Texas: Escapees Headquarters and the Bush Presidential Library

Our next plans were to begin making our way back west, stopping at several points of interest along the way. The first stop was at the Escapees Headquarters in Livingston, Texas, after which we planned to continue to College Station, Texas to tour the George H.W Bush Presidential Library. 
We left Biloxi, Mississippi under heavy skies that opened up after an hour of driving, coming down in buckets. With the low visibility, traffic slowed down to a crawl. The rain pretty much followed us along most of the route that took us west and back through Louisiana along I-10, connecting to I-12 around the north end of Lake Pontchartrain, then back to I-10. 

The rain eventually stopped, we continued through areas of patchy fog, and as we drove across the elevated highways we glimpsed mysterious lagoons, bayous and fog-swirling swamps on either side of the highway. 

elevated highway across Louisiana's Mississippi delta

Tupelo swamps

We spent the night in Duson, Louisiana, just west of Lafayette, at Frog City RV Park. We didn't hear any frogs but the owners obviously are passionate about frogs, which adorned the park in variously shaped ornaments, wall hangings, and statues. The rows were also variations of frog terms and names. 

It was warm and muggy when we arrived at the RV Park. That evening we joined the ice-cream social in the clubhouse, met and chatted with several folks from different states heading to warmer snowbird destinations for the winter. 

Next morning we filled up at the Shell station next door, and headed out on the 191-mile journey to Livingston, Texas. The road was particularly bumpy again today in places and we rattled and shuddered along, hearing all sorts of new noises inside and outside the coach. 

rest stop welcome center as you cross into Texas

Crossing into Texas we found ourselves back on FM-roads (Farm to Market). The drive along FM 1293 could have been through Washington State with the evergreen trees, low grey skies overhead, and occasional sprinkles. Except for the fact that this is mid-December and it's warm enough for short sleeves. There is evidence of lumber industry here too. We passed several trucks hauling tree trunks to mills, although the trees here are a smaller variety than the Washington tall cedars. 

Texas FM road signs with their distinctive state outline

drippy grey skies and forest lined roads - this could be WA State, with shorter trees

lumber trucks and churches

About 20 miles from our destination one of the rattles became more persistent and intense. It appeared to be coming from the front air-conditioner, and knowing that the Mazoccos lost their air-conditioner cover while we were all convoying to New Braunfels, we stopped at the first convenient spot. These FM roads are 2-lane roads with no shoulder but thankfully there was a gas station along one of them, and plenty of space to pull in. Michael pulled out the ladder and climbed on the roof. One of the screws on our cover had come loose and after he tightened it we were off again to our destination at the Escapees Rainbows End RV Park.

This is a park where some folks come to spend winters in their RVs, others live here permanently in their RVs or own homes on the property, and still others end their days at the Escapees Care Center located here. This is also the headquarters of the Escapees organization and the location of their mail service. It has worked very well for us since going full-time, and whenever our mail arrives in Livingston, they scan the envelopes and send us an email, then forward what we want to whichever RV park we are staying in. This morning we took a tour through the mailing facility which is quite impressive. The facility is huge and well organized considering they process hundreds of packages and letters daily. 

Like most of the snowbird RV Parks, this Rainbows End also has a large community hall, a swimming pool, and an agenda with dozens of different weekly activities and clubs. I noticed line dancing on the list and promptly joined the group the next morning. It's the first time I experienced a male teacher for a change.

The weather forecast rain overnight, but what we did not expect was the wild thunder and lightning storm that awoke us after midnight. The lightening flashes were so bright they were blinding and thunder claps so loud that the coach actually shuddered. It must have been striking close by because the flash and thunder clap occurred almost at the same instant.  The rain came pelting down in a deluge and then just as suddenly as the storm rolled in, it was over about an hour later.  

The next morning, we continued west for another 100 miles along the smaller FM roads to College Station, Texas. Along the route we passed numerous ranches, Livestock Exchanges, several deer processing and taxidermy businesses, and dozens of Baptist churches. There were other non-denominational churches too with names like New Beginnings, Christian Faith Church, and the ones I liked best: Fellowship of Believers and Real Church for Real People. There was even a church for bikers, which I suspect was for motor bikers. No matter the size of the community we passed, there was always at least one church and typically more. One small town looked almost abandoned with its few main buildings along the main road boarded up. Yet at the other end was a large brick church that appeared to still have an active congregation. God is everywhere in Texas country,as are reminders on placards in front yards of homes that "Jesus is the reason for the season" with Christmas approaching. 

