With high winds forecast for the day, bringing in COLD temperatures to much of the south, and overcast skies, we forewent walking Tuesday morning in favor of packing up and departing Lake O’ the Pines early.  The wind was a bit daunting as we left the campground and drove to the main highway some 10 miles to the north, but our western and mostly southern route largely shielded us from the brunt force of the high, gusting winds.  We drove some 300 miles to Frank’s Restaurant in Schulenburg, Texas, where we parked for the night.  Frank’s Restaurant in the hill country of Texas serves some of the best German food we’ve eaten, and we make it a point to stop there each time we travel to and from the Rio Grande Valley.  And we order the same thing:  homemade smoked sausages, German potato salad, sauerkraut, green salad, and whole wheat bread.  Our friend, Uncle Jack Nimon, met us there for dinner, driving over from San Antonio.  Jack is a full-timer, i.e. he lives in his RV year round.  We met as “neighbors” in RedRock RV Park in Henry’s Lake, Idaho, in August 2011 and have remained in contact since then.  We really enjoyed our brief visit with Uncle Jack, and will see him again possibly this winter in Rockport, Texas, and in Arkansas in the spring.  After Jack departed for San Antonio, Kay and I headed for bed at 8 PM, with our motorhome parked in the back parking lot of Frank’s; Kay had secured permission to park there a few weeks ago.  Despite noise from some semis parked there, and nearby Interstate 10, we slept soundly—until midnight when we both became wide awake.  We debated whether to “saddle up” and drive at night or wait until early morning, and opted to try to sleep.  After a couple of hours watching television and talking, we fell asleep at 2 AM and sleep until 5 AM.  

With generator power, we turned on the heat and made coffee.  We had to unhook the Honda, move the motorhome a few feet, and hook back up before leaving Schulenburg, but were on the road shortly before 6 AM.  While yesterday’s drive was our most arduous, today’s 300 miles was a breeze with a stiff northerly wind blowing us down the road.  We stopped briefly for a rest break about half way, and then again in Edinburg at the Flying J station for gasoline, before pulling into Bentsen Palm RV Resort at 11:45 AM.  Kay checked us in while I pulled into our site to begin setting up for the winter.  We were greeted by the Grahams, Wards, and Charlesworths, neighbors who had arrived earlier.  After hugs and greetings, we did all the set-up, finishing at about 2 PM.  Kay made us a great lunch, and we took a deep breath and enjoyed being home.  I picked up the internet access equipment, and installed it, and we made our first happy hour in the palapa at 4 PM, catching up with those already here, and exchanging information about those on the way  We really like where we live in the winter, and especially like our many RV neighbors—the sense of community is alive and well!