After a quick trip back to Chicago, we are presently at home base (MO) waiting for the icy weather to pass and preparing our home for a 3-month absence. The motorhome is waiting for us in Bandera, TX where we left it the day after Thanksgiving. Our plans are to leave for DFW on Monday 12/10 and continue on to Bandera on Tuesday.
We will plan some day trips later that week (one day to Fredericksburg) and travel to Bryan/College Station on Friday, 12/14 where we will stay through Tuesday, 12/18. Two of our three grown children live there and we will look forward to catching up with them. On Wednesday, we will return to Bandera. We will stay there through Christmas (spending two days with my parents in San Antonio), then prepare to leave on 12/26 with my brother and sister-in-law for South or West Texas for a few days through New Years Day. In early January, we will be traveling to the Rio Grande Valley and will meet up with Dean's brother and sister-in-law where they are RV Winter Texans for about 3 months each year. This is near Donna, TX where we hope to find an RV spot close to where they are parked.
I'll update our location and/or discoveries about once a week. Meanwhile, we hope you all are safe and getting into the holiday spirit!
Super Bowl Pary
Dean and Anna under windy conditions at the Super Bowl Party
The gang at the Super Bowl pary
This is self-explanatory but I think we had over 60 people at this pary
Even Sam liked the food buffet
One of our little dog friends was watching (and drooling) over the food below his perch.
Kite Flight
Look how this guys is dressed as he flies his kite. Does that tell you how cold it was?
Kite Flight
This kite had a very long tail -
Stained Glass Class
About half of our class are French Canadians. We get to practice French while we work on our projects
Not our house
But this is a close duplicate. Our house will have the garage on the left, but will have the Austin Limestone around all sides - will look very close to this.
Our future homesite
Here is our lot, but don't get too attached to the trees. Every tree behind the black division will most probably be eliminated to make room for the house.
My facebook friend, my granddaughter!
Hanah and I met for dinner in College Station!
A Boerne Christmas
This was a fun night in Boerne, near Bandera. My brother, Bob is behind me and his wife, Cindy, is in front of him.
Stained Glass Project
This is the second piece I have attempted
Molly
The insiration for my stained glass!
The new Cowboys Stadium
We took a short drive to view the stadium in all it's glory.
Granddaughter, Sterling
Sterling was so busy today, we only caught her at the last minute, winding down before she went to bed.
Lucky and Savannah
Our newest Granddog, "Lucky" and our youngest granddaugher, Savannah
Meow-Meow, our Grandcat
Forget the fact that several of us were cooking, he had his place and expected us to work around him!
Sunrise at Lake of the Ozarks
A November Sunrise
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Pepe's on the River
This is a very popular hang out for the senior set
Meet my friend, Buster
This dog is the master at Pirates Landing. He just reminded me how much I LOVE golden retrievers!
Lunch at Port Isabel, TX
Don and Sue joined us for a trip to South Padre Island with lunch at Pirates Landing
A popular river crossing
At Santa Ana Wildlife Refuge, you can see evidience of illegal immigrants crossing the Rio Grande
Friends from North Dakota
John and Val from Minot, ND. Val also leads us through water aerobics 3 times a week.
Friends from Canada
Wayne and Elva are in our dancing group. Elva wins the award for best tan!
Friends from Ohio
Sally and Larry - Sally and Susie are sisters and this crowd has welcomed us from the first 5 minutes we arrived
Friends from Ohio
Don and Sue are parked next to us and probably the friends we spend the most time with -
Friends from Columbia, MO
Earl and Marilyn
Can you CHA-CHA?
Sisters Susie and Sally from Ohio showing us a few cha-cha moves
Your authors at Pepe's
One of our friends caught us in the act dancing at Pepe's
The Rio Grande River from Pepe's
This hotspot near McAllen demonstrates just how close the Mexican border is
Mexico's Welcome Committee
Security is a little tighter this year in Progreso!
