Wow… It was hot. I don’t know what I expected camping in Texas in July, but I got it. I wanted to do a short easy trip to prepare myself for my upcoming camping trip through the Blue Ridge Mountains. I thought, this will be great. It will give me a chance to test my gear, evaluate the importance or lack thereof of certain items and overall help to prep me for my journey into the mountains. Yes, It did. First thing on the list is a quality battery operated fan.
The park itself is really nice. It is located between Jasper, TX and Woodville, TX on highway 190. It is easy to find and far enough to make you feel like you are in the Big Thicket, yet close enough to Jasper to afford a break from dehydrated food or a trip to the local Walmart for forgotten items. You can click here for the website. The park is clean and campsites do not feel crowded. I think you will find the staff to be very pleasant. There are many things to do from fishing to canoeing. 
There is a section of the lake inside the park which is marked by floats specifically for swimming. The day use area of the park was especially nice as it had plenty of covered seating as well as a fresh water shower to rinse when you had enough swimming. Pets are allowed at the park as long as they are on a leash. There are certain areas where they are not. The beach was one of those areas. There was slight highway noise but only in the instance a loud Harley was cruising by. Honestly, it isn’t noticeable. There are all of these things one would expect to find. Clean restrooms, plenty of hiking trails and an abundance of paved roads for cycling. It really is a clean nice park.
I was fortunate enough to have a park host stop to talk to me about my newest motorcycle. I do love to talk motorcycles. He was a pleasant gentleman who I guess was in his early 70’s. You could see him light up as he told me about his younger days and riding motorcycles. I could see the same happiness in his eyes as I suppose one can see in mine when I begin a motorcycle story. He proceeded to tell me about his favorite Suzuki and how his bike had all of the fancy gadgets and electronics which mine had. He also reminded me that “in those days, no one knew what the hell they were”. He and his wife were from a small city near Beaumont TX and they spent many months at the park and some at home. He continued telling me about where he would ride and how often and that only recently did he have to stop riding. We had a nice conversation and after he had left I began to think about how he just validated what I am beginning to do. Approaching 50, I realize that my riding days are numbered. I have always embraced life and would eagerly seek out new challenges. I simply love to try new things. His message kept ringing in my head. All of our days are numbered. Start now, seeking your own adventure. It matters not the size of the quest, just that you are living life. In the coming posts, I hope to be an inspiration to anyone who reads, to go out and try something new. A new type of food, join a new sailing group, drive to the nearest beach and build a bonfire.
Godspeed and Adventure on!
Chris
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