Lost Maples State Park

Alexander and I took Ollie on his first camping trip last weekend to Lost Maples State Park. The weather was remarkably cooler - I even wore a long sleeve shirt! Ollie saw his first deer and did really well on the trail, which is very rocky with about a 1.5 mile climb and decent on the 5-mile trail. Although, he did sleep for about two days after that, including trying to push Alexander and I out of our sleeping bags when it got cool at night. It was a great trip and a way for us to get out of the hustle and bustle of our everyday lives. Pics coming soon...

Blanco State Park

Needing to get away from a crazy week preparing our house to sell, Alexander and I decided to load up the '89 Trooper we call Snoopy with our camping gear and kayak and head out. Yee Haw! This time of year it's super tough to find a camping reservation but it forced us to go outside our comfort zone and try a new park. We headed to Blanco State Park for two nights with Chef Alexander on call. He cooked up, as usual, the perfect charcoal-grilled burger (those grilled onions are to die for, baby!), egg & bacon sandwiches for breakfast and for dinner grilled half a chicken that just fell off the bone (the rub was amazing) with roasted brussels sprouts - simple but always amazing!

The kayaking trip may not have been as successful. Turns out the Blanco River is broken up by dams about every 500 feet, in which you must lift your kayak over. When we got to the fourth one, it was just too tall. We ended up paddling in circles and getting a good tan. Overall, the park was clean, had lots of wildlife to view (a very personable llama and a dancin' goose, for example)and was perfect for swimming. It was great for kids and we may go back when we have some but next time are looking for a more adventurous place. Below are a few photos of the fun.