Galveston
Campground
Stella Mare RV Resort
This was a very nice and clean RV part with decent sized sites. It is just across the road from the beach and about 10 minutes from Historic Downtown Galveston. There were lots of activities including a pool, hot tub, splash pad, sand volleyball court, playground, small club house and coming soon....a Tiki Bar. Mark performed 3 times over the 2 weeks we were there and we even taught a few line dance lessons.
Things to see
Betty Head Oleander Park
This was one of the things we found on Atlas Obscura. It is a very small park and was affected by a freeze a few years ago so it was in rough shape. Galveston is "Oleander City" and supposedly contains the world's largest collection of Oleanders. The park is next to the Moody Mansion so you could do both while in the area.
Galveston Island State Park
We were hoping this would be a great park to run and hike in. However, many of the trails were swamped and very muddy. Certainly not our favorite state park but the highlight was seeing a rattlesnake! Uh, from inside the truck, of course.
Kemah Boardwalk
Camille (Mark's daughter) was visiting a friend in Houston so we met them and walked around. This is more for kids, lots of rides, games, etc. It was also off-season so a lot of the shops were closed.
Texas Hero's Monument
We saw this down the street from the Oleander Park so we took a stroll down there. A guy stopped his truck on the roadway and told us "don't believe what you read on the plaque, the statue is for the sailors and was pointing the way to the red light district." Only in Texas!!
The Beach
We spent a lot of time on the beach. There are several points of access, some are pedestrian only and some allow vehicles. The sand was nice and there were a few shells. The water is quite dirty due to the large swells coming out of the gulf. There were a lot of people enjoying the beach on the weekend and much quieter during the week.
The Kettle House
This was another item from Atlas Obscura and really is just a drive by item. It was originally build to be a tank for an oil and gas company but never used. It was then featured on HGTV and received a make-over. It is now a private residence that is available to rent on Airbnb.
The Seawall
The Seawall spans over 10 miles and is a great place to enjoy the beach view on a walk, run, or bike ride. There are stores, restaurants, amusement parks, hotel all along the paved path.
The Strand
The Strand is Galveston's Historic Downtown district. There are lots of shops, restaurants, historic buildings, and entertainment options.
The Willis-Moody Mansion
This is a historic house in downtown Galveston. There are so many cool houses to look at but this one was amazing. They are open for tours but we just walked around the outside.
Food and Drink
Cooper's Landing
This restaurant was a great find and walking distance from our campground. Amazing drinks and food. A little more expensive than other places in the area but Barb is worth it.
IHOP
Ok, so we usually wouldn't post about a huge chain restaurant like this; however, we have one thing to say...."Pancakes. Get in my belly!"
Jimmy's On The Pier
We stopped here while we were riding bike on the Galveston Seawall. Great food and view of the bay.
Salsa's Mexican Restaurant
We ate at Salsa's in keeping with our tradition of Margarita Martes (Tuesday). Everything was covered in cheese and more cheese!
To make a long story short ...
Eric, Angie, and Remy
As usual, we meet people either at the hot tub, pool, when I (Mark) plays, or some other activity at the campground. This time, we met Eric, Angie, and Remy (their dog).
As the story goes, Angie had decided to volunteer at an animal shelter hoping to, someday, come across a dog they might want to adopt. Eric was hoping that would be months. Angie came home with Remy the first day. Remy has quite the personality. They brought him to one of the gigs I did there at the campground and he was fairly intent on figuring out what I was.
The point I want to make of meeting this family, though, has very little to do with Remy. It has to do with taking control of your life.
Eric and Angie worked in law enforcement. Although quite young for the "full time RV" crowd you might be used to, Eric was diagnosed with early signs of Parkinson's Disease. As a reference, this is what Michael J. Fox has been battling for quite a long time. Eric decided to do everything he could to fight what was going on in his body. I'm sure he was already a very fit person and he has been making a point of really working out. He's quite buff now, about my size but more muscular. As he'll tell you, keeping your muscles as active as possible has enabled him to minimize any shakes. He also said that being in warmer climates helps too; just think about being cold and having your body shake uncontrollably.
Eric is trying to take control of something that he, ultimately, has no control of. To him, and others, he is trying. It is a psychological thing. It is a physical thing. I am inspired by his attitude.