Mission, TX, to New Braunfels, TX, to Calgary

Nov 23rd to 29th
Just spent the week getting settling in on Loren's RV Pad - Well I guess it's now sort of our RV Pad since he does not have an RV and we are the most common user.


ELTOROs home away from home for the next 5 weeks

 Anyway, we spent a couple of days just enjoying the stay, and local scenery and chatting and getting caught up with the happenings around New Braunfels since we were last year in the spring. Then on Friday the 25th it was Black Friday so we started the day with a great Buffet Breakfast at the Golden Corral in New Braunfels, then over to Kohls for some shopping and to Penny's for more. Denice claims she saved over $100, but I'm not sure how much she spent to get that savings, but there really were some good deals. The next day, while Denice was doing some washing, I made a trip to Camping World for a few items I needed. Always "Lots of good stuff" at Campers World. I picked up a 30 AMP extension cord and another length of sewer piping to complete the hook ups on "Our" RV Pad.


Then one day we took a short run up into some of the Texas Hill Country, although New Braunfels is actually in the hill country, but we drove up to Canyon Village. A large Dam has been constructed on the Guadaloupe River backing up water to form the Canyon Lake.

The Dam



A Few Poor People live around here



Nice Holiday Vehicle

 

These poles must be 100 feet high to be above the high water

  Of course where ever there is a Lake there are people wanting to build houses around the shoreline. Canyon Village now has a population of some 16,000 souls!
One day while we were in Mssion, I was outside sitting in my easy chair with a good book, and somewhere in a lull of activity I took a short break and was just looking around the area. TOADONE, our jeep was sitting facing me and I noticed that the front tires seemed to have a little extra wear on the insides. A closer examination confirmed that there was indeed some wear more than normal, so I knew a wheel alignment was in order. So, as we were not that busy in New Braunfels it would seem the right time to get that wheel alignment. Loren had advised me of a new shop just opened up that does all types of mechanical repairs and he recommended them so I went down to Franks Repair and had it done. They seemed like nice folks and completed my work quickly while I waited. I was only the 6th vehicle to have their alignment on their new state of the art machine. Appears like a very professional job and cost was not out of line at $73!

The last day in New Braunfels was reserved for packing and getting ELTORO settled in for a 5 week layover until we return on January 6th. The packing did not take long as we will be traveling light with only one suitcase. We decided to bring in supper for the Partridge Family ( Hettie, Loren, Theresa, Kayly and Jake) so made a trip down to Rudy's Bar-B-Que again and came home with all the fixins, Brisket, chicken. Ribs, spuds, creamed corn, and Banana pudding.  Had a feast!!

The next morning we had a flight from San Antonio to Houston leaving at noon, so we left New Braunfels at 10:00AM arived at San Antonio airport at 11 AM and boarded a 737-800 for a 40 minute flight to Houston. Once on the ground in Houston we had a 4 hour lay over before boarding an Air Canada Jazz flight to Calgary. The flight was another 4 hours so we did not arrive until 9:45PM in Calgary. We had decided since it was late that rather than have son Ross take us home after his shift at 11:00PM wewould just get aroom in the Airport Delta Hotel and spend the night and then he could take us home to High River in the morning.
Well, "Best Laid Plans!!!!"
The next morning when we got up we were in one of those Canadian Blizzards. There was about 4" of snow and it was coming down big time. We callled Ross and told him to just meet us on the south side of the City at a local restaraunt. We jumped in a cab and headed down the Deerfoot Trail, but traffic was backed up for miles, but in about an hour we finally reached our first destination, for a $60 fee. Oh by the way the Delta room was only $329!!!  For about 6 hours rest not bad EH!!! Anyway after breakfast Ross did deliver us home. As I said "Best Laid Plans," If we had known we could have had a taxi take us all the way to High River for a much lesser cost. Oh well, "What the Hell." You only live once!!

Nov 22nd

Hooked up and on the road by 8:30AM this morning. Chose a route to by pass San Antonio. Took Interstate 83 Freeway through McAllen, then swung onto 281 north for about 150 miles th George West, then east for 25 miles on 59 to Beeville, then again north on 181 to Karnes City, and then 123 to Segiun, and 46 into New Bruanfels, and cousin, Loren and Theresa's acreage. Total distance 292 miles. Just out of New Braunfels we hit a rough railway crossing, and jarred something loose inside ELTORO. I was unable to figure what it was until we got set up at Lorens. Looked every where to try and find something loose and finally by accident bumped the TV mounted in the front and "Voila" it moved and rattled. Obviously the supporting screws must be loose or have fallen out. I tried to figure out how to get into that TV compartment but never succeeded today - Another Day!