Texas RV Travel blog

Cowtown Classic Bicycle Ride

North Crowley High School, 9100 S. Hulen Street, Fort Worth, Texas 76123 (MAPSCO 103T)
Saturday, September 06, 2008
Estimated Event Size: 1000
20, 40 and 62 mile rides for charity through Tarrant and Johnson Counties. The start/finish line will be at the south-side of

La Vernia Wild West HammerFest Bicycle Ride

City Park, San Antonio Road, LaVernia, Texas
Saturday, September 13, 2008
34, 55, 63 mile rides on pavement. Bring the family for Festival, Arts & Crafts Show, Food & Fun!

Tour De Florence

The Vineyard at Florence, 4 miles east of Florence on FM 487.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
15, 35, 45 and 62 mile rides through the scenic back roads of Florence and Williamson County with rest stops. Families will be treated to face painting, jumping balloon and other activities for the kids, including kids fun ride within the vineyard. Adults will enjoy the wine tasting and music.

OmniSYS Cotton Patch Classic Tour

Greenville, Texas
Saturday , September 20, 2008
Estimated Event Size: 650
20-mile, 30-mile, 40-mile, 55-mile, 65-mile bike tours. While you participate in a first class bicycle tour, the rest of the family can enjoy a variety of music, food, kids activities, a Classic Car Show, a Railfest at the Old Katy Depot. Stay and enjoy a concert from the Kenneth Threadgill Series at the historic Downtown Greenville Municipal auditorium.

OmniSYS Cottonpatch Classic USCF RACE

Greenville, Texas
Saturday, September 20 and Sunday, September 21, 2008
Event Attributes: Criterium, Stage Race
Estimated Event Size: 40
Distance: 65 miles
USCF Ride Start Time: 725 AM

Cyclefest Tour & Hill Climb

Prude Ranch, Fort Davis, Texas
September 20 and September 21, 2008
Tour provides varying distance routes from 10, 25, 55 and 75 miles.
Cyclefest is one of the most scenic Bike Tour in the state of Texas with beautiful vistas, easy novice routes and challenging hills.

Big Thicket Bicycle Ride

Big Thicket Visitors Center, Beaumont, Texas
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Rides of 14, 36, 46, 75 and 101 miles on scenic South East Texas/Big Thicket byways. The natural terrain is challenging. There will be manned rest stops with restrooms, snacks and drinks.

Waco Wild West Century Bicycle Tour

100 University Parks Drive, Waco, Texas
Saturday, September 27, 2008
10-mile family friendly route goes through beautiful Cameron Park and downtown Waco.
26-mile route is also fun for families and recreational riders. This route is quite flat.
50 & 65-mile routes are relatively flat with a few challenging hills.
100-mile Presidential Tour takes riders on scenic roads throughout McLennan County.

Conquer the Coast Bicycle Tour

Whataburger Field, Corpus Christi, Texas
Saturday, September 27-Sunday, September 28, 2008
25 mile cruise along Ocean Drive, 65 mile ride and a 65 mile ride including the “Toughest 18 Miles in Texas” Time Trial on Padre Island.

Cy-Fair Lions 9th Annual Biking for Sight Century

Montgomery,Texas
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Estimated Event Size: 600
Cycle through some of the most beautiful Texas landscape. The 24 mile route takes you past an exotic animal farm, while the 40, 62 and 100 mile routes take you through the Sam Houston National Forest.

NOTE: In addition to providing all the fun, food and fellowship, many of these bike rides support local charities and civic organizations. Your participation is appreciated and bring much needed funds to many worthy causes.

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There are many Market Days and Farmers’ Markets in Central Texas.

Usually Farmers’ Markets are for best for local grown fruits, vegetables, and homemade jams, jellies and salsas. During Market Days, anything goes! You will find antiques, furniture, collectibles, jewelry, crafts, candles, music CDs, Mexican imports, bird houses, hats, clothing, leather goods, books, plants, wind chimes, sculpture, glass catchers, gazing balls, framed art, drawings, photography, nuts, baked goods, honey butter, homemade preserves and canned fruits. You will also meet the people who grew, made or crafted the items you are buying.

Bastrop Farmers’ Market is open year-round on Fridays from 1 to 5 PM and Saturdays from 10 AM to 2 PM. Bastrop’s Farmer’s Market is part of the River Valley Farmers Market Association, so everything offered for sale is grown and produced by the merchant. Bring your egg cartons, planting pots, canning jars or bags (paper or plastic) to the market for recycling. WIC coupons accepted. After shopping, take a tour of historic Bastrop or relax at one of the many parks in Bastrop.

