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Friday, October 31, 2014

Need more room

With the golf cart that is 
With the car and truck I don,t have much so maybe it's time to get rid of her car either that or she can park her car over in the guest parking lot 
The GC It's fun to drive but I wish the old bitty,s  would stop waving  to me I don't know then and don,t wish to PLEASE go in the house and cook something 
All I want to do is ride down the park road be a bad ass and air out my beard and eat bugs 


Wickles is good stuff

It's spice but good 
I think you can add it to almost anything I tried it on egg salad not a lot mind you and it was good 
Almost thinking of adding to my chip dip ??? And my bean chili  I think it would be fun to add a new gas to the room to 

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

One of the seven

Now todays the first day back to work and the first drop was to a house on a horse farm did i say it was 1/2 mile down a one lane dirt road  and the first gate was ok after that well
Miss ,shifty here  She one of the seven dwarfs I had to distract to get in the two panel gates to make a drop. 
So going in was ok,,they were just brown eyed on lookers, now, there's a but here,,, but  however coming out well lets say we had two escapees get out to look for greener pastures but with the owners 12 year old son we,, he,, managed to corral the two critters with 32oz  size cup of horse food 
BUT I helped,,kind of sort of 
So now I can add junior horse wrangler down on my work resume
Speaking of work after 9 month on my hyanus well the 8 hour day was more then I asked for so it's bed time for this Jr, horse wrangler 


Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Fake Truth in advertisement ???

Now what's with this shit  after spending my SSI check to buy my food at Walmart 
When browsing through  the frozen freezer aisle and WOW Chili,s food  so I bought two 
Now I ask you who,s the dipshit that packed my food box
I want the food like the one on the box  and and i want it BIG and BOLD 
And NO it diden,t look any better after I nuked the sucker 
And don,t get me started on there out dated milk,,, ok,, that,s a whole nother  blog 





                                                       Well Marco likes it 

Dads new toy

OFun stuff ,,,,, and NO I don,t play golf ,, really,, wack a little white ball as far as you can,,,and YOU chase it.I don't think so ,, Einstein  
I can,t even get my dogs to play fetch 
So I got a cart to run the dogs  or is that run over the little rats 
So what started out as a day off I got a call,, can you do us a favor 
It was bust my butt but a feel good kind of 


Now let's see what it will takes to JACK it UP 6in,



Thursday, October 23, 2014

It's hot

It's 86 sunny and hot but it's wet heat ok,, spent most of the day running my hot wet ass all over the town, and trying to strip out the trailer of all the junk we put in at the start and stuff we never did use 
So next time it's one of each or one of us is staying home
 

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

$$$ Trip cost $$$

                         Start trip

                  Miles      Gal,s.          Cost
Alp 18.       3041.     269.2.        1011.39$
May.            934.        60.             276.55$
June.          1889.      183.            686.04$
July.            1072.       96.1.          383.52$
Aug.             581.        59.4.          236.76$
Sept.           1340.      127.1.         462.99$
Oct.21         3097.      265.8.      1019 .58$
 
All trip miles     12,070
Trip gals.      1,060.6
Trip fuel.      4,076.10.$    
Arv,trip MPG.       11.3
Motor work   2,483.71$
Ford tran,s.   3,791.00$
4 tires              990.00$
Oil change.      180.00$
Oil on trip. 3qt,  15.00$
---------------------------------
                    12,530.71$
                      4,076.10$
                 ------------------
Trucks cost  16,606.81$.          Truck washs not added




                      Trailer costs on trip 
        I  think I put about 8 to 8,500 miles on trailer 

4 tires and rims   700.00$ on day one     Note,,tires did good but the LRR has inside ware 20%^
New matterss     200.00$ on day one 
Greaser gun          23.00$. For wheel  Hubs (one time use )
Microwave.         119.00$
Fan motor cost  ?? Will order replacement 
Pass side fender skirt will order. Know cost 150.00$

Home now what

We spent the last night on the road just west of Tallahassee on I 10 thats after leaving the Mighty A about 11:30 and pushing it down the road 
The battle ship was set up real nice lots to sea  but we were not suppose to push the bratass screaming kids over the side,, its there school trip
And boy scouts sleepover,,don't get me started 


