BUSY BUT NOT EXCITING

 ROCKPORT, TEXAS

3/30/2025

Did a bit more cleaning up from the roof repair job. Then we took a morning ride to the State Park to mess around and we did a good job of messing around.

Back at the CASTLE we did a bit of serious cleaning inside of mess from the roof job.

The camera is acting up so we may be searching for a replacement in the near future.

Basically we just went along with whatever struck our fancy to get cleaned up and out of our way. Soon we hope to be planning some good road rolling time.

Everyone have a nice night and tomorrow.

CASTLE ROOF REPAIRS

 ROCKPORT, TEXAS

3/29/2025

Today we finished the Castles roof leak repairs. Here is the short story. The CASTLE roof was totally scrubbed and cleaned of worn caulk, dirt and any other not supposed to be there stuff.

Then  all the leak points were extra cleaned. On the left front of the Castle the main leak trouble was uncovered and it was a long crack about half inch wide and seven inches long. As you can see here it was a serious crack caused by the first owner hitting something like a tree. 

Ed got to work and repaired as much as he could reach and then put fabric material over the area. And then some white goop over the area for roof coating. Then every possible leak point in the area got a good going over. 

The area was well covered with proper roofing repair materials. The he started on the rest of the roof seams etc. until all seams on the entire roof had been upgraded with new quality sealing medium.

In the end basically all the seams of the roof had been cleaned and renewed. We are hoping that that will be the last time for this major effort. The OFM teams thank ED with all our heartfelt thanks we can generate for his excellent craftsmanship on this critical repair and maintenance. THANK YOU ED.

VERY BUSY DAY

 ROCKPORT. TEXAS

3/28/2025

We spent most of the day helping a friend of ours get the Castle stopped from leaking. He redid virtually all the exterior water seals to make the rig not have any water drips inside of the living area. It was a big most of the day job that we hope is finished tomorrow.

Then we were called by old friend Rick from when the OFM teams were traveling out west. We talked for a long while about when and where we can meet out west again. So you can imagine it was a busy day.

Then to top that off, tomorrow the Castle is ready for resupply so we need to get busy doing a real resupply effort to  bring the food supply up to travel standards. Looks like it is time to keep moving and get rolling northward.

Good Night.

Rainy Dreary Day

 ROCKPORT, TEXAS

3/27/2025

Our day started as a dreary rainy chilly day and made a day of it. So the OFM Teams made a day of bits of the day until we had a full day of reasonable events.

Most of the day was spent just kind of getting by getting the two roof leaks under control. That was accomplished relatively easy but required the OFM to do roof climbing and he is not very good at that. He did do it safely on the wet roof of the Castle three times. It was a major miracle.

The reworked skylight after it did not leak. This might be a nice item in the future if it does not get leaky again.

With all the structural work today the OFM got his new shorts decorated with various caulk items so now he knows which pair is his work pair now.

And that brings us to tonight  as we enjoy a large mean lightening storm to lull us to sleep. Good Night.

Rain Storms Troubles

 Rockport, Texas

3/26/25

Another busy day with the truck repair being first on the list. The repair on SIERRA was successful. Two 1.5 inch long splits in the condenser for the AC system were the trouble. Now Sierra is running well. That was the great news.

Later in the day the hard rains started in the area. When we returned home from shopping and some other errands we found three leaks in the Castle roof. They are leak locations that were repaired about 5 or 6 years ago. So we have leak catching pots inside the rig to catch the leak water and pour it in the sink to get it outside for now. As soon as it stops raining day after tomorrow we will switch to leak abatement efforts to get them all properly stopped again. A nice experienced friend of ours has agreed to assist with the roof repair effort. It could be an interesting few days around here again. Good Night.

Just Waiting

ROCKPORT, TEXAS

/25/2025

We got the truck down to the mechanic first thing this morning for him to diagnose the a/c trouble. He kept the truck and the OFM walked home. That was a nice morning walk of a bit over 20 minutes. The mechanic called the OFM about two hours later with a description of the troubles and the OFM gave the go ahead to repair the system. One of the parts would not be in in time to get all the work done today but he feel like he will finish the repair tomorrow.

