Day 214. March 8, 2014. Spring Break in a Texas

LOCATION :  Garner State Park, about 80 miles W of San Antonio, TX

WEATHER:  Dreary, rainy, high around 50

This is our first experience with Spring Breakers. Generally, our campgrounds have been out-of-state old people like us in their big RVs, and generally less than half-filled.  This weekend, however, is quite different.  We are the only non-Texas camper.  Most are weekenders, including college Texans, and most are in tents.  We heard that every site is filled.  A lot noisier and much more cluttered.

We are in a type of canyon.  We took a 2-hour hike with the ranger on a grueling trail.  Good exercise.  Then, since it was rainy and cold, we drove into the little town.  We stopped at this food truck that had been a camper.

Then, we went to a drive-through "beer barn" to buy a beer for lunch.

We took the beer back to the food truck and had a little picnic.

We drove around some mountain roads, stopping in little towns.  One has  a smokehouse where we bought yummy sausage and jerky.

Our Saturday evening ritual is to listen to Prairie Home Companion.  We don't have radio reception, but luckily could pick it up on the iPad.  

DINNER:  Since it is cold, we wanted done hearty food.  I made "Cheesy Mushroom Pappardelle" with the pappardelle pasta I had found at Whole Foods when we visited San Antonio.  It was creamy and delicious.  With it, I served mustard greens.  The package is huge.  I sautéed them in garlic, then added some broth.  The recipe called for vinegar, but since I didn't gave any, I substituted a bit of pickle juice.  Did the trick.

After dinner, we walked to the pavilion where they had a dance.  Fun!