The Wanderer's Two-Step

In the early 1960s, I celebrated New Year's Eve with my parents at the Devil's Backbone Tavern between Wimberly and Blanco. My Mom and Dad would spend the evening dancing the Texas Two Step, and I would play table shuffleboard with the other "orphans" in the bar. My older brother was in High School and would be on a date. My Dad would not waste money on a babysitter for his 10-year-old boy. But I didn’t mind. It was a lot of fun. I remember sitting and sipping a Dr. Pepper, watching my Mom and Dad work their way around the dance floor, swaying to the music of Hank Williams and Bob Wills. At the time, I didn't know what a two-step was. It was just country dancing. It is part of the genetics of being a Texan.

In the last 21 months, I have discovered that this Texan has been swaying across the country with our own version of the Texas Two-Step. With one foot, we do what we want. With the other, we do what is possible. But this isn't a waltz across Texas. It may not be as graceful as my parents' gliding across the dance floor, but it does make for an enjoyable journey.    

 

The Wanderer’s Two-Step means that when we land in a spot for a few days, we have a list of things we want to do. Then, the possibilities step in and shape our itinerary. Like the Texas Two-Step, we sometimes add a little sidestep shuffle to keep things interesting. But most of the time, we are gliding (or, for me, stumbling) through our time doing what we want and/or what we can. In time, we get into a nice rhythm and hit our stride with the music of the road. This week would include a little sidestep since we needed to take Koko in for his slide replacement, so we joined hands and started dancing!

 

The Jim Hogg Birthplace Replica

Saturday was our one full day in Rusk due to our shortened stay. We went to the Jim Hogg State Historic Site in Rusk. Jim Hogg was the most progressive Governor Texas has ever had. He was from Rusk, and they have reconstructed a replica of his childhood home on the old place called Mountain Home. Hogg was a progressive populist who served in Austin from 1891 to 1895. While Governor, he created the Texas Railroad Commission and other regulatory agencies to oversee many of the significant business interests in the State. He took on and won criminal convictions against Rockefeller's Standard Oil. (He could not bring Rockefeller himself to trial because the Governor of New York refused to extradite him.) He also took on the Insurance and Banking industry. Like many Texas Governors, he became quite wealthy while in office. After his second term, he became one of the founders of an oil company that would eventually become Texaco. Here are a few photos of the Historic site. As I mentioned, we had to cut our stay short and could not take the Texas State Train to see the Dogwood Trail through the Piney Woods. Fortunately, Marlene found some Dogwood on the trail at the RV Park. Here are a few of those as well.

 

A Syrup-making Vat

A Cane Press

Wisteria and Swallowtail

Wiseteria and an Angel

 

Dogwood

 

We drove to Pilot Point on Sunday to stay at the Lone Star Lodge at Lake Ray Roberts State Park. We booked the room for five nights to cover the time Koko would be in the shop in Aubrey. The drive was beautiful as we crossed the gently rolling hills where the Pineywoods yield to the farmland of North Central Texas. We avoided Dallas and enjoyed a drive through an area where I did my Student Ministry while in Seminary (Melissa, Texas.) Unfortunately, Dallas has expanded north, and we encountered heavy traffic, poorly timed stop lights, and high winds. But, upon arrival, we found a welcoming, comfortable place to wait out Koko’s repairs.

 

The owners and staff

We took Koko in for the slide replacement on Monday Morning. The owners and staff of Patriots RV Services were very helpful. Roland took us through the steps that were involved in the slide replacement. He is an honest salesman, pointing out the benefits and difficulties with the new slide. He reminded me of people I grew up with in San Marcos. They did business with their friends and neighbors. I trusted them because they were neighbors. Roland treats his customers in the same manner. It was a pleasure to meet and entrust our home to his care.

 

On Tuesday, after a drive through the State Park, I spent a long night worrying about the site we booked. It was beautiful and right on the lake with a gorgeous sunset view. Unfortunately, it was too short, and the pad was slanted more than Koko could handle. On Tuesday, I found a new place to stay. The Sharktooth RV Ranch was just down the road. I reserved a site online and canceled the State Park site with only a loss of the registration fee. "Want to" met "the possible" and they played well together. (It does not always work out this easily.) The staff at the RV Service Center called and said the slide was done, and we could pick up the rig on Wednesday! 

 

A New Rail for the slide

We drove to Aubrey to pick up Koko and, on arriving, found that the new slide was amazing. It was smooth and quiet. It does not require a "hope and a prayer" to go out or come in. (If you have an RV Slide, you know what I mean. They creak and groan, whine, and complain every time.) It is money well spent. I asked about the roof inspection, and the Owner climbed up and found a couple of soft spots around the roof vents. The dicor (a popular RV sealing compound) around them was failing and water had likely wicked into the wood. We discussed the options. His shop installs a permanent, maintenance-free roof that is guaranteed for life. It is billed as a “Hard Hat for your RV Roof.” After looking at what I had saved on the slide, I found that we could also afford to replace the roof. He was waiting on insurance approval for another roof and had time to get Koko in immediately. (Did I mention he was an excellent salesman?) It would take 2-3 days, depending on how long it took for the wood to dry out. We left feeling good about the work being done, which is the hallmark of a good sales experience.