So we got in two real nice long wonderful naps. And did a bit of house cleaning also. Being well stocked in food was nice. We did not leave the campground even once after we returned from taking the truck to the shop. Hopefully Sierra will be all well and ready to roll tomorrow. Sleep well folks.

 

SHIVERRING DAY

 ROCKPORT, TEXAS

3/24/25

We had a nice day most of the day but did not get any pics worth publishing. We hit up all three normal trails with no pics exciting enough to put into the blog. The day was a bit too cool for the Team and we paid the price with lots of shivering. However we did finish the day with some good TexMex chicken tacos with sides.

GOOSE ISLAND STATE PARK OVERFLOW AREA

 ROCKPORT, TEXAS

3/23/2025

We spent a nice several hours at Goose Island State Park near Rockport this afternoon visiting folks and discussing the status of things at the park. Overall the visitors felt that the park was being run rather well especially since it is at full camping capacity nearly every night for months now.

The park folks try not let overbooking happen but if it does this is where they get to spend the night.

This area is near the boat ramp area and is actually pretty darn good in our opinion. It is near an old restored building with restrooms and showers. Now days it is a bayfront picnic area that the OFM has eaten his lunch at several times in the last 55 years he has been coming here. The shelters do a good job of shielding folks from the sun in hot weather. So even the errors turn out pretty well.

Good Night,

AREA SCENES

 ROCKPORT, TEXAS

3/22/25

With a little luck we are finally finished with a long confusing rework of junk the computer gods let be installed on this computer that added sales advertising to lots of things. We think we finally have it under semi control maybe.

OK here we go.

Frequently we have serious brush to the sides of trails here on the island. This is a picture of some of the brush next to parts of our walking trails.

So you can see why we seldom do cross country walking in this area.

This morning we got to the Beach Park and found this nice picture waiting for us to capture.

Before very long the beach was wall to wall so to speak with beach visitors.

We quickly vacated the area and went over to the east and more fishing oriented area..

Here are two pictures of the fishing area near the causeway going to Goose Island State Park.

This can be an excellent area when the tides are flowing between the bays. It definitely has a lot less vehicle activity in the fishing area for shore based fishing folks.

Good Night and have fun.

Computer Progress Finslly

 ROCKPORT, TEXAS

3/21/2025

After a few hours on the phone with my son untangling a massive web of computer mess, we are hoping to do some catching up on the blog tomorrow. Thank you for bearing with us while this "wonderful new stuff" is implemented. Good Night.

COMPUTER TROUBLE AGAIN

ROCKPORT, TEXAS

3/20/2025 

Local system not functioning properly. Will blog when system is working correctly.

This message took 3 hours to publish.

NEW VA APPOINTMENT REQUESTED

ROCKPORT, TEXAS 

3/19/2025

We started the day trying to get a new closer to us appointment for the VA's OFM hearing testing. After an hour of interesting effort we finally got to put in a request for nearby Corpus Christi instead of way over there far  down town Houston. Now all we have to do is wait again and find out what really happens.

This evening we meandered over to the Rockport Harbor to check the picture taking lighting, It turned out ok we think and here is three pictures to give our readers a nice feeling we hope.

This is the view towards the open bay with the late afternoon sun behind us. We dud nit get even a nibble but the weather was wonderful. Additionally my good friend Tim and his wonderful pup Gabby happened to be out an about also. They live on a nice house boat moored in the marina. Really nice guy and a super sweet puppy dog.

We enjoyed a couple of harbor photos.

Here is the new almost finished major redo of the downtown buildings and facilities. They are looking really nice now.

And last we got a nice image of the special clouds that formed now and then all day down there. It was a nice new show every time we passed by the area.

This area of the Texas coast is frequently very nice to view. the water is great for playing in also. 

