Dec 6-8 Memphis to Texarkana to Grapevine (Dallas)

Saturday Dec 8th

Packing up bikes for the night

Lots of people decorate sites with Xmas lights.

Rain was forecast for late in the day, so after a bacon butty for breakfast we hopped on the bikes and headed in to town. It is a little bit like Niagara-on-the-Lake. All decorated for Christmas, lots of craft, clothes  and knick-knack stores and piped Chritsmas music throughout the town, Santa on stilts, Nativity scenes and Christmas trees. We walked our bikes up and down Main street and stopped for a cappuccino at an Italian Cafe, sitting outside to people-watch for a while. Back at camp we sat in the sun and read. It was about 22 degrees.. perfect. Cooked up some steak and veggies and just relaxed, walked and caught our breath. This is truly one of the nicest RV resorts we have ever been in. It is small and thoughtfully laid out with huge sites and beautiful views. Would definitely return if we had the chance.  Took lots of photos today, but somehow they disappeared form the camera... not a good thing... Oh well here's a couple from the end of the day. 
Friday Dec 7th
Quick breakfast and back on the road. While it is fun to travel,  I will be glad when we get somewhere and stay for a while. We really do need to sort out the trailer after our frantic packing last Friday. We split the driving down to Dallas, which started off on a more minor highway, through Northern Texas small towns and countryside . We were both struck by the level of poverty,  it is of a 'third world nature in some places and quite a shock to see the rudimentary living conditions that  so many people cope with. There were a multitude of Romney/Ryan support posters, didn't see any Obama posters. Quite the contrast in wealth between Romney and so many of his supporters. The level of housing and obvious wealth increased as we closed in on Dallas. The Vineyards RV resort is on the outskirts of Dallas in a small town called Grapevine. It is a gated RV resort on the edge of Grapevine lake and only a short distance from the town (the "Christmas Capital of America"). We have a fabulous site on the edge of the lake with lots of room and no close neighbours.  We arrived mid-day in 20 degree sunshine, so we set up camp and relaxed the rest of the the day and took a long walk around the campground watching the Ibis and egrets fishing in the inlet. Happy knowing we are staying here for 3 nights..... aaaahhh!!! Lovely

Cleaning the windows at VInyards RV Resort, Grapevine, Nr Dallas

Thursday Dec 6th
Packed up in the rain and headed out by 10am heading out of Memphis toward Dallas.. Stopped at Arkansas 'Welcome Centre' for maps and were advised to leave the highway in about 60km to avoid major roadworks and bad traffic. Glad we did because the route took us through Arkansas countryside and small towns.  We didn't stop in Little Rock Arkansas, en route as we thought we might, because the  highway went around it, and the area didn't look like anything special, so we by-passed the sign saying "birth place of William Jefferson Clinton' and motored on toward Texas.

cheers!! Shady Pines RV resort,Texarkana