Medina Lake RV Park - Pipe Creek, TX
The Pipe Creek community is on State Highway 16 about nine miles east of Bandera in eastern Bandera County. The town was founded about 1870 and was named for nearby Pipe Creek. The town has minimal commercial downtown. Medina Lake RV Park is nearby.
Tuesday, December 19 - Left Braunig Lake RV around 8:30 am for Medina Lake RV Park, a Thousand Trails Park located in Pipe Creek. Found a site but had to make a choice. A site with sewer and water has 30 amp service; site with 50 amp service has no sewer which means about every 3 days you need to go to the dump station. We selected 30 amp service and took care not to trip the breaker switch at the power pole. We like the park as it has a lot of room between the sites with loads of vegetation giving a lot of privacy. We were told by the ranger that if we buy dried corn (50 lb bag for $7 at the nearby feed store) we could feed the deer in the park. It was a highlight of our day to watch the deer come by our RV in the early morning and then around mid-afternoon or later. I wound up selecting favorites to feed from my hand. The personality of each one became evident as they became familiar. One in particular was a "pig" and tried to keep younger deer from getting any food. I told him to keep his distance. I would say there are at least 20 that visit regularly, but there are larger deer that are more skitish and won't stoop so low as to feed on the corn and stands in the distance.
Ray's Reflections: I met a very nice family in the park that visits this area often. Dad, mom, older son, and daughter all ride their own bikes and they asked me to join them. Naturally, I did and rode with them several days. Although it is great to ride my roads and do my own thing, it is nice in a strange area to hook up with someone who knows the best routes to take in the area. That leaves me as tail gunner and just follow the pack; also I can relax a little and enjoy the ride more. When I do not have to watch the route ahead, notice I said “route”, not road. This is amazing country and nice bike roads in the hill country of Texas.
The terrain is gently rolling with curves and few trees so you can see through most turns and few drop offs over the road shoulder. A lot of dry gullies this time of year with small trees, shrubs and the ground is scattered with rocks and boulders. The very small creeks are designed to flow over the roads to avoid bridges, as the road can become flooded. The area ranches consist of horses, sheep, lamas, alpacas and ostrich. I heard some ranches have exotic game shipped in and charge big bucks for hunters to take their best shot. They hire a guide and someone to carry their rifle and provisions -- all the hunter does is line the animal up in the cross hairs of a high-powered rifle and well you know the rest, trophy on the wall. Come on now—give the hunter a spear and knife and let’s see who ends up as a trophy or maybe dinner. Well that is my viewpoint and no apology to my friends who are hunters.
On my rides I did spot many deer, roadrunners, ostrich and several animals that looked like beautiful colored small deer with 3-ft. long spiraled horns that come to a point. I would ride the hill country west of San Antonio again.
Medina Lake is best known among fishermen for its large yellow catfish. Medina Lake's 4,246-acres of clear water, sheltered by hills and limestone bluffs, are also haven for SCUBA divers.
Medina Lake and Canal System was constructed between 1911-1912 as an irrigation reservoir. An extensive canal system delivers water to 34,000 acres of black prairie farmlands below the Balcones escarpment around Castroville. At the time it was constructed, it was the biggest irrigation project west of the Mississippi. At spillway capacity, Medina Lake covers about 5,575 acres, has a length of 18 miles, a maximum width of three miles, and 110 miles of shoreline. In addition to the main dam, there is a smaller dam about four miles downstream that creates Diversion Lake, from which discharges are made to the canal system. Wildly fluctuating levels have characterized Medina Reservoir throughout its entire history.
December 23, 2006
Thunderstorms and lots of rain. They really need it here as all the gullies are dry and the water table for Lake Medina looks about 40’ lower than it should be. We have no cell phone coverage in the park. The Verizon air card for internet service is working so we are not totally out of touch with our family.
The terrain is gently rolling with curves and few trees so you can see through most turns and few drop offs over the road shoulder. A lot of dry gullies this time of year with small trees, shrubs and the ground is scattered with rocks and boulders. The very small creeks are designed to flow over the roads to avoid bridges, as the road can become flooded. The area ranches consist of horses, sheep, lamas, alpacas and ostrich. I heard some ranches have exotic game shipped in and charge big bucks for hunters to take their best shot. They hire a guide and someone to carry their rifle and provisions -- all the hunter does is line the animal up in the cross hairs of a high-powered rifle and well you know the rest, trophy on the wall. Come on now—give the hunter a spear and knife and let’s see who ends up as a trophy or maybe dinner. Well that is my viewpoint and no apology to my friends who are hunters.
