This is an interesting week, as thousands of schoolkids and their families overwhelm Texas State Parks. There are no sites available, nor have there been for months. The noise level is high, the bathrooms are oversubscribed, and even if you like kids, it is a good place to avoid.

We decided to hang out in New Mexico, which on the surface, sounded like a great plan. What we did not plan on is obvious now: Texas families and college kids who also can not find room in Texas drive here. So each RV with Texas plates usually offloads about four kids, their bikes, their energy, their noise.

When we first arrived, we drove past four sets of tents with flags flying. I thought, "oh, a contingent no scouts." A later walk with the dog unveiled that we had a contingent of Texas A&M guys, budding Tea Party members, who had a "Don"t Tread On Me" flag, an American flag, and this one:

The other item that we’ve forgotten about given the makeup of winter parks is: don’t pick a spot near the playground. As I listen to screaming and yelling kids playing, I remind myself that they will tire and slow down – and try not to be curmudgeonly. After all, kids are out with family, getting exercise and fresh air, and I’ve seen few, if any electronic devices in use.

The place we are going Sunday, Balamoreah State Park, is full this weekend but has a dozen slots open Sunday night. Tuesday we plan to head to one we’ve never visited, Lost Maples State Natural Area to try for the Golden-cheeked Warbler.

We’ll start heading back, slowly, about the first of April with an arrival time of about mid-month. We will see how snow melt and mud season goes before deciding on whether to bring the rig all the way home, or leave it on flatter/drier ground elsewhere. We’ll cross that Shady Rill bridge when we get to it.