Mammoth Goes to Goose Island

Saturday January 9, 2021

Home to Lake Bastrop South Shore Park

We headed out, bright and LATE. I had mentioned leaving no later than ten o'clock, but since we were having to use the car dolly and all, we were lucky to pull away at 10:40. It was a pleasant drive. Not too trafficky, mostly cloudy so we didn't have the setting sun in our eyes, and not a lot of wind.

We took the usual Sam Rayburn Tollway/I-30 west/I-635 South jog around Dallas, then headed south on I-45 toward Corsicana. Yes, we know I-35 is a whole lot shorter, and probably even faster, but the construction between Dallas and Waco is still a huge mess and it's best to just avoid it. After Corsicana, I overrode the Google Maps choice with a route of my own which preferred the roads that looked straighter on the map. I still don't know if there's a difference between the "US" highways and the "TX" highways, so far as maintenance or upkeep goes, but my experience so far is that the lower number "TX" highways are really good. Usually four-laned or two-laned with a shoulder.

But the "US" highways looked shorter, so that's what we did: exiting I-45 at Buffalo, we went south on US-79 to Herne and stopped at the Love's Travel stop just outside of Herne. It was very nice and had a little dog park with free poop bags, so my doggies both "took advantage of the facilities" to drop a plop of poop for me to dispose. Very nice place to stop.

Then we continued on US-79 / US-190 toward Rockdale, then took a left turn on US-77 south toward Lincoln.  It wasn't far until we hit TX-21 west and soon after than, the turn-off to the park road.

TX-21 takes the route of El Camino Real through Texas. "The Royal Road" ran from Nachitoches, Louisiana to San Antonio, then on to Guerrero Mexico or Laredo. You can "visit the towns that dot this historic trail and learn more at elcaminorealdelostejas.org if you wish. I'll do so when I'm back in wifi range.

All the little historic towns on the route were little more than annoyances to us--50 mph speed limits or less--but I did regret (once again) not being able to stop at the Corsicana location of the Collin Street Bakery and buy a fruitcake. We've passed it several times on the way to Belton and Cedar Ridge Park, in the middle of downtown Corsicana. But it appears they have a restaurant on the Interstate, too. I need to check on this and plan an overnight stop near there. After Covid-19.

We arrived at the park at 3:35, after 290.2 miles.  It was an LCRA park, like the one we stayed down at Matagorda  Bay only a lot less expensive. It was only a little more expensive than State parks. I should probably write a review of this one...and here it is:

 Site 4, Camping Loop. Really nice site in a well-maintained, wooded area near the southern tip of the lake.  A short walk (maybe 200 yards) brought us to the weedy edge of the lake, where coots and a few ducks abounded. You couldn't see the water from the campsite--too much undergrowth, but the path to the lake made a nice walk for the dogs.

Site was very level. 50-amp electric hookup worked fine; water hookup fine. The sites are a little close together but they're separated by trees and brush so you feel like you have your own little private niche. You can hear your neighbors but not see them. We heard no road noise at all, but a slight distant hum from machinery--probably the power plant. No scenic view, of course, but nice.

Signage was good and the roads were plenty wide enough for our 32-foot RV. Dump station fine. It's a small park, but there are plenty of trails; a store; a boat ramp with fish-cleaning station; a lighted fishing pier (but the lake was grown up with weeds underneath--in spring you might luck into a bass or two. The day use area had a big shelter, canoe rentals, and a mini golf course.

I got in a quick walk with Molly, despite the cold. She saw a few deer over by the dump station. I got a chance to see the lake (southern tip only, of course) and enjoy the peace and quiet. And I found this lovely trailhead with bird pictures: