  spot.  I consider this money well spent.  We did a lot of sitting around watching brown pelicans fishing and fish jumping out of the water.  There were hermit crabs everywhere and you had to watch it or you could step/drive on them.  We saw herons, roseate spoonbills and many birds with which I was not familiar.

San Luis Pass Park is where the fisher folk go to catch seriously large fish. It is on an island which juts into San Luis Pass. The pass cuts through Galveston Island and is another could-have-been port planned and destroyed by a hurricane in the past. In the slideshow above, there is an aerial view of the pass.  The huge structures that look like blue snakes are cuts through the sand bars (greyish brown mounds).  In fact, you must know the area to fish from a boat or carry an oar.  Seriously.

The bridge that crosses the pass ($2 toll) is the beginning of the Bluewater Highway, which runs from San Luis Pass to Surfside. There are bird sanctuaries and estuaries along the highway and the air is full of birds and bird song.  This is a wonderful part of the coast, one I had not seen in 45 years. What a nice surprise!  We were surrounded by various chemical companies on a small strip of land that had been battered and reduced by several hurricanes, but there was a fragile beauty to the entire area.

The next time we go to the coast, we are going to stay at Quintana Park, which is also a Brazoria County Park with RV spaces.