After leaving the Valley Gateway RV Park in the RGV on Saturday, we headed north west on minor highways, through flatland scrub-brush, and several border patrol stations…
We drove through miles and miles of this…
and kept hoping to see one of the monster bucks that Texas is famed for. We saw dozens (probably hundreds) of feeders and blinds, but not a single deer!
Everyone knows where Big Bend National Park is, but not very far away is a much lesser known National Park. The Amistad National Recreation Area.
Amistad is a fairly new creation, the dam being built in the 1960s in response to frequent drought and flooding; the flood of 1954 killed over 300 Del Rio residents! We never did get out to the dam – one side is an American border crossing, and the other is Mexican, so you have to have your passports to go over the dam…we weren’t sure how they would like it if we drove the long way over the earthen dam to the checkpoint in the middle leading to the concrete dam, and said, “oh, we just dropped by to check it out…”
There are still signs remaining that this area has not always been a lake…
this old road (from which the boat ramp drive veers off of) continues – just now underwater!
We drove around and checked out some of the other accesses to the lake, and even watched a weigh-in at a local bass tournament!
it was not the most scenic site – it is winter down here too, and much is dead and brown, but the activities that the location offered more than made up for the lack of green vegetation…
it was hot, and we had achieved our goal of finding a place to play in the water at…
The minute we pulled in, the kids asked if they could go down and LOOK at the lake. Well, you know how my kids ‘look’ at water…
they stayed in the full 3 hours until sunset.
which, as usual, pictures cannot capture the beauty of!
We were conveniently near the visitor’s center.
the opportunity to watch films about the area (which are not all created equal…),
the kids were pretty stoked about doing the program here because they received badges AND the super cool, brand new Amistad Jr. Ranger patches (and you all know that we have a minor fetish with PATCHES! 
Jake went with Dad to dump the rv, so we turned in his book for him – Molly claimed his badge and patch…
Our visit to Amistad consisted of 3 days of sun and fun! It was hot and humid, and the kids spent most of the time in the water. 
 
  
I love your blog! I have been following it for a few weeks now, I found it listed on http://www.familiesontheroad.com. My family and I want to go on the road in three years or so….we are in Canada though. Do you pick up jobs on the road, or have a job you can do from anywhere?
We actually have to go home every summer and work to save up money so we can travel during the winter. We camp host for the 4 months that we are in MT, which doesn’t actually pay money, but does provide us a site on a lake for free. Hubby and the boys work as contractors, specializing in remodels and decorative concrete.
Hubby does work a bit on the road, but not for $
We would love to have jobs on the road, and would be tickled to figure out a way to make money while we travel!
Dana – sounds like you are having a great family time.
Just wanted you to know that my kids are constantly commenting on how much fun they had with your children and how they are looking forward to meeting you all down the road again. 😉
Crissa Boyink
I love your blog, too! I discovered it a few months ago and tried starting my own blog: camphosting.blogspot.com …about how to get a job while out RVing. We’ve gotten lots of job offers, but most of them are just for the site. I’m delighted you put so much effort into your children (Jr. Ranger, cleaning up the muddy messes…FEEDING them all…) You are a treasure, and I hope to meet you one day.