Women Go Moto-Solo

Regular maintenance a must

RV travel as a couple or full time RVing together is undoubtedly a great way to see this great world we live in.  Sharing your experiences and the joys of seeing new and exciting places is a great benefit to RV travel.  But if you read other travel blogs or travel some yourself, you've likely noticed that individuals are taking to the road on their own.  Some have lost their mates but are still in love with the open road, others are just full of the adventurous spirit and don't let singleness deter their love of adventure or need for an occasional "getaway from it all journey." 

Perhaps for women there is a bit more hesitation to travel alone due to fears of either real or imagined dangers one could encounter on any trip...vehicle problems, characters who take advantage of travelers, the rise of an emergency, etc.  Books, membership communities and blogs are adopting solo women RVing as their theme. If you google 'women rv', google immediately spits out a whole list of related search possibilities including 'women rving alone.'  At Hidden Valley RV I've seen an increasing rise in the number of women who travel alone and I've enjoyed getting their perspective on their travel experience: how they prepare for emergencies, combat loneliness, avoid possible dangers, etc.

One such traveler,  Karen Ho Fatt has written a fantastic commentary of how her traveling sans partner has brought her great satisfaction and taught her some practical lessons in how to make the process a stress free, relaxing, yet active experience.  No matter your gender or age, this short post is full of gems of travel wisdom.  Click on this Link to Check out her blog post .

My take away from this article: Any woman can go RVing and have a memorable experience; all she has to do is want the most breathtaking journey of her life. 

Teri Blaschke is the RV Park operator of family owned HiddenValley RV Park in San Antonio, TX and writer of the park blog “A Little Piece of Country in San Antonio.” Teri contributes to various other blogs with a focus on either travel or social media and how it relates to the outdoor hospitality industry but her passion is serving the RV travel community by providing a memorable RV camping experience and growing the Hidden Valley RV family.  Connect with Teri on Google+, Facebook and Twitter@HiddenValleyRV

A New Favorite Local Eatery

Barry and Joyce are full-time RVers from 
Oregon who host at several of 
their favorite campgrounds as they 
gallivant across the nation.

"Let's Eat" With Barry & Joyce 

Agave Mexican Restaurant
3302 Pleasanton Road
San Antonio, TX
210-923-8454
Directions

                                                             

People come to San Antonio from all over the United States and even the world to see the Alamo, the River Walk and other delights that the city has to offer. Another great thing about San Antonio is the food, especially delicious Mexican cuisine.
Do you have a hankering for some really good, "real deal" Mexican food? Then you have to check out Agave Mexican Restaurant on Pleasanton Road, just a few minutes from Hidden Valley RV Park.

What's an Agave?  Found mostly in Mexico, these plants also called Century Plants are found all over South and central Texas.  There are many varieties of agave, some of which are used in the making of Tequila, others in the production of the recently popular healthy sugar alternative sweetener.

 When we walked into the place you are immediately hit with a very clean and bright dining room. There aren't a lot of paintings on the walls and the place isn't painted to look like an old Mexican villa. The large dining room has white tablecloth's on the tables and booths with just a few nick-knacks hanging from the ceiling. On one wall there's a large screen TV that was playing and a jukebox. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner with specials each day.

What Agave's lacks in atmosphere, they more than make it up with their outstanding service and food. After being seated by our waiter Giovani, he immediately took our drink order. The restaurant doesn't have a full bar but they do serve several brands of beer by the bottle and wine margarita's in several flavors. I settled on a Dos Equis and Joyce got a regular margarita.

When Giovani brought our drinks, which only took a couple of minutes, he was also loaded down with a bowl of chips, a small craft of salsa and to our surprise, a small bowl of queso, Mexican Style cheese dip. We found the chips to be very fresh and the salsa was fantastic.  Agave's boast that their chef's make all their salsas from scratch and the chips are made fresh everyday as well. I would call the salsa about medium-spicy hot but Joyce said she thought it rather on the hot side. No matter how you label it, this stuff is good. The queso was warm and had just the right amount of chili's swimming around in the cheese.

After a very short wait, our entrees arrived. I selected the three chicken enchilada plate with flour tortillas (I had been given a choice of corn or flour) and Joyce chose to order a la carte, choosing to get two Guisada tacos and an order of Barracho beans. In addition to ordering our dinners, we had ordered guacamole to eat with our chips but didn't make it to our table until he brought the entrees. Accompanying the meals were two serving jars of salsas, one red and the other green. Giovani told us the green one is the hotter of the two and since I like the hot stuff, that is what put on my first enchilada. In addition to all of that, Giovani brought me two homemade tortillas to boot.