The History of the USS ALABAMA (BB 60)

The keel of the USS ALABAMA (BB-60) was laid at the Norfolk Navy Yard on 1 February 1940, the sixth vessel to bear the name of Alabama. At the outbreak of hostilities, her hull construction was nearing completion. Some two years later (16 February 1942), the new South Dakota Class battleship was launched in a colorful ceremony attended by many national figures. Sponsoring the vessel was Mrs. Lister Hill, wife of Alabama's Senator Hill. On 16 August 1942, in ceremonies at Portsmouth, Virginia, the new ship was placed in full commission and Captain George B. Wilson, USN, assumed command.

The name ALABAMA was first assigned to the 74-gun ship-of-the-line whose keel was laid in June 1819 at Portsmouth Navy Yard. Work proceeded slowly until the outbreak of the Civil War when "Almost Alabama" was renamed the NEW HAMPSHIRE. 

The first ALABAMA, a 56 ton Revenue Cutter built at New York and acquired June 22, 1819 at a cost of $ 4,500, was active in the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico in the 1820s. She was responsible for the capture of more than one dozen pirate vessels and slave traders, and sold in 1833.

The second and third ALABAMAs, both U.S. Steamers, also pre-date the American Civil War. The second was a 700 ton ship, which was transferred to the Navy Department from the War Department under Act of Congress of 3 March 1849. Being unfit for Naval purposes, the troop carrier was sold at auction in October 1849 after the war with Mexico. The third ALABAMA, a sidewheel steamer of 1,261 tons, was commissioned on 30 September 1861. She served in the Navy as a troop and cargo transport until 14 July 1865, at which time she was placed out of commission and sold on 10 August 1865. 

The Legendary Confederate Raider CSS ALABAMA captured or sank 69 Union
vessels during the War Between the States. Commanded by Captain Raphael Semmes(whose great grandson later served on BB-60), the 1,050 ton screw sloop was built in Liverpool, England in 1862. She was sunk by the USS KEARSARGE off Cherbourg, France in 1864.



The fifth ALABAMA BB-8 was a battleship of the 1st Rate Class. She was commissioned on 16 October 1900 and was a member of the Great White Fleet. She was the flagship for Division 1, Battleship Force, Atlantic Fleet during World War I. She was placed out of commission, and on 15 September 1921, was transferred to the War Department for use as a target in experiments in aircraft bombing. Her hulk, after lying on the bottom of Chesapeake Bay, where she had been sunk on 27 September 1921, was sold on 19 March 1924. 

Commissioned in 1985, the seventh USS ALABAMA, SSBN-731, a fleet ballistic missile submarine, was assigned to Commander Submarine Force Pacific in early 1986. She is currently still on patrol in the world's seas as a deterrent to nuclear attack.


With a fighting name to live up to, Battleship USS ALABAMA BB-60 commenced her shakedown training on 11 November 1942. This series of trials, exercises, and drills was conducted in the Chesapeake Bay area and the operating area of Casco Bay, Maine. Upon completion of her post shakedown repair period, ALABAMA stood out from Norfolk and made the up-coast run to Casco Bay where she conducted tactical maneuvers in company with the USS SOUTH DAKOTA, her sister ship and namesake of the class.

On 20 March 1943, Captain Fred D. Kirtland, USN, relieved Capt. Wilson as skipper of USS ALABAMA. It was under Capt. Kirtland's conn that the ship completed a tour of duty protecting lend-lease convoys to Britain and Russia, while operating with the British Home fleet in the "Murmansk Run"

After a 10 day period of limited overhaul and repair at Norfolk, ALABAMA got underway on 20 August 1943 enroute to the forward area in the Pacific. On the
25th, she cleared the Panama Canal, and reported for duty with the Pacific THIRD Fleet at Efate, New Hebrides, in September 1943.

Her first major Pacific engagement was in the Gilbert Islands in November and December 1943. From this assignment, the battleship proceeded to Roi and Nauru. After heavily bombarding these installations, she moved to Kwajalein and Majuro were secured, the fleet moved into anchorage, and commenced planning the forthcoming attack on the Caroline and Marianas Islands.