A Senior Sign
Now we have officially joined the ranks of seniors with this sign!
Bit O Heaven RV Park
We are in the middle of RV's and 5th wheels, with the satellite on top
Bandera at night
The last night of our visit to Bandera, I finally took pictures. We spent summers here visiting our grandparents.
Ya gotta love a town like this!
The state patrol parks next to the local cowboy's truck
The Old Spanish Trail Restaurant (OST)
I remember this restaurant from when I was a child visiting my grandfather in Bandera
Bob & Anna at the OST
This picture was taken at the OST in Bandera
The tripletts went shopping!
Anna, Cindy (sister-in-law) and Jennifer (friend) all fell in love with the same sweater set. But aren't we cute?
Proud grandparents with Cody
Of course, we had to get in the act at graduation!
Cody after graduation
Cody and his little sister Hanah
Cody at Graduation
That ZOOM (18X) really worked!!
A full moon in fall
I bought a new camera and just had to test it out by taking a picture of the full moon coming up in late October
This picture says it all . . .
We told you we were capturing this trip for the employees of the City of Bryan. This last shot we took off the deck once we returned says it all. THANKS for following along!
Our friends in Monument, Colorado
Meet Pat and Delaina, and their daughter Allison - we hadn't seen them in several years!
One last Colorado sunset . . .
Toward the end of our moose-hunting adventure, we experienced this gorgeous sunset in Rocky National Park -
MOOSE!!
I can't tell you how hard it is to capture a herd of moose, but we captured five of them crossing the road in the park.
Monarch Lake
This picture was taken near the end of our hike in Arapahoe National Forest
A four-mile hike -
Deb and I walked four miles around Monarch Lake in Arapahoe National Forest. What a great self-portrait!
Elk in Rocky Mtn National Park
We took several pictures of the elk in the park; this one was taken on an early morning excursion.
Rocky Mountain National Park
Molly was intrigued with the views atop the peaks of Rocky Mountain National Park.
A typical view on Hwy 34
The Thompson River flows along Hwy 34 from Loveland to Estes Park which enhanced the scenery along the way
One last picture of Yellowstone
We captured this beautiful lake as we climbed out of the east side of Yellowstone National Park -
Snow!
We ran into snow on the way to Sheridan from Cody, Wyoming in the Bighorn National Forest -
Needles Highway
This highway is very scenic and narrow and winding - so that a motorhome can't make it through, as some of the openings are less than 10 feet high. The rock formations in granite are breathtaking!
Crazy Horse
Still in the process of being carved, this monument is inspiring. The sculptor put his life into this and his legacy continues . . .
Hill City, South Dakota
This 1880's steam train takes you from Hill City to Keystone which is a wonderful 2-hour trip -
The Badlands
Even Molly couldn't deny how unusual and beautiful the Badlands are! We thought about our forefathers and what they must have thought when they encountered this area in their covered wagons -
Mt Rushmore
I've seen pictures of this all my life, but was unprepared for the emotional and patiotic impact. What a piece of art!
Yellowstone National Park
You've seen all the wonderful pictures of Yellowstone so we attached one you don't see. This is what happens when a bison decides he wants to cross the road. You WAIT - with everyone else!
Last picture from the Going to the Sun Highway
We finally emerged from the fog at the bottom of the mountain to see this beautiful sight.
Going to the Sun Highway
When we got to the top of this highway, visability was ZERO. You can see the drop off to the right!?!?
Glacier National Park
We drove the "Going to the Sun" Highway over the mountain in this park and it was beautiful but scary in parts.
A Fun Stay in Hill Spring, AB
We couldn't stay in Waterton Lakes for more than a day, so we stayed at Great Canadian Barn Dance which was loads of fun!
A View from Waterton Lakes Campground
One more picture from this beautiful park!
Waterton Lakes, Alberta
This was a successful attempt at obtaining a self-portrait on the trails above Waterton Lakes.
