All Quiet in Quanah

The hundreds of visitors who camped around the Hardeman County Courthouse in Quanah, Texas, are all gone now, leaving Cloud 9 as the lone witness to a weekend of activities, acquaintances and all-things-Airstream. It was our first regional rally, and our first experience “boondocking,” or dry camping–that is, camping without water, electrical or sewer hookups.…

Labor Day at Loyd Park

The origins of Labor Day, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, can be traced to Peter McGuire, who founded the United Brotherhood of Carpenters in 1881. McGuire suggested setting aside one day a year to honor laborers, in 1882. He later joined forces with Samuel Gompers to found the American Federation of Labor (AFL).…

The Waters Recede

Our beloved Loyd Park is finally recovering from the spring floods, opening more sites–and more possibilities–for weekend campers like us. Four of Loyd Park’s five camping loops are now accessible, but signs of the flood persist, as debris, as well as rusted sign posts, dumpsters, electrical hookups can be seen throughout the park. We had…

A Revolutionary Idea

While reading a story in The New York Times about Tarrytown, New York, a village of 11,000 people about 25 minutes from Midtown Manhattan, it suddenly occured to us that we know very little about the American Revolution. According to The Times, the area was first inhabited by the Weckquaesgeeks Indians. Tarrytown was settled by…

A Forgettable Fourth

This year’s Fourth of July, our 14th celebration together, was an experience we’d rather forget. Although it began with much promise, it ended with more of a whimper than a bang. We thought the stars had aligned when we were able to get a campsite at Loyd Park, despite being told, early in the week,…

Hard Day’s Night

After an intense, albeit shortened, work week, we began our three-day weekend at Loyd Park with a quick set-up, a first walk and a refreshing cocktail. We fired up the BGE and were soon enjoying grilled salmon, cob corn and shishito peppers, complemented by caprese salad and cabernet wine. That’s roughing it, Garinn-style. An after-dinner…

A New Favorite

With so many area parks closed due to flooding, finding a place for weekend camping is a challenge. Thankfully, we discovered Loyd Park, a campground managed by the City of Grand Prairie. We hesitated to try a “city” park for a number of reasons. First, city budgets aren’t generous when it comes to parks and…

End of an Era

It’s hard to believe that a hotel restaurant, in continuous operation since the Civil War, has closed, and the Garner family reunion was its last event. The historic Stagecoach Inn Restaurant, billed as “The Oldest Operating Restaurant in the State of Texas,” closed its doors behind the last of the Garner clan to leave, with…

Starry, Starry Night

At the end of a particularly demanding work week, we were eager to get away. We set our sights on Salado, a tiny Texas town that was established in 1867 for the sole pupose of building a bridge across Salado Creek. Cliff’s Garner family was hosting its annual reunion at the Stagecoach Inn, a Salado…