On 12 February 1944, ALABAMA sortied with units of Task Force 58 and launched strikes on Truk in the Carolines. Upon retiring, the force moved to the Marianas and gave enemy bases there a thorough pounding. In the course of these raids, the ships underwent severe air attacks with one raid on the night of 21-22 February lasting 13 hours. The ALABAMA downed one Japanese "Betty" on 29 March 1944. On 1 April, she was in the force making the first raids at Palau, Yap, and Woleai in the Palau Islands, retiring for a week in Majuro.

The days and nights of 21-24 April 1944 were spent in supporting the operations along the North coast of New Guinea, where General MacArthur's troops moved ashore at Hollandia, Ataipe, and Humboldt Bay. Steaming at top speed, ALABAMA arrived back in the Carolines in time to participate in the bombardment and strikes on Ponape and Truk on 29, 30 April, and 1 May 1944. The remainder of May 1944 was spent at anchor in Majuro Harbor.

The ALABAMA and other powerful units of the Fleet got underway for pre-invasion softening-up strikes in the Marianas. For seven hours on 13 June 1944, the fast battleships bombarded Saipan while mine-sweepers cleared the landing lanes for the small craft. On 15 June, the assault troops moved ashore under the protective fire of the "big boys," and the ALABAMA accounted for another enemy plane.

ALABAMA steamed with TG58.7 during the battle of the Philippine Sea, 19-20 June 1944, and her group downed nine enemy planes. The result of the action was some 476 enemy planes destroyed out of a total of 545 sighted, to only 130 American planes lost and minor damage to four ships. When the fight was broken off, the U.S. force made an attempt to catch the enemy fleet, but their high speed retirement made it impossible to make surface contact. Pursuit was abandoned and ALABAMA, in company with other units, returned to support operations ashore.

On 6 July 1944, the ship retired to Eniwetok, and upon arrival, Rear Admiral L.W.Hanso, USN, broke his flag aboard as Commander, Battleship Division NINE. After making attacks on bases in the Carolines (25-27 July) in support of the Marianas operations, ALABAMA moved into the area of Guam for pre-invasion and D-Day support, continuing until the island was secured in August 1944.

While undergoing an 18 day logistics period at Eniwetok, Captain Vincent R. Murphy, USN, relieved Captain Kirtland as commanding officer of BB-60. With Captain Murphy as skipper, ALABAMA participated in the series of attacks and raids in connection with the capture and occupation of the Southern Carolines and the Palaus. This operation was carried on throughout September 1944.

From the more advanced base of Ulithi Atoll, ALABAMA and other ships continued operations in the Western Pacific, the first assignment being in support of the Leyte operations. ALABAMA steamed in company with the carriers throughout October as the planes wrecked Japanese military installations in the Philippines, Formosa, the Pescadore and the Ryukyu Islands. Japanese air attacks on the carrier-battleship force were furious and persistent, however, ALABAMA helped drive off all attacks without damage to herself or any carriers in her group.

Moving southward, the fast ships launched strikes at various enemy installations in the Philippines, shooting down 3 enemy planes and damaging a 4th. In late October, it became apparent that the enemy was moving a strong surface force into the area to oppose U.S. landings. ALABAMA was the member of Admiral Halsey's force which fought in battle off Cape Ehgano on 25 October as a part of the Battle of Leyte Gulf. This battle removed the enemy's threat to Allied landing in the Philippines, and cleared the path for further operations.

After a brief rest in Ulithi, the big ship moved into the area on the Mindoro (Philippines) operation, and, while in this vicinity, she rode out a fierce typhoon in December, which cost the U.S. Fleet three destroyers in the group. On Christmas Eve 1944, news was received that ALABAMA was to retire to the U.S. West Coast for an extended drydock period. At Pearl Harbor, Captain William B. Goggins, USN, came aboard and, upon the ship's arrival at Bremerton, Washington, he relieved Captain Murphy as commanding officer.

During the vessel's overhaul, crewmen was granted rehabilitation leave to rest up after two long years of continuous operation in the forward area. After clearing the shipyards, ALABAMA held refresher training exercises in the waters off Lower California, and proceeded then to join the Fleet at the anchorage in Ulithi, arriving in early May 1945. As a member of the THIRD and FIFTH Fleet, the battleship participated in the Okinawa Gunto supporting raids on the Japanese home islands.

