Archive for the 'RV Parks' Category

Jun 25 2008

Posted by CyberCelt under Beach, Birding, Family Fun, Fish/Hunt, Kayak/canoe/tube, Nature, RV Parks, RV Travel, Scuba/Snorkel, Wildlife Watching

Island Time in Port Aransas

All roads lead to Port A

Port Aransas

Port Aransas is an island paradise tucked away on the Gulf Coast, reached by car ferry from Aransas Pass or by driving up Mustang Island from Corpus Christi. Port Aransas is the only town on Mustang Island and inhabits 8 miles of the 18-mile long barrier island. Everything moves on Island Time in Port Aransas, so relax and enjoy all that this Texas treasure has to offer.

Boardwalk over Dunes

The bays, jetties and deep Gulf waters offer the finest fishing around. Take an excursion for sport fishing, spearfishing or scuba diving. Grab the Jetty Boat to St. Jo Island for a few hours or the day. Sign up for a sunset cruise, a gambling or a dolphin encounter.

Visit the Fennessey Ranch, 4,000 acres of wetlands, meadows and natural lakes for discovery and photography. More than 500 species of birds visit annually, making Port A one of the most popular birding destinations in Texas.

Dune grasses wave in the sunset

Rent a bike or electric buggie to zip around the town. Kayak, kite board or surf. Build a sandcastle or just lay back and relax the temperate climate. Remember, you are on island time.

RVers will love Port Aransas. Some of the RV parks in Port A are right on the beach. Others are located inland within walking distance to restaurants or on the trolley route. Some offer amenities like pools, wi-fi and cable.

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Jun 16 2008

Posted by CyberCelt under Day Trips, Family Fun, Museums, Nature, RV Parks, RV Travel, Rivers

Dinosaurs in Texas

You may view and walk upon dinosaur tracks in many areas of Texas.

Austin

I will never forget when I was walking to class at University of Texas-Austin and stumbled upon this old building that housed an entire dinosaur trackway from the Paluxy River. These tracks are famous because they depict the tracking of a plant eating dinosaur by a meat eating dinosaur. These tracks are impressive and are currently undergoing restoration.

Big Bend

Many bones and fossils have been found in Big Bend. I am going to research it and put it together as a separate post.

Blanco River

Outside of Blanco Texas in the Blanco River, you will see sauropod tracks. Read this post for more information: Have You Ever Seen Sauropod Tracks.

Boerne

The Boerne Lake Spillway has been made off limits to visitors. You may see casts of these tracks at the Cibilo Nature Center.

Canyon Lake

Heritage Museum of the Texas Hill Country has the most dinosaur tracks in Texas. These tracks were made formed in the upper part of the Glen Rose Formation, approximately 100 million years ago.

Heritage Museum of the Texas Hill Country Association

Canyon Lake Gorge

The Canyon Lake Gorge was created by floodwaters that escaped over the Canyon Lake Spillway during the Flood Event of 2002. A group of paleontologists from the University of Texas–Austin are “documenting fossil invertebrate fauna” within the Glen Rose formation exposed by the Gorge. “One especially fossiliferous unit has yielded specimens representing at least 60 species of 40 genera.” These fossils will be exhibited in the new Canyon Gorge visitor’s center. I have heard that there are dinosaur tracks, but cannot find any mention of them on the Canyon Lake Gorge site.

Dinosaur Valley State Park

The Paluxy River is one of the more scenic tributaries of the Brazos River and widely known for the dinosaur tracks exposed at various places in its streambed. Some of the tracks were collected and placed on exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History in New York; other tracks collected nearby were put on exhibit at the Texas Memorial Museum in Austin. Luckily, there are many left to view!

Dinosaur Valley State Park contains some of the best preserved dinosaur tracks in the world. The tracks are located in the Paluxy River, so call to make sure they are visible: 254/897-4588 The park’s Interpretive Center features a section of these sauropod and carnosaur (meat-eating dinosaur) tracks.