Dinner in Lake Louise
My reward for going on the Alaska trip was dinner at the famous Chateau at the Fairmont in Lake Louise. The food was a wonderful as the view!
Columbia Icefields
Many of the mountain tops where Jasper and Banff Parks merge are filled with glaciers.
Athbasca Falls in Jasper Park
We took a short hike to the base of these falls and they were beautiful! Molly went with us and provided entertainment along the way.
Jasper National Park
I don't know how many pictures of mountains is too many, but when you see sights like this, you just have to try to capture it!
Meet our Tracks Family
These are the folks we have spent the last 40 days with. We said good bye on Tuesday night. 18 of the 19 rigs completed the trip; the last was our Wagonmaster who was the tailgunner. Bob and Diane will hopefully join some of us on our return trip!
Salmon Glacier in British Columbia
This glacier was awesome and goes for several miles. We got Dean to stand still enough to capture this shot!
On the way to Salmon Glacier
As you know, we rarely saw sunshine, but this picture was worth the wait!
Waiting for bears . . .
On the next to the last night, we went to Hyder, Alaska to watch for bears in this area and I thought this was a great shot. The water is so cold, coming from the glaciers and the air was warm (50 + degrees) and this was the effect.
Mid-way during the 300-mile tow trip
This is what a broken-down motorhome looks like being towed - sad, huh?
Sunset over Destruction Bay
This picture was taken at 9:30 p.m. during our drive from Beaver Creek to Whitehorse - motor home was under tow
Our friends - a view from the train
Don and Betty put us up for the night and dog-sat while we were on the train ride (see Molly in the window?)
That girl loves the water!
Molly enjoyed the return trip from Skagway
Keep your head and arms in the train!!
Some kids just don't mind . . .
A view from the White Pass and Yukon RR above Skagway
See, I told you the sun was shining!
Holding down the stern of the cruise boat
Here we are on the cruise - SUNSHINE and SMILES!
Prince William Sound
Just a beautiful picture of a typical site on the cruise
A Titanic Stance
Dean took this position at the bow of the cruise ship as we headed out of the harbor -
Stellar Sea Lions
These big guys (some in excess of 800 lbs) love these big buoys!
Molly in Prince William Sound
Nothing keeps this pup out of the icy waters.
Bear Paw Campground - Valdez, AK
We are the second motorhome from the left parked on the causeway to the harbor.
A mountain top somewhere near Seward
Despite the dismal weather, you see sights like this that just take your breath away -
Alaska Sea Life Center
This puffin was putting on a show in the sea life center
Kenai Fjiords National Park
This little sea otter was paddling around munching on his crab - how cute is this??
Our view of Resurrection Bay
The city campground in Seward allows the campers to face the bay. This picture was taken about 10:00 p.m.
Molly and her new friend on the beach
This little boy was showing Molly how to dig for clams under the rocks on the beach in Seward
Exit Glacier near Seward
A little more than half of our group climbed a trail to get to the base of Exit Glacier.
Molly in Homer, AK
Molly loves to play on the beach and run after the birds.
Halibut Fishing
Dean's charter out of Homer Spit displayed this catch. Dean's two fish are the second and third fish from the right.
A Glacier viewed from Homer, AK
This picture was taken from the beach beneath our RV park in Homer.
Grizzlies in Denali National Park
A mama and her two cubs walked on the road in front of us.
Grizzly bear in the RV Park
This little guy is not intimidted by campers and shows up almost daily to look for food.
Caribou in Denali
This caribou is trying to be still to deter the bugs and mosquitos that swarm around them.
Spruce tree pinecones
The growing season is short and these trees are over 100 years old, but the pinecones are tiny.
The Alyeska Pipeline
The Trans Alaska Pipeline System is 800 miles long; 420 miles of which is elevated to avoid the unstable permafrost.
A typical waterfront home in Fairbanks
They redefine the necessary toys in this part of the world. In the winter, these planes trade in their pontoons for skis.