While carrier planes were carrying out their strikes on Kyushu, Japan, enemy planes tried in vain to break through the formation in attempt to make their suicide dives. On the morning of 4 May 1945, several of the Japanese penetrated the combat air patrol defense and, in the midst of the attack, a Kamikaze plunged through the low clouds into Admiral Mitcher's flagship, USS ENTERPRISE. Of the four other planes which attacked the surface formation, ALABAMA's gunners shot down two which crashed only about 1,000 yards away.

On 5 June, while conducting operations off Kyushu, the task force rode out a typhoon with ALABAMA experiencing slight damage, and cruiser PITTSBURGH losing nearly 100 feet of her bow. On 10 June, ALABAMA received orders to proceed southward and join other battleships in the bombardment of Minami Daito Jima. This new assignment was carried out, and the ship proceeded to the newly developed base in Leyte Gulf.

The THIRD Fleet's biggest venture was soon to be executed, and after three weeks at anchor, ALABAMA steamed in Admiral Halsey's task force enroute for the home islands of Japan. After the carrier planes had raked the islands from Nakasaki to Hokkaido, enemy targets practically disappeared, and the opposition encountered was negligible. On 14 July came the phase of the operation which was purely a battleship function. Three new "big ones" were turned loose on an industrial area on Hokkaido and, although ALABAMA was not one of them, she spurred her fleetmates on with much enthusiasm--at last, the dreadnoughts were getting a crack at the Japanese in a more direct way than protecting the carriers.

ALABAMA got her chance on 17 July 1945, with her principal target for the bombardment an engineering works on Honshu Island, about 50 miles north of Tokyo. Some 1500 tons of shells were thrown into the mills and factories under the cover of darkness, but the destruction could not be observed due to a heavy rainstorm. Nevertheless, ALABAMA later learned that she had done a very handsome job of demolishing the targets assigned her.

The end of the war found the ship still at sea, and, after 67 days of continuous steaming, she dropped anchor in Tokyo Bay, remaining for two weeks while her landing force assisted the occupation of the Yokosuka-Tokyo area. On 20 September 1945, ALABAMA stood out from Tokyo. At Okinawa, she embarked some 3700 passengers for the U.S., thus doing her bit in the task of returning the Pacific veterans. Navy Day, 27 October 1945, was spent with other units of the THIRD Fleet in the celebrations at San Francisco. On 26 November 1945, Captain E. H. Pierce, USN, relieved Captain Goggins as Commanding Officer.after being moved to Bremerton, Washington, she was decommissioned on January 9, 1947


There sub the USS Drum thats not for  me too many knee knockers but I do take my hat off to the sub drivers with 2 showers  and 2 heads my bathrooms bigger than the darn galley plus my ship didn't have so much brass 

Hey Cocoa We're home after 7mo,s almost to the day out,, now the fun start,s 
And the house is still standing no water no bugs 2 gaters in  the lake, the snowbirds ain,t showed up yet so life's good 
Plus my last X boss caught (phone) me on 95 , so it looks like we start work next week (part time )
It,s going to feel good to have a normal confused life again 

Sunday, October 19, 2014

It,s the Mighty A

Im doing the Big Gray  Boat first thing in the morning, well more like 4 
So where are we,were on the east side of Mobile  Ala-a-bam-a 
We can't night camp in the battleship Alabama,s parking lot but cross the road is an open lot and real doable 
Now did i say its waterfront  yesssss 
so all i do is walk cross the street ta-da I'm there,,  drop 13$  and tour with no parking fee 



Wow we're in Louisiana

   Were at the Isle of Capri casino  Louisiana we made it over the Tx line yahooo
The casinos right on the water the free spot but there's 10 paid sites as well 20$  Elec, only
And yes it was o zero dark this am 
It's 61 wind west  at 10 






Friday, October 17, 2014

Remember the Alamo!," No

So now let's say we did the Alamo, yes we did,,  but it will take you longer to read this than we spent inside,,,,,  4 rooms , no dead people  no bullet holes but a lot of non texans and 2 from Florida, in one door, and out the other 
We had more fun at the Market Square trinket shop and restaurant 
Note to me DON,T eat the MOLE stuff 
 
"Remember the Alamo!," 1836

In 1835, a general uprising throughout Mexico sought to overthrow the dictatorial reign of President Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. American citizens who had settled in the Mexican province of Texas joined the uprising and successfully forced the Mexican military across the Rio Grande River. The objective of these Texan revolutionaries soon changed from modifying the dictatorial rule of General Santa Anna to establishing an independent state of Texas.


