Home of the Painted Churches — Schulenburg, Texas

white church with text overlay: Home of the Painted Churches Schulenburg, Texas

There are as many as 20 painted churches throughout the Hill Country of Texas and at least 15 of these churches are listed on the National Registry of Historic Places. When you visit Schulenburg, Texas, you’ll be able to see four of the most well-known and impressive examples of the painted churches. You can easily visit these four painted churches of Schulenburg in one day as they are just a short distance from one another. Schulenburg is officially designated “Home of the Painted Churches.” What are the Painted Churches? The Texas Hill Country was settled in the 1800s by German and Czech immigrants, many of whom were fleeing religious oppression. They built the churches in the late 1800s and early 1900s and decorated them to…

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An Unexpected Delay — Car Trouble at Apache Pass

carved entry doors with text overlay: An unexpected delay - car trouble at Apache Pass in Texas

Car trouble. The possibility is always in the back of my mind when I’m traveling. I don’t dwell on it but I know it is a possibility. On the Friday before Veteran’s Day, I had planned to boondock for just one night at Apache Pass through Harvest Hosts. My car had other ideas. Apache Pass Apache Pass is a 1,000-acre working pecan and hay production farm on the San Gabriel River near Rockdale, Texas. There is an event center, the Steakhouse, the Icehouse (a more casual restaurant), an RV park, and an airpark with three runways. A 325-foot suspension bridge that was hand built by the owners spans the river. The property has been in the Worley family since the 1800s but has only been…

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Texas Legato Winery — On the Edge

barrels and a waterfall in front of large grassy field with text overlay: Visit the northern edge of Texas Hill Country AVA Texas Legato Winery

Staying with participating wineries through Harvest Hosts is one of the ways I discover some wonderful, and sometimes lesser known, wineries. That’s how I found Texas Legato Winery. It is a family owned and operated winery in Lampasas at the very northern edge of the Texas Hill Country AVA (American Viticultural Area). Sulynn and Bill Bledsoe are the owners of Texas Legato Winery and Vineyard. As a Harvest Hosts member, I called ahead to make sure they had room for me on the night I wanted to stay. Bill greeted me when I arrived and directed me to a spot near the parking lot because it had been raining and the ground was too wet to risk parking farther away by the vineyard. It was…

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Best Things to do in Glen Rose, Texas — Dinosaurs, Wildlife, History

Paluxy River in Dinosaur Valley State Park with text overlay: Discover all the best things to do in Glen Rose, Texas

When I made my trip from California to Texas last year, Glen Rose was one of my stops in Texas (see Oakdale Park below). While I was there on that trip, it rained most of the time. In fact, the weather was so stormy that I extended my stay by a couple of days to avoid driving in the bad weather conditions. I wanted to add Glen Rose to my itinerary on this trip because there are so many interesting things to see and do that I missed on my last trip. Glen Rose is a great getaway from the Dallas/Fort Worth area or well worth a detour if you are passing nearby. Best Attractions in Glen Rose, Texas Fossil Rim Wildlife Center Fossil Rim…

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Traveling with Cats — Are cats better traveling companions than dogs?

I love dogs and I’ve had a few in my life but I am definitely a cat person. Perhaps it’s the introvert in me that really appreciates their calm energy. There’s something very peaceful about watching them sleep or stretch in the sun, just enjoying life. They constantly remind me to take life slow and easy. I found it amusing that it took a comedy routine to help me put my finger on this preference of cats over dogs, especially when it comes to traveling. Traveling the country, moving slowly from place to place in an RV, has been a dream of mine since I was in my 20s. When I made the decision last year to move from California to Texas, I took the…

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