Wow, were we ever impressed. The chicken in my enchiladas was cooked to perfection in really soft "melt in your mouth" flour tortillas. All of the enchiladas were covered in a semi-sweet, red tomato sauce. Also on the huge plate was a hearty serving of refried beans that were also outstanding and also a large portion of Mexican rice. The rice was fluffy and seasoned well.

I tried both of the sauces and I can tell you that both are very, very good. The green is a tad hotter than the red one but if they bottled this stuff, I'd buy both of them.

Joyce reported her Guisada's were delicious. She ordered two of them but could have easily gotten by with just one. These guys were big! The Barracho beans were amazingly good, with a couple of chucks of pig fat still in the bowl.

We also really liked the guacamole which was very creamy and obviously freshly made.

Agave's prices are very reasonable. Joyce and my dinners, accompanied by two Dos Equis' and two margaritas came to just $32. Joyce is really a cheap date!

You can rest assured that Agave's hasn't seen the last of the two of us.

Deliciosa!

One Life Ending, Another Beginning

     One of our guests has just completed a unique adventure that is really just beginning.  What can that mean?  Here's the story...
Amy and Patrick have had their RV, their home for the last few months, at Hidden Valley RV Park.  A quiet couple, by most standards, but very lovable, too, they've just returned from meeting with their friends and family for the occasion of their wedding. They wanted a simple event but with a unique twist.  So, they planned a beach wedding.  All beach weddings are beautiful because their back drop is the raw beauty of nature and the ocean, waves and sand but to take it one step further, this blessed event was carried to the tropical paradise of Hawaii.  A picture is worth a thousand words so here are four thousand more words to chronicle the beginning of their life together. 

 (I would have loved to catch that luscious bouquet)

Can't you just FEEL the emotions they are experiencing?

 A memorable way to start 
     a new life together. 

As you move on to new places we will miss ya'll but we'll always remember the couple from site 14. 


Congratulations...Amy and Patrick.

Smart Phone RV Apps

Our idea of a smart phone has been a little behind the times.  Being a country park it's taken Hidden Valley RV a while to get into the whole "APP" experience.  But once you get an i phone, android or blackberry...you can't help yourself.  Spend just a few minutes in the apps store on your phone and you begin downloading one, then another and another.  If your an RV enthusiast like us, the choices are growing every month.  These are some apps that are essential to trip planning, will keep you entertained, and help you stay in touch with loved ones. Spend more time enjoying the outdoors and less time fretting over the nearest bathroom with these great apps.with new options for the RV traveler. 

Great On The Road Apps

1. Camp Finder ($2.99)
Find information on 14,000 campgrounds and RV parks across the U.S. with just the touch of a screen. Camp Finder works with your GPS location to pinpoint campgrounds nearest to you even when you are on the move. Search by state, city, or name. Read reviews, view photos and search by amenities, camping clubs and park types to quickly find the perfect campground or RV Park for you. Named "the best of the paid camp apps" by The New York Times, it's the hassle free way to find the perfect place for you. The ease of use makes this app phenomenal. It is available on both the iPhone and Droid.

2. iExit (Free)

What's coming up on the next exit? Days spent on the highway waiting for a convenient exit might have been a mystery in the past, but this app takes the guesswork out of your trip. iExit gives you a rolling list of available services for any interstate you are on. This is a seriously useful app for the true camper, RVer and road tripper. The app is available on iPhone and Droid.

3. USPS Mobile (Free)

Need to send or receive a package on the road? Check out this great app that lists the nearest post office to your current location to save you hassle and time. It is available on the iPhone and Droid.

4. Gas Buddy (Free)

With gas being a top expense for any road trip, it's great to have a buddy keeping you updated on the cheapest gas prices in your current area. That buddy is Gas Buddy, a wonderful app that helps you find the cheapest gas prices near you. The app is available on the iPhone, iPad and Droid.

5. National Park Field Guides (Free)

Want to know what species of bird you just spotted by your campsite? National Parks is a great field guide to the natural wildlife of 50 National Parks. Explore and identify native trees and wildflowers. Learn about all species of birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles inhabiting each park. Search endangered and poisonous species. Field Guides is also great for finding camp hours, directions, and major sites within. National Parks Field Guide is available on the iPhone and iPad.

