Texas RV Travel blog

April 11-13, 2008

25th Annual Bluebonnet Festival

Burnet, Texas

Plan to arrive at the historic square in Burnet in the afternoon and take the kids to the carnival or visit the arts and crafts vendors on the historic square. At 530 pm, there will be a Confederate Air Force fly over, followed by a pet parade and a street dance with live music.

Saturday, you may enjoy a cowboy breakfast, golf tournament or car show. Participate in the 5K Bluebonnet Fun Run or the Kiwanis Bluebonnet Bicycle Tour while the kids enjoy their own fun run or bicycle decorating contest. View the Festival Grand Parade, grab a bus to the Highland Lakes CAF Air Show or watch one of the Burnet Gunfighter’s Shootouts in Old West Town. The night belongs to live music, street dance and a destruction derby.

Sunday begins at 730 am with the Bluebonnet Golf Tournament or at 10 am with the Car Show. Do not miss the Weiner Dog Race or the Highland Lakes Birding and Wildflower Show.

Believe it or not, I have not listed all the activities for this festival. Download a PDF of the schedule by right-clicking here or visit the Burnet Chamber website for race and parade forms.

2008 Bluebonnet Festival

Chappell Hill, Texas

Chappell Hill is located in beautiful Washington County, which is an epicenter for wildflower activities. Held in the National Historic District, this festival features 250+ juried exhibitors in the areas of home décor, gardening, artists, craftsmen, jewelry and clothing. Enjoy food and beverages, live entertainment and music and tours of the historic community. There is a special children’s activity corner for pony rides, petting zoo, face painting and barrel train. Admission is free, parking $5. Visit Chappell Hill Museum website for more details.

 Wildflower Driving Trails

Washington County (Central) Texas - Wildflower Watch - Bluebonnet Trails Map (PDF)

Rusk County (East) Texas - Driving Tours from Henderson - Wildflower Driving Trails (PDF)

Ennis (North) Texas- Local Sightings - Bluebonnet Trail Map (PDF)

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Rio Grande Valley

The Rio Grande Valley (RGV) of Texas is a world-class birding spot. Follow the path of the Rio Grande River, from resacas to riverine woodlands, from arid chaparral to coastal prairie to coastal wetlands (west to east), and from temperate farmlands to subtropical climes (north to south).

The Mississippi and the Central flyways, join in the spring and diverge in the fall just north of the RGV. These flyways serve as a funnel for all types of feathered visitors into the avian wonderland that is the Rio Grande Valley.

Click to read article about birding in the Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV) by seasons.

The World Birding Center

Over 10,000 acres are planned to become part of the WBC, helping to protect native habitat while increasing the understanding and appreciation of the birds and wildlife.

Currently, The World Birding Center is a network of nine sites strung along 120 miles of road from South Padre Island to Roma, Texas. The habitats are as diverse as the sites, which makes this the richest birding area north of the border.

• Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park-762 acres of wilderness and headquarters of WBC
• Edinburg Scenic Wetlands-oasis for water-loving birds and butterflies
• Estero Llano Grande State Park-almost 200 acres of wetlands
• Harlingen Arroyo Colorado-55 acres of Texas Ebony woodlands meet 40 acres of mixed upland thorn forest
• Old Hidalgo Pumphouse-historic museum planted with hummingbird gardens
• Quinta Mazatlan-historic Spanish Revival adobe hacienda surrounded by lush tropical landscaping and native woodlands
• Resaca de la Palma State Park-1700 semi- tropical acres
• Roma Bluffs-riverside nature area of three acres is part of a national historic district
• South Padre Island Birding and Nature Center-50 acres of dune meadows, salt marsh and intertidal flats, thickets of native shrubs and trees

For birding checklists for each of the sites above, please visit the WBC.

Tags: world birding center, rio grande valley, birding, central flyway

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BatFest

Austin, Texas
Saturday, September 1, 2007 (2 pm to midnight)
Sunday, September 2, 2007 (2-10 pm)

Party on the Congress Street Bridge over Town Lake during BatFest. Congress Bridge will be closed and there will be a music in the air from the stages at either end of the bridge.

View tentative music schedule on Roadway Productions website.

Between the stages is where the party happens. Visit arts & crafts and food booths while the kids participate in activities. Wear a bat costume and enter the contest! Bring your cameras!

Watch 1.5 million Free Tail Bats exit from under the bridge at dusk.

$4 admission, Kids 10 and under FREE. Proceeds benefit Bat Conservation International.

Tags: Bat Fest, Bat Conservation International, keep Austin weird

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You may watch Live Earth : Concerts for a Climate in Crisis on MSN. Select bands are being featured on the Sundance Channel. Look around your TV dial, some other independent stations may be carrying it as well.