Blanco Market Day
Historic Courthouse Square
Blanco, Texas

Blanco Market Day is held every third Saturday of the month March through November on the front lawn of the courthouse. Setup time for vendors is 730 AM and Market Day ends around 4 PM. Dogs are welcome! After you shop, grab a periwinkle blue bike (Blanco Blue Bike) for FREE use at one of several locations around Blanco. Grab a bike an pedal out to swim or fish at Blanco State Park.

Boerne Market Dat
Main Square Gazebo
Boerne, Texas

Boerne Market Days are held the second weekend of each month. Items for sale include antiques, arts and crafts, clothing, pottery, jewelry, Texas souvenirs and gourmet food products. Eat lunch on Main Street or enjoy a picnic on the banks of the Cibola Creek. Plan to visit the Cibolo Nature Center.

Elgin Farmers Market
410 North Main (next to Elgin Library)
Elgin, Texas

Elgin Farmer’s Market is part of the River Valley Farmers Market Association. Everything offered for sale is grown and produced by the merchants. Open seasonally on Tuesdays from 1 PM to sellout. Bring your egg cartons, planting pots, canning jars or bags (paper or plastic) to the market for recycling. WIC coupons accepted. While you are in Elgin, stop at Southside Market or Meyer’s Elgin Sausage for some famous Elgin Hot Sausage.

Gruene Market Days
1641 Hunter Road
New Braunfels, Texas

Market Days in Gruene are held on the third full weekend of the month, from February through November, and on the first weekend of December. Market day opens at 10 AM and closes at 5 PM. Gruene Market Days are special in that all products are made by the vendors themselves. Admission is free. While you are there, eat at the Grist Mill on the Guadalupe River, take a tubing trip, or stick around to hear live music at the oldest dance hall in Texas, Gruene Hall.

Kyle Market Day and Farmers Market
Front Street (between Kyle City Hall and the Historic Train Depot) under the Water Tower

Kyle Market Day is held the first Saturday of the month, April through November, 9 AM to 2 PM. Enjoy live music by popular local musicians. Stroll along the downtown streets and view the local attractions. Take a swim in the Municipal Swimming Pool, located in Gregg-Clark Park.

San Marcos Farmers Market
204 S. Edward Gary
San Marcos, Texas

This market is a member of the San Marcos/New Braunfels Farmers Market Association, a non-profit organization formed to provide a place where Central Texas farmers may market their fresh, homegrown and homemade products to the local consumer. San Marcos Farmers Market is open every Tuesday, year round, from 3 to 6 PM. This market offers homegrown fruits and vegetables, homemade breads and pastries, fresh eggs, homemade salsa, jams and jellies, flowers and plants. Find lavender in all forms and other natural products. Bring your swimsuits and swim or tube down the crystal clear San Marcos River across the street from the market place. Grab a trolley and go shopping at the Outlet Mall,

Sunset Valley Farmers Market
3200 Jones Road
Sunset Valley, Texas

Open every Saturday morning from 9 AM to 1 PM. The emphasis is on organic, sustainable production of food. This farmers’ market has won awards for being one of the best in the area, state and nation. Enjoy live music and bring your dogs!

Wimberley Farmers’ Market
Lions Field on FM 2325
Wimberley, Texas

The Wimberley Farmers Market is open every Wednesday from 3 to 6 PM. Park directly across the street.

Wimberley Market Days
Lions Field on FM 2325
Wimberley, Texas

Wimberley Market Days are held on the first Saturday of each month from March or April through December, from 7 AM to 3 PM. With approximately 450 vendors, this is the second largest flea market in Texas. No dogs allowed, but there are kennels where you may board Fluffy. The event is free, but you must pay for parking.

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Texas Cowboy Reunion and Rodeo
July 3-6
Texas Cowboy Reunion Grounds; Business Loop 277
Stamford, TX 79553 (close to Abilene, Texas)
(325) 773-3138

The Texas Cowboy Reunion and Rodeo corrals about 500 cowboys from all over the Southwest and Texas for the world’s largest amateur rodeo. Rodeo prizes include cash, trophies and handmade saddles. Dance beneath the stars to live country, western swing and honky tonk music. Enjoy the fiddler contests, Western art show and cowboy poetry. Sample food served from chuck wagons.If this does not sound exciting enough, take a look at the Wild Mare Racing event.

Camping and RVing Notes:

Stamford Park (325/773-2411) has picnic sites, camping areas with hook-ups, cabins and a fishing house. Silo Scott Memorial Park (940/864-3779) has picnic and camping areas with hook-ups.

Lake Stamford is a 4,690-acre lake that is popular for fishing, boating, water skiing and some of the best fishing around. It is a power plant lake, so the fishing is good in the winter as well.

• Lake Stamford Marina, 120 Marina Drive, Stamford, TX 79553, (325) 773-2095
• Anchor Marina Lodge, 788 Anchor Lane, Haskell, TX 79521, (940) 864-3779

What to See and Do:

Evidently there is a lot of ghostly activity in Stamford and the surrounding area. Visit Ghosts of America for more information.