6. Kindle (Free)

Ever wanted to bring your favorite books with you during your camping trip but just don't have enough space? With the Kindle app your favorite books are stored on your mobile phone or iPad, so there is no need to bring the heavy hardcover books, you can leave them at home. Purchase new releases, or reread an old favorite. Best of all, most of your favorite adventure classics, like Huckleberry Finn, are free to download. Kindle is available on the iPhone and Droid. We recommend it on the iPad for those who enjoy a bigger reading screen.

7. Pandora (Free)

Pandora is a music lover's paradise. If you have a 3G connection Pandora delivers an unlimited supply of music to your trip. Simply type in an artist you like and listen to a streaming jukebox of songs and artists that Pandora feels you might also enjoy. It's a great way to discover and rediscover music. Plug your device to portable speakers to liven a campfire. Pandora is available on the iPhone, iPad and Droid.

8. Flight Control ($1 - $5)

Land aircrafts and avoid collisions in this incredibly addictive game. Take turns with your camping buddies to start a fun competition. Flight Control is available on both the iPhone, iPad and Droid

9. Skype (Free)

Skype is a great app when far from home and on the road. IPhones and similar front-facing camera devices allow you to share in real time the great outdoors with friends through videoconference. Skype allows you to call anyone in the world with a Skype account for free. Keep in touch, save money, and share life with loved ones. Skype is available on the iPhone, iPad and Droid.

10. Facebook (Free)

Want to know what your friends are up to? Want to quickly update them about your road trip? Facebook is the cure all for sharing, staying connected, and a great way to catch up with your friends. Keep everyone updated on your trip by uploading photos from your mobile device, check in to stops at locations of interest, and tag camping buddies that have joined the adventure. The Facebook app is available on both the iPhone and Droid.

Download these apps on your smartphone today so you have everything you need for a great RV trip. These are all great apps for full time RVers also.
Info on apps was reprinted from Camping Road Trip.com

What's Happening Sunday?

Looking for some things to do tomorrow in and near San Antonio.

Sunday: September 18th, 2011

Event	Time	Location
Quarry Farmers & Ranchers Market	8 am - Noon	Quarry Market Parking Lot
Fredericksburg Trade Days	9 am - 4 pm	Fredericksburg, Tx
Legacy Outdoor Market	10 am - 3 pm	Legacy Shopping Center
SA Original Gun Show	10 am - 5 pm	Freeman Coliseum
Traders Village - Live Concerts	10 am - 5 pm	9333 SW Loop 410
Old Gruene Market Days	10 am - 5 pm	Gruene, Tx
Medina County Fair	10 am - 7 pm	Medina, Tx
Austin City Limits Festival	11 am - 10 pm	Austin, Tx
Fiestas Patrias	Noon - 10 pm	Historic Market Square
Summer Jazz & Lunch Series	12:30 - 3 pm	The McNay
Much Ado About Nothing	2 pm	Kerrville, Tx
The Glass Menagerie	2 pm	Fredericksburg, Tx
The Cherry Orchard Performance	2 pm	Austin, Tx
Family Night & Free Dance	6 - 10 pm	Floore’s Country Store
San Antonio Rose Live	7:30 pm	Aztec Theatre

Of course if all of this sounds like too much activity...just hang out at Hidden Valley and relax at the Bonfire Cove, take a leisurely walk on the nature trail or drop a line in the Medio Creek if you'd like to try for a catfish or bass dinner.

A Great Summer and Looking Forward to the Fall

Snowbirds Trek South

    I can't remember a busier but more fun summer.  The hot months in San Antonio are usually our slower part of the year but we never really slowed down since last winter.  Although "snow birds" or "winter Texans" are usually our biggest group of travelers, a whole new demographic of folks seems to be taking up the RV lifestyle and enjoying the outdoors.  I especially want to thank our loyal full time RVers who've continued to visit us year after year.
    Each month we've had at least one get together, activity, workshop or potluck and each one is well attended and has been a lot of fun.  Even with the 100 degree temps, our Bonfire Cove has been frequented along with Rhonda's Nature Trail.  Fishing has been a favorite pastime of many of our friends this season too. 