The North Pole
Santa is holding a koozie from the City of Bryan, TX where our daughter and her fellow employees are following this trip.
A Moose on the Air Force Base
This is the picture that nearly got us arrested!
A Moose in Chicken
Here is the moose with her calves. They were hanging out near the campers to stay away from the grizzly's!
All 18 rigs packed in like sardines
Look closely and you might see Dean waving near the back or our rig
Chicken - Alaska
This is what the Top of the World Highway looks like at the end of the trip!
Top of the World Highway
Yep,we drove 111 miles on this "highway"!
Dawson City, Yukon
It has been raining since we got here. Diamond Tooth Gerties is the gambling and night club hotspot.
The benefits of road construction
You can get out of your rig and walk across the road while you wait for the pilot car to come back and escort you through the construction!
A couple of horny guys
Sorry - not what you expected, but this is Dean and Tim trying out some moose horns at Minto Creek
A common view
The highways in the Yukon take the path of least resistance, so follow alongside the rivers for much of the drive -
Molly sees a buffalo
Whenever we spot wildlife, I move to the back window and move the window aside to take a picture. Molly is always at my side and never barks!
Attention Texas Friends and Family
Do these wildflowers in Northern Canada remind you of your state flower?
Mile 0 in Dawson City, British Columbia
This is where the 1,528 mile Alaskan Highway starts
Kiskatinaw Bridge
The bridge is over 600 ft long and curves
Kiskatinaw Bridge
This bridge is built completely from wood
Kiskatinaw River
This is at Mile 21 on the Old Alaskan Highway
West Edmonton Mall
This is a replica of the Santa Maria in "West Ed" Mall
Canola Field
We've watched these fields go by our window through 3 provinces; they are just beautiful!
Molly en route
Some of you only care about our furry child. Here she is in her most common pose while we are underway
Qu'Appelle Valley
This picture hardly does the view justice -
Riding Mountain National Park
This mama Black Bear with two cubs; one is right in front of her
Geographic Center of North America
Look closely to the left of Dean & Molly to see the stranded motorhome in the Chevy lot!
Minnehaha Falls Park
Our favorite site in Minneapolis/St Paul
Little Brown House in the Vale
Anna & Molly on the park at the church
SPAM Musuem
Hey, SPAM gets a bad rap; it's not that bad!
Whirlpool Refrigeration Plant in Amana
The "moat" used to be for employee parking!
Second-shift Parking
Note the RV Park off to the right
Home at Lake of the Ozarks
The motor home is parked behind the house, to put the size in perspective
Garage at the Lake
Notice that the garage is bigger than the house!
Lake view to the North
This picture is taken from the lower deck
Lake view to the East
This picture was taken from the upper deck, looking East
March 4th Snowstorm
We thought we were returning for Spring!
Here I sit
Updating the blog as I gaze at the winter view!
International Pizza in Euless
Sterling and her dad in a race
Wild Parrots
Magnolia Park - Donna, TX
Bryan/College Station
Be careful what you ask for - we are parked in Fred & Deborah's driveway!
Lake Texana State Park
Take caution about ALLIGATORS?
Galveston Island State Park
Molly at play at the beach
Santa Ana Wildlife Refuge
Green Jay
Ropa Usada Shopping
Anna with her bag of treasures
Fort Davis State Park
Molly is watching "Moocher the Mule Deer" from the dash of the motorhome
Rest Stop in West Texas
EEK! "Watch for SNAKES?"
Bob & Cindy
Can you tell that it was cold at the McDonald Observatory?
Molly
This is Molly's favorite perch in the motor home
Ice Storm - Oklahoma
This is a close up of the impact of the ice storm in OK
Motorhome
St. Lawrence River - New Brunswick
Dean & Anna Lowary
Prince Edward Island - June, 2007
About Me
- Dean & Anna Lowary
- Mailing address is: 135 Rainbow Drive #3530 Livingston, TX 77399-1035