Rene Cizio's Blog, page 23

Let’s Go Spelunking Into the Deep End of Carlsbad Caverns

The Carlsbad Caverns, in the middle of the Chihuahuan Desert in New Mexico, has got to be the most underrated National Park that we have. I don’t understand why more people aren’t talking about and fighting to get in and see these natural wonders. The caves are open for tourism on a limited basis, with online registration for a specific time to secure your spot. And they’re serious about those reservations. I heard a couple be told they’d have to wait 15 minutes until it was their reservation time. Your time is checked when you walk in and again before entering the caves, so don’t try any funny business. But that’s about the only thing they’re serious about. Once you’re in, you’re in. They let you explore miles of cave almost entirely alone. Camping Near the Caverns I arrived at the caves after spending the night sleeping in vanGo almost directly across the street. There is some Bureau of the Land Management (BLM) land where anyone can camp overnight for free. Though it appears to be incredibly secluded, it also happens to have a cell tower directly across from it, making cellular service impeccable. But other than the caverns, there’s […]

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How to Explore the Famous Texas Cave Without a Name

There is a cave in the Texas Hill Country, so pretty they couldn’t find a name good enough, so they didn’t name it. Now it’s called Cave Without a Name. I don’t make this stuff up; I just tell you about it. Texas may not be great at naming caves, but they sure are great at having them. They say they have over 7,000 throughout the site. You know Texas, go BIG or go home. When I heard about the cave that was too pretty to name I was skeptical but intrigued. I looked it up and it was only an hour and a half drive from where I was staying and you know me – I hopped in vanGo and set off to explore this National Natural Landmark. Here’s what I found. Texas Hill Country First off, you must drive through the Texas Hill Country to get to the cave. I’ve said it before, and I’ll repeat it: The drive alone is worth it wherever you’re going. Once you get beyond the San Antonio area, the change in geography rolls over you. Colorful flowers pepper the landscape, llamas graze in fields, and the roads become more narrow. Most of […]

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An Instagram Dream: Exploring the Texas Flower Fields at Wildseed Farms

Have you seen pictures of the Instagram Queens frolicking in vast fields of flowers? Many were probably at these Texas Flower Fields. At least, they were when I went. The most well-known Texas Flower Fields are at Wildseed Farms in Fredericksburg, Texas. They’ve been growing fields of flowers for over 35 years. They have over 200 acres of flower fields that they happily open to visitors and Instagram aficionados. So, of course, I went. Driving the Texas Hill Country Part of the fun of getting to Wildseed Farms is driving through the Texas Hill Country. No matter which way you’re coming from you’re going through the hills. It took me about an hour and a half to get there from San Antonio and about 50 of those miles are through the hills. This is the kind of country you imagine when you think of the open American highway. At least, I do. There are no big box stores, and in fact, there are very few stores, or cars, or homes or people. There are no apartment buildings or traffic jams. There are trees, a big sky, and cattle of all types – llama, cows, sheep, horses – and the open […]

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3 Reasons to Visit the Historic Pearl District in San Antonio, Texas

The historic Pearl District in San Antonio, Texas, reminded me of old-school warehouse districts in Detroit but more gentrified. I found it lively and well organized – two traits I value highly. On weekends they host the Pearl Farmer’s Market. There are no places in any city that are better for getting to know the people and the culture. At big farmer’s markets, you can truly mix with the local farmers, artisans and residents and learn what is unique about the place. There’s plenty unique about the San Antonio Pearl District. Pearl District History First off, it’s a historical landmark that formerly housed the Pearl Brewery. One of my favorite things to do in a new location is try their local brew – and this one’s a classic. The historic Texas brewery sold Pearl beer from the late 1800s until 2001 when Pabst acquired it. The district, however, still honors its history. Now, parks, restaurants, shops and weekend public events, including the farmer’s market, fill the 16-block Pearl District neighborhood. It’s also home to San Antonio’s first food hall aptly named “The Bottling Department.” Sugar and Art I, of course, went to the Pearl District in search of baked goods […]

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What it’s Like Van Camping on Padre Island

I chose van camping on Padre Island in Texas as my first official recreational overnight #vanlife trip and it was a good decision for preparing me for what’s to come. Sleeping on the beach in the Gulf of Mexico was a surreal experience that I won’t soon forget. I stayed on public land and that gave me more privacy and remoteness than you would get at a campground or RV park. Maybe you should try it too. Heading to Padre Island I wanted to avoid the weekend beach crowds, so I drove from San Antonio Padre Island on a Thursday. The drive took about three hours and there was nothing besides a clear, open road ahead of me. There’s not much between San Antonio and Corpus Christi – the main city before Padre Island. There were just long hot stretches of road. Alongside the two-lane roadway were splashes of white, yellow, orange, pink and purple flowers growing wild. After a while, I realized they were variations of daisies that I once tried to grow in my backyard at the home I owned in Michigan. My daisies never really grew that well, so it’s funny to see them grow wild here. […]

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5 Tips for Visiting the Alamo and Other San Antonio Missions