LOTS OF WIND TODAY

 ROCKPORT, TEXAS

03/18/2025

W had way too much wind today. The waves along the shore lines pounded heavily for most of the day. The only picture we took was the sunflowers at Walmart.

We did not attempt a full scale walk. To our surprise there was good numbers of wind blown folks just being outside it appeared. But the OFM did find a T-ee shirt with a pocket in the store for under $5. Yahoo for him.

Good Night All.

GETTING MOVED

ROCKPORT, TEXAS

3/17/2025

We awakened to a ready for an early move effort and found we had a flat tire now. So we went to work getting that repaired. It was a bit of effort to get the tire off the rig and put into the bed of Sierra to head over to Craigs for repair. Good luck was with us when Craigs could take us in right then. When Rex  fingered  the valve stem it fell apart into his hands. Zoom a new stem jumped into take over and $10 later we were heading home to finish getting the rig ready to roll the six miles to the new more comfortable  home.

The tire to the left was the bad one.

We got the rest of the rig lined out and eventually got rolled over to the new home for a while.

It was a bit after noon when we were in our new spot at Anglers RV Retreat here in Rockport. It is our second time in this spot in Anglers in the last 20 years. It is a pretty good location. So finally around 1500 we were set up and settling in for a couple of months we hope. It should be getting nice and warm here in a month or so. We have some things to decide soon for activities during the summer/fall. It is shaping up to be a very busy warm weather season.

We also are looking at some possible life changing decisions to make to continue the goal of  TRYING TO HAVE TOOOOO MUCH FUN while being an old man now. Life can be a great ride if you let it.

Massive Crowds All Over Town

ROCKPORT, TEXAS

3/16/2025

The OFM did not get going the first thing this morning but when we got going it was all day long as things kept on popping up to keep us busy.

One special thing is that we will be swapping camping locations tomorrow if things go well. Hopefully we will be in our new home before lunch and have pictures of the location. We have stayed there in the past.

We did ourselves a nice long walk and got to visit a few folks along the way. It was Great.

All the water access spots were EXCESSIVELY packed so we pretty well just stayed away and visited old friends during the day. That made for an excellent afternoon.

Be Safe and have fun.

OK Here we go writing again.

 ROCKPORT, TEXAS

3/15/2025

The HUGE CROWDS here this year for the festival celebrations has kept the OFM off the roads a good bit today. The beach park has had so many vehicles three times we turned away as it was way too many vehicles to even gently cruise the road along the mile long beach. After a drive by the Beach Park early this morning we never got close to that area again this morning.

We did get on over to the Memorial Park and put in about1.75 miles of good walking in that crowded park There was about a dozen groups of kids using up all the open areas there practicing their soccer moves. They certainly take their practice seriously all the way down the the youngest of the students.

We have been putting the Castle into shape for the big move to Anglers RV Retreat on Moline Street Tuesday. That likely will be our location until we leave the area for some where else. With the bad weather in a bunch of the south we may be there a good while.

That is about it. Not a lot exciting but lots of fun visiting other folks we have not seen in a couple of years. Have fun every one.

No Blog Tonight Due Late Night visiting.

Rockport, Texas

3/14/25

The OFM got to visiting with a neighbor and did not get his blog done tonight. We will play catch up tomorrow.

Good Night.

VETERAN TESTING

 ROCKPORT, TEXAS

3/13/25

We had the standard nice day going along when the OFM got a phone call from the company handling his Veterans hearing claim he had sent in several weeks ago. To shorten the story. Now we will have a testing appointment soon to get the hearing loss quantified so judgments can be made about repair or compensation for the hearing damage done in Viet Nam  during my tour there. The caller and the OFM were able to work out Corpus Christi Texas as the testing general location. Now we await the needed details for the actual event. We have no idea how soon it will be but are really glad to get something moving for a change. Wish me luck.

