Day 1, Bilbrey Tour to San Antonio

Our recent Bilbrey tour began last Friday, November 23. At 9:40, the bus pulled into the Baptist Retirement Center on the north side of San Angelo, where it picked up the 11 members of the San Angelo contingent of the tour. 23 folks had started earlier in the day from Abilene. So, our group consisted of 34 members from all over this part of West Texas.

As the bus moved down US 87, the tour escort, Nancy, with assistance from her husband Danny, did a little team building. She took pictures of each of us. She then uploaded the pictures to the onboard system, and passed around a microphone. As each of us gave a little information about ourselves, our pictures appeared on the onboard monitors. Although I'm not big on this sort of stuff, I realize it did help us to get to know one another, and since we would be spending 4 days together, this would be helpful. Over the course of the trip, I did come to appreciate meeting and visiting with members of our group. In fact, in looking back at the trip a week later, that may be my favorite part of the experience.

Our first stop was at the YO Ranch and Conference Center in Kerrville, Texas. We arrived there sometime past noon and enjoyed their seafood buffet. I enjoyed the stop, as I have seen the hotel for years and have wanted to visit. By the way, this meal was included in the trip.

Lobby of the YO is filled with western art and other items of interest.

Bear in front of entrance to restaurant.

YO Ranch Hotel lobby

After a nice lunch break, we resumed our trip along I-10 to San Antonio. It was a bit early to check in to the hotel, so we stopped for an hour or so at the historic Market Square. Donna and I were here years ago, and we loved the place. You can find just about anything you want here. On this particular day, the first day after Thanksgiving and the official beginning of the Christmas season, there were numerous events. In one area, there was traditional Hispanic music being performed onstage, while a country/western band performed on a stage set up on San Saba Street. In the Market Plaza Center, various groups were dancing onstage. Donna and I strolled through the mercardo, watched some of the acts, then roamed through the park just to the north until time to head to the hotel.

One of the dancing companies on Market Plaza Center

Another troupe of dancers on same stage as above.

It was then time to check in at the Drury Plaza Hotel. This is not only a great place to stay on the river, but it is an interesting old building as well. Originally built as the Alamo National Bank in 1929, the 24-story building is located on the river and provides a beautiful view of the old San Fernando Church as well as much of downtown San Antonio. For a history and description of the building, click here. Each day, we enjoyed a full breakfast -- waffles, eggs, sausage, bisquits, gravy, cereal, yogurt, etc. -- and evening meal -- hot dogs, nachos, tortillas, etc.

After checking in, we settled in our rooms and then went downstairs for supper. Afterwards, we went out the back of the hotel where we had seating available for the River Parade. Decorated boats passed before us along the river, all lighted for the holiday season. Thanks to Bilbrey, all we had to do was walk out the back of the hotel and sit down.

Although this picture does not show the float well as it emerges from beneath a bridge, it does show the crowds along the river as well as on the bridge above. Also note approaching float at far right.

Good close up of a float.

Notice cypress tree in background as well as crowds lining bridge above right.

And with that, the first day of our trip came to a close.

Bilbrey Tour to San Antonio

Donna and I have just returned from a guided tour to San Antonio with Bilbrey Tours. You might think it odd that we used a tour service to visit San Antonio, but there is a wee bit of method to our madness.

Traveling is becoming a bit more difficult for me. I once was able to jump in a car and drive for hours and hours. Donna and I moved from our home territory -- East Texas -- to West Texas in the late 1970s. Every year we made the long trek home. From our first West Texas home in Olton, it was over 550 miles to Donna's hometown of Conroe. My hometown of Fairfield was a tad bit closer. Sometimes we would make that drive several times a year.

Ever since, we've found ourselves criss-crossing the state again and again. Even in our final years of work in Kilgore when we were back home in East Texas, we would travel to West Texas to visit our daughter, who was born and raised in West Texas. In those days, it was nothing to hit the road at 5:00 AM and travel all day, then return home a few days later.