Facilities at the park include campsites with water and electric hookups, a picnic table, fire ring and/or grill; restrooms with showers. Backpack campsites are 1 to 2.5 mile hike in the North Primitive area (no restrooms in the area, water is available at the trail head); Day use only horseback riding is allowed in the South Equestrian Area; There are 12 miles of hike and bike trails. The area hosts many species of both resident and migrant birds including the endangered Golden-Cheek Warbler and the Black-Capped Vireo along with wildturkeys.

Fort Worth Museum of Science and History

Dinosaur Roundup will be on display June 7 through September 27, 2008 on the first floor of the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame, the temporary home of the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History while a new facility is built. Explore Lone Star Dinosaurs online.

Houston Museum of Natural Science Hall of Paleontology

The Houston Museum of Natural Science’s Hall of Paleontology contains more than 450 fossils and fossil replicas, providing a vivid glimpse into the incredible 3.5-billion year story of life on Earth. From the humble trilobite to the mighty Tyrannosaurus rex, Visit their blog, BEYONDbones.

Waco Mamnoth Site

In 1978, two local residents found skeletal remains of 25 mammoths thought to have lived 68,000 years ago. Researchers believe all these mammoths died at this one place, from the same cause. The find is not available to the public, but plans for a National Park are on the table.

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Jun 11 2008

Posted by CyberCelt under Birding, Camping, Hike/Bike/Run, Lakes, Other Countries, Politics, RV Parks, Reviews, Rivers

Hotter ‘n Hell Bicycle Races

The Wind Never Stops and it is Hotter’n Hell

Hotter\'n Hell 100 Bike Ride

June 10, 2008 in WICHITA FALLS, TX:

High Temperature: Actual: 97°F
Normal: 90°F
Record: 105°F

The Hotter’N Hell Hundred endurance race is one of the oldest and largest cycling events in the USA.

With the huge consumer products show, off-road mountain biking and USCF Races over the weekend, the Hotter’N Hell offers an awesome start and the greatest weekend on two wheels. Fitness riders and bicycle racers will come to Wichita Falls, in August, from almost everywhere to participate. Races begin at 7am (sunrise) and end at the Finish Line Village. But, first, you must pass through Hell’s Gate.

Off Road Biking on 10-mile off-road trail is open all day. Help comes for you at 6 pm on Friday and 1 pm on Saturday. This natural trail is single track with quick short climbs and drops. Off-roading requires skill and caution on the part of the rider.

Registration and Races

All the excitement of the HH100 begins with Registration for one or all races held during the weekend.

8/22/2008
Wee-Chi-Tah Trail Races
Mountain Bike (13 miles) and Trail Run (
5, 10, 13 miles)
online registration closes 8/18/2008 8:00:00 AM ET

8/22/2008 - 8/23/2008
Hotter’N Hell Hundred Ultra Road and Criterium
(USCF races for licensed racers)
online registration closes 8/20/2008 11:00:00 PM ET

8/23/2008
Hotter’n Hell Hundred Endurance Ride - HH100

10K - 25 mile - 50 mile - 100K - 100 mile

online registration closes 8/18/2008 7:00:00 AM ET

Consumer Show

8/21-8/23/2008
2008 Consumer Show

The Hotter’N Hell Consumer Show is one of the largest consumer bicycle trade shows in the nation. Visit old friends and make new ones in the exhibit Hall of the Multi-Purpose Events Center (MPEC), 1000 Fifth St. in downtown Wichita Falls.

Thursday 3 -8 pm
Friday 1-10 pm
Saturday 9-3 pm

Camping

There are lots of opportunities to camp–from full hookups to tent camping to indoor camping in a hall with A/C. Visit the camping page of HH100 website for more information. There are also hotels listed.

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May 25 2008

Posted by CyberCelt under Camping, Family Fun, Hike/Bike/Run, Holidays, Horseback Riding, Nature, RV Parks, RV Travel, Reviews, Rivers, Sports

June & July Bike Rides

Comanche Cyclone

Comanche Cyclone

Comanche, Texas
Saturday, June 7, 2008 8 am
Cross Country

300 cyclists expected

Special route for youngsters 10 and under. Country back-roads, no traffic, and very scenic. There are some scenic routes listed on the website in case you cannot make the race. This is a pretty part of Texas.

Routes

All are PDFs.

