Done at Kansas RV Center in Chanute, KS...the old NuWa plant for HitchHiker 5ers.

Since the refuge has reopened, we have been busy, even with a total of 4 volunteer couples, we still have a lot to do. The maintenance crew for the 3 refuges in this area mowed a lot of the public areas. I spent a couple of days weed eating and trimming trees on the trails.

This week we started spraying the boardwalks and pier. There is a total of close to 1/2 mile. Today we sprayed 30 gallons on water seal.

Susan has worked in the visitors center with guest and...

Across from our camp site where the old plantation house, we have a field of red spider lilies or sometimes called "Naked Ladies". They put up a single stem with a red bud that opens to become this beautiful flower. After the flower drops off, it finally put up the leaves.

Well with the federal government shutdown, the fall celebration is cancelled for the 19th and we still have nothing to work on.

There is only so much sight...

Wow, some excitement late yesterday. I was walking Abby for her long evening walk and on the way back, I could hear shooting near the boat ramp. Semi-automatic pistol, 20 to 30 rounds was being fired. I put in a call to the two law enforcement officers and they were both working illegal hunters on other refuges.

I saw the car pulled up into a hiking trail and took a photo of the license. As I walked away, three guys were coming back toward the car. I hurried Abby on and got down...

Well we have a holiday now with the government shut down. First time I have been laid off from a non-paying job.

The National Wildlife Refuge is closed to the public. The refuge manager and one other law enforcement officer are considered essential personnel and are here. Everyone else is furloughed for now. We get to keep our site here and are now allowed to do any work on the refuge. We have a gate key and come and go as we please.

At least anther host couple came...

Well yesterday we experienced the great flood. We were out for about 3 hours and came back to water running out of the front part of the RV. Luckily the maintenance guys fro the refuge were working on the pad next to ours and spotted the water and shut off the faucet.

The problem is the Aqua Magic Style Plus toilet water valve did not shut off and overflowed the bowl. It started to hang up on the pedal and my wife forgot to lift up and make sure it shuts off.

The parts...

Wow, still waiting on cooler weather.

For the most part, the visitors here are pretty neat...BUT, seems the smokers think the world is their ash tray...butts every where. Also the slobs that drink the Tall-boy beers never find the trash can..just pitch it out on the parking lot.. Also seems like the Kool smokers never put their wrappers in the trash...Mostly what I find on the ground.

The refuge has a big open house on October 19...free fish fry, crafts, face painting,...

The past week has been wonder as for weather.

I have up a 20m/40m fan dipole to operate HF a bit. It does a marginal job. I did manage to talk to the east and west coast on 20m. I ordered a new 10-80m Carolina Windom OCF dipole and it arrived yesterday. Now a trip to the hardware store, to get some cording to put the thing in the air.

So fart I have not been able to get the vertical up due to the location of the trailer and a nice shade tree.

Ken

Really enjoying the retirement. I just wish some of the "volunteers" from up north would come on south and help out a bit. We are having a great time, but I do have to lock up the Refuge gates every night and unlock some mornings.

The normal staff here is mostly over at another NWR site help with a archeology site that was just found. They should be back here next week.

Last week, the local weeds were killing my allergies and had to go to the DR. for a shot...

We arrived and have spent the week with the volunteer host learning the ropes. They really need two host here, but we will be alone until October. So if anyone wants nice "home" for a couple of months let us know and we'll get you connected with the NWR here.

We met a neighbor down at the boat ramp:


Abby is not real happy that she can't go in the water.

Here are a few more photos of the lake.
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Here we are at Martin Creek Lake State Park near Tatum, TX. We managed to get the vacant host site since they messed up our reservations. We wanted a 50 amp site for 3 days and they had us down for a 30 amp for 3 days. In this Texas heat...ain't gonna happen. We could get a 50 amp for one day only and then 2 days on 30 amps. I told them to cancel the other two days and we were moving on.

The ranger came by as we backed into the 50 amp site and...

Spent the past two days at River Bend RV in Luling, TX. Monday we moved all of the stuff out of the old Cameo and over to the 2012 Cameo. Man, where does all of that stuff come from? Arrived at Explore USA in Seguin and left at 6:00 PM with the new trailer and totally exhausted.

River Bend is $15.00 a night, full hook ups for Escapee members. Roads are rock with grass and rock sites. Nice walk to the river where you can fish or swim at the gravel bar access.

Abby enjoyed...

Sunday we are driving over to Seguin, TX to pick up the "new" trailer on Monday. Monday night will be spent in Luling and then we are headed to Livingston and then Henderson for a couple of days and then on to Monroe, LA.

It has been raining here a bit and it is really cooled things off a bit. Sure need the rain too. Form the looks of things we had a frog strangler while we were across town.

This past week was spent getting prescriptions and Doctor's appointments...

Friday, I cleaned up the files on the computer at work, turned in my company badge and told them AMF.

We stumbled on to 2012 Cameo 37RSQ that had been used maybe 6 times and the price was right...so we did the deal.

We will ,leave Houston about 20 JUL

Ken

One more week at work and that is all. Enjoying the 4th holiday and don't go back to work until Monday.

Was planing to grill some ribs on the grill this evening, BUT I went out to light the grill and the tree rats had eaten through the hose. I guess we'll do the ribs tomorrow if Home depot has a hose.

I took down the bird feeder which attracts the tree rats. Guess I'll have to take the hose off when we are not using it. The management would get...