I didn’t expect an American history lesson when I started touring San Antonio Missions, but I got one, and I’m better for it. I thought I knew what they were and how they came to be, but personally touring these sites was mind opening. San Antonio Missions National Historical Park is a National Historical Park and part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site preserving the San Antonio Missions in Texas. In the early 1700s, the indigenous people of South Texas were nomadic hunter-gatherers who constantly fought for survival against the elements, lack of water, food supply and each other. European kings saw this as an opportunity. Enter: Franciscan Friars to the Rescue The kings sent Franciscan friars’ established churches and large plots of land and recruited American Indians to live there. It is called Cross and Crown Spanish colonialism. It became the foundation of San Antonio Missions. The missionaries’ pitch was that they would provide stable food, shelter and safety in exchange for conversion to Catholicism, work at the mission, and adherence to the rules. “The Franciscan friars’ objective was to convert the indigenous people into Catholic, tax-paying subjects of the King of Spain.” – information provided at Mission San […]

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What it’s Like Spelunking in Total Darkness in Texas Caves

Spelunking in Texas caves should be on everyone’s list if you live in or travel through the state. Have you ever been spelunking? No? What about caving? As it turns out, they’re the same thing. In North America, we call cave exploring spelunking. I was confused at first, but both mean to explore caves. In the UK, they call it potholing. I’m from Michigan – to us, potholing means getting your car tire stuck in a massive hole from a busted road the government didn’t fix. I had to look up the history of the words because, here in Texas where there are thousands of caves, it’s a point of contention. Cavers think “spelunkers” are amateurs. But everyone is an amateur at some point, so I’m fine with it. Either way, call it caving, spelunking, or potholing. It’s the recreational pastime of exploring natural cave systems. Texas Caves Texas has a wealth of cave systems and caverns that go deep underground, forming an entirely new world. Many of these caves have huge, elaborate chambers, waterfalls and even bizarre fossils. There are thousands of caves in Texas. Many are along the Balcones Fault Line between Austin and San Antonio and were […]

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How I Survived a Cankerworms Invasion in the San Antonio Woods

I stayed in a one-room cabin in a lovely, wooded area in San Antonio for two weeks; then, the cankerworms chased me out. I was supposed to stay for the month. Looking back now, I wonder if I was too picky, sensitive, or ridiculous. Maybe the worms were worse in my mind than actuality? Tell me what you think. The Cabin I’d been staying in a cabin for two weeks, and it was going perfectly. The cabin was lovely, the hosts, who live in a house on the property, were wonderful. Deer frolicked among the living Oak trees. There were four friendly cats and even a dozen chickens as entertainment. I even had an Armadillo living in a hole next door. I felt like Snow White with all her animal friends. The cabin was rustic. It was simply one room with a bed, chairs, mini-fridge and coffee pot. There was no plumbing. The bathroom was housed in a spa-quality house across the yard, through the oak trees. It was no hardship. I felt like I’d found the perfect little oasis in the San Antonio woods. Each morning as I drank my coffee on the little porch of my cabin, I’d […]

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Exploring San Antonio’s Historic Market Square Weekend

Nearly every weekend, San Antonio’s Historic Market Square comes to life with authentic Mexican heritage, shopping, and delicious tex-mex food, so I decided to check it out. As I drove into town I wasn’t exactly sure where the market was, but it quickly became clear … just follow the mariachi band … and the people. I parked a few blocks away and simply followed the sounds. It led me right to the square. There, about four city blocks are taken over by a traditional Mexican market. The Market People milled about listening to music and drinking the many different versions of Margaritas with tamarindo straws from the street vendors. A tamarind straw is a regular straw wrapped in tamarind fruit and coconut sugar rolled in chili powder. (Delicious) Churros I didn’t go for the alcohol, but I didn’t pass by the fresh churro stand. The women at the stall mixed the dough and dropped them fresh into boiling oil as I watched. They charged me $5 for 4 churros and some chocolate dipping sauce. I’d happily pay double they were so good. The cobbled streets are lined with shops and restaurents – everything Mexican. From the food to the traditional Mexican clothing and […]

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Hiking the Guadalupe River State Park in San Antonio, Texas

Hiking the Guadalupe River State Park in San Antonio, Texas, ended up not being exactly the type of hike I was planning, but it was a good hike nonetheless. The Guadalupe River State Park is less than an hour from the little San Antonio cabin I’m calling home this month. So, looking for some outdoor adventuring, I headed to the local state park to enjoy hiking the Guadalupe River. All photos by the author Getting There GPS decided I needed to see more of the immediate neighborhood I was staying in and took me down an unnecessary meandering path through the community. This is just one of the facts of life with technology. It has a mind of its own. When you put it in control, you must accept what it gives you. I haven’t explored the immediate neighborhood that much, so it was nice to see more of the area. The reason is that I’m in a subdivision. In this case, a Texas subdivision, meaning the homes or ranches are all separated by wide births of land. Still, it’s land somebody owns and I’ve heard about the famous Texas trigger finger. So, I’ve kept on my own parcel. I […]

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