CAMPED ON THE RIO FRIO IN TEXAS

Here we are in site 6 at Parkview Riverside RV Park (read camground review here), on a top of a bluff overlooking the beautiful Rio Frio River. As I write this at 3:30 CDT, the sun is making its first appearance in 3 days, the most amazingly humid days we have experienced in our travels.

How humid? So humid that the roads were wet even though it wasn't raining; so humid I haven't had to use chapstick or lotion since we arrived; so humid we switched from our usual flannel sheets to cotton percale; so humid the towels don't dry between uses. HUMID!

But not cold. Yesterday we took a long walk in Garner State Park, Texas' most-visited state park, across the river from us. Even in the low clouds and occasional heavy mist/light rain, we were wearing shorts and t-shirts. Quite a change from our recent days in Arizona!

Low clouds and mist didn't stop Texans from enjoying the weekend on the river - we stopped for awhile to watch these kids tubing the Rio Frio. The state park was full of families picnicing, swimming, splashing on the riverbank - a friendly, summer-like scene in spite of the gray skies.

Today we took a driving tour Texas Hill Country Trail, roads marked as scenic in our atlas. They were! We circled through Utopia, Tarpley, Bandera, Medina, Vanderpool and Leakey, each town an evocative mix of old ranches, small cafes and seemingly indestructable limestone courthouses and churches shaded by giant live oaks and elms. Closer to San Antonio, ranch driveways (so long that you can't see any ranch buildings) are marked by imposing limestone pillars or walls and ornate metal gates; farther back to the west, the fences and gates are far less ostentatious.

Our lunch in Medina marks the beginning of our BBQ trail, through Texas into Arkansas and on to Memphis. Since we left Arizona, except for the "enchiladas with the works" in Las Cruces, we have eaten at home every day, lots of vegetables, low-fat, high-fiber. But sampling outstanding regional foods is part of the fun of travel - and if you are an omnivore, you've gotta' go for the BBQ here - ribs, brisket and sausage (and heaven help the vegetarian). I NEVER get a smile like this out of Odel when I set down a steaming plate of whole grains and vegetables!

MORE ON MARFA, AND ART

When my sister, Sydney, read my recent blog post about Marfa, she sent me this photo of "Prada Marfa". I had completely forgotten this surreal art installation along the road south from Van Horn to Marfa.

Odel and I zoomed past it so fast that I didn't get a close look, let alone a photo - and there is simply no turning a 60' long diesel pusher/Jeep combo on a narrow, two lane, Texas backroad.

The photo prompted me to Google "Prada Marfa", and I wasn't suprised to find interesting webpages: Prada Marfa and Prada Marfa Update. Check 'em out for a fun look at the art scene in West Texas. Both pages are on an interesting website called TexasEscapes.com which I want to explore in depth as we are traveling in Texas.

Sydney and her husband, Frank, are artists who visited Marfa last year. You can see Sydney's paintings here and Frank's photographs here. Thanks for the photo, and the memory!

CONNECTED IN CONCAN, TEXAS

Though we have no cell phone or aircard service here in Concan, Texas, the RV park has a speedy internet connection that we will use for the next three days. Updates on our recent travels to follow a bit later...

Update, 7 pm CDT: I just added a blog post about our days at Davis Mountain State Park. It is in chronological order, dated 3/27/2008.

Update, 8:30 CDT: South Llano River State Park is covered in my post dated 3/28/2008.