Today, it isn't as easy. I find my limit in a car today is about 8 hours, and I would prefer to spend even less time than that. Yeah, I could do more if I had to, but I'm pretty beat after 8 hours behind the wheel. So, if we want to go to far away places, we probably are going to have to use a tour company or get another RV. Decisions, decisions . . . . .

So, that brings me back to Bilbrey Tours. In the past, Bilbrey has taken some nice tours to distant locales in the U.S., and some in other countries as well. This past October, for example, they hosted a 10 night trip to New England. And at some point in the recent past, they went to the Pacific Coast, with stops in the Reno area and some of the national parks in Northern California. All of these places are pretty distant, and I don't know if I'm up to scheduling everything on my own. You might suggest we fly, and we could. However, I hate flying -- I hate everything about it -- and I don't like driving in big cities. Donna claims she loves flying, but every time we fly, I end up with bloody arms from her fingernails digging in to me during takeoffs and landings. I can fly; in fact, we lived abroad for several years in the 1980s, so I've flown quite a bit, including some very long flights. I just don't like it.

Anyway . . .

We decided to book a short trip -- both in time and distance -- to test Bilbrey. We needed to find out if we could travel with other people aboard a bus. We also needed to learn if we could give up our freedom in exchange for someone else making all the arrangements.

So, after this 3 night trip with Bilbrey, we will have a better idea of how we might be traveling in the future.

Over the next few entries, I'll give details about our trip, then conclude with a review of Bilbrey in general.

Another Short Hike at the Park

It was another beautiful day, and once again I had the urge to take a short hike. I asked Miss Donna to join me, but she declined saying she had things to do. The reality is that she is unable to keep up with a young whippersnapper like me.

I headed back out to San Angelo State Park. This time, I parked at Burkett Trailhead (Point of Interest #2 on the South Unit Trails Map). Two other cars were parked there, so I thought I might run into others on the trail, but today I met no one. I decided to put together a short hike consisting of the Roller Coaster Trail, the Pott's Creek Trail System, and the Burkett Trail. For today's hike, I decided to wear my hiking boots. Normally, Donna and I prefer to wear just regular walking shoes, but the trails at the park are so rocky that I felt I needed more ankle support for this hike. Also, since I knew I would be going up and down numerous slopes, I felt I needed better traction than my walking shoes provide. In hindsight, I'm glad I wore the hiking boots.

I started on Roller Coaster, which goes up and down as its name implies. At its highest points, it offers some good -- albeit distant -- views of Lake O. C. Fisher and its dam. It also weaves below many of the houses in the neighboring Highland Range subdivision. Near the end of this trail are some interesting rock outcroppings as the trail works down towards the base of Pulliam Ridge.

Burkett Trailhead, with primitive toilet in background. This view looks west, the direction from which I will end my hike.

Near the start of the hike, I enjoyed this view of Lake O. C. Fisher extending left from an unknown ridge.

View of Highland Range homes from Roller Coaster trail, which is slowly descending towards a draw at this point. Notice how rocky the trail is. Most trails at the park are like this along the ridges and slopes, while trails down in draws are packed dirt.

I noticed lots of tracks in the damp portions of the trail. In this photo, you can see horse tracks, deer tracks, mountain bike tracks, and no telling what else.

Steep and rocky, although short, climb up a slope. This is typical of Roller Coaster and some other trails at the park.

Rocky trails like this are why I decided to wear my hiking boots. If you don't land your foot squarely, you can easily twist your ankle on loose rocks such as these. The boots give me better ankle support.

Another view of O. C. Fisher, the dam, and Burkett Trailhead.

Where the road disappears is the north end of Pulliam Ridge. At the end of my hike, I will come back along it's base, moving off to the right in this picture. For now, my rocky trail is about to curve left and head down.

Lots of juniper along this section of the trail.

View west from atop ridge near end of Roller Coaster. If you look carefully, you can see a clean trail near the very center of the picture as it heads up a slope. I'll be on that trail in an hour or so.

