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TRAVELS IN THE TENNESSEE PEARL
Purchasing Casita Travel Trailer by Marsha Jessup
Tuesday, August 25, 2009 - Travel Day 7:30 am – left Memphis, Tennesse, headed to Texas to pick up our Casita travel trailer, which we decided to name the Tennessee Pearl. This was the first time we'd used our new Tom-Tom GPS. Rick, my husband, chose English lady, Jane, as the Tom-Tom voice because he got a kick out of her telling us to stay on the motorway. We spent the night at the very clean and quiet Quality Inn in Ennis, Texas, (N32.33546 W96.61745), which at this time offered a discount to people picking up Casitas.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009 - Pick up Casita
We went the rest of the way to Rice, Texas, to the Casita factory. (N32.18975 W96.47176) There was a couple from Colorado already there picking up their trailer. This was their second time to purchase a Casita. They had traded the first Casita for a larger trailer that they hated because it was harder to pull, the gas mileage was terrible, and they couldn't go everywhere in it that they could in the smaller Casita. They gave us a good tip – to buy a good quality container to put your milk in. The friction when you're moving can wear a hole in the thinner plastic container it comes in. 1:00 pm – arrived at Twin Lakes RV Park (N32.26056 W95.92964) This was our first time pulling a trailer and we made it without any accidents. We had a hard time finding the park. There was a sign that said RV Park, but it didn't say Twin Lakes and there was a For Sale sign in front of it, but it turned out to be the place. This park is with Passport America which gave us a 50% discount here for 3 nights. Rick didn't have much trouble backing in and getting everything hooked up. We got a site off by ourselves, which looked kind of funny, like those big RVs wouldn't associate with our little guy. It was a terribly hot day though, about 100 degrees. We got the air conditioner working but, being such a hot day, it took forever to cool down. We brought all our stuff in from the truck and got it put away, then left about 3:30 to buy groceries and to give it time to cool off.
Thursday, August 27, 2009 We started to fix breakfast and realized we didn't have coffee cups – another shopping trip coming up.
Since we hadn't had any problems, we decided that tomorrow we would go to Southfork Ranch, which was the home of the Ewing family on the television show, Dallas, that debuted in 1978 and ran for 13 years.
Friday, August 28, 2009 11:22 am - arrived at Southfork. (N33.05108 W96.60811)
The first stop was the Visitor Center/Museum, where we spent the time before the next tour of the house enjoying the exhibits that included the gun that shot J.R.
A tram took us from the Visitor Center to the house, where a guide shared some interesting facts about the show. For the first six years Dallas was on, Southfork was a private home. The family that owned the home didn't want their children distracted during the school year, so the show was only shot there in the summer. As the guide described it, you could imagine wearing your winter coat there in 100 degree weather with your heels sinking into the asphalt. When the location became public knowledge the fans came and the family sold the home. After they moved out the garage was turned into a hospital ER for one episode.
Even though the show was not shot in the interior of the house, now it is decorated in the style the Ewings might have had. You can walk all the way into some of the rooms in the house and others are roped off at the door. You can go into J. R.'s bedroom and out onto the balcony that overlooks the pool.
You can walk through the house and the grounds at your own pace.
Saturday, August 29, 2009 - Travel Day We got up at 6:30 am and packed to go to the Gulf Coast, and we tracked red Texas mud all over the carpet. 10:09 am - Leaving Twin Lakes Since it was our first time breaking down, it took longer than we expected, but hopefully once we learn what we're doing it won't take as long. On the way to the coast, I saw some oil wells, so I finally felt like I was really in Texas. We hadn't had any problems so far pulling the trailer, but we stopped on the side of the road to check how everything was riding in it. Seemed OK. Rick said we're now officially RVers since we've done the complete cycle – set-up to break down.
Funny road sign - - Eat Jerky Don't Drive Like One Buc-ee's
Another sign – not so funny - - Prison Area Do Not Pick Up Hitchhikers
We arrived about 6:45 pm at The Breeze RV Park in Surfside Texas. (N28.97202 W95.26087) Ours was the only empty spot left when we arrived. We had the number one spot, so there was no one between us and the beach. This was the second time that Rick had to back up the trailer and the park owner was nice enough to help guide him into the space, while everyone else watched and laughed at us, good naturedly of course.
We had very nice neighbors in the space next to us. They invited us over to share their delicious supper, and we had a nice time talking with them until the mosquitos found us. Then we went back to finish getting set up. While Rick was setting up, a woman who was staying in the hotel came down to visit. Even though she was staying in the hotel on this trip, she owns a Casita too and wanted to say hello.
Sunday, August 30, 2009 Up at 7:00 am. We took several walks on the beach today. The first one before breakfast. There were people fishing, swimming, flying kites, and driving up and down the beach. On our last walk of the day we watched as a tow truck pulled a car out of the ocean.
Most of the other people in the park left in the afternoon. There were only 4 other RVs here, and nobody in the hotel. We sat outside after supper till about 8:30. There was a light breeze that felt wonderful but the mosquitos still found us. They drove us inside, but we still had a beautiful view through our windows. There was a weather report at 10 pm of a tornado in Galveston, which is not far from Surfside. We watched the lightning out our window, lighting up the whole sky. I'd never seen anything quite like it.
