Livingston Texas Escapees

We were released from our last job Saturday, December 21, 2013 and with both the Bronco and Trailer's registrations both expiring.  We have been exploring options of moving to Texas all along but with our job gate guarding taking us all over the state, renting an RV site, even in Port A where we have been spending most of our down time just seemed unrealistic and a waste of Money.   I have not been in Idaho since the end of June when circumstances required our presence.  Prior to that time we had also been in Texas some months.  Just seemed silly having to return to Idaho for no other reason than to register vehicles.  Finally we learned of an Organisation called Escapees.  Who have tailored their service to assist aquiring a Domicile for travelers like ourselves.  Getting a bit ahead of ourselves, however.  First we had to get to Livingston, Texas some 300 plus miles from where we were at.

From here:

By way of many small Texas towns, almost all forgettable except one, Navrasota.  Has a clothing optional RV park.  Anywho......

Ok, the reason this Pizza Hut is here is because you can have a Jack and Coke with your Pizza.  I s&^t you not.  Half of the restaurant is a full service bar with a big "Pizza Hut" neon sign behind the bar.  Back on the road.

So many of these small towns, unless located somewhere near the oil fields are just freaking dying.   Anyway, I was reminded of the movie The Last Picture Show.  Where the young people, (now old people.  Think Jeff Bridges and Timothy Bottoms and Cybil Shepard)  desperately wanting to seek a life elsewhere.  Makes sense. It's a depressing thought. High school football, religion and work is all that seems to be going on around these places.  I'm sure they are good people but not my lifestyle.

And onward

Driving

Until we had to stop at a local Wally World due to fog.

Oh this, this is Sunset along the beach at Port A.  Not fog.  However driving in the fog in other states might seem risky, driving in fog in Texas is downright Suicidal.  We long ago stopped taking pictures of  cars passing on double yellow lines and on hills.  Here it seems to be more of the norm than the exception.  The craziest drivers I have ever seen have been in Texas.

I'm not sure about other places, but in Texas it is not uncommon to pull out of your driveway onto a 70 mph highway.  On even a moderately busy day this requires going like a bat out of hell.  Bronco rarely sees 70 even on the freeway.  Too noisy and expensive.  I am not sure she has seen 80 in the past ten years which seems to be the prevailing legal speed limit on the toll roads.  And like other states, most drivers like to keep it around 10 over.  Keep from getting a speeding ticket.  Aaaannnd the condition of road that Texas slaps a 70 mph sign on is not just puzzling, it's awe inspiring.

Did I get distracted?  My resolution is not to multi task as much.  Back on topic.

Gradually the scenery began to change. 

Lake Livingston

and

More Lake Livingston

And More Lake Livingston

(Camera One_

(Camera two)

Onward to Livingston

We took some selected shots.  Forgot to take a pic of the City sign while entering Livingston but oh well.  Please also disregard the different datestamps from the camera and employ your "suspension of disbelief"  One of the few terms I remember from College. We had to backtrack a bit.

Finally Arriving

And after over 5000 miles towing a heavy assed trailer,  in all kinds of terrain and all kinds of temperatures and almost flawless operation, (with the exception of the occasional teeth grinding malfunction that is usually easily fixed}  Both clutch in the Bronco and DC converter in the Trailer died.  A 12 volt Battery Charger is a good stand in for the converter and costs only 50.00 bucks until I get around to fixing her.  Not too expensive.   The clutch, well we will find out on Friday.

when we got there, we found out the park is 55 I guess and over.  They weren't going to let me in.  I just chuckled and showed em my ID.  Hehe.  

K, I'm lying.

We were a little nervous about the Natives.  Would they be hostile?  Not when you have Alcohol.  Amazingly popular even in this partially dry county.  Seriously, Escapees is the neatest thing since micro brewed beer.  A 140 Acre complex and RV park.  Given what our scenery was around San Antonio we were very pleasantly surprised, It's gorgeous.  

Our present CG

Full HU's 19.00 bucks a day, or 110.00 a week.  This place is the full service retiree hotspot.   Activity Center, pool, clubhouse, Ice Cream store, Laundry, Showers and amazingly an on location medical facility to assist the elder seniors.  Non stop little activities that I don't appreciate now but will someday if I am fortunate to live so long.  Lisa is right now off to Pinochle night.  Today was New Years and a free Black eyed pea Lunch  (for those that don't know, the black eyed pea eaten on New Years is a good luck omen}   On site insurance agency to help with the transfer of Insurance and also amazingly helpful people at the National HQ.  who walk you step by step with the somewhat nerve wracking requirements of getting a car registered and acquiring a Texas Drivers license.I know I sound like a commercial here but these folks are fiercely proud of their Organization.  A local politician did not like losing an election here at one point and retirees, these ones anyway apparently made a point of making sure he was not elected.  He sued as so many in Texans like to do because he claimed they were not full time residents. (Seriously the most ostentatious lawyer commercial I have ever seen predominate the airwaves here.  The insurance costs are the highest in the nation, triple what we paid in Idaho)  The Domicile aspect of Escapees has been through the Court system and is an entirely legal address.  