    Our guest survey, facebook comments and tweets have been coming in steadily and I truly appreciate all of you taking the time to let us know how we're doing.  Here's a link to some of the things our guests have posted on our survey page.  It seems everyone has a survey for us to fill out these days but if you've stayed or have plans to stay with us at our San Antonio RV Park I invite you to help us improve the camping experience here at Hidden Valley by completing a short survey about your stay.  We look at and seriously consider each suggestion and comment so that we can improve. 
    We've finalized our electrical upgrade so that now all our sites have both a 30 and 50 amp service available and brand new boxes and wires.  Watch our blog in the near future for a description of the project and before and after pictures. 
    That being finished we'll be spending all our project time on completing our club house with restrooms, additional laundry facility, games, library, satellite TV, kitchen and more. 
     Once again, our sincere thanks to all who've spent time with us this summer and all our returning winter visitors who have already reserved their San Antonio home sites for the coming season.

Explore Rhonda's Trail -A Work in Progress

Trail Head

Many guests at Hidden Valley RV Park over the years have left their mark on our acres.  Each of them are a story in their own right.  But perhaps none have made more of an impact than Rhonda. Rhonda and Willie have had their fifth wheel parked in a couple different sites here and they now reside on the edge of Bonfire Cove, largely conceived and designed by Rhonda.   Once that project was mostly completed, Rhonda set out with only a hoe, bush clippers and garden saw to single-handedly create what we have dubbed Rhonda's Trail.  Being in it's early stages, no one will get tired out after a hike on this trail but daily, Rhonda adds several feet at a time by clearing thick brush and carving natural steps into the landscape.  

 All the paths are lined with natural and native rocks and timbers, patiently sawed from trees in the paths.

Gradually the trails are taking shape and going from an extremely steep grade to trails manageable by the least nimble of hikers (like me.) 

Friendly critters are also fond of Rhonda's Trail.

The trees form a cooling canopy over the trail visitors.  In the plans are botanical labels for our indigenous (local to Hidden Valley and San Antonio)  trees, bushes and plants.

Sun shining through the trees throws a bluish hue on the tree tops.

Now Rhonda's been clearing a path to the back of the horse pasture so you can visit Lily and Dollar   on your hike.


No telling how far and which direction Rhonda's rambling will take the trail so visit often to see the work in progress.

The changing of the seasons has already transformed the trail floor to a soft leafy pad.

Pets are welcome to Rhonda's Trail as long as they're picked up after and kept on the trails.

We all look forward to the growing project and the natural beauty it will uncover.  

Very warm thanks to Rhonda for all the hard work expended and the labor of love she's put into her Hidden Valley home.

  

Please Help this Blog with a Comment

A fellow blog writer of mine at RV.Net pointed me to a great blog, The Simple Dollar, and an interesting post on it in which the blogger, Trent, asks his readers who don’t regularly comment (lurkers in blog lingo) to leave a brief comment answering a few questions for him so that he can get a better picture of his readership. He says it will better enable him to make sure his blog contains the information that will keep his readers coming back.
Never one to disregard a good idea, I’m going to flatter the living daylights out of Trent and RV.Net and copy their suggestion.

So now, dear lurkers, and you know who you are, here is your chance to leave a comment, answering the below questions. And for the pragmatists out there asking “What’s in it for me?” know that your comment will help me to better provide you with the information you want and need.
Answers to these questions in your comment would really help me improve:

1. What is your location? (State/province or region)
2. How did you hear about the "Hidden Valley, a little piece of country in San Antonio" blog?
3. Are you male or female?
4. How old are you? (You can answer 50’s or 60’s if you prefer not to leave an exact age.)
5. Are you married?
6. Why do you visit the Hidden Valley RV blog?
7. What, if anything, is missing on the Hidden Valley RV blog?
8. Have you or do you plan to visit Hidden Valley RV Park?
9. Are you an RV'er (if so full-time or occasional?)

Note that when leaving a comment, if you are concerned with privacy, you are free to use a nickname or alias. I understand the need and desire for privacy, and I respect yours. This is not intended in any way to be intrusive, but just an attempt to better understand our general readership so we can improve our offerings.
P.S. Those of you who regularly comment are also more than welcome to comment. I only emphasize “lurkers” above because I figure they are shy and need the extra invitation.
Thanks everyone!

Become a Hidden Valley Facebook Fan

If you are not already, take a minute and become a fan of Hidden Valley RV Park.