The entire idea behind Live Earth is that, if we care about the Earth, which we should, we may each take small steps toward positive change. The impact of many small steps is HUGE. Do not think you cannot make a difference–you can!

If you would like more information about steps toward positive change that you may take, please visit my other blog, Endangered Spaces or the Live Earth site.

I would like to share a funny story with you.

When organizers for Live Earth concert where looking for venues (7 concerts on 7 continents on 07/07/07), they wanted to schedule a concert in our nation’s capital, Washington, DC.

They were unable to because of the objections of a small group of Republican lawmakers, led by Oklahoma Senator James Inhofe. Inhofe blocked a bipartisan resolution that would have permitted Gore to choose the Capitol’s West Front as a Live Earth concert venue. “There has never been a partisan political event at the Capitol, and this is a partisan political event,” said Inhofe in March.

So the native people of the USA stepped up and offered the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian as a venue.

From the website of National Museum of the American Indian:

Preserving the health of Mother Earth is the gravest responsibility of our generation. Taking up this challenge begins with a call to consciousness. . . . there is no more important matter before humankind today, we are honored to bring to the museum musical and cultural talent, and speakers from the scientific and American Indian cultural communities, in the spirit of the Live Earth message.

Back to the funny story:

Live Earth maintains that it is not a partisan political event but is supported by people of all political stripes. “The calvary didn’t ride to the rescue, the American Indians did,” Gore told CBS TV today.

Only in America . . .

Tags: Live Earth concert, Al Gore, SOS, American Indians

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Longhorn Cavern
Photograph from TPWD (all rights reserved)

Two to three times each month, there is live entertainment in the cave at Longhorn Cavern State Park. Just the musician(s), their instrument(s), and the acoustics of the cavern, a truly unplugged performance.

Concerts: 6-830 pm
Check In: 545 pm
Reservations are highly recommended.
512-756-4680
877-441-CAVE

Date Performer
July 7 Emily Kaitz
July 14 Jamison Priest
July 28 Steve Hopkins
Aug. 11 Gustavo Rodriguez
Aug. 25 PENDING
Sept. 1 Bruce Jones
Sept. 8 Jan Seides
Sept. 22 Frank Meyer
Oct. 6 Forest Wayne Allen
Oct. 20 Jazz Piano Concert with Joseph Cordi
Nov. 10 The Lonesome Heroes
Nov. 24 Victoria B.

Dinner is available before the concert. Check out the the website for Longhorn Cavern, which is run by a private company.

Enchanted Rock is close to cave and is available for walk-in and backpack camping not accessible by car. Rates are $15 and $10, respectively.

While you are in the area, you will want to see Lake Buchanan, Lake LBJ and Inks Lake, three of the Highland Lake chain formed by dams on the Colorado River. They are full this year and you will be in for some of the best fishing, boating and scenery in Texas. Lake Marble Falls is a beautiful lake as well. Flooding in June 2007 limits use of this lake for awhile.

Lake Buchanan:Cedar Lodge Waterfront Resort is on Lake Buchanan, about 12 miles from the cavern. They have cabins and camping. Four-way hookup RV-sites (water, electric, septic, cable) are tucked away in the trees and take full advantage of a spectacular 7-mile view of Lake Buchanan. The pop up campsites have water and electric. We also have restroom and shower facilities within 25 yards of the hookups. Wireless high-speed Internet is offered. On-site laundry facilities are also available for our guests to use. The sites are $26 per night for 4-way hookups, $22 per night for pop ups, and $18 per night for camping. Pets allowed on leash.

Lake LBJ:

Heart of Texas Lake Resort is located on 7.5 acres, shaded by gigantic 100 year old Pecan trees, and has 510 feet of shaded waterfront on Lake LBJ. Condos, cabins and lake house for rent. RV Park is 100 yards from the lake. Each of the 24 spaces have 4-way hookups with 30 and 50 AMP electricity, septic, water, cable TV, phone jacks. Rate of $22 per night. Pets allowed on leash. Wi-fi available in some areas of park.

Inks Lake:

Inks Lake RV Park is a peaceful, relaxing camping facility where guests can enjoy an RV vacation and the best of the Inks Lake area. The park is located midway between Burnet and the Buchanan Dam on Highway 29, and is convenient to all of the Highland Lakes and communities.

Inks Lake State Park was affected by flooding in June 2007. It is currently closed for renovations. Please check with the park before planning to stay here. Campsites with water hookups are $12 per night, walk-in campsites with electric (20 amp) are $18 per night, campsites with electric and water hookups are $18 per night, limited use cabins are $45 per night.

There are all types of accommodations in the area.

Tags: Longhorn Caverns SP, Simple Sounds Concerts, Cave Concerts, natural cave acoustics

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