We arrived at Karsten's RV Resort around 1PM, and set up. The next day we toured the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum located on the Texas A&M sprawling university campus.  The impressive grounds of the presidential library include a convention venue and the Bush School. 

having a fireside chat with the 41st President

Visiting Presidential Libraries has now become a new theme in our travels so if there is one somewhere close to our route, we make sure to stop for a tour. As we have found, in a one location visit you get an excellent overview of the president as a leader and also as a person. I enjoy learning about each president's family life and personal life-experiences which ultimately shaped and influenced his life decisions and interest in politics. Likewise I appreciate the compact presentation on the issues both at home and abroad that each president dealt with during his time in office. Leading any nation is a daunting undertaking, and understanding the unique and unpredictable issues that each president faced is an enlightening experience. 

At the George H.W. Bush library we started our tour with a movie that gave a good overview of Bush's life and career culminating with his presidency. Then we went through the various galleries which were organized along a time line of his family life, his military service, education and achievements, and years in politics. 

Since arriving in the US, I have seen 9 presidents in office including Bush senior, our 41st president who was in office from 1989 to 1993. 
There is detailed information about him here: George H.W.Bush
But in a nutshell, Bush accumulated quite a resume: served in WWII, married Barbara, graduated from Yale with an economics degree, started a family while studying, lost a 3- year-old daughter to leukemia, went to Texas in search of his own fortune, worked hard, made money in oil, became interested in politics, ran on a republican ticket and won in a then democratic state, became a congressman, was UN ambassador, ambassador to China, became a senator, head of CIA, vice president then president. As president he faced domestic economic problems with a large deficit and increasing unemployment, and foreign policy matters with Panama, the end of the Cold War, dissolution of the Soviet Union, and the Gulf War to expel Iraq from Kuwait.

I left with an impression of a good, kind man whose focus in life was always on service. 
One of the presentations showed how, as a young boy, once when Bush came home excited that he had scored 3 goals in the game, his mother replied, "That’s nice but how did the team do?" He was always taught not to focus on "I" but to rather focus on the "you," a quality infused from the time he was young. He was athletic, showed leadership potential as a young man at school, was church going, family oriented, and the type of personality who gets on with everyone and makes it a point to be a gentleman always. 
One personal quote of his is: I learned what it was to take risks, and how to start over when you failed.
It's telling of the man he became. 

I was drawn to this display of Barbara Bush's handiwork. The explanation is that Mrs. Bush began doing needlework to keep from being bored when she listened to her husband giving the same speech a hundred times! She created the purses to support her husband's  political campaigns. In the photo here the upper purse shows scenes of Washington DC, and the one below is from his US senate campaign in 1970. Needlepoint was an outlet for Mrs Bush that I can well relate to! 

Both Bushes are still alive and still remain involved with the library, attending some of the events hosted there. They also have an apartment on the campus although stay there less often now. We strolled down to the pond and Barbara's rose garden, then wandered over to see the family burial plot which is prepared for when that inevitable time arrives. Their young daughter is buried there. 
There was also a gallery displaying the history of ranching. Here we learned about the cattle drive trails from Texas to markets in the north. A typical drive of 3,500 head of cattle might require 18 cowboys, a diverse mix including Anglos, Hispanics, and newly emancipated African Americans. A cook and his chuck wagon, and a horse wrangler who was responsible for the herd of horses for the cowboys to use, were also part of the crew. 

cowboy with longhorn cattle

the chuck wagon 

I found the barbed wire collection quite fascinating. There were 275 pieces of different barbed wire on display, each with its unique twist and pattern. 
Once the western US transformed from open range to controlled use of land by the end of the 19th century, fencing in one's property became important.  Because the western plains had no natural materials to build fences, barbed wire was adopted as a cheap, effective fencing material for homesteaders to control livestock and mark property boundaries. Approximately 450 patents were issued for barbed wire, and over 2,000(!) varieties of designs of barbed wire have been found. The collections here were assembled by a soil scientist working for the USDA Soil Conservation Service, who spent many days crossing ranches and properties as part of his duties. 

Located outside the library is this striking monument. Created by Veryl Goodnight, it's a depiction of the day the Berlin Wall came down, the horses representing the freedom of the human spirit. I find it perfectly fitting for this part of the country with its cowboys, numerous horse ranches, and wide open spaces.

the Monument to Freedom in front of the Library