NEW MANAGER GOT HERE TODAY

 ROCKPORT, TEXAS

3/12/3025

The day started well with the new park managers here in early morning and busy. Then we got busy working on getting ready for my new eye exam for an updated driver license.

we got all special citified and into the truck we went. Since we are to get some sort of special eye test for old folks, the OFM tried to look a little less run down than usual. The final story is we passed the eye exam really easy. Unlike what our description letter said it was only a they hold up a large card with special letters on it and I correctly identified all six of them. Give them $33 and woosh we were through. Out the door and on the way back home in a few minutes. The rest of the day and evening was spent visiting with folks the OFM knows around town and catching up on the gossip.

Good Night.

Confused Day

ROCKPORT, TEXAS

3/11/25

It has been a day of confusion. Even when the OFM had an outline to follow and detailed instructions to follow he screwed things up several times. OK here we go. The OFM is so old (78) this time he has to get an eye exam to renew his drivers license. There is a couple of tidbits of other stuff in the way also they also wanted and we had to ransack both the computer and our file case to find it all. But finally we found it all we think. So tomorrow should go very well. The cost is supposed to be only $33. 

Today was also the campground operator for the campground packing up and leaving town for north Texas. We did not see a hint of the new operators of the campground today. Some day soon we think it might get exciting around here. And that is all the excitement for today.

SIMPLE DAY

 ROCKPORT, TEXAS

3/10/2025

Today was a nice day but the OFM was not doing great until after lunch. It was a very run down feeling. But as he got in a decent walk he got this picture of the beach and the very low tide.

Later in the day the tourists were out in hordes of folks having fun anyway.

We got in a bit of extra rest after lunch. The OFM got in some more rest and later in the afternoon was doing great.

The former campground managers cleared out of the park by noon and we have not seen any evidence of the new managers yet. We will find out something some day we guess.

So as the title says it was a simple day without any major excitement. Good Night.

A LITTLE BIT FOR TODAY

 ROCKPORT, TEXAS

3/9/2025

The day was cool but sunny for the most part but we found little to do but look for walking room to keep the body healthy. The OFM spent a bit of time reading about and studying about our soon ( we hope) getting rolling again. The OFM 's new drivers license renewal came in and tomorrow we will call about getting the eye test that is required since I am so old now. Then we may have some knowledge about our near future. We still are hoping for a loop out west along the Rio Grande River starting at Falcon Lake and going north.

This morning the OFM was feeling sickly and went back to bed and slept/rested until nearly noon and awakened feeling great. Who knows????   Anyway we wish everyone well and Good Night.

BEACH PARTY DAY

ROCKPORT, TEXAS

3/8/2025

Beach  parking was packed as we tried to get a spot for Sierra so we could go walking.

But we found a spot way on down the Beach near the end of the sand. But there were too many folks out playing so we gave that up and went over to Whataburger for lunch.

Whataburger went well and we left with 2 each of all the trinkets they were giving away. Why two each? Two grand kids in Alabama are the reason.

Somewhere during the day we parked at Walmart and walked part of the Tule trail and got a picture of a trail walker NAKED,

She is in the center of the photo.

The trail was pleasant and short and we met a nice couple at the shade shelter at the start of the trail.

And here is a picture of why the OFM did not like slides in the earlier years of them in travel trailer. We saw too many folks having to close sslides with their tow vehicles  like I took a ppicture of in our campground earlier today.

By tonight he still had not gotten the slide to close so they could leave in the morning. Now days we do not see that happen near as often in 2000 to 2005 models. The Castle is a no slide 2005 model. Have fun every one.

BIG EVENT COMING TOMORROW

 ROCKPORT, TEXAS

3/7/2025

The towns are in a big level of effort trying to get everything ready for the OYSTER FESTIVAL over in Fulton. But the reality all of these small towns snuggled together on this stretch of coast as heavily affected by the big doings. Here is a picture inside the Rockport beach park where they are setting up large tents for who knows what. 

Notice all around the area the huge number of port a cans being brought in and yes they will all be needed. It is a huge event for this area. The OFM makes a special point to stay out of the way during the whole event. 

