Gladewater area 2012

May 30, 2012

Goodman-LeGrand Home

Brookshire's Museum

Went to Tyler, TX today....saw the Goodman-LeGrand home.   This is what you imagine the old southern homes would look like.   Spectacular to say the least.   We were informed that the home and articles inside were donated by Ms. Goodman-LeGrand to the city of Tyler, as the Goodman-LeGrand's had no children.   Lucky them.

McClendon Home

We also say the MCClendon House (another great home.  It was closed so we peaked through the windows), the Brookshire's Museum.   Our niece Nessa works for Brookshire's.   What a great display of animals.  They (Brookshire's) certainly love to hunt....this is their private collection.   We ended our day touring the Tyler Rose Garden....beautiful.   Tonight my sister and I will spend some quality time together....no husbands...lol.


June 1, 2012

Family took us to the Canton Trade Days in Canton, TX....OMG....this place is so BIG.   Think it would take us 2 weeks or more to see everything if you wanted to visit every booth.   Maybe a month, it's amazing the number of booths they have. I mean they have everything from animals, antiques, food, new stuff, to anything you can imagine.   It took us 8 hrs to see just over 1/2 of it....that's my best guess.   Look at this link for additional info.  http://www.firstmondaycanton.com/      

June 2, 2012

Went to the rodeo grounds in Gladewater for a BBQ cookoff.   Only 7 vendors but great food.   Ate to much but what can we say....only cost $5 per person.   What a bargain.  Tonight we are going to a artist showing (displays from 12 artists) and then to a concert.   Hope we get a breeze or the concert is indoor, it's so muggy outside.

June 3rd 

Went to church with my sister in Tyler, TX.   They have a very different church in the sense that they play country music prior to the service.   They also are very relaxed....everyone wears blue jeans and/or shorts.   We liked it very much.   The building looks more like a barn from the outside, but the inside looks like a country church.   Very, very nice.

June 4th - 8th

Ezekiel Air Ship in Pittsburg, TX

Took many day trips looking at towns that are surrounding Gladewater.  Some of the ones we toured: Marshall, Longview, Gilmer, Pittsburg, Carthage....just to name a few.   We saw museums, monuments, pottery manufacturing facilities, gardens, rodeo, etc.  In Marshall, they have the worlds largest pottery manufacturing plant....Marshall Pottery.   If we were not traveling for next 4 months, would have purchased many pots to take home.   I did buy a turtle....it's very small.

Tex Ritter Memorial in Carthage, TX

In Pittsburg we saw the Ezekiel Air Ship.   It actual flew back in 1903....before the Wright brothers flew.   It was unique to see.....what you see is a replica....the original was 3 times larger but was destroyed in a train wreck.    Also Pittsburg is the home of Bo Pilgrim.   His home was amazing to see.   Not sure how many acres he has but it's a lot.   On the way home from Pittsburg, we stopped at a local fruit farm and picked blackberries.   Just like everything in TX, they were huge but delicious.   Had some with vanilla ice cream.

 In Carthage we saw the TX Hall of Fame....Tex Ritter was the many attraction.  Reminded me of my parents.....they loved the old country music.   We also saw Jim Reeves monument. 

Gladewater, TX Rodeo

On Wednesday and Thursday we attended the Gladewater Rodeo.   Only stayed about 45 minutes on Wednesday, as a major Thunderstorm interrupted the performance.   Correction, it bothered me, so we left.  The rodeo went on but with out many spectators, as we left.   Lighting was just way TO CLOSE.   Thursday was much better and we stayed for the entire evening.   Some of the top cowboys were there...Donny Gay was the MC.   For a little town, the big names showed up.   Impressive to say the least.  

Unique Water Feature, Pittsburg, TX

We hope to leave for Texarkana on 9th but waiting for our mail to arrive.....if it does not arrive, will wait until Monday to leave.

Summer of 2012

May 24th

Headed to Denison, TX.   We should have made reservations since this weekend is Memorial Day but we did not and all RV parks are full.   We then headed to Sherman, TX and spent the night at the Elks.   Very nice lodge.   Site only has electric and water, but since we are only staying one night, perfect.   Went into town, say a few sites and then came back to lodge to watch steel darts tournament.   Bartender (Barbara) is a kick in the pants.   I played a slot machine....put in a dollar and one $165.

Tomorrow we head for Gladewater

May 25th,

Dennis at his reenactment

Snuf, Nessa, Lily and Me

Arrived in Gladewater around 11:00 after stopping for breakfast in Emory, TX.   We have reservations for a week at Antique Capital RV Park.   We'll stay in this area for at least two weeks but not sure if we'll stay at this location.   There's another rv park about 5 miles away that has a golf course near by that we might move to later.   My sister and brother-n-law were waiting for us when we arrived.....nice surprise.   Once we got settled in, we drove over to Lily's school to pick her up to take her to her dentist appt.   We dropped her off (Nessa met us) and then we (four of us) went to lunch.    Goofed around in Longview and then head back to Gladewater.   Dennis has a reenactment tonight in Mineola, TX.   Had fun watching, visiting with the participants and looking at the wildlife, longhorn cows (had a cattle drive) and flowers.  We then headed back to Gladewater around 8:30 PM.  Lily & Nessa did not join us, as Lil was attending her T-ball awards banquet.


