Texas Hill Country

October 14 – 25, 2020

We left Catherines Landing in Arkansas and set our sights on Texas. After stopping overnight outside of Waco, we arrived in Kerrville mid afternoon the following day. We enjoyed the drive through the beautiful wine country around Fredericksburg.

Buckhorn Lake Resort

For our campground here, we chose the privately owned Buckhorn Lake Resort in Kerrville, Texas. The resort consists of 4 sections – an adult only section, a family executive section, a private leased section, and a general section. Although we wanted a site in the adult only section there were none available, so we set up camp on a pull-through site in the general section.

The private leased area (called The Club) is a Class A Motorhome community with custom casitas that vary in size from 400 – 3000+ sq. feet. This is a great option for those wanting the RV lifestyle but with extra living space.

Our friends Ann and Lin Bishop purchased a Club site and were in the process of renovating the casita. They invited us to join them for happy hour and to check out their progress. They’re redesigning the interior and have added a really nice porch area where they can relax with the added benefit of watching the deer in the field behind their site.

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San Antonio

Mission San José y San Miguel de Aguayo

After having a broken bedroom slide cable replaced and otherwise relaxing over the weekend, we set out mid-morning on Monday for San Antonio. Our first stop was the San Antonio Missions National Historic Park. Adjacent to the Visitor Center (which was closed due to Covid) is Mission San José, the largest and most complete mission in the park.

Founded in 1720, the mission was named for Saint Joseph and the Marqués de San Miguel de Aguayo, the governor of the Province of Coahuila and Texas at the time. It was built on the banks of the San Antonio River a few miles to the south of the earlier mission, Mission San Antonio de Valero (the Alamo). Its founder was the famed Father Antonio Margil de Jesus, a very prominent Franciscan missionary in early Texas.

San José, as it became known, was the largest of the missions in the area. At its height, the community contained about 350 Indian neophytes, sustained by extensive fields and herds of livestock. Viewed as the model among the Texas missions, San José gained a reputation as a major social and cultural center. It became known as the “Queen of the Missions.” Its imposing complex of stone walls, bastions, granary, and magnificent church was completed by 1782.

Much of what is visible today at Mission San José was reconstructed by the Works Progress Administration in the 1930s. The Archdiocese of San Antonio and San Jose parish are responsible for any maintenance and preservation work needed on the church structure itself. About 80% of the church is original. 

nps.gov

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Riverwalk

No trip to San Antonio can be complete without a visit to the famous Riverwalk. We had planned to do some shopping and have lunch as we strolled a portion of the 5 mile downtown stretch. Unfortunately we found very few shops and most restaurants were closed until later in the day. Anyway, aside from some construction along the way, we had a peaceful stroll.

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Not to be deterred from enjoying some Tex-Mex on this outing, we stopped at Chuy’s on the way back to Kerrville.

Fredericksburg

The next day we set off to explore Fredericksburg.

In 1846, John O. Meusebach created Fredericksburg, then called Friedrichsburg, as the second of a pair of settlements for those brought to Texas by the Society for the Protection of German Immigrants in Texas, also known as the Adelsverein. The city was named for Prince Frederick of Prussia, who was the highest member of the Adelsverein. The townsite was situated perfectly in a well-timbered area between Barton and Town Creeks, which would provide the supplies for the settlement to get started. Those who came to the area largely were German immigrants from intellectual, liberal classes, but worship services remained an integral part of their lives. The Vereins Kirche was the hub of the community, and this building served as the church, community center, and school.

Just after the turn of the 20th century, the San Antonio, Fredericksburg, and Northern Railway created a stop in the town in 1913. This would expand the influence of the outside world on this tiny, though growing, German outpost. During World War II, Admiral Chester Nimitz, a multigeneration Fredericksburgian, led the United States to victory on the Pacific front.

Today, Fredericksburg strives to remain connected to its German origins while making strides into the future. Its historic district gives visitors and new generations a peek into Fredericksburg history, so they can continue to keep the past alive. Tourism is still a large part of the economy, and fewer people speak German than ever, but this town remains a genuine piece of Texas history, that changes with the times, keeping relevant while preserving its past.

texashillcountry.com

We wanted to visit the National Museum of the Pacific War but it was closed that day. Unable to go inside, we toured the courtyard and gardens instead.

The Plaza of the Presidents features ten monuments honoring presidents who served during World War II. Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman served as Commanders‐in‐Chief. Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard M. Nixon, Gerald R. Ford, James E. Carter, Jr., Ronald Reagan, and George H. W. Bush served in uniform.

A gift from the people of Japan to the people of the United States (8 May 1976), the Japanese Garden of Peace symbolizes the special friendship between these two countries. The garden is a tribute to Japanese Admiral Heihachiro Togo, whose leadership and strategic acumen often inspired and influenced Admiral Nimitz. The garden includes a replica of Togo’s study in Japan and also features the elements of a traditional Japanese garden including a fish pond, raked stones, and large rocks.

Memorial Courtyard honors the individuals, ships and units who fought in the Pacific Theater. The 19th Century limestone walls that surround this solemn garden now bear plaques that recognize heroic contributions to the war effort in the Pacific. The Veterans’ Walk of Honor winds through the Courtyard, paved by bricks inscribed with additional tributes.

After visiting the gardens and courtyard of the museum, we walked along Main Street, investigating the many unique and interesting shops. Friends had told us to have lunch at the Altstadt Brewery but they were closed. (Obviously we should have planned our outing better). They also suggested the Social Haus where we found some delicious sandwiches.

Chicken N Pickle

On Wednesday we drove back to San Antonio to meet Lin and Ann for some pickle ball. They had discovered an amazing place called Chicken N Pickle – a pickle ball destination.

A new Outdoor/Indoor Entertainment Venue and Restaurant Concept in San Antonio. Play Pickleball, grab a healthy bite to eat, or challenge your friends to lawn games like battleship or cornhole.

Located in Northern San Antonio, Chicken N Pickle is a brand new entertainment complex that includes a fast casual dining restaurant, 11 Pickleball courts (6 indoor and 5 outdoor), 2 bocce ball and 4 shuffleboard courts, a bar and entertainment space, outdoor lawn games like Jenga and Corn Hole, and a game room with ping pong and TV screens for you and your friends to catch your favorite game.

chickennpickle.com

This place was amazing. For $5 per person, we had a dedicated indoor pickle ball court for as long as we wanted it. Since Ann and Lin are talented players it’s an understatement to say that Bill and I were “challenged” (especially since we hadn’t played in a couple of months – excuse??). After four games, we were ready to try out the restaurant. The rotisserie chicken smelled so good that I just had to have some – tender, juicy, and flavorful. Bill and the girls went for the burgers which they said were great. We definitely need one of these in Ft. Myers.

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Time to head south

Our time in the Texas Hill Country was winding down. We had planned to meet Lin and Ann at Augusta Vin (one of the wineries near Fredericksburg) one day for a wine tasting but they needed to be available to address some issues concerning the construction on their casita. However, we were able to get together later that evening to sip some wine and enjoy nice grilled steaks.

We loved the Hill Country and since we now have friends who have put down roots in the area, I’m sure we’ll be back in the future. For now, we’re off to the beach.