Change in Pace!

The saying is "Everything is Bigger in Texas!" Well, I want to change that a little to "Everything is Faster here in Texas!" The wind that we traveled so hard to escape got here about 10:30 yesterday morning, and it was no day to go sightseeing or be outside. We took the opportunity to regroup, study some brochures and get a plan for the rest of the week. It blew about 40 all day and finally started to settle down here about 8:00 last night and it wasn't a bad evening when the dust settled. We lucked out and met a lady at the office that walks and cares for dogs here in the park while their pet parents tour the city so we got on her short list. We will be taking a trolly tour of the city and the high points, including the Alamo and River Walk downtown.
Today we headed north into the hill country and stopped off at Camping World in New Braunfels to pick up a couple things that we've been looking at. We purchased an Electrical Surge Protector for the coach. I've been wanting one since the beginning that and decided with all the strange campgrounds and Parks we will be visiting this summer, it would be a good idea to be safe. We took a few minutes and looked at several new Coaches and small Camper Vans, since I have decided to start planning our summer in Alaska for 2013. I know for sure we will not take our coach up there and I want something small, efficient and economical. That took the rest of the morning and then we continued on to the little town of Gruene, which turned out to be a very pleasant stop.
The Gruene Historic District At the Water Tower was born in the 1840s when some German Immigrant Farmers arrived in New Braunfels to find very little acreage available, and therefore purchased land down river. They ended up being Cotton farmers and thus the town of Gruene. A large Brick Victorian home now stands as a B&B, a mercantile store was built in 1878 and a Cotton Gin powered by the Guadalupe River was added soon after.
The original burned in 1922, and was replaced by an electric model. It now houses the Gristmill Restaurant and Lounge where we had lunch today, out on the patio.

Another Building, The Gruene Hall, is the original Dance hall that has been the venue for many many famous musicians and has served as a movie set in the 1960s.

Most of the businesses in the town did not survive the Great Depression, but the Hall never closed. We looked around and poked in and out of a few shops, where I found my Texas Hat pins for the collection.
Yea! Now that's done I can focus on other things tomorrow. We made our way back to the park before rush hour. Everyone is moving at a much faster pace around here! Seems like I need to ramp it up a bit after kicking back all winter.
In Whole Foods I got ran into by a grocery cart this morning that was in way too big of a hurry. Geeze!!!! We have to be up and ready to hop on the trolley at the office before 8 in the morning, so I better get around and switch to touring gear! I'm wearing my running shoes! Thursday we will leave for Corpus Christi for a couple days of beach and water. So my week is booked pretty full. Stay tuned!