More Texas

START:     Dripping Springs, TX                   TODAY:          366   Miles

END:         Balmorhea, TX                             TOTAL:        1,695   Miles

CAMPGROUND:  Balmorhea State Park

 On the road by eight this morning, knowing that this is our last hard travel day.  Soon we will be in sightseeing mode. 

We were unaware that the Texas Hill Country was wine country.  Traveling Hwy 290 we passed at least 20 vineyards. 

Stonewall, Texas - Lyndon B. Johnson territory!  The original homestead he and Lady Byrd lived in is included in the Memorial Park.      

Fredericksburg was a larger town with a beautiful historic downtown Main Street.

Further west the area had an interesting agricultural mix of peach orchards, vineyards then live oaks and cactus in the open areas where deer are abundant.  Although the “Deer Processing” sign sort of ruined the tranquil countryside views. 

We certainly were living life in the slow lane today because the posted speed limit was 80.  After talking about how long it takes to drive across Texas, Ron checked the facts; there are 877 miles of     I-10 in the state of Texas. 

By 3:00 we had reached Toyahvale, exited I-10 and followed the signs to Balmorhea State Park.  Each space had a covered picnic table – rather unique. 

The big draw for the locals was the world’s largest artesian spring-fed swimming pool, which was 77,000 sq. ft.   It was built in the early 1930s as a CCC project.