A fight to the death at the Alamo
 
In response, General Santa Anna led his re-organized army back across the Rio Grande River to subdue the insurgents. He instructed his troops to immediately execute any foreign fighters they encountered. Santa Anna marched his force to the Alamo, an abandoned Spanish mission, located in what is now San Antonio. It had been established in 1724 to convert the local natives to Christianity. Here, a defending force estimated at between 180 and 260 awaited their arrival. Led by William B. Travis their number included two legendary figures in American history, Davy Crockett and James Bowie. The men within the Alamo were under no illusion. They knew that their defense could not succeed without the quick appearance of reinforcements.

Arriving on February 23, 1836, Santa Anna’s troops surrounded the Alamo, laying siege to its defenders. The Mexican Army began to bombard the former mission with cannon shot in an effort to systematically reduce its protective walls to rubble. The assault began in earnest during the early morning hours of March 6 as Mexican soldiers swarmed the walls of the fortress. The Alamo defenders successfully repulsed two attacks but were overwhelmed by the third. The combat was characterized by room-to-room fighting in which all but a handful of the defenders were killed. The ferocity of their defense is underscored by the fact that it resulted in the death of an estimated 600 Mexicans.

"Remember the Alamo!" became a rallying cry that swelled the ranks of the Texian Army led by General Sam Houston. On April 21, this force attacked the Mexican army at the Battle of San Jacinto, captured General Santa Anna and forced him to lead his troops back across the Rio Grande. The independence of Texas was assured.

"At last they were all destroyed by grape, musket shot and the bayonet."

The following account is provided by a member of Santa Anna's army that besieged the Alamo. We join his story on the evening just before the attack:



"On this same evening, a little before nightfall, it is said that Barret Travis, commander of the enemy, had offered to the general-in-chief, by a woman messenger, to surrender his arms and the fort with all the materials upon the sole condition that his own life and the lives of his men be spared. But the answer was that they must surrender at discretion, without any guarantee, even of life, which traitors did not deserve. It is evident, that after such an answer, they all prepared to sell their lives as dearly as possible. Consequently, they exercised the greatest vigilance day and night to avoid surprise.

On the morning of March 6, the Mexican troops were stationed at 4 o'clock, A.M., in accord with Santa Anna's instructions. The artillery, as appears from these same instructions, was to remain inactive, as it received no order; and furthermore, darkness and the disposition made of the troops which were to attack the four fronts at the same time, prevented its firing without mowing down our own ranks. Thus the enemy was not to suffer from our artillery during the attack. Their own artillery was in readiness. At the sound of the bugle they could no longer doubt that the time had come for them to conquer or to die. Had they still doubted, the imprudent shouts for Santa Anna given by our columns of attack must have opened their eyes.

As soon as our troops were in sight, a shower of grape and musket balls was poured upon them from the fort, the garrison of which at the sound of the bugle, had rushed to arms and to their posts. The three columns that attacked the west, the north, and the east fronts, fell back, or rather, wavered at the first discharge from the enemy, but the example and the efforts of the officers soon caused them to return to the attack. The columns of the western and eastern attacks, meeting with some difficulties in reaching the tops of the small houses which formed the walls of the fort, did, by a simultaneous movement to the right and to left, swing northward till the three columns formed one dense mass, which under the guidance of their officers, endeavored to climb the parapet on that side.


The Death of Davy Crockett
 

This obstacle was at length overcome, the gallant General Juan V Amador being among the foremost. Meantime the column attacking the southern front under Colonels Jose Vicente Minon and Jose Morales, availing themselves of a shelter, formed by some stone houses near the western salient of that front, boldly took the guns defending it, and penetrated through the embrasures into the square formed by the barracks. There they assisted General Amador, who having captured the enemy's pieces turned them against the doors of the interior houses where the rebels had sought shelter, and from which they fired upon our men in the act of jumping down onto the square or court of the fort. At last they were all destroyed by grape, musket shot and the bayonet.

