The National Border Patrol Museum, El Paso, Texas

The first thing we noticed as we drove up to the border patrol museum was that the American flag was at half mast, remembering the two agents that were killed this month.  In todays age we must all respect the work that these brave men and women do every day.  These agents work tirelessly to secure and protect the external boundaries of the United States and have done so since 1904.  

 The museum exhibits equipment, photos and documents that recapture the adventure of the early patrol and depict current  operations in various sectors of the U.S.  The museum has home made boats that smugglers have used  and false gas tanks that were used to hid drugs coming across our borders.  People smugglers use boats like the one pictured above to ferry people across the Rio Grande River near Laredo, TX.  The boat was made from two truck hoods welded together.  Two passengers would have to row it across. The average cost per person to ride in this boat is $500.

As far as we are concerned, we agree with the mseum that says the museum is one of  El Paso's best kept secrets.  

http://www.borderpatrolmuseum.com/

The Escapees RV Club

Tonight I was planning on putting in a few pictures from San Antonio area and of El Paso.   But my cell phone connection is so slow, it won't allow any pictures,  so I'll save them for another day.

  The parking we are leaving today is a membership park  run by the Escapees RV  Club, called Rainbow's End, and is the national headquarters.  There are over 84,000 members   The Escapee Club 0ffers  total support  for the RV'er and especially for the full timer.  For the full timer like ourselves it offers a legal mailing address which in itself gives us voting privilages.  Its home is the great state of Texas, which offers no state income tax, another bennie for us.  We registar our vehicles here and purchase our insurance,  and with an address can get Direct TV here.   If we get called for jury duty, the town knows the skip address and takes an understanding position if we don't show up.   Many of us don't  know we have pulled duty until we send for our next mail transfer.  We call at once and are told to stop in at the courthouse the next time we are in town and maybe they will use us then.    Some other great benefits are a magazine with great hints and places to see section, rallies, mail forwarding, dry camping at Escapee parks, lifetime sites if needed when you are ready to hang up those keys, emergency road service, and a adult care center program.   Escapee  Care Program is a one of a kind program that allows members to remain in their own RV while they recover from surgery or illness  at a special facility staffed with professional help.  There is no entrance fee to this nonprofit, tax -exempt  service.  

A sign on  I-10 in Texas we just past.   "Think Big, Your in Texas now"    Texas as been very good to us and we are proud to be here.

A bit of Texas political humor

Subject: A bit of  Texas political humor

Please note that Texas is the only state with a legal right to secede from
the  Union (refer to the Texas-American Annexation Treaty of 1848).

Dear  America,

We Texans love y'all, but we'll have to take action IF Kerry wins the
presidency over Bush. We'll miss you too.

Texas has given all those complainers plenty of time to get used to the
results. After seeing the whiners along the campaign route, the folks from
Texas are considering taking matters into our/their hands.

Here is our solution:

#1: Let John Kerry become President of the  United States. (All the other
49
states.)

#2: George W. Bush becomes the President of the Republic Of Texas. So what
does Texas have to do to survive as a Republic???

1. NASA is just south of  Houston,  Texas. (We will control the space
industry.)

2. We refine over 85% of the gasoline in the United States.

3. Defense Industry (We have over 65% of it). The term "Don't mess with
Texas," will take on
a whole new meaning.

4. Oil - we can supply all the oil that the Republic of Texas will need for
the next 300 years. Yankee states. Sorry about that.

5. Natural Gas - Again we have all we need and it's too bad about those
northern states. John Kerry will figure a way to keep them warm....

6. Computer Industry - We currently lead the nation in producing computer
chips and communications: Small places like Texas Instruments, Dell
Computer, EDS, Raytheon, National Semiconductor, Motorola, Intel, AMD,
Atmel, Applied Materials, Ball Semiconductor, Dallas
Semiconductor, Delphi, Nortel, Alcatel, Etc., Etc. The list goes on and on.

7. Health Centers - We have the largest research centers for Cancer
research, the best Burn Centers, the top trauma units in the world, and
other large health planning centers.

8. We have enough colleges to keep us going: UT Texas, A&M, Texas Tech,
Rice, SMU, University of Houston, Baylor, UNT, Texas Women's University,
Ivy
grows better in the South anyway

9. We have a ready supply of workers. (We'll just open the border, when we
need some more)

10. We have control of the paper industry, plastics, insurance, etc.

11. In case of foreign invasion, we have the Texas National Guard and the
Texas Air National Guard. We don't have an army, but since everybody down
here has at least six rifles and a pile of ammo, we can raise an army in 24
hours if we need it. If the situation really gets bad, we can always
call Department of Public Safety and ask them to send over a couple of
Texas
Rangers
(Their proven 100 year motto; "One Riot, One Ranger").

12. We are totally self sufficient in beef, poultry, hogs and several types
of grain, fruit and vegetables and lets not forget seafood from the gulf.
And everybody down here knows how to cook them so that they taste good.
Don't need any food.

This just names a few of the items that will keep the  Republic of Texas in
good shape. There isn't a thing out there that we need and don't have.

Now to the rest of the United States, under "President" Kerry: Since you
won't have the refineries to get gas for your cars, only "President" Kerry
will be able to drive around in his 9 mile per gallon SUV. The rest of the 
United States will have to walk or ride bikes.