 May 26th,

Rode the "Beast" in Kemah, TX

Left Gladewater at 6:30 and headed towards Houston.  We'll try and see as much as possible before we have to return on Monday....trying not to have Snuf and Dennis miss work while we are visiting.   We arrived at the NASA space center around noon....spent about 4 1/2 hrs viewing all the sites.   Not as amazing as Kennedy in Florida but very informative.   Glad to hear the space program is going forward and that they'll utilize private companies to create the space modulars, etc.  The next USA rocket will not go into space until 2017....still a ways off.   Upon leaving the center, we headed for Kemah, TX and the boardwalk.   Very cool.   Here we took a boat ride called the "beast".   I got wetter than the others as I sat on the outside of the row.....stupid me!   Got so wet, I looked like a drown rat.   It was a blast to say the least....at 90+ outside, did not mind the wet part!   Did mind the stick part....salt water, so went and played in the fountain to get some of the salt off.   We then continued looking at the boardwalk....Lily rode a ride.   We then left to find a hotel....you'd think we would have learned our lesson from a few days ago but oh no.   Finally found a room near the Houston Airport.   Price was great $65 for the five of us in a room.

Having to much fun!

May 27th,

Headed to Glaveston, TX.   Talk about people.....they are everywhere!  Never see so many at the beach.   Took a long time to travel up and down the road but worth it to see the area.   Took a dip into the ocean.....it was a red tide, so algae was everywhere.   No fun to swim so did not stay long.   We then headed to downtown area.   Had lunch at Joe's Crab Shack.   Got to see Carnival's newest cruise ship "Carnival Magic" ....huge.   Need to take a cruise on this ship.   We then toured the historical area and then headed for the hotel.  Found one close by but more expensive $90 a night.   Tomorrow we'll headed to Huntsville to Sam Houston's home.


May 28th,

Sam Houston Statue

USS Texas Battleship

LaPorte, TX offers a visit to San Jacinto Monument and the USS Texas battleship.   Both are worth the time to get here.   It's interesting to see the history behind the battleship.   We did not tour it but it size is impressive for it history.   It was launched in 1914.   Was the lead ship during World War II.

We then headed to Huntsville, TX to see the Sam Houston statue.  Very impressive at 67' tall.   You can see it off hwy 20 but you need to go to the park to get up close and personal.  We then headed back to Gladewater.  

Arrived in Oklahoma City

May 22, 2012

Arrived around 2:00....took us longer as we stopped at the Big Texan Restaurant in Amarillo for breakfast.   Spent about 2 hrs eating, taking pics, etc.  The trip was fine, OK is beautiful....grass is so green.  Saw several long horn cattle and one dead armadillo.   Hope to see a live one before we end our trip.

We are staying at the Roadrunner RV Park off the I-35.   Very nice little park about 3 miles from downtown.  We'll explore the city later this afternoon and over the next two days.

Toby Keith's Bar

Statue along canal 

Later in the evening, we went to Bricktown....rode the water taxi and walked around the area.  There's an area on the canal that they are adding statues to depict the history of the area.   Look at the pics, the horses were so big!   Stopped in Toby Keith's Restaurant, it's one of the many restaurants, baseball stadium, Bass Pro Shop, located along the canal....felt good to stretch our legs.

May 23, 2012

Left this morning around 9 and head back to downtown area to see the OK National Memorial and Museum.   Oh My God, what an amazing place.  It's had to imagine that once a 9 story building stood on the grounds where the chairs are in the pic.   The reflection pond is where 5th street was (back of the original building and the museum (has name on it in the pic) was across 5th street from the building.   The blast was so strong it blew of the room and part of the building of the museum (it was an office building back then).   It also destroyed to other buildings in front of the museum.   The museum is filled with memories, artifacts, history, etc.  Very, very moving....if you don't cry, you are stronger than me.

Bobby thought he need to Big Hat....no

After touring this facility, we head for the Cowboy museum....excellent.   Made me think of my parents and the old movies we used to watch.    It's always fun to see the old west.

Then we head to Walmart and lunch.  It was a long day and the windy is expected to increase this afternoon to over 50 MPH gusts.   Tomorrow we head for Denison, TX so we can see Lake Texoma.  

Oklahoma Memorial

Monday 29, 2011

Took Bob & Gail up old Columbia Hwy today, Stopped at 4-5 waterfalls and took pic, sun was not out so was not best day for showing off the area, Crown Point was down right cold, Had lunch at Char Burger in Cascade Locks, Yes, we did some gel hashing, We are now heading home

Mitchell to Caldwell, ID

Left Mitchell at 7:00 and arrived in Caldwell around 3:00 PM.  It was a beautiful drive up hwy 26.   Saw Elk, deer, lots of cows and some wild turkeys.  Since it was raining, we did not stop and look around anywhere.  
We went to Vale and then over to I-84 and then onto Caldwell.   Did a little geocashing and then had dinner at the Elks.   Called it an early evening, as I still get tired easily. 

Yellowstone National Park

   What an amazing place....for the past two days we have toured the park.  First day we did the lower loop and today 1/2 of the upper loop.   this loop is closed on the eastside due to the weather.   It was a great day for both trips. We saw many geysers, various animals, snowed covered mountains, waterfalls, etc.   I can't say enough about this park.   It's much bigger and more beautiful than I remember it as a kid.