Back to Texas…

“The sun has riz, the sun has set, and here we is in Texas yet.”

Old Texas Jingle

Thanks for reading my travel blog. I am Magic, the Treeing Walker Coon Hound. My humans, Big Dog and Momma Dog, continue to coordinate and implement our full-time travels in our Class A Motorhome, known as Tana.

The first photo is actually from Wakeeney, Kansas at the Shiloh Vineyard and Winery. We drove from Estes Park on July 19 and arrived at this beautiful Harvest Host sight. The owners spotted us driving down the five mile country road as they were driving into town for dinner. They flagged us down and said to make ourselves at home.

Our next overnight stop on the way to Texas was Strataca Underground in Hutchinson, Kansas. This was an opportunity to go 650 feet underground in a working salt mine. The humans had to wear hard hats and jackets, and I voted to stay with Tana in the parking lot with the generator running the air conditioner.

Our next stop was Roadrunner RV Park in Norman, Oklahoma. We found it clean and tidy and I posed by a working oil well and a fire hydrant.

Finally on Sunday we arrived in Mansfield, Texas and left Tana behind for her body work. We stayed with Momma Dog’s cousin, Karen DeSimone and I LOVED having a backyard to run in!

The humans viewed a Claude Monet exhibit at the Kimball Art Museum in Fort Worth that was beautiful. Big Dog and Momma Dog and I had such a calm and comfortable visit with Karen DeSimone. We are so grateful for her hospitality during our eleven day stay.

Our next stop was the lovely Fort Worth, Texas home of Sarah Stringer. The humans took me on long walks in Foster Park and enjoyed being in Fort Worth. And I enjoyed being with Sarah’s dog, Keely. Keely at twelve human years- was an older woman and kindly tolerated my social awkwardness.

The humans dined with old friends in Fort Worth, and even brought home a few doggy bags. Not photographed was friend Brenda Vitemb.

One highlight for me is a trip to Z-Bonz Dog Park in Fort Worth, Texas. I love to be off my leash and this place was glorious! I ran with the big dogs, splashed in the pond and smiled from ear to ear.

And after my dip in the pond, Big Dog and Momma Dog took me to a nearby establishment for a bath-which was not fun at all.

Our next stop in Texas while still waiting on Tana’s repairs was Town Suites by Marriott in Fort Worth. The humans checked out some new places in Fort Worth, went swimming and shopping while I guarded the motel room. They especially enjoyed being with Nicci Kennedy and eating delicious food at King Tut (sorry no photo.)

The next thing I knew it was August 14 and I was hanging out with two beautiful black poodles. They are named Ella and Nina, and we ran and played both inside and outside their house in Wichita, Kansas (hometown of Big Dog.) My humans enjoyed their time with Big Dog’s sister, Dana Smith (mom of the poodles) and unsuccessfully tried to get me in her swimming pool.

Garden City, Kansas (Momma Dog’s hometown) was our next adventure to celebrate the 40th wedding anniversary of Steve and Neva Quakenbush. Steve is Momma Dog’s brother and they have LOTS of cats. I did try to eat their feline food and they seemed to scatter when they saw me, a 50 pound coon hound! The humans enjoyed the big party and I was able to sniff around their house and lick Neva’s tea cup to express my best wishes for more happy anniversaries.

While still in the sunflower state we drove to Lucas, Kansas in our rental car. Lucas is a quirky art community. The humans were amazed by the many bizarre and interesting art works of self-taught artists in many locations in this small town. Big Dog and Momma Dig also devoured some delicious home-made Bierock and Reuben sandwiches-and said there was none left for poor little Magic.

The humans especially enjoyed seeing the pottery of Momma Dog’s late Uncle Jim Mathews displayed at the Grass Roots Art Center. And they even bought some pottery tea bag holders made by him!

We returned to Arlington, Texas for a few more days of hospitality from Karen Desimone-and I again loved the big, grassy yard to sun and run in. Then on August 23 we picked up Tana from body and engine work and are off for new adventures. We have been without Tana for about 34 days and nights and are ready to hit the road! We really missed our home on wheels and the humans are now EXTRA careful drivers of the beautiful Tana. I will keep you posted on our travels because I heard rumors of Mount Rushmore!

Thank you to our friends and family and dogs in Texas and Kansas for fun times! Thanks for reading my travel blog!

Kind regards, sniffs and woof-MAGIC