My wife and I took the Napa Valley Wine train tour in September of 2011 and found the food and service to be of excellent quality.  We had previously read about the tour on TripAdvisor and saw that it had mostly great reviews, though some folks who were not accustomed to older trains complained about the slightly jerky motion of the train at times. This is just is normal for older railways and we found it to be just a part of the charm of it all.  The tracks that the wine train travels along were originally laid in the 1860′s, when the train brought tourists to the hot springs spa at Calistoga.

The Napa Valley Wine train consists of nine cars. There are four lounge cars, two dining cars, the Vista Dome car, the Silverado car and the kitchen car. Our seating was in the Vista Dome car, which provides a panoramic view of the hills, sky and vineyards. As we left the station a full moon was rising, and could be seen above our table as it rose in the sky.  Built in 1952, the Vista Dome car was lavishly restored and is one of just a few remaining in use in the world today. The lounge and dining cars were built between 1915 – 1917. Keep in mind that this is an antique train. Watch your step as you move from car to car and be careful in narrow hallways and on the steep stairs up to the Vista Dome car. Wine tastings are held in the Zinfandel lounge car.

There are a number of side tours available on the Napa Valley Wine Train. You may choose the evening dining tour, which is simply a trip to St. Helena and back, or one which features winery tours as part of the train ride. For up to date info on tours available, check Winetrain.com for the current schedule.

A Worthwhile Part Of A Napa Vacation

While some may find the Napa Valley Wine train a bit on the “cheesy” side, it’s not every day that you can dine in an early 1900′s rail car as it travels through scenic vineyards. If you have even the slightest affection for trains, you’ll love riding on a piece of railroad history in one of the most beautiful parts of America.  We found the food to be excellent, though a bit pricey, but “food with a view” always is. At the time of our visit the Vista Dome dining package was around $129, which includes a three course meal and a glass of champagne. (Note that the chefs use only humanely raised, hormone free meats and fish, and locally sourced fruits and vegetables.) We found staff on the Wine Train to be professional and courteous and we did not experience any delays in service. In St. Helena the lights go off for just an instant as the train’s locomotive is disconnected and moved to the back. The train is hooked up to city power in the meantime, and this takes only a few seconds.

Photos Of Napa Valley Wine Train

Below are some photos of the wine train that we took in September of 2011.

Below, inside the Vista Dome dining car. Glass of complimentary Champagne, orchid on table.

It’s simply unbelievable how the chefs on the Napa Wine Train can cook all of the meals served in the close quarters of the kitchen car. You can view the train’s kitchen car as you walk from one end of the train to the other.

Directions And Map To Napa Valley Wine Train

The train departs from the McKinstry Street Station in the Oxbow district, about five minutes by foot from downtown Napa. The station is located at 1275 McKinstry Street, which is the address you can use for GPS navigation.  Below is a map of the Napa Valley Wine Train location.

The phone number for the Napa Valley Wine train is 1-800-427-4124.

This huge solar energy project along IH-37 in San Antonio will eventually generate 26,570 megawatt hours of electricity each year. Thanks in part to the sunny climate and careful orientation of the solar panels, this will be one of the most efficient photovoltaic solar installations in the United States. Texas is now home to more wind farms and more megawatts of wind energy production than any other state, however solar power, from solar energy projects such as this one have lagged behind the rest of the world.  Cities such as Austin have taken a slightly different approach than the large solar power project south of San Antonio, instead opting to give residents rebates to place solar panels on their roofs. CPS, or City Public Services, is the nation’s largest municipally owned utility, providing gas and electric services to over 700,000 customers.  In addition to sourcing energy from plants such as the IH-37 solar project, CPS is getting wind energy from large wind farms located along the Texas coast, in San Patricio county and along Baffin Bay. In addition to the energy generated by the IH-37 solar power project, CPS will get another 27 megawatts of energy annually from the Tessera Solar project in West Texas.  Much of San Antonio’s power comes from power plants that burn natural gas, so this move toward clean, renewable energy will be good for the environment.

Below is a map of the area where the Blue Wing solar energy projects is located, south of San Antonio and North of Braunig Lake.