Cyclone Route Map - 10 Miles
Cyclone Route Map - 22 Miles
Cyclone Route Map - 28 Miles
Cyclone Route Map - 42 Miles
Cyclone Route Map - 55 Miles
Cyclone Route Map - 75 Miles

RVers: You may want to stay at Proctor Lake (Army Corps of Engineers Park)

Mesquite Rodeo Bike Ride

You will begin your ride from Resistol Arena at Rodeo Center located at 1818 Rodeo Drive. I-635 (LBJ Freeway) exit Military Parkway/Scyene. If you are traveling southbound, continue through both signal lights to the Arena. If you’re northbound, turn left on Military Parkway, take an immediate left after the overpass at Rodeo Center Blvd.Thousands of cyclists will start out from the Mesquite Rodeo Center. Bring your family, friends and co-workers.

Mesquite Rodeo Bike Ride

Mesquite, Texas
Saturday, June 7, 2008 8 am
2000 cyclists expected.

Route Details

RVers: I would stay at the Plantation Place RV Park.

Peach Pedal Bike Ride

Peach Pedal Bike Ride
Weatherford, Texas
Saturday, July 12, 2008
2500 cyclists expected

Routes of 100K, 39 miles, 26 miles and 9 miles. This course has some tough hills. but the hills are interspersed with flat stretches. Check in advance of the state of the roads in the area. Sometimes spring floods can wash roads away.

After the ride, shuttle buses will take riders from the start/finish to the Parker County Peach Festival in downtown Weatherford, where you’ll enjoy lots of food, crafts, music and country hospitality.

RVers: Stay at the Lake Mineral Wells State Park & Trailway. The Trailway provides opportunities for hikers, bicyclists and equestrians.

Beware of Armadillos in the Road

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May 04 2008

Posted by CyberCelt under Camping, Camping, Fish/Hunt, Hike/Bike/Run, Horseback Riding, Nature, RV Parks, RV Travel, Wildlife Watching

Caprock Canyons

Aerial view of Caprock Canyonlands

Photography by Earl Nottingham © Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

Did you know there is a place in Texas where you may view the history of the Great Plains, which includes 260+ million years and six major geologic periods? The story is told in the sandstone cliffs and multicolored clays that form gypsum-laced pedestals, hoodoos and slides of the canyonlands. Standing on the bedrock of the Southern Plains, you will agree that Caprock Canyons State Park amd Trailway is unlike any other area of Texas.

Caprock Canyons State Park was Park of the Month November 2007. Below is an excerpt from this article:

Imagine a place where marbled redrock canyons slice through a vast landscape dominated by table top-flat plains, where miniature mountains pierce an azure sky, where historic railroad bridges seem to float in space and the descendants of ancient bison herds graze native grasses . . .

After the Visitors Center and the Discovery Center, the park road winds from the escarpment to the canyonlands below. Lake Theo, accessed by the first turn-in to the left along the park road, offers fishing, swimming and non-motorized boating. The next right is Honea Flat Camping Area, where you park your RV. Down the road and to the right is Wild Horse Camping Area, the equestrian camping area.

After a couple of miles, as the road descends into the canyons of the North Prong and South Prong of the Little Red River, you will find Red Tent Camping Area on the left, the trailhead of the Upper and Lower Canyon Trails to the right. The road ends at South Prong Tent Camping Area. There are two primitive camping areas on the canyon trails.

Caprock Canyons State Park includes the Trailway, a 64-mile Rail-to-Trail conversion. Used for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding, this multi-use trail begins at South Plains on top of the caprock escarpment and ends at Estelline in the Red River Valley. On the way from escarpment to river valley, the Trailway crosses 46 bridges and includes a trip through Clarity tunnel, home to a colony of Mexican free-tailed bats (April through October).

Notes:

  • All visitors must obtain an entrance permit to use parking area and trailway.
  • Overnight campers must obtain permits at the park headquarters.
  • Day-use fees may be paid at pay stations located at each trailhead.
  • Do not tie animals to man-made structures.
  • The Mexican free-tailed bats living in Clarity tunnel are very sensitive to traffic, noise, light and human presence. Walk your bike through the tunnel.

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