Here's a zoom-in of the trail mentioned above.

Rock outcroppings near end of Roller Coaster.

This is the end of Roller Coaster. Note old stock pens across road. Near right-center of ridge, you can see a trail working up the slope.

The Pott's Trail System begins at a lower elevation and winds through some dense, brushy areas. It then crosses Pott's Creek near Highway 2288 before climbing up Armadillo Ridge. The trail then works along the edge of Armadillo Ridge, affording various views of Pott's Creek as well as Pulliam Ridge and a bit of the lake in the distance. Near the north end of the ridge are the remains of old picnic tables, restroom facilities, and even a boat ramp from the days when the lake extended this far. Some of these are along the trail, while others are a bit off the trail.

Dense brush along start of Pott's Creek Trail System.

Then the trail opens some. During summer months, these mesquites will provide some welcome shade to hikers.

I'll be walking on a ledge along that ridge in another half mile or so. Pott's Creek runs along the base of that ridge.

As I remember, there used to be a foot bridge across Pott's Creek at this location. You can see the support for it just to the left of the trail. I've not hiked this trail in 2 or 3 years, though. Perhaps our recent heavy rains washed it away. Luckily for me, the creek was dry here, though there were pools of water both up and down stream from this location.

The trail got a little messy near Pott's Creek. That is Highway 2288 in upper background. There is quite a bit of traffic along the highway, providing some vehicle noise.

I'm atop Armadillo Ridge now, looking across Pott's Creek to Pulliam Ridge. At the end of my hike, I will follow a trail along the base of Pulliam Ridge to the left.

Can you see my friend to the left of the trail near top center? I walked right beside him without seeing him until he gave me a greeting.

Once I stopped running, screaming, and crying and my breathing returned to something approaching normal, I worked my way back for a shot of my friend. He's quite large. The green arrow shows the general location of his head, while the red arrow shows his tail. You can even see the rattles if you blow up the picture. The size of his girth is quite impressive. In my mind, I saw rattlesnakes everywhere from that point on of my hike.

Ghostly remains of picnic tables from the days when the lake was full and extended this far. That was a long, long time ago, several decades.

Trail winds along rocky Armadillo Ridge. In my mind, there were rattlers behind every rock, just waiting to give me a warm kiss.

Once off the ridge and along Pott's Creek, the trail is along packed earth and through mesquites. This would be a good walk in the summer except for the 31,296 rattlers out here.

The trail then dips back down into Pott's Creek, where it winds through the brush and mesquite trees, then works back towards Pulliam Ridge, where it picks up the Burkett Trail. From there, the trail crosses a foot bridge, then works along a ledge between Pulliam Ridge and a creek before turning back to the trailhead.

Trail crossing Pott's Creek. I'm glad there was no water in there.

Approaching Pulliam Ridge

Water once covered where I'm walking, as evidenced by this old boat ramp.

Nice foot bridge over this little draw.

Burkett Trail, with creek on left and Pulliam Ridge on right.

Curving around northern point of Pulliam Ridge.

Almost done. That's Burkett Trailhead.

Wet Trails and Sunny Skies

We had some really cold weather earlier in the week. I've been able to get out in the afternoon and walk around the neighborhood. But I had been craving a really good walk, and for me, that means getting out to San Angelo State Park.

Donna was busy in the kitchen. The kids were scheduled for a visit this weekend for an early Thanksgiving, so the old woman was in her usual holiday overproduction mode. By the time she's finished, she'll have enough food to feed all of San Angelo and probably still have some left over. I've learned over the years that when she is in this mode, it is best for me to get out of the house.

Normally when we go to the park, we usually just walk the paved roads. But I was seeking some trail time on this trip. And since I was alone, I had the freedom to choose the trails I wanted to hike. I put together a short 5 mile or so hike of several trails, including the Chaparral Trail, the Red Dam Loop Trail, the Nature Trail, and the Horny Toad Trail. If you want to follow along, you can view the South Unit map. As usual, I started my hike beside the playground at Red Arroyo Campground.