We now have our own Facebook page at:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Von-Ormy-TX/Hidden-Valley-RV-Park/221279370202?ref=mf


BECOME A HIDDEN VALLEY RV FACEBOOK FAN

If you are a member of Facebook, this is a great way to join our growing community and stay in touch with us. We post about some of the neat products and services we come across, events in the San Antonio area, Hidden Valley RV Park news and some of the great places we find to visit. Our fans post about their travels and keep us up to date.

Additionally, we share interesting articles and tidbits about RV travel, products and the RV Lifestyle.

Become a fan today!

Hidden Valley RV Country

Explore the Alamo With Your Ears

A visit to San Antonio would not be complete without a stop at THE ALAMO. Not only a Texas landmark but an important monument in the history of the world, the Alamo has amazed visitors for decades.
Built in 1724, it was originally the residence and sanctuary for missionaries and native Indians. The Mission San Antonio de Valero, as it was first called, housed Spanish troops in the early 1800's. It continued to house rebel and Mexican troops until the Texas Revolution in 1835 when "Texican" (as John Wayne calls them) and Tejano volunteers fought against Mexican troops and won. The name "Alamo" comes from the Spanish word for cottonwood and was named by Spanish troops after their hometown of Alamo de Parras.
The Alamo is probably best know for the 13 day Battle of the Alamo in 1836 between Mexican troops and the Texans including Jim Bowie, David Crockett and 200 others who fought to protect the Alamo.
The real story is much richer and those who visit it can now learn about it through a new audio walking tour. The Alamo now offers a 50 minute audio tour presented on a MP3 player.

"This gives another avenue for people visiting the Alamo to approach the pretty complex history," said Craig Stinson, Alamo spokesman. He added that the audio tour also incorporates the early colonial Spanish mission and early Texas history along with information that led up to the Battle. It also details the preservation efforts at the Alamo.

The palm sized device with headphones leads visitors through 30 points at the site. The program was created by The Discovery Channel and local historians. The optional tour is $5 per person. Admission to the Alamo itself is FREE and includes a short film documenting some interesting highlights at the landmark.

You may also want to stop by the Rivercenter's IMAX Theatre before your visit to The Alamo and check out the docudrama, The Alamo...The Price of Freedom to get a picture of Texan history to excite even those of us not so historiclly inclined.

When you arrive at Hidden Valley RV for your San Antonio stay we provide a virtual map tour of many of San Antonio's high points and some not so known secrets. Forgot to stop by the travel center when you entered Texas? No worries...we've got maps, calendars of events, addresses of your favorites for your GPS and all the hours of operation for those spots. If we don't know it...we'll find out for you.

New Logo/Same Country Hospitality

Our face has changed but our mission statement is still the same: to give our guests the best time possible in a peaceful quiet setting, whether you want a visit with a full itinerary of events or a relaxing escape from the hustle and bustle.
Soon our main website (http://www.hiddenvalleyrv.net) will also be undergoing a face lift, or rather, a total reconstruction. I hope this will prove to be an aid to our prospective guests as well as a way for return visitors to keep abreast of new things as they happen at Hidden Valley. Online reservations are being added in addition to the email reservation option that we already use.
Just a note of interest: Our weather in San Antonio has finally taken a turn for the milder and we are heaving a sigh of relief as the summer humidity is subsiding. For us, and most of you, this is the favorite time of year in Texas with near perfect weather.
We're gearing up to visit with our annual repeat guests as they make the annual trek to the Rio Grande Valley in far South Texas. Also anticipating meeting new visitors to San Antonio in search of The Alamo and the famed RiverWalk. We'd be glad to be your tour guide and provide what you need to find and enjoy the points of interest in this historic and flavorful city. So come see us!
Bye for now and happy camping.

Hidden Valley, Come Visit Us

HIDDEN VALLEY, the Great Escape Place
location: 12515 Fischer Road
Von Ormy, TX 78073
mailing: 5706 Coleman Way
Von Ormy, TX 78073
phone: 210-623-6737
fax: 210-623-6737
Hidden Valley has been around for over 30 years. As you might imagine we've gone through many changes over the years but we're still in a quiet country setting just minutes away from the exciting and historical San Antonio. We feature 30 full hook up sites with the most reasonable rates in town. Passport America, Happy Camper, TACO and Escapees discounts are welcome. Please comment to this site if you would like a personal response