Texas – Hill Country – Their RV Travels

The Hill Country of Texas runs north of San Antonio through Austin until it meets the panhandle of the state. Here is the first taste of the West where ranches and horses abound and the wide open ranges and blue sky are the stuff of every western movie.

Our next stop along the Old Spanish Trail was Bandera, Texas. Known as “The Cowboy Capital of the World,” this small town offers numerous dude ranches, hunting lodges, live music saloons, and a main street that is like stepping back in time. Historically, this town got its start with the cattle drives that gathered here before heading north to the railroads at Dodge City and Abilene, Kansas. We arrived just in time to attend the celebrations of the National Day of the Cowboy! Chuck wagon breakfast, horse and carriage rides, re-enacted gunfights and vendors selling everything from cowhides to creamy pepper honey were in the town square while a trio of cowboys performed songs by Johnny Cash, Elvis, and Willie Nelson. It was magical for someone who loves all the stories about the wild wild west.

*Bandera, Texas – “Cowboy Capital of the World”*

Chuck Wagon Breakfast – Cowboy Coffee and Sausage Gravy ‘n Biscuit

Rounding off the celebration, the town held a rodeo for the Jr. Nationals. It was exciting to watch these nationally ranked teen cowboys and cowgirls ride and rope and race their way through the night. These kids were fast and fearless!

Here’s a short clip from the Bull Riding event.

Bandera’s main street was bustling with restaurants, western wear shops, gift shops, and unique locally owned businesses like “Ickle Pickle” and Two Gringos Meat Market. The Old Spanish Trail restaurant was filled with cowboy memorabilia and offered an excellent huevos rancheros breakfast. Further down the street was the historic General Store where the old fashioned counter served a legendary root beer float in a frosty mug.

Bandera Natural History Museum

One of the most surprising discoveries was a visit to the Bandera Natural History Museum. It was like three museums in one. Outside was a fun and factual dinosaur walk that reminded us of the Dinosaur World we visited back in Kentucky. Inside the museum, Trixie the triceratops from “Night in the Museum 3” was on display.

Adjacent to the prehistoric section, in two separate wings, were the private collections of Juan Carlos and Mary Vargas Infante. Mary spent over 50 years collecting the art work of New Spain artists and creations. Juan Carlos’ collection of trophy animals from every part of the world is the culmination of over a half a century of safaris and hunts. Living in both Bandera and Mexico City, the couple sold their hacienda in Mexico and decided to permanently display their collections in a museum. We were told they visit their collections at the museum every week.

The wildlife displays were beautifully and artfully arranged by region. Over 100 mounted animals were complemented by panoramic murals in each of the exhibits. It was hard to imagine the amount of resources required to conduct all these expeditions and that one man had done all this. Of course, Senor Infante’s lifetime of collecting was possible only in a bygone era of safaris and hunting parties when protection of wildlife was not paramount.

The collection also included artifacts and carvings from around the world.

The collection of New Spain art introduced us to an entirely new period. We gained a great appreciation for the works of Mexican artists with Spanish, Mexican and New World influences converging in their works. Senora Infante’s collection contained statues, paintings, sculptures, silver, furniture, architectural pieces and religious artifacts. The docent pointed out some hidden symbols in several of the paintings and shared some of the stranger events surrounding the different pieces. Who doesn’t like a good ghost story set in a museum!

Two separate portraits of a husband and wife hang in the gallery. The wife of Juan O’Donoju had come to Mexico from Spain but upon his murder, she lived out her life in isolation. The King would not allow her to return to Spain because Juan was considered a traitor for supporting Mexican Independence. Dona Josefa lived in poverty until her death 21 years later. See them “reunited” in an optical illusion through the display case…or is it????

Back at the (Skyline) Ranch

Just so we wouldn’t forget we were in the “longhorn state,” our campground had a resident longhorn bull along with a couple of donkeys and lots of deer.

We really enjoyed our time in Historic Bandera, “Cowboy Capital of the World.”

Campground Review: Skyline Ranch RV Park

We stayed at Skyline Ranch RV Park for three days in a pull-thru, FHU site. Sites are gravel, level and separated with a tree and/or grassy strip. Each site has a picnic table and several picnic tables are scattered throughout the property. The common areas were beautifully landscaped and inviting. Trails and a gravel road lead to the picnic area at the Medina River about ¼ mile from the campground. On site are longhorn cattle, donkeys, horses, axis deer and other wildlife. The facilities were clean and convenient. Easy access from the Hwy 16 and a short drive to main street Bandera. The park was very quiet during our stay and the office staff was friendly and efficient during check-in. Free Wi-Fi worked for basic usage. This is a great location in the Hill Country.