Kemah & Galveston - August 8 - 11, 2007

Prologue:

We are planning to leave about noon on Wednesday the 8th with Austin ( Scott and Shelly's 7 year old), drive to Houston and pick up Courtney (David and Kim's 5 year old).  Although Austin is a veteran at traveling with us, this will be Courtney's first trip in the 'Big Bus'.  It also will be her first night away from home!!   We plan to stay in Kemah Wednesday through Saturday night, and see a lot and do a lot in the Kemah - Galveston area.  Still working on all the details of what and when we will do.

Wednesday, August 8, 2007

We left Lufkin pretty much as we anticipated.  Shelly got off for lunch at 11, and she an Scott both met us at the gate while we hooked up the truck for pulling.  Austin came to work with Scott this morning, then came home with Donna when she left the office.  Not a whole lot of things left to load, so we left about 11:30. 

We stopped at the Flying J north of Houston about 1pm, and had a bite of lunch in the coach (cheaper than the Flying J restaurant), took a break from driving, and got back on the freeway about 1:30.  While stopped I called David on his cell, but had to leave a message.  He normally works remote at home, but he had to be in the office today for a few hours, before returning home.  He was not sure how long he would have to stay at the office, so we were a little up in the air about when he would be able to pick Courtney up at day school and meet us at Trader's Village parking lot.

As it turned out, as we approached the Toll Booth on Beltway 8, he called and he was just ahead of us.  So the timing worked out really good.  We had only been in the parking lot 10 - 15 minutes when he showed up.

We left the parking lot and took Beltway 8 all the way around Houston to I -45.  Once on I-45 we were only about 7 miles to our exit, and then only about 7 miles to Kemah and the campground.  Got checked in real easy, found our spot, but had electrical problems.  Although the pedestal checked out ok by their electrician, we decided to move anyway, and had no problem at the second site.

Right now its about 6:30 and Donna, Austin, and Courtney are at the pool.  When they get back we will grill some burgers, and then maybe drive around and see a few sights. I needed a few minutes 'quiet time', so I stayed in the coach to write at least this much of the journal.  I will probably join them in a few minutes.

Well, I went down to the pool and watched Courtney and Austin 'swim'.  They had a great time.  After we got back to the coach I fixed hamburgers for Austin, Donna and I, but Courtney wanted a Hot Dog,  She ate all of it but one bite, and I think Austin ate most of his hamburger.  While I cooked the burgers, Courtney and Austin took turns riding the scooter.

After supper, we drove around an area right across from the RV Park called Clear Lake Shores.  A really nice lakeside development where a lot of the residents gather at a park to watch the sunset.  Sorry no pictures, forgot to take the camera.

Thursday, August 9, 2007

Today is Moody Gardens day.  Both Austin and Courtney have been there before, but we figured they would enjoy it again.  The Gardens has a new Dinosaur exhibit, and several Dinosaur related programs, including the IMAX production 'Dino Alive'.

We arrived about 9:30, and none of the exhibits or anything open until 10, so that gave us plenty time to get tickets and decide what to do first.  Since the first showing in the IMAX theatre was 'Dino Alive', we decided to do that first.  There are several different film title during the day, but the Dino was the one we wanted to see.

After the IMAX, we walked around the courtyard where there is a lot of water features.  Austin and Courtney enjoyed looking out over the bay at the boats and houses across the water.  Then they walked the trail down into some of the flower and butterfly gardens, posing a couple of time for a photo.

From there we went over to the tent that was housing the animated dinosaur exhibit.  Lots of different dinosaurs, in a depiction of their habitat.  I took quite a few pictures of Austin and Courtney, who want to pose in front of just about every dinosaur.  They are both a couple of picture hounds.  LOL

We then visited the Rain Forest with all the birds and fish, and even a few animals.  They both really enjoyed that part.  Then to the Aquarium, which seemed to be even more to their liking.  They both just really got into watching all the fish, sea lions, and all the other species.  The tiny little seahorses seemed to be one of the favorite.  They even got to touch some of the sea-life.