This late evening the OFM was tired but restless and took a little meander down into the beach Park for a last look see before the event kicks off in the morning. Here is the late evening start of the sunset and cloud scene. It was very spectacular in real life.

Things were a little overcast but still spectacular in real life.

We are looking forward to some great cloud formations tomorrow if we get lucky.

Every one relax and enjoy the day. Good Night.

RUNNING LATE No Blog Tonight

 ROCKPORT, TEXAS

3/6/2025

RUNNING LATE TONIGHT.

LEGAL ONE

ROCKPORT, TEXAS

3/5/25

WINDY and a bit cool during the day but a long way from cold. During the little bit of fishing the OFM caught a 15.5 inch trout which is legal to keep and our first of the new season.

That was the only water action for the day. Later in the day we got into a very nice conversation that lasted well into the late evening with an old friend. We had lots of catching up to do. It made for a great finish to the evening.

So there you have it, a day of messing around with new and old friends and four new blog readers joining up with the OFM foolishness.

Maybe tomorrow will be more interesting.

HIGH WINDS

ROCKPORT, TEXAS

 3/4/ 2025

 The winds today were ferocious until nearly dark and really hampered a lot of stuff especially our walking efforts. After messing around in the campground and getting nowhere we headed out to the beach park to attempt walking in 20 plus mph wind. It was miserable. We even parked just outside the entrance of the beach park where we thought it might be less windy, The second we cleared the navigation district building it was a real chore to walk decently in the wind. Here is the view from the truck to the start of the beach going away to our left.

The wind was peaking over 25 mph as we attempted to walk in this area. It was a no go for sure so we went back to the truck and meandered around looking for better walking conditions. We stopped at a couple more locations and nothing was decent so we gave up for then.

On one of the tries we met a bird we named Ralph for no special reason but Ralph was walking on the loose large rocks next to a pier and having to hold on with both feet. When Ralph let go of a rock with one foot to take a step the wind would grab the extended leg and twist Ralph so he faced down wind again. It was sort of funny to watch.

The miserable wind was still blowing like crazy when we closed it down to head home.

And last for tonight here is a setting sun scene of the finger pier where the OFM catches fish frequently.

Every one have a great night.
 

SPRING BREAK WEEK PLANS

ROCKPORT. TEXAS

3/3/2025 

A nice but cloudy day greeted us today and made for a good day for enjoyment of the outside. But we did not get any pictures taken since the fog kept getting in the way.

To make things a bit worse the saved sites on the Internet we normally frequent started putting ads into the sites that interrupt what we are trying to read. Then the add runs for a long few seconds then a turn it off button pops up. What a nuisance it is to the OFM team.

We made a decision this evening to try to get rolling on March 17 the Monday after Spring Break week for the schools. Hopefully all the traffic mess will be gone by then.

Currently our plan is to head for Falcon  Campground near Falcon Heights Texas and Falcon State Park on the Rio Grande River in south Texas. We have been there many times in the past. It is a primo boondocking location of sorts. They furnish water and a one hole dump station.

And that's all for tonight. Have fun.

HERE IT IS.

 ROCKPORT. TEXAS

3/2/2025

We finally after several years got to visit with an experienced truck camper couple and closely examine a truck camper. To our surprise it had an interior arrangement nearly identical to the Castle. They graciously took time to answer all our questions and give a very complete tour of the inside.

Taking the unit on and off the truck was carefully gone through in great detail. All manner of things were explained and the OFM even came up with a couple more questions they were able to answer well. They were leaving tomorrow to start the trip back home up north. It was a fantastically nice visit with these gracious folks. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

Beautiful Day

ROCKPORT, TEXAS

3/1/2025

Yep it was a beautiful day starting with some shore line fog for a short while and did not photograph well at all to a day that photographed extreme well.

 

And this photo pretty well sums up the whole day. Just gorgeous all day long. And an occasional fish being caught to keep the fishing interest turned on for the tourists. Sorry folks but just plain old wonderful peace and happy all day long.