Normally I hike trails in a clockwise direction, but this time I went counter-clockwise, and this gave me a new perspective on trails I've hiked many times before. Along the Chaparral Trail, I couldn't help but notice the erosion on this trail caused in part by recent heavy rains, but also by heavy use in the past. Mountain bikes, in particular, take a toll on trails, as those knobby tires tear up the soil which, in turn, causes easy run off during rainy spells.

You can see the effects in this section of the Chaparral Trail. Bikes normally wear a fairly narrow trail and loosen the soil so that it gets washed away easily in rain, especially on slopes. As a result, you get this "V" trench result, which is difficult for hikers. If you don't hit the very bottom level area of the trail, then your feet are a bit twisted.

It has been several weeks since our heavy rains, so I didn't expect any problems along the trails, but as I came in sight of the Red Dam, the trail became saturated and even water-logged in places. Now, in the past, I would have just gotten my water shoes out of my pack, slipped them on, and continued on my way, but I seldom hike the trails at this park with a pack anymore. So, I turned around and took an alternate route.

The Red Dam is jutting in from the right, and part of the lake is visible to its left. I had hoped to hike across this dam, but soggy trails prevented me from even reaching it.

This is basically a close up of the picture above.

You can see the trail is becoming soggy. I was able to find solid footing to get around this section.

More water on the trail, and I could see more beyond, so I decided to turn around. The channel of the draw was to my left, and it had water several feet across and probably a foot or more deep. I felt it prudent to just find another route.

This old boat ramp was next to where I turned around. You will find ghostly remains of better lake times all out here: boat ramps, picnic tables that once were lakeside, rest rooms, etc., all being reclaimed by nature. 

The sky was beautiful, bright blue with mare's tail clouds sweeping from horizon to horizon. Since it was a weekday, I virtually had the trails to myself except for 2 separate mountain bikers who passed me. I enjoyed numerous good views of the lake, Red Dam, and O.C. Fisher Dam. The lake now has as much water as I may ever see in it again during my lifetime. Just a couple of years ago, it was completely bone dry.

Following another trail, I finally made it to the other side of the draw for another view of the end of Red Dam with the larger OC Fisher Dam and lake beyond it.

This is why I love hiking out here -- bright skies, endless horizons, and good views. This is the view from the top of one of the ridges I crossed.

Hiking at SA State Park is relatively easy. Basically, you hike from one ridge down through a draw, then back up another ridge. So you get a fairly good little workout. Most of the hiking, especially along the ridges, is on very rocky soil, so it is important that you watch your step. Mesquite trees grow rather thick in the draws and between ridges, but on the slopes and atop the ridges, there is very little tall vegetation, just mostly cactus and grass and such. This allows for some pretty good views in all directions, usually for quite a few miles.

This is typical of the hiking at this park. You go from atop one ridge, down into a draw and through the brush and mesquites it contains, then up another ridge. It's a good workout for someone my age.

In this angle of a shot from someplace very close to the one above, you can actually see the trail on the other side of the draw in the center of the picture as it comes out of the trees.

I zoomed in for this shot of the park headquarters near the entrance. The building is hidden by the trees, but it is in there.

As opposed to the ridges, mesquites and brush are plentiful in the draws. The trail is normally hard packed earth as well, rather than loose rocks.

I started my hike with a light jacket, but removed it within a half mile and was very comfortable for the remainder of the hike. It was so good to be away from the noises of the city in such a peaceful area. I feel so very fortunate to live in such a place where I can enjoy trails such as these within 2 miles of my home.

Cabins near the end of the hike.

After the hike, I drove around a bit and took this shot of a boat ramp on the lake. Notice all the brush at the bottom of the ramp. It looks as though someone has used it, though, having worked a narrow clearing through the brush. I wouldn't because there is so much brush in the water. There is a better ramp next to the dam.

Main body of the lake, with dam in background.

Upper end of lake, near where the North Concho trickles in.