You won't have any TV, as our  Houston  Space  Center will cut off your
communications. You won't have any natural gas to heat your homes, but
since
Kerry has predicted global warming, you will not need the gas.

Signed, The People in Texas

PS,
Y'all have a nice day

DancingBush.com

 

Texas

We had planned to go to Slidell, Al. when we left the Gulf Coast.    But as you may know, we had to evacuate because of Ivan.  My forever friend  Carol's  son, Danny  is a Chief in the Navy and is stationed there.  Bob and Danny were to play golf for bragging rights.  We called Dan and told him that we were not going to stop there, but continue inland to Livingston, Texas.  Two hours later Dan called us back with the news that he and his sons Matt and John were also being evacuated.   His wife Lisa is a nurse and has manadtory duty at the hospital.    Although we missed Lisa, we had a good reunion with Dan and the boys for four days.  It was very quite when they left.

  We'll be staying here a few more days, having our vehicles inspected and filing for an absent ballets.   Next adventure, San Antonio, Texas.

Louisiana

Tonighy we are in Lafayette, LA,    The campground brochere says "Laissez le bon temp rouler", Let the good times roll.  We are not planning on staying here to see anything roll, even good times.  Ivan is still on our path.  

 Tomorrow we will go into Texas, our adopted home.  We will sleep secure and safe tomorrow night and not worry about moving again.   

 Yesterday we took a ride to the Delphane Jubilee Festival.   It was an arts and crafts festival featuring a unique variety of more than 120 exhibitors from throughout the Southeast.  They also had a fine selection of southern food. In the center of town, in the park, people rested,  ate, socialized and enjoyed the coolness of the trees and listened to the entertainment.  Delphane seems to be  such a nice small community.  To get there on Rt. 98, we drove into the main street on a road about  a half a mile long at least.  All along there were large flags in the ground and yellow ribbons in-between them.  Lots of signs say "We support our troops."  Nice feeling to the town.  

Next we stopped at the Fairhope Municipal pier and watched fisherman netting a fish called mullet.  We were not familiar with this fish but were told they are not caught with a rod, only by netting.  They run in schools usually and when you get a hit, you usually get more than one.  There were three  fisherman trying their luck out today, and all were willing to tell us all about netting mullets.      Good day.

We're Out of Here

It looks like Ivan is coming this way, So    We are out of here.   Catch you all later.

A Day To Remeber

                              

Today is the third anniversary of the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, a day for remembering those who were lost.   We should also pause to remember the way we, as a nation, came together to help each other when help was needed.  

 As we continue to deploy our fellow Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors and Marines to contribute to the war on terrorism, let us also remember why we fight. We fight for the freedom of all people. We fight for liberty. We fight for justice. And we fight to make our world a better place for our children.  

 God Bless America

 

Gulf of Mexico

There is something about the  Alabama Gulf Coast that keeps calling us back whenever we are in the area.  Squeezed between Mississippi and Florida's panhandle, Alabama only manages to dip its big toe in the Gulf of Mexico, but it's big enough for us.

 We are hoping to stay at least a week, but  hurricane Ivan will make that decision for us.  

 The coast here has only 32 miles of beaches, but activities are plentiful along this span.   The beaches are clean and plentiful.  Along the route are wonderful shops and restaurants.  The golf course are beautiflied groomed and often empty.  For me, relaxing on the beach is first the thing to do.  I'm off now to catch the tide.

Catch you all later.

This and That

Well, as of yesterday we are one of 4 RV's in the whole campground.   We can have any water front site we want.  No need for a reservation.  Labor Day is over, and everyone has gone home, except us and Frances.  He is very gentle now, having  left his line of destruction behind him in Florida and southern Georgia..  We have lucked out again.  We know someone is watching over us.  When we woke this morning there was no electricity in the park.  400 thousand Georgia customers were in the same boat as we were.  But as we sat down for coffee, on it came. From now on until we get to Arizona there will plenty of sites where we go and no long lines to any attractions. This is one of our favorite times of the year to travel.  We purposely sleep a little later so as not to make any of you late for work!  LOL

  I found a site that with just a daily click you can help feed an animal in need.. Let's break a record and pass this on.   The Animal Rescue Site : Feed an Animal in Need  

If it doesn't rain tomorrow, we will be leaving Georgia, heading for Alabama and the Gulf shore for a week or so. That is providing  hurricane Ivan doesn't spoil our plans.  

Sorry  I haven't posted any pictures, but I need to download the album program and the cell connection I am using now is just to slow.     Catch  you all later.

Labor Day

HAPPY LABOR DAY WEEKEND EVERYONE

 

Bald Ridge Creek, GA.

We are now safe and sound at one of our favorite camping spots,  Bald Ridge, in Cumming GA.   This Core of Engineer Park is just such a treat for the eyes.  No dirt roads, I've seen a lot of these.   Each campsite is on the water or has a water view, cement pads for the RV's and lots pf maintained grass.  Each site also has a grill and a large sturdy picnic table.   There is a drop of for boats also.

   We talked with friends of our and they are in south Georgia.  Their campground is full of folks from Florida fleeing hurricane Francis.  We should all remember them tonight in our prayers.  

 Our friends in Ma. are going on a cruise this Sunday and we hope they have smooth sailing.  

 We bought a new camera, and if the sun comes out over the weekend I'll try it out.      Catch you all later.