I have to include this picture or I will seriously be in Hot Water.  

Actually, Lisa has taken most of the blog worthy pictures shown here, just the exception of the ones she herself  is shown.  

A blog worthy link

http://www.escapees.com/mailservice/Docs/texan.pdf

Another Blog worthy link

http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2kfRKD/adioso.com/?c=feb13/


My Hunter S. Thompson quote:

” 
"A man who procrastinates in his choosing will inevitably have his choice made for him by circumstance"

Hmmm clothing optional....... Intriguing 

Funny light

Looked outside, sure is bright out for 1:00 AM.  All the burning fires from the stacks burning excess gas reflecting off the low lying clouds.  No joke.  Some of these flames look to be thirty feet or more in height. 

So I stepped out with my camera and took a few pictures.  Surreal is an understatement.  I could say that these pictures are a result of camera tricks but they are not.  They depict very nearly accurately what I am seeing.

                                                  And this is the 360 view   

A rhythmic metallic, alrighty I'll say it "hellish" sound is emitting from the Rig.  It goes on 24 seven but is unnoticeable until there is no other sound. Just a steady clanking metal against metal one would hear in an early steam powered factory.  If I were to let my imagination wander just a little, I could easily see a line of horned minions trudging towards me from but a short distance away.  Eyes glowing looking very underworldly. Released from the ground by the Well digging crew, they have climbed out and are coming for me.  Their mission to hold me to account for all of my sins.    One tends to wonder if dystopian scenes like this were the inspiration for early novels.  Or mabe the fire and brimstone sermons some southern religons are known for.  And I would bet scenes like this were common in the early industrial years in cities like Pittsburgh, New York and Chicago before environmental laws came into being.  Yeah it's a little creepy and I am going to think of an excuse to wake up the little woman for awhile.  Least until it get's a little lighter.  God, think what a basket case I will be if I see a UFO.  Thank's for listening and good night. 

Just Fooling About

Johnny Ringo: "My fight's not with you Holliday"

Doc Holliday: " I beg to differ sir.  We started something we were never able to finish.  Play for blood if you will."

Johnny Ringo: " I was just foolin about"

Doc Holliday: " I wasn't "

Tombstone, the greatest story ever told.

I inadvertently recorded these last few minutes of a dolphins life.

The big ship bore down on it, unaware of it's presence. It had no chance whatsoever.

I couldn't watch

Actually, this was a bunch of dolphins, a

 gaggle if you will.  And this is what they do for 

sport. What is whoo hoo in dolphonese? 
And of course the last moments of a dolphin's life is in bad taste.  Apologies.

 When I set out to go fishing a couple of days ago, this kept running through my head.

I had been fishing at the South Jetty way too long
with less than satisfying results.

Soooo, I picked a new location.

And after days that turned into weeks fishing at the South Jetty, I picked a new location, the Ferry crossing.  Note the sidewalk instead of the bone jarring boulder constructed finger that stretches a half mile out into the Ocean.

And within forty five minutes, I caught the biggest fish of my life.

No not this one. Even my wife won't buy that this is thirty eight inches.  Or I should say my wife will be the first to not believe  this is thirty eight inches.  In fact, if I don't have pictures, I face a lifetime of "of course I believe you" and " remember when you said you caught that big fish and nobody believed you.  I did dear."  Yada Yada.



Buuuut,  landing this guy turned out to be a little different matter. So after battling for awhile, I managed to snake out my cell phone and get a few pictures.

Of course though this is after both he and I were kind of tuckered out

I had to get this guy out of the water myself, snag him in a net and lift him six feet to the sidewalk.  Then I had to make a decision as to whether to keep him.  Red Drum fish this size tend to be more for trophy than eating.  In fact their meat is tough and they tend to be wormy according to the older fishermen around here.  Therefore after measuring him, I then threw him back, or more accurately rolled him off the sidewalk since I estimated him to be between twenty five and thirty pounds.  Mission accomplished.


(Note hands raised to the heavens and angels singing in the background) Llllllaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh.

By the time this get's posted, another cold

front has hit.  We are back in the patch and might as well  make a few bucks to weather the storm and plan our next adventure.  

Kind of in closing: these past few weeks Lisa and I have ended our unintended silence and have been talking with family and friends. We've heard all the details and events that have been shaping everybody's days.  It is especially satisfying as we go into this second year in this new life, that at this point in time, (though there are some who might not necessarily agree), from our viewpoint all is well.  The events, stories and problems we hear that are occurring from across the country, well, is life.  Not just living, but experiencing, striving, failing, coping and above all else, moving forward with purpose.  Bear with my penchant for quotes and particularly this next one from Hunter S. Thompson.  No not the slide into the grave in the well worn carcass one circling the Internet, but this one I found more from my point of view.

"Music has always been a matter of Energy to me, a question of Fuel.  I have always needed Fuel.  I am a a serious consumer.  On some nights I still believe that a car with the gas needle on empty can run about fifty more miles if you have the right music very loud on the radio."

I wish all health and happiness and a long life.

S/Huckleberry