The old fort in nearby Ft. Davis was built in the mid 18oo’s to protect settlers and travelers from Apache, Comanche and Kiowa raiding parties.  It was named after the former U.S. secretary of war Jefferson Davis, who also later served as president of the Confederacy.  Ft. Davis was later home to the Buffalo Soldiers.  A nearby “must see” is McDonald Observatory, operated by the University of Texas  which is open to the public.  Telescopes are available for stargazing at the base of Mt. Locke.

Below is a map of Ft. Davis State Park

Below is a highway map of Davis Mountains State Park.

Directions to Davis Mountains State Park:

To visit Davis Mountains State park, drive 1 mile north of Fort Davis on State Highway 17 to State Highway 118N.  Travel west on State Highway 118N for 3 miles to Park Road 3 where you will enter the park.  Phone number for Davis Mountains state park is 432/426-3337

There are frequently burn bans in Davis Mountains State park when wood and charcoal fires may be prohibited. You can call the park phone number for information on burn bans and for reservations. Don’t miss this beautiful state park. It has much to offer visitors of all ages.

History Of Inks Lake in Texas

Inks Lake was named after Roy B. Inks, one of the original board members of the Lower Colorado River Authority, which has jurisdiction over the lake. The land was used for cattle grazing by a number of ranchers since the 1800′s until it was acquired by the state of Texas in the 1940′s. Inks Lake State Park, comprising some 1200 acres, was opened to the public in the 1950′s.  The granite hills surrounding the park, were home to various bands of Native American tribes before the mid 1800′s.  The lake is formed by Inks dam, on the Colorado River.

Things to do at Inks Lake State Park.

There are numerous campsites in the park including tent sites, RV sites and even backpack camping areas. Guided geology and nature tours are available. Fishing is often excellent in Inks Lake State Park, with crappie, bass and catfish the species most commonly caught by anglers.  One of the best times to visit Inks Lake State Park is in the springtime, when there are many kinds of beautiful wildflowers to see on the granite shores and hills surrounding the lake. Wildlife in Inks Lake state park includes songbirds, raccoons, opossums, white tail deer, and other small animals. Not far away from Inks Lake is Longhorn Cavern, which is also a state park open to the public.  If you have a chance to take the Vanishing Texas River Cruise, do so. This unforgettable tour allows tourists to see nesting bald eagles and other wildlife along the undeveloped shores of lake Buchanan.   The historic main streets of nearby Burnet and Marble Falls offer many opportunities for shopping and dining. Located just four miles from the park, Buchannan Dam, which creates Lake Buchanan, is the world’s largest multi-arch dam.

Below is a highway map of Inks Lake State Park.

Directions To Inks Lake State Park

Inks Lake State Park is located just 9 miles west of Burnet. Take State Highway 29 to Park Road 4. Then go south 3 miles to the park headquarters.

To find out about park details, such as closures, fire bans, etc. call the park headquarters at the following address or phone number:

Inks Lake State Park

3630 Park Road 4 West
Burnet TX 78611
512/793-2223

McKinney Falls State Park maps are available at the park office.

Directions To McKinney Falls State Park:

The park is located just a few minutes south of downtown Austin. Take US Hwy 183 to McKinney Falls Parkway. Follow the road to the park entrance as seen in the map of McKinney Falls state park below.  The address of the park is

McKinney Falls State Park,

5808 McKinney Falls Parkway
Austin, TX 78744
Phone: 512/243-1643

Below is a map of McKinney Falls State park, as well as a map showing how to get to McKinney Falls State Park.

Below is a map of McKinney Falls state park showing major roads and highways near the park.

This is a very nice state park and is well worth visiting. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.

Here are some fun things to do in Bastrop State Park.

Bastrop State Park activities include hiking, biking and even horse trails. You can do tent camping and there even RV spaces.  A small lake offers an opportunity for fishing but swimming is not allowed. A dozen of small “lodges” or primitive cabins are available for rent but book up fast in the summer season. Call -512-389-8900.  A good book that will help you find out about all the other great state parks that Texas has to offer is the Camper’s Guide To Texas Parks, Lakes and Forests.

Note:
In September of 2011 a major wildfire burned over half of Bastrop State Park. Over 600 homes were lost in the area. The Red Cross is collecting donations, as are local churches and organizations. To help the residents of Bastrop and surrounding area, please contact one of these organizations.