Monday, August 31, 2009 We had the beach to ourselves this morning. The waves seemed bigger, probably due to last night's storm. After our walk we watched the morning news which showed the damage from the tornado in Galveston. The RV park owner told us they just opened in April and had a very busy summer. The place that was here before was destroyed by Hurricane Ike.
We took a drive through the area in the afternoon. The neighborhood is still recovering from the hurricane. We drove down to Jetty Park, and walked part of the way down the jetty. On our way back to our campsite we saw a Casita parked under a house. Late in the afternoon our beach started to get crowded, I saw three people. As we sipped wine on our patio that night, I could see a ship out there that looked pink. It was good wine.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009 7:50 am - We were startled by a small plane flying right by our window – I'm talking level with our window – low! And it was so close it looked like you could touch it if you stuck your hand out the window. It was spraying for mosquitos. We went down to the jetty for our afternoon walk. We walked all the way to the end this time, ½ mile each way. It was lined with fishermen, and the waves were pounding against the rocks, sending a light mist over us. As we walked back to shore, we watched a bright orange cargo ship being guided through the jetty.
We enjoyed our last night on our ocean patio until the mosquitos chased us inside. I'd hate to see the mosquitos if they didn't spray!
Wednesday, September 2, 2009 - Travel Day We took a short walk this morning because the mosquitos were the worst yet. They seemed to be worse after they sprayed than they were before. On our walk Rick remembered hearing that a few pennies in a zip lock bag with water would keep mosquitos away. Don't know if or why it would work, but I guess it's worth a try.
We're going to Palms RV Park today. We have to start packing up, but are enjoying this view as long as possible. Noon - left The Breeze - We would like to come back here again. We arrived about 1:15 at Palms RV in Dickinson, Texas. This place is with Passport America. There was no view here, but it was nice and clean, and they had a little store where we bought ice cream.
Thursday, September 3, 2009 We went to Houston Space Center today. At the Space Center the first thing we did was the tram ride which was about 90 minutes long. The tram made three stops: 1st stop was the Historical Control Center where they controlled all the earlier missions, including the Apollo missions. The Shuttle Control Center and International Control Center (for space station) are in the same building but not included on the tour. To reach the control center you had to walk up 87 steps which they told us is the first test to become an astronaut. You're an honorary astronaut if you make it. (lol)
2nd stop was where the astronauts train in mock-ups of the shuttles.
3rd stop was Rocket Park. There were rockets outside, and inside a building there was a Saturn V Rocket that would have been an Apollo mission if the program hadn't been canceled.
After the tram ride, we were walking around deciding what to do next when Bill Straight walked up and said he was about to lead a tour through the Artifact Museum. He used to work in the Space Program picking landing sites and was involved with the Apollo 13 rescue mission. He only does the tours on Thursday afternoons, so we lucked out there. Among other things, he talked about life on the shuttle. The astronauts live in very close quarters. He explained how they shower. He told us the only good thing about the toilet on the shuttle is the view you get out the window when you're using it. Many of the attractions at the Space Center are for kids.
Friday, September 4, 2009 - Travel Day 9:44 am leaving Palms RV headed for Vidalia, Louisiana Arrive River View RV Park about 5:15 pm (N31.55649 W91.43354) The park, which is with Passport America, is located on the Mississippi River. It has a pool, hot tub, laundry facilities, a game room, a small store, etc. There is a walkway on the river bank. After setting up, we took a walk along the river walk. There were swings, benches, and picnic tables along the way, and quite a few people were enjoying it. There was a nice breeze, but as it got darker the breeze died down and the skeeters got bad.
Saturday, September 5, 2009 - Last Travel Day We got up about 6:00 am for a walk and took pictures of the sunrise.
10:02 am left River View – headed home. At 10:05 am we crossed the bridge we'd been making photos of and we were in Mississippi. We took the scenic route home to avoid the expressway. Jane (Tom Tom) put us on the Natchez Trace Parkway for 37 miles. There wasn't much traffic on the Parkway. We saw more motorcycles than cars and one guy on a bicycle. There was a detour in Vicksburg that was snaking us every which way on narrow streets. We drove through Historic Downtown Vicksburg on the pretty, but narrow, streets that have planters between the parking spots. Back on rural roads, we passed lots of fields that were being burned. The smoke almost looked like tornados, and birds were lined up on the power lines watching. Our last stop before home was at a Welcome Center in Mississippi where I tried to beg, borrow or steal their lifesize cutout of Elvis, but I had to settle for travel brochures. It felt good to walk around.
Home at 5:08 pm.
Links: Casita Travel Trailers, Rice, Texas. (N32.18975 W96.47176) Southfork Ranch, Parker, Texas. (N33.05108 W96.60811) The Breeze RV Park, Surfside, Texas. (N28.97202 W95.26087) Houston Space Center, Houston, Texas. River View RV Park, Vidalia, Louisiana. (N31.55649 W91.43354)
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