Our loss was very heavy. Colonel Francisco Duque was mortally wounded at the very beginning, as he lay dying on the ground where he was being trampled by his own men, he still ordered them on to the slaughter. This attack was extremely injudicious and in opposition to military rules, for our own men were exposed not only to the fire of the enemy but also to that of our own columns attacking the other fronts; and our soldiers being formed in close columns, all shots that were aimed too low, struck the backs of our foremost men. The greatest number of our casualties took place in that manner; it may even be affirmed that not one fourth of our wounded were struck by the enemy's fire, because their cannon, owing to their elevated position, could not be sufficiently lowered to injure our troops after they had reached the foot of the walls. Nor could the defenders use their muskets with accuracy, because the wall having no inner banquette, they had, in order to deliver their fire, to stand on top where they could not live one second.

The official list of casualties, made by General Juan de Andrade, shows: officers 8 killed, 18 wounded; enlisted men 52 killed, 233 wounded. Total 311 killed and wounded. A great many of the wounded died for want of medical attention, beds, shelter, and surgical instruments.

The whole garrison were [sic] killed except an old woman and a negro slave for whom the soldiers felt compassion, knowing that they had remained from compulsion alone. There were 150 volunteers, 32 citizens of Gonzales who had introduced themselves into the fort the night previous to the storming, and about 20 citizens or merchants 



The History of The Alamo: A timeline

storyPicl_alamo-night.jpg
  • 1718—Mission San Antonio de Valero is established by Franciscan priests from Spain along San Pedro Creek, then moved in 1719 to a location south of the Alamo’s present location.
     
  • 1724—Spanish officials move the mission to its present site following destruction by a storm. Construction of the Long Barrack begins, with completion in 1744.
     
  • 1744—Construction begins for the mission’s church.
     
  • 1756—The church’s walls collapse.
     
  • 1762—Construction work ends at the mission before the roof is complete. The roof arches and bell tower fall.
     
  • 1793—Spanish authorities announce secularization of the five Spanish missions in San Antonio, granting local control of the churches and mission lands.
     
  • 1803-1835—The Alamo is occupied by Mexican troops, including a company of Spanish soldiers from Álamo de Parras, Coahuila, Mexico. The name “Alamo” may come from these soldiers, or perhaps from a grove of cottonwood (“alamo” in Spanish) trees along the bank of the San Antonio River.
     
  • 1836—Texians occupy the mission as a fortress during the Battle of the Alamo.
     
  • 1841—Republic of Texas returns the church to the Catholic Church.
     
  • storyPicl_alamo-detail.jpg1850—The U.S. government leases the Alamo from the Catholic Church, and the U.S. Army begins repairing the mission, adding a gabled roof and the distinctive curved facade.
     
  • 1883—Texas purchases the property from the Catholic Church.
     
  • 1905—Texas passes legislation turning custody of the Alamo church and buildings to the Daughters of the Republic of Texas, who begin restoration.
     
  • 2011—Texas General Land Office is given custody of the Alamo, with the Daughters of the Republic of Texas being responsible for daily operations under a state contract.

 

 The Texas Revolution

  • 1824—The Mexican government adopts the Federal Constitution of 1824 and establishes the state of Coahuila y Texas, which the Texians feel do not represent their interests. Catholicism was proclaimed the state religion and slavery was forbidden. Immigrants who had come to Texas from the United States protest, although their efforts were not successful.
     
  • 1830—To prevent further rebellion, Mexico passes a law in 1830 that bans Americans from moving to Texas.
     
  • 1832—The first skirmish between the settlers in Texas and Mexican authority breaks out in Anahuac on the Texas coast.
     
  • 1833—Mexican General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna is elected president of Mexico. In 1834, he disbands the Mexican Congress in a move toward dictatorship.
     
  • 1833—Texas petitions Mexico for statehood, asking for separation from Coahuila, with Stephen F. Austin carrying a petition to Mexico City. Austin is arrested and jailed for a year and a half.
     
