Caddo lake

This is not my first trip to Caddo Lake, but every time I go I am amazed by how much there is to explore and how much I fall in love with it all over again.

The giant salvinia that have infested the lake remain creating a sharp color contrast withing the lake while adding a strange element of feeling that your on land while in your canoe,

 

Did I mention that there is no better way to explore this lake than with a friend in a canoe (can be rented from Johnsons Boat Rentals)

A map is a must is you plan to go very far, there are trails and islands and turns all over the lake, that even with a map can be a bit complex to navigate.

Spanish Moss and Cypres trees are a stunning experience and a must do it you can get here.

Port Aransas - Corpus Christi

Corpus Christi is not close to Longview/ Kilgore. In fact you would have approximately a 6 hour drive. But as a Minnesotan its much closer than I was as a child. This past Easter I went down and spent a long weekend exploring Mustang Island State Park at Port Aransas.

White sand and blue water made the gray skies fade from observation.  The city has things to offer but I would suggest that you plan to spend the vast majority of your time on the beach. A state park, national seashore and local parks give you lots of choice of where you can spend your days.

From Longview you can drive down on a Friday and get there with time to see the gulf before finding dinner. Saturday and Sunday can be spent enjoying the sand, dips in the gulf and adventures in the dunes. Monday you drive back and have time to unpack and do laundry before bed. Back to work by Tuesday with a lightness that only comes from the ocean.

Longview Hot Air Balloon Festival

East Texas is host to the National Hot Air Balloon Finals. This makes for a great week to be moving about the Longview area as for the whole week the sky is dotted with balloons.

At the end of the week a balloon festival takes place. 

It is more amazing than you think.

Arrive early to see the grounds and to check out the shops.

As the sun starts to set the balloons start to go up and your whole world becomes magical

Chimp Haven

I first heard about Chip Haven 3 years ago. I was reading about research chimps and the somewhat new legislation that says when they have reached the end of the time having research done on them they need to be given a safe place to live out the remainder of there lives. The article stated that only a few facilities in the United States were currently licensed to do this and one was just outside of Shreveport LA

I knew that I had to go visit. It turned out to be much more complicated than I expected. Chimp Haven believes strongly that their service to the chimps is not a zoo and as a result have very limited public access days. Advanced planning is a must, but the experience is well worth it.

Chimp Haven is a huge facility tucked behind a public green-space giving it the feeling of being even more secluded than it is. During public access days the chimps are lured to the viewing side with an excess of toys and treats, giving you as the visitor a really great animated experience.

Will I go again? Yes if I can make the schedule work

Advice for those living in east Texas: Visit Chimp Haven and pay extra for the hay ride. Plan a trip to visit the park outside Chimp Haven, bring your bike and enjoy the trails. If your like me and love to volunteer check the web site to see if you can be a parking attendant on public access days as a chance to give back to this really wonderful haven,

Hugo Lake State Park, Oklahoma

Water marks across the whole park

Late December I made the journey to Oklahoma for a day of exploring Hugo Lake State Park.

Oklahoma has experienced historic flooding over the past 12 months and the signs of this could not be overlooked

Sand on the sidewalk

Somehow this made the park more still than normal, silence broken only by the occasional rifle shot from deer control hunt going on in the land adjacent.

Water in a low area by a picnic pavilion 

The park itself has some fabulous infrastructure with pavilions, swim areas, cabins, tent sites, RV pads, boat docks, nature trails and play areas.

Debris in the parking lot

I spent about 4 hours exploring the different sections of the park mesmerized by the bleak experience of it all.

Well worth a visit, not worth the drive.

Weekend in Coos Bay, North Bend, Charleston and Bandon Oregon

This winter I had the chance to visit the Coos Bay Area in Oregon.  Flying in was a true adventure on a 9 seat plane you swoop out over the ocean as you land at this very nice regional airport.

The folks on the flight and those working at the airport were so friendly and helpful I instantly knew that this was a great place.

Coos Bay is poorly represented on google and often overlooked when looking at the Oregon Coast.

Visiting during the winter the ocean and beaches were dramatic and powerful.

The 5 parks I visited during my 3 days in the bay area were relatively vacant.

  

I was fortunate to discover some Christmas magic at one parks botanical garden.

 The food scene in the bay area was surprisingly good.

 

Town had plenty of quaintness that could keep you entertained for several days

Elder Lake Park, Kilgore Tx

Saw what looked like a park entrance while driving home on 259 one day. A few weeks latter during a day off ventured down to check it out. What a wonderful surprise, I wish I had found this years ago

Elder lake is a small lake with well groomed walking trails around it totaling in just at about 2 miles if you do the outer loops.

I am not one for fishing but I do enjoy a good dock when I see one, it give you a dynamic look at the water from a vantage you cannot access on the shore.