Make sure you pick up a trail map and not rely on the small Google Map of Pedernales Falls State Park below.  At the link here, you can get a USGS Topographic map of Pedernales Falls State Park and the Wolf Mountain hike and mountain bike trail.

Harbor Freight has two locations in Austin Texas. Here is a map and directions to Harbor Freight in Austin Texas.

One location is at 4001 South Lamar Blvd. The phone number there is 512-442-8078. It is located in the same shopping center as the large fabric store that you can see from the road. Look for tent sales every couple of months and sidewalk sales with lots of cheap tools. I’ve found lots of good bargains there over the years but steer clear of cheaper things like electronics that may not last and buy the more rugged tools, hammers, wrenches. Most of the Chicago Electric tools are good quality, as are Central Pneumatic air tools. Some of the cheaper generators aren’t so reliable to buy with caution. You will find the staff helpful at both locations, though the stores sometimes get a bit chaotic and busy and you may have to wait a while during sales. Aisles are a bit narrow and sometimes things are hard to find but the bargains are well worth the hassle.   I’ve found the products listed in the sales flyer often out of stock when I go to the store, which is a minor annoyance.   See the map of Harbor Freight Austin below:

The other location is at 2500 West Parmer Lane, Austin Texas. The phone number of the north Harbor Freight Austin location is 512-388-1818  It is located in the same large shopping center as Fry’s Electronics, to the right side.

I’m pretty happy as a customer with both of these stores, which I frequent quite often for cheap tools. I hope these directions and map of Harbor Freight In Austin Texas were helpful.

That resort charges a fee but features nice amenities such as cabins, mud baths, several mineral pools and more. You will not find any of that nonsense at Manby hot springs. Below is a photo of Manby hot springs near Taos. Following the photo of Stagecoach Hot springs you will find a map.

You can see the steam rising off of the water on this cool fall morning when the photo of Manby hot springs near Taos was taken.

Here is a map of Manby or Stagecoach hot springs.

Image of Deepwater Horizon Disaster from Wikipedia

Approximate location of Deepwater Horizon and BP Well, from the Transocean website is latitude 28° 44.20′ N and longitude 88° 23.23′ W or approximately 50 miles S.W. of the Mississippi Delta at the edge of the continental shelf. North of the BP well are the Chandeleur Islands, an ecologically sensitive chain of low barrier islands which are home to thousands of seabirds. They are part of the Breton National Wildlife Refuge and are threatened by the BP oil spill.

The source of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill is located at the same latitude and longitude as where the rig fire and explosion occurred.

The following map of the BP oil spill source is from Google.

The following is a video map of the BP oil spill projected trajectory.

Fast Tube by Casper

The BP Gulf of Mexico oil spill and well location is not far from sensitive fishing grounds of south Louisiana and Mississippi. The oil spill is expected to have disastrous effects on wildlife and marine life as it continues to reach the shore.  The spill is already on record as the largest since the Exxon Valdez disaster which led to billions of dollars in damage to the Alaskan fishing industry. It remains to be seen how severe the effects on the Gulf of Mexico fishing industry will be and the ultimate cost of cleaning up the spill.

BP Oil Spill Lawsuits Already Beginning

The cost to British Petroleum and Transocean may rise into the tens of millions as teams of maritime lawyers assemble in the Gulf Coast area ready to initiate hundreds of individual and class action lawsuits for damages from the oil spill in a scenario right out of a John Grisham novel. In fact the novelist is likely working on a book about it right now.  There are dozens of attorneys specializing in offshore oilfield accidents along the Gulf Coast and this unfortunate event will likely benefit them more than anyone else.

A notice to mariners has been issued by the U.S. Coast Guard advising all vessels to stay clear of the area.  Note, mariners should not rely on any coordinates or map of the BP oil spill location in this article for navigational purposes.

The well owned by BP is now gushing up to 6,000 barrels of crude into the Gulf of Mexico as of March 12, 2010 and there has been slow progress stemming the flow of oil.   This article with a map of the BP oil spill location will be updated as the situation changes.

Authorities are still trying to determine the cause of the Deepwater Horizon rig explosion which caused 11 deaths and one of the largest oil spills in U.S. history. The following article gives some explanation of what a blowout preventer is and how the failure of that device may have led to the disaster.  What A Blowout Preventer Does and Possible Cause Of  BP Disaser.