Make sure you visit the Texas Cowboy Museum  located at 113 S. Wetherbee Street, across from the Chamber of Commerce. View original paintings and prints by noted cowboy artists; farm and ranch artifacts from early 20th century, including living room/kitchen and blacksmith shop. The museum is open Monday to Friday from 8 am until 5 pm.

The Stamford Centennial Monument ?was sculpted by Throckmorton artist Joe Barrington, This 15-foot tall sculpture of a cowboy on a bucking horse crossing a railroad track was unveiled June 2000.

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ROT Biker Rally

June 12 - June 15, 2008

Travis County Expo Center
7311 Decker Lane
Austin, Texas 78724

The Republic of Texas (ROT) Biker Rally The state’s largest motorcycle gathering attracts thousands of bikers for rides, parades and music. At the 2006 ROT Rally, the Guinness Book Record for the Longest Parade of Motorcycles in the World was broken as thousands of motorcycles cruised from the Expo Center to Congress Avenue!

• 70 bands, 4 stages, 3 days Big names are Charlie Daniels Band, Johnny Winters, Three Dog Night, Molly Hatchet, Big Brother and the Holding Company, Canned Heat, Ray Wiley Hubbard, Billy Joe Shaver, Joe Ely, Black Oak Arkansas.

EVENTS

Xtreme Fighting
2008 Celebrity Bike Builders
Austin Speed Shop Invitational
2008 Tattoo Contest
Art-fusion Experiment
Military Bike Give-Away
Big Texas Chop Off
Texas Roller Girls
Stand Up Comedy
World Famous Wall of Death
Biker Games by Buda
Ride - In- Bike Show
Motorcycle Parade
ROT BARS
Congress Ave. Party
Vendors Vendors Vendors

RVing Tip: On-site RV parking is sold out. View this page for local RV parks and maps.

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History

On June 19, 1865, Union Major General Gordon Granger read General Order #3 to the assembled people in Galveston, Texas.

The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free . . .

Today, this historic event is celebrated around the world as not only an African-American independence day, but as a celebration of the culture, the history and the countless contributions made by people of color to the world. For more information, please read my post from last year, Juneteenth in Texas.

Texas Celebrations

June 8-19, 2008 - Celebrate Juneteenth where it began, in Galveston. This huge Juneteenth event includes a Jubilee parade, picnic, prayer services, musicals, educational exhibits, demonstrations and more. Please visit the Juneteenth website for more information.

June 14, 2008 - Elgin celebrates Juneteenth on the second weekend in June with a parade, pageant, dance and festival. The events take place in downtown Elgin at the Veterans’ Memorial Park. For more information, contact Byron Mitchell at 512-281-9582 or the Elgin Chamber of Commerce.

June 19, 2008 - The George Bush Presidential Library in College Station hosts Freedom’s Legacy: Drumbeats of African American Heritage. The Annual Freedom Walk will depart from the Lincoln Center at 9am en route to the George Bush Presidential Library & Museum. A free storytelling celebration will be open to the public from 10:30-11:30am featuring Elizabeth Kahura, Storyteller and Educator.

June 19, 2008 - Attend a Gulf Coast Juneteenth in Hermann Park in Houston at 7pm. This concert merges creole and cowboy culture, zydeco and gospel music, with a mix of blues, jazz and deep southern soul. The concert features the ReBirth Brass Band, Geno Delafose and French Rockin’ Boogie, Sherman Robertson and Trudy Lynn.

June 20-21, 2008 - San Marcos, Texas hosts the oldest known annual celebration of the ending of slavery. Festivities include an old fashion picnic, BBQ cook-off, and festivities for the entire family. Saturday activities will be held at San Marcos Plaza. For more information, contact Harvey Miller at (512) 396-4903. For BBQ cook-off (Saturday) information, please contact David Peterson (512) 738-2583.

June 20-21, 2008 - Denton Juneteeth Celebration includes beauty pageants, gospel extravaganza, BBQ Cookoff, co-ed softball and basketball tournaments.

Other Ways to Celebrate

This year, we have a Black democratic candidate for the President of the United States. Read the story of Barack Obama and his journey towards the White House.

Read the Buffalo Soldiers Tribute. Did you know the Black soldiers were nicknamed “buffalo soldiers” by the Cheyenne Indians out of respect and acknowledgment of the fierce fighting ability of the 10th Cavalry?

Explore Black Cowboys on the Internet. Did you know that The character, Joshua Deets, portrayed by Danny Glover in the movie Lonesome Dove,i s based on Bose Ikard. Bose rode with both Oliver Loving and Charles Goodnight.

Juneteenth * Remember * Celebrate * Learn * Discover

Tags: Juneteenth, June 19th, emancipation day

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