 

An Old Bank on the Square

We drove back to Pilot Point and walked the Old Square. At one time, a large grove of trees rose from the prairie nearby. It was a navigation mark for the early trails. A small settlement grew up. But, after the railroad came through, the town grew into a commercial hub for the area. The Old Square has many buildings from the late 1800s. Many old buildings bore plaques that gave a glimpse into their history. For example, the general store was a saloon where the last gunfight occurred. The people we met were warm and courteous, eager to help. They were much like the people at the RV Shop in Aubrey. We also called the Shark Tooth RV Park to change our plans, and they were equally accommodating. And after talking with the front desk at the Lodge, we received the same high-quality customer care. Everyone we have dealt with here in this area has been outstanding. I am usually hard on salespeople, but I have high praise for this community. Sometimes, "the possibilities” conspire to take care of us when our “want to” must be set aside. Later that day, we took an evening walk through the woods along the lake. Life is good with possibilities like this!  

The General Store

 

Lake Ray Roberts

The Easter Bunny

Springtime on the lake.

On Thursday, we received word that Koko would be ready for pickup later that day. They spent two days tearing off the old roof that had developed a leak and replacing it with a maintenance-free, permanent roof. RV Roofs are usually made of a rubber seal stretched and glued down over plywood. All the vents, A/Cs, Antennae, etc., have to cut through this seal, which must then be re-sealed with a rubber material (dicor) that becomes brittle and contracts when exposed to UV light. This makes the roof the number one maintenance problem for RVs. Replacing a roof after 5 years is not uncommon. Once water gets into the RV's roof or walls, the wood breaks down and mold begins to grow. I had been thinking about replacing the roof. The people at Patriot’s RV Services had the skills and materials to offer a permanent solution. It also means that Marlene does not have to climb on the roof to inspect it. (Yep, she climbs the ladders!)  This work increases our possibilities for the long term and should keep us on the road for as long as we desire. Here are a few pics of the work we had done. Koko is good to go for another 5+ years!

 

The New Slide Rails

The seal under the slide.

A New Fan

Shower Skylight with spray

On Thursday afternoon, we checked out of the Lone Star Lodge in Pilot Point and set up for six nights at Sharktooth RV Ranch. This park is part of the Sharkarosa Zoo, which takes in rescued exotic animals. As a non-profit, they offer educational experiences for schools during the week and then open their gates to the public on the weekends. This is our first time setting up Koko down the road from lions, and tigers, and bears, oh my! As we set up, we discovered a few small items that needed attention. I took care of one with some gas line tape. The other will require a tech before we leave town. We look forward to an Easter weekend here in Pilot Point, when we hope to see some old friends and colleagues.

 

On Friday, we settled into life in Koko. It really does feel like coming home. It was a chores day to do some work on Koko and restock our fridge. We enjoyed Halal BBQ at Yearby’s Barbecue and Waterice. Halal are the consumption requirements for followers of Islam. Among other things, it demands the humane treatment of animals. The slaughtering process needs to be painless. The brisket was good. It had a clean taste and texture. I don't know if this is due to Halal, but it is worth investigating. (BTW, Waterice is the Philadelphia name for granita.)

 

We walked around the RV Park and found a herd of Belted Galloway Cattle. This breed is from Scotland and has the heavy coat of highland cows. They are also called Oreo Cows. Farmers raise them for milk, beef, and pasture conservation. There was also a caravan of camels (Yep, that is the collective noun). They are part of the neighboring zoo. We walked a nice trail through the woods. It was a good evening saunter to begin our holiday weekend. Here are a few photos.

 

The Welcoming Committee

This Cow liked the Camera

An Ewok Calf

Is that adorable or what?

Looks like an Oreo to me!

I told you she liked the camera!

Camel Ham!

Now that's a pretty face!

They are sharing a special moment.

A jealous camel!

Uh oh, here comes trouble!

Yep, I am pretty!

Time for my profile!

"Please, I'm eating if you don't mind!"

A camera, a camera!

A pond on the trail

We rely on serendipity to add the wow factor to our wandering. Those little surprises fill the road ahead with hope and expectation. But that serendipity depends on us taking the wandering two-step seriously. We must keep our “want to” in line with the possibilities of each day. Those serendipitous moments arrive on the wave of possibilities if we keep our eyes and minds open to things beyond our wants. We planned on staying at the lake. We wanted the sunset views afforded by that particular site. We could have forced our way into the site, blocked Koko, and left Nakai in remote parking. Instead, we looked at other possibilities and found Sharktooth RV Ranch. And that change allowed us to see Oreo Cows and a most curious caravan of camels. The Wanderer's Two-Step seldom fails to bring delight and joy as we dance through the USA.

 

I am glad you are riding along and sharing in our dance. I hope you find your own version of a dance that fills your life with joy.

 

Enjoy the road!

 

Bob