After leaving Moody Gardens, we when to the Rain Forest Cafe when Donna and I had seafood and the kids had...  yup, you guessed it ...  Pizza.  Courtney ate every bite of hers, and Austin never touched his.  We brought his home, and he did eat it later.

Back at the coach, Donna took a nap and me and the kids just hung around inside.  It was just too hot to do anything outside. Then about 6:30 we left and drove around for about an hour and a half, mostly looking at boats.  We found a little park right on Clear Creek leading out to Galveston Bay from Clear Lake and sat and watched a few boats coming and going.  While there Courtney was picking a little flower and got into a fire ant bed.  Only a couple of bites, but they were pretty painful.  But, she only cried a little..  Sorry bout that, Mommy and Daddy :) .

Then back to the coach, had sandwiches and hot dogs for supper, the kids watched cartoons, played the video games, then off to bed.  I will try to add some pictures to this later.

Tomorrow we plan to go to the Boardwalk, visit the carnival rides, walk the boardwalk, maybe ride the big, fast, boat, and let the kids play in the splash area. 

Its now 9:40, Donna and Courtney just went to bed, Austin is on his pallet in the floor by the front TV.  I just told him I was gonna turn the TV off in twenty minutes.  He informed me that 'commercials didn't count'.  LOL  I explained that commercials DO count and the TV was going off at 10. 

Friday, August 10, 2007

Today is the day for the Kemah Boardwalk visit.  We left the park about 8:30, hoping to get a good parking place.  And, that turned out to be no problem at all, since nothing opens before 10, and most things, like the amusement park, don't open until 11.  Oh well, we got to walk from one end to the other without a lot (like none) people traffic.  Actually, the only thing that opens at 10 is the Water Sprout playground.  Of course this was the main thing the kids wanted to do anyway.  As we sat at a table, in the shade, waiting for the water to start, we had to do a count-down, almost minute-by-minute.  At least it was that way for the last 10 minutes.

Actually the water started right on time and Austin & Courtney were standing there waiting.

After about 45 minutes of playing they were ready to go to the rides.  Timing was just right for that as we got our tickets just as the rides opened.  First thing was to ride the train, which I joined them on.  We bought 3 armbands, good for all day, for Austin, Courtney, and Donna.  If I decide to ride anything, like the train, I just bought a ticket for that.

The kids took turn picking the next ride to ride, and that prevented any bickering over what would be next.  They rode some tame rides, like the airplanes and Merry-Go-Round, and some not so tame, like the Aviator and Ferris Wheel.  They also rode up in the revolving observation tower that take you to a height of 170 with a great view of Galveston Bay and even Galveston on a clear day (or night).

After about an hour of rides, and the temps getting way up, we decided on a cooler activity: Lunch at Landry's.  Courtney had pizza, Austin had a burger, Donna had fried shrimp, and I had the Seafood Platter.  Landry's serves a great salad with their meals, a tossed salad with everything that can go in a salad, and a honey mustard house dressing.  Although the service was rather slow, the food was excellent.  I think our service was slow ONLY because of the waitress we had.  She just seemed slowly amble around where ever she went.

After lunch, about 1:30 we are now back at the coach, trying to stay cool.  Austin and Courtney are playing games in the bedroom, Donna is napping on the couch, and I am sitting here typing this.

We plan to go back tonight, after it cools some, and ride all the rides they already rode again, and any that they missed.  Austin says he wants to ride the Inverter, which actually puts you upside down, but I kinda doubt anyone (Donna) will ride with him, so he may have to wait for his Mom and Dad to bring him back.

Later:

We went back again tonight, and rode some of the same rides.  I went up in the tower with everybody, quite a sight to see.  The Tower is 170 feet tall, and rotates as you go up and come down.  Will try to post some pictures later.  We leave in the morning, so the next post will be the trip to New Mexico and Colorado by way of West Texas.

Go to Next Phase