Road Trip 2015 - #6 Bandera

September 12, 2015 - Not only is the Bandera Beverage Barn a drive-thru liquor store with an attached RV park but it also has a laundromat!  The selling point was not just the $10/nightly rate (full hookups!) but that the park sat right on the Medina River.  So not only is the place cheap, I can kayak right outside my door, let the dogs play in the river and ride some of the most notorious scooter roads in Texas.  And did I mention that Bandera is the Cowboy Capital of the World...and only 40 miles from San Antonio.  We had a very, very busy four days here.

Our first scooter ride was to Kerrville on a very twisty, turny Hwy 16 where we had dinner at a little diner just off the Guadalupe River called Bill's BBQ.

The next day was packed - the Alamo, Riverwalk and missions.

Then we went to the Natural Bridge Caverns.  We kinda consider ourselves cavern connoisseurs since we've been to quite a few.  NB was cool but our guide was a novice and much of the cavern was "dead."  I'm glad we went but it is not a do-over.

We had a long scooter day attacking the Three Twisted Sisters ride, enjoyed the Frio Canyon Motorcycle Stop, did run-thru's at Garner and Lost Maples State Parks.

And then I got my paddle.  David took me and my kayak about three miles upriver and dropped me off.  The water in the Medina was beautifully clear and completely devoid of anyone else.  I saw many deer, all types of birds (including a hummingbird dive under water in the river!), rabbits and fish of all sizes on my two plus hour journey.  I had to manuver around a small spillway and walk my way through a couple of shallow place but it was a truly magical solitary paddle.  I love having these every now and then.  They are so renewing!

It was hard to leave such a beautiful area, but New Mexico was calling...and we were listening!