Blog | Golden Country Cowgirl

Asian Elephants at The Preserve

When I travel, I’m always looking for “experiences.” Even when I go wine tasting I’m always hoping for something extra, like a tour or a food pairing. When I learned about The Preserve and the opportunity to meet their magnificent Asian elephants, I knew I needed to check out this unique experience. The Asian Elephant Experience at The Preserve The Asian elephant experience is, first and foremost, meant to be educational. The elephants are ambassadors, raising awareness for the plight of this endangered species in the wild. The Preserve mission states, “Contact cultivates caring, which encourages conservation.” The facility gates open 30 minutes before the program start time. This gives you an opportunity to check out the elephant artwork in the gift shop. I was…

Best Wineries in Fredericksburg, Texas

Although the Texas Hill Country AVA (American Viticultural Area) covers 9,000,000 acres (14,062 square miles), Texas Wine Country centers near the charming town of Fredericksburg. If you search the Internet for the best wineries in Fredericksburg, you’ll find that each article lists different wineries. There are a few, however, that most seem to agree on and those are the ones I tried to concentrate on for this visit to Texas Hill Country. Fredericksburg is centrally located in Texas in the very heart of Texas Hill Country. Since it is only about an hour and 15 minutes north of San Antonio and 1.5 to 2 hours directly west of Austin, it is a perfect getaway location. Many of the wineries are located on Highway 290 between…

Fall RV Trip Update — The Art of Resiliency and Flexibility

Is it just me or have we had to be super resilient and flexible for the past couple of years? Barely a month ago I wrote a blog post about my fall RV trip plans which included a conference in El Paso, Texas. Due to changes, some beyond my control, I have had to make several modifications and update my fall RV trip plans. Conference Update I debated with myself for weeks about whether or not to attend this conference. It wasn’t a concern about illness. I felt the conference would not live up to the one I had attended in the past due to the restrictions and safety measures in place. The purpose of the conference is to showcase the El Paso food scene.…

How Important are your Feet?

As a horsewoman, I am familiar with the saying “no hoof, no horse.” While I sat getting a pedicure last week, I started thinking about how that applies to the human foot. If you think the condition of your feet doesn’t have anything to do with travel, read on! How important are your feet? Would it surprise you to know that the average human walks about 100,000 miles in their lifetime? Just like with a horse, your feet are your foundation. They are vital for mobility. Yet, we don’t take care of them like we do the rest of our body. We often take them for granted until they cause us pain. Once a foot or leg becomes painful, it can be totally debilitating, even…

Electric Bike and the Solo Senior Female Traveler Saga

Electric bike with text overlay: Electric Bike and the Solo Senior Female Traveler Does the saga have a happy ending?

Back in 2019, when I was planning my RV trip, I saw lots of YouTube videos about electric bikes. One brand in particular, Lectric eBikes, caught my attention. Lots of nomads that I follow reviewed their bikes and just raved about them. I thought an electric bike would be a really fun way to get around campgrounds and other places I stayed on my trip. Lectric eBikes was selling their bikes through a Kickstarter at an amazing price so I decided to jump on it. Electric Bike Purchase in 2019 I had to wait several months for the bike to be shipped. It finally arrived, just in time for my trip. Unboxing it was exciting and relatively easy! You can see from the video that…

Fall Travel Plans – A Conference and an RV Trip

Oh, my gosh. It has been so long since I wrote a blog post I’m not sure I remember how! I just couldn’t muster up the motivation to “find” things to write about when I couldn’t travel or even go out to most restaurants. However, I have some exciting news that has gotten me extremely motivated. You may have already seen some of the news on my social media channels or in my newsletter, but I want to share with you in more detail my fall travel plans. My cats and I will be hitting the trail in October as soon as I return from the International Food Blogger Conference! Sadly, they have to stay home with a pet sitter while I attend the conference.…

Most Viewed Posts of 2020

Collage of photos with text overlay: Most Viewed Posts 2020

Every year since I started this blog, I have written a “Most Viewed Posts” article for the previous year. Even though I still wanted to do that for 2020, it seemed very different. When travel came to a screeching halt last year, I had to cancel two 2-3 month RV trips, each centered around a conference. At first, I welcomed the opportunity to take a break and concentrate on some personal things that had been on the back burner for some time. Eventually, as the shutdown drug on, I began to get complacent. With so many businesses closed, I became that person who just stays home, watches TV and eats! I became that person I started this blog for!!! When I fell off the keto…

Both a State and National Park Celebrate the Life of Lyndon B. Johnson

Texas White House with text overlay: State and National Parks in Texas Honor the Life of Lyndon B. Johnson

Lyndon B. Johnson was the 36th president of the United States from 1963, when President John Kennedy was assassinated, through a full term ending in 1969. As President, he had an ambitious political agenda aimed at reducing poverty, illiteracy and discrimination. He created the Medicare and Medicaid programs and signed the Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act into law. Lyndon Johnson was born and raised in Texas Hill Country where his life is honored at both a state and national park: Lyndon B. Johnson State Park and Historic Site and the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park. The State and the National Park in Texas that Honor Lyndon B Johnson Lyndon B. Johnson State Park and Historic Site What you’ll find here: Park Headquarters…

Birthday Musings of a Stay-at-Home Travel Blogger

It’s that time again. It’s my birthday and I’m sitting here reflecting on past birthdays and wondering what the next year will bring. Based on what has transpired so far, it certainly looks like it will be a lot different than any year in the past. Here are some of my random musings as a currently stay-at-home travel blogger. Two years ago, I was sitting in my living room in northern California looking at my new-to-me travel trailer wondering what I was doing. I was throwing away and giving away so much stuff! I was downsizing in preparation for a journey that was sure to change my life. The year before that, I was dining solo on my birthday and really contemplating what it means…

Cooking for One — My Favorite Meal

When you are single, cooking for one can sometimes be a challenge. Sure, I like casseroles, soups and roasts and have my freezer stocked with leftover meals, but a single person can’t cook like that every night. The freezer would be overflowing in no time. And what do you do if you forgot to start the slow cooker or even take something out to thaw? Of course, you can thaw one of your leftover meals in the microwave but what if you want something fresh and simple? Originally posted on February 4, 2017, updated June 3, 2020 When I buy chicken thighs/breasts, pork chops or salmon, I lay them out in a single layer on a cookie sheet to freeze. Once they are frozen, I…