Started Jack & Joan's Epic Road Trip

[camper70]

LBJ's Amphibian Car. He enjoyed taking unsuspecting victims on a ride in the car and pretending not to have any brakes and driving into the river.

[camper70]

The Fire Truck was a gift to LBJ from the people of Brady TX so he could give friends rides around the Ranch. The hoses were removed and seats placed in the back of the truck.

[Wolverine 1945]

I used to service the Amph car in the early 60s in Kalamazoo Mi !!!
My first job in a Sunoco station !!!
Dealer would take people out on a local small lake on a test drive !!!
They did not sell well !!!

[sherman12]

Camper70 your pics continue to enthrall us all with places to put on our "To Go To's" list, for me and DW upon retirement. Although I have followed this entire thread, I don't remember if it was asked of you if you planned this whole trip stop by stop as you have so graciously included us in, or did you have a couple initial destinations in mind and then build the additional stops as time would permit for each?

[camper70]

Hi! sherman12. I did send for info from all the states we were hoping to visit. I did pick out things to see ahead of time. I also knew we were going to travel along I-10 and stay south and just make side trips off of the interstate. We also found other things we thought would interest us as we went along.

The last couple days we toured the National Museum of the Pacific War. This is an amazing collecttxion of stories, history and artifacts. The size of the museum is huge and your tickets allow you entry for 48 hours form the time you first enter. We spent over 4 hours there and only read a small portion of the info. We only got thru half of the Museum. The Museum was planned to honor Admiral Nimitz. He did not want it to be about him but about everyone who served in the Pacific Theater under his command. There is a large Memorial Garden to honor all these people and the units. We toured the other buildings today. One building is designed to resemble the deck on a carrier where the plans are stored and repaired. There is an actual TBM Avenger aircraft to view. The other building houses a PT Boat exhibit with an actual PT Boat on display. I would highly recommend anyone who is interested in the war and the Pacific Theater to not miss this if you are ever near Fredericksburg Tx. I can recommend the entire area of the Texas Hill Country. There is plentyto do and the people a very friendly. It is getting late and we hit the road in the morning heading to Rockport Tx.for our next stop. I will post some pics tomorrow.

[sherman12]

Thanks Camper70; you are so organized! I was talking to my DW last evening, over a bottle of wine of course, telling her about your thread and the stop by stop travelogue you have provided this forum. I told her she should jump on the forum and read about your adventures on her iPad at night instead of taking a book to bed! LOL...In our discussion about your thread I mentioned to her your description of Fredericksburg, TX as a point of the wealth of information you have provided us all in places to visit. Neither of us had ever heard of it, sounds more like someplace in Virginia.

[dwayneb236]

Originally Posted by McCormickJim

A don't-miss attraction in Fredericksburg is the National Museum of the Pacific War, sometimes referred to as the Nimitz museum.

Fredericksburg is the boyhood home of Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz

To really SEE this museum it would take 2 days to go through.. It's massive. So much history in there.

[camper70]

Hi Everyone! I have to start out today by giving a shoutout to McCormickJim for telling me not to miss the National Museum of the Pacific War in Fredericksburg TX. This place was truly remarkable at covering everything that went on in the Pacific Theater. We were overwhelmed by all the info,pics, and artifacts. I also received a message from dwayneb236 about how long you need to tour the Museum. They give you 48 hrs with your admission and I don't think even that is enough time if you try to take in everything. I forgot to mention that they stage a mock battle in there outdoor theater the second Sat. and Sun. of the Month from March to Sept. We could not stay for the reenactment because of already planning ahead for our next stop before we found out about it.
Sherman12 I'm sure you and the DW would have a good time in Fredericks burg TX. especially if you like wine. There are so many wineries in the area and many tasting rooms on Main Street downtown. There are plenty of things to do to pass the time and many places have entertainment every night and they start early and end at a reasonable time for us old folks. There is also much good food in town. Pics to follow.

[camper70]

This is the area where they stage reenactments
Entrance to the National Museum of the Pacific War

[camper70]

The Japanese Peace Garden At the Museum Which was paid for by Japan in honor of Admiral Nimitz

[camper70]

An Avenger Bomber

[camper70]

Ordinance which could be launched from the Avenger

[camper70]

Actual PT Boat on display at the Combat Zone Area

[camper70]

Pic Of PT-309 Credited with sinking three German Ships

[camper70]

Engine from PT-309. Each Pt Boat carried three engines

[camper70]

We arrived in the Gulf coast area of Texas this afternoon and will be here for three nights. We will tour the Fulton Mansion and try to find some elusive Whooping Cranes wintering in the area tomorrow. We are staying at Majestic Oaks RV Park near Rockport Tx. This is a nice Park with concrete pads to park on FHU, cable, and good WIFI. They are still in recovery mode from last years hurricane. The pool is not open yet but everything you need is working. The whole area is sad with all the damaged buildings and the piles of trash everywhere. Some people still have blue tarps covering their roof. A small boat washed ashore is still sitting next to HWY 188. The people down here still need HELP.

[camper70]

Can someone from Texas or Texas Hill Country please tell me what these animals are called and what they are used for. I saw them penned on a Ranch on the way to Enchanted Rock State Park. They appear to me to be some kind of Deer.

[Wolverine 1945]

They look like some bread of Long Hair Deer ???

[FordHauler]

I believe those are Fallow Deer.
They come in at least 4 colors and some ranches nearby have hunting for the trophy sized bucks.
Travel safe

[camper70]

Thanks for the info Fordhauler. I would not pay money to hunt them. I'm sorry but they are some pretty scraggly looking deer. They look to be under fed.