Homeward Bound

Well, we bypassed a plan stopover in San Antonio and decided to make for home.  We were still in the Texas hill country this morning so we decided to stop at the LBJ State Park and Historic Site and the LBJ National Historic Park, both located in Stonewall.  We visited the Visitor Center where I spent time tying to find a good Texas Ranger history book.  (I should have purchased one at the Texas Rangers center the day before, as they had a very good selection).  I did not find the exact book I wanted so I will Amazon it when we get home.

We stopped at watched some Texas Longhorns (not the college type) for a while.  They are really magnificent beasts.

After spending some time at the State Park, we went across the Pedernales River to the National Historic site, his ranch (the “Western White House” during his tenure) / home / birthplace/ burial site and school-house.

We saw this picture of LBJ showing some Washington types how to use a water pump, so Cathy had to make sure she was up to speed on the same pump.

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While she was pumping, I was doing more important things, like checking out the presidential outhouse!  It was truly worthy – a two-holer!

We had to park down the road a bit to get back to the gravesite as there was no parking for our size vehicle.  We walked by a small herd of these.  Check out the “tats” on the horns!

They weren’t too scary as the “men” were in a different area (we checked before we got “up close and personal” with them.

We did find the “man cave” and they were in a different kind of mood.  We did not get too close as he was giving us the “look”.

This is the (almost) original LBJ birthsite.  Actually, the original home either burned down or was destroyed due to its poor condition, but Lyndon had an exact copy of his birthplace built on the actual original foundation in the 1930’s and furnished it as closely as possible to the original.  This home was used as a guest cottage thereafter.

It is kind of sobering that LBJ was buried just a few feet from where he was born.

We took the drive around the farm, including his private 5,000 ft. runway before reaching the actual house.  We saw a lot of deer as there is presumably no hunting allowed here.

LBJ flew back and forth to Austin and used the runway a lot.  At the northern end was a RV park . . kinda . . with full hookups for the Army guards when he was President.  They would not let us stay there!

We passed by a small group of bison and I stopped to take some pictures.  Apparently, the group I was photographing were females and we encountered a male who was not happy with me.

He actually charged me, stopped just short and snorted.  TWICE!  Yes, I was behind a fence, and I checked it out quickly as he was coming at me.  It was a typical cattle fence and he could have just walked through it.  I got the message and started walking (fast) back to the motor home and this SOB followed the fence all the way back, snorting and pawing the ground.  I got the message.  Next time I go to Ted’s Montana Grill, I WILL order bison.

After spending more time than we though at the LBJ facilities, we only traveled as far as Rusk.  We arrived after dark and couldn’t find the place so we called the manager and he met us with his truck.  Our GPS had us a mile down the road AND on the wrong side!  He was a very interesting character.  He was in the service (AF) and stayed in Alaska after getting out where he became a bush pilot instructor and did that for years.  His son is Lee St. Pierre who buys the gold that is “discovered” on the TV show “Gold Rush: Alaska”.   His brother is currently an active AK bush pilot.

The next morning we left early and traveled 450 miles, across Louisiana, ending up in Toomsuba, Mississippi.  We continue to travel back roads in our quest to see more of the country.  Unfortunately, most truck stops (where we can fuel and get DEF) are on the interstates.

We will be on the road for one more day as I do not want to get back in time to experience rush hour through Atlanta.  Tomorrow will be an “easy day” of about 330 miles.