On my rides I did spot many deer, roadrunners, ostrich and several animals that looked like beautiful colored small deer with 3-ft. long spiraled horns that come to a point. I would ride the hill country west of San Antonio again.
Medina Lake is best known among fishermen for its large yellow catfish. Medina Lake's 4,246-acres of clear water, sheltered by hills and limestone bluffs, are also haven for SCUBA divers.
Medina Lake and Canal System was constructed between 1911-1912 as an irrigation reservoir. An extensive canal system delivers water to 34,000 acres of black prairie farmlands below the Balcones escarpment around Castroville. At the time it was constructed, it was the biggest irrigation project west of the Mississippi. At spillway capacity, Medina Lake covers about 5,575 acres, has a length of 18 miles, a maximum width of three miles, and 110 miles of shoreline. In addition to the main dam, there is a smaller dam about four miles downstream that creates Diversion Lake, from which discharges are made to the canal system. Wildly fluctuating levels have characterized Medina Reservoir throughout its entire history.
December 23, 2006
Thunderstorms and lots of rain. They really need it here as all the gullies are dry and the water table for Lake Medina looks about 40’ lower than it should be. We have no cell phone coverage in the park. The Verizon air card for internet service is working so we are not totally out of touch with our family.
Sun. December 24, 2006, Christmas Eve
Weather terrible with slight drizzle all day. Went into town 26 miles away to see a movie at a Silverado 16 theater. New and nice. Saw Matt Damon in The Good Shepard. Was three hours long and very hard to follow, but good acting. The road home at dusk was long and very different with the sun setting behind the hills/mountains. Beautiful layers of red and pinks across the horizon. "Red sky at night, traveler's delight; Red sky in morning, traveler take warning."
Mon. December 25, Christmas Day
Other than the potluck luncheon at the parks Activity Center, we made no plans to leave today. Just too COLD! Contacted family by cell outside the park.
Tue. December 26, 2006 The weather was perfect. Mid 70's during the day and sunshine. Took a trip through Bandera (elevation 1,258 ft.), known as the “cowboy capital of the world” – the shops on their main street have the old frontier-style look to them. The town was founded in 1852. I looked and looked but didn’t see one "cowboy." A blending of Indian, Mexican, Polish and Western cultures gives Bandera a unique ambiance not found elsewhere in Texas.
Weather terrible with slight drizzle all day. Went into town 26 miles away to see a movie at a Silverado 16 theater. New and nice. Saw Matt Damon in The Good Shepard. Was three hours long and very hard to follow, but good acting. The road home at dusk was long and very different with the sun setting behind the hills/mountains. Beautiful layers of red and pinks across the horizon. "Red sky at night, traveler's delight; Red sky in morning, traveler take warning."
Mon. December 25, Christmas Day
Other than the potluck luncheon at the parks Activity Center, we made no plans to leave today. Just too COLD! Contacted family by cell outside the park.
Tue. December 26, 2006 The weather was perfect. Mid 70's during the day and sunshine. Took a trip through Bandera (elevation 1,258 ft.), known as the “cowboy capital of the world” – the shops on their main street have the old frontier-style look to them. The town was founded in 1852. I looked and looked but didn’t see one "cowboy." A blending of Indian, Mexican, Polish and Western cultures gives Bandera a unique ambiance not found elsewhere in Texas.
Also drove to the outskirts of Hunt where there is a replica of Stonehenge built by two visionary Texas cowboys with money to spend and time to spare.
Two 13-foot-tall Easter Island look-alikes were added, standing silently guarding the Stonehenge masterpiece. Stonehenge II is about half as tall as the original, 3,500-plus-year-old Stonehenge, which sits on Salisbury Plain north of Salisbury, England.The Hill Country is known as the “heart” of the Lone Start State. Not only in the middle of Texas, but also at the center of everything Texas has to offer. Home to rolling hills and plenty of lakes and rivers.
We have not had much good weather to pursue many of the sights we wanted to visit, but the region is filled with heritage and historical museums, amazing underground caverns, historic structures wineries that offer tours, dude ranches, lots of shopping, and plenty of restaurants that offer Hill Country cuisine and music.
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TX - Pipe Creek / 12/19-26/06
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