  • SstoryPicl_alamo-cannon.jpgeptember, 1835—Mexican General Martín Perfecto de Cós arrives in the port at Copano, 30 miles north of Corpus Christi, with 500 troops on their way to San Antonio.
     
  • October 1, 1835—The Battle of Gonzales takes place with Gonzales residents refusing to give up their cannon to the Mexican army, causing the Mexican troops to retreat. The War of Texas Independence begins.
     
  • October 9, 1835—The Battle of Goliad results in victory for the Texians.
     
  • October 28, 1835—Despite being outnumbered 3 to 1, the Texians defeat General Cós and his men at the Battle of Concepción.
     
  • December 5, 1835—The Siege of Bexar takes place, involving days of fighting between General Cós’s Mexican troops and the Texians, ending with the surrender of Cós on December 9.
     
  • January 7, 1836—Santa Anna’s troops arrive in Saltillo to begin their march to San Antonio to reclaim the city.

 

The Battle of the Alamo

  • January 19, 1836—Colonel James Bowie arrives to investigate the military situation for Texas Governor Henry Smith and General Sam Houston.
     
  • February 2, 1836—Bowie and Lt. Col. James Clinton Neill, commander of the Texian garrison, vow "we will rather die in these ditches than give it up to the enemy." Lieutenant Colonel William B. Travis arrives with 30 men.
     
  • February 8, 1836Former U.S. Congressman and famous frontiersman David Crockett from Tennessee arrives in San Antonio de Béxar with 12 volunteers.
     
  • February 14, 1836—Travis and Bowie agree to share command at San Antonio de Béxar after Colonel Neill received a temporary leave of absence.
     
  • storyPic_travis-letter.jpgFebruary 23, 1836Antonio López de Santa Anna and the Centralist forces arrive and the Siege of the Alamo begins.
     
  • February 24, 1836Travis wrote his famous letter to "the people of Texas and all Americans of the world" requesting reinforcements. In the coming days, there were several more requests by Travis for reinforcements.
     
  • March 5, 1836Travis reportedly drew a line in the sand and gave every man the choice to cross the line and join him in a fight to the death to defend the Alamo. All but one man crossed.
     
  • March 6, 1836The Alamo falls. In a matter of hours, all the American defenders were killed and the Mexicans claimed the victory.



Thursday, October 16, 2014

San Antonio rivewalk

OLet's start off by saying San Antonio is a real old and somewhat new city but I think I found all the OLD roads trust me there BAD 

We're at Happy trails RV park for 2 nights at 19.99$ pr, Nt, and only 5 miles from Alamo no not the car rental airport guys  the fort the real old 1836  Davy Crockett / Jim Bowie one 

We did the riverwalk later and took the barge tour 6$ each it was fun and it,s better,n walking 
Lots of shops and food bars to take all your $$$, and to note,,, no you can't swim in it,, and it,s only 3 feet deep,, and you cant put your kayak on it,, and it can be pumped dry in 24 hours 


















Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Walmart's,, they leave the lights on for you

From  Fort Stockton Tx  to Boerne Tx we stopped   here for the night so we could get a fresh start in to San Antonio,, be Side  frees,,good, were at walmarts campgrounds side lot  different town but again
Sorry no photos as thay say you see one desert you you,ve see Them all 

Monday, October 13, 2014

From planes to dusty trails


What a long day 
We started out at the Pima Air Museum at 9:00 am and took the tram it was about 1hour long and you talk about a tour guide that knows his
stuff this guy was top notch 
One can Walk  the  line of aircraft but at 75 and sunny and were  old we Op to ride and were glad we did after the ride I walked the 4 museums 
We think this one tops the cake for all kinds of vintage planes 
Lots of staff to answer anything you could think of 
And the place was spotless clean o
We left about 3:00 
Back to the 5er take a nap,, poop,, the dogs,, and off to Dusty trails 
To link up with AzSteve and his lovely wife Grace

                             For dinner at the Tucson Pinnacle Peak Restaurant  
having  been to the one in North Phoenix Way back when,,  there  steaks were outstanding and they are still as of yesterday 
 But the conversation and meeting new friends was the top of the day
 Thank you for suggesting  San Xavier  Pima air and the PPR
I'm afraid if we stuck around  much longer to sample the hood My waistline would not look the same as it is,,, thanks guys

                ^^^^What the hell happened up here^^^^ 

Now we're in Las Cruces NM  at Walmart campgrounds Back parking lot,, Did I say frees good,, 
We're stopping in El Paso at the El Paso connection ( need Trinkets to trade with the natives) this is one place to do that for sure 
We're looking at taking 2 days at San Antonio to do the river walk and the Alamo 
Or more like one day to do both and rest the next 
As it stands now it,s no stops till cocoa ???

 


PIMA AIR & SPACE MUSEUM



The Pima Air & Space Museum (PASM) features over 200 aircraft on display and has five large hangars totaling 100,000 square feet of exhibit space. An original WWII barracks contains an extensive model collection, arranged chronologically, which shows virtually all U. S. military aircraft from pre-World War I to the present.

The museum enjoys an international reputation as one of the best anywhere. For aviation enthusiasts of all ages, PASM brings history to life.

Pima Air Museum had the humblest of beginnings. The museum was conceived in 1966 and a year later the Tucson Air Museum Foundation was incorporated as an educational on-profit organization responsible for the operation of the museum. Ten years later, on May 8, 1976, the museum opened to the public as an official Bicentennial event. The tremendous effort involved in Opening the museum was put forth solely by volunteers. Picture if you will, 75 aircraft in a bare desert setting with the only structure on the ground being a small tin shack used to sell tickets.

Few tickets were sold during the first few months of operation but, today, about 165,000 visitors a year tour the museum.

The museum receives no government funds and is supported solely by gate admissions, gift shop sales, memberships and donations. However, the museum admits all school groups grade 12 and below, at no charge. Educational packets and docent tours for the school groups are provided to make the students' visit a rewarding one. Last year, over 6000 school age children visited the museum. PASM is continually enhancing its educational programs.

As you enter Hangar #1 after leaving the ticket counter, you move toward an exact replica of the 1903 Wright Flyer, the aircraft with which the Wright Brothers made history. Early aircraft such as the Waco RNF, Fleet Model 2 and the Focke-Wulf Fw-44J Stieglitz are also located in Hangar #1. Exhibits such as "Women in Aviation," "Blacks in Aviation" and a "hands-on" area are popular with those of all ages and are just a few of the exhibits located in this hangar. Out the north door of this building can be seen General Eisenhower's "Columbine" and the DC-6 used by Presidents Kennedy and Johnson. The DC-6 is open for guided tours.

About 100 feet north of the DC-6 is the Space Gallery and Arizona Aviation Hall of Fame building. In 1991, the Foundation membership voted to change the museum's name to the Pima Air & Space Museum. The Space Gallery features a full-scale mock-up of the X-15, the rocket powered aircraft that broke the envelope of space.

In 1985, then Governor Bruce Babbitt, Pima County and the City of Tucson each issued a proclamation naming the museum as the location of the Arizona Aviation Hall of Fame. To date, a total of 26 individuals have been inducted. Among the 26 are former Senator Barry Goldwater and astronaut Frank Borman.

Leaving the Space Gallery and walking southwest past the SR-71 Blackbird, the world's fastest jet aircraft, you arrive at Hangar #3. This hangar houses the B-24 Liberator bomber, one of about 12 known to exist, the B-25, A-26, TG-6 and other World War II-era aircraft. A new display, "World War II Combat Gliders" was dedicated on the 50th anniversary of D-Day June 6, 1994. Immediately south of this building is Hangar #4 which houses the B-29 and C-46 aircraft, among others. A formal dedication was held in October during a reunion of the 330th Bomb Group to which this B-29 was assigned during World War II.

The 390th Memorial Museum is located in the center of the grounds and houses the B-17. Its exhibits detail the unit's World War II operations in the European Theater while assigned to the 8th Air Force. It is a museum within a museum

With about 65 acres of display area, comfortable shoes are a must. A walk through the museum takes about three hours but one could easily spend all day. A tram operates daily weather permitting. Cost is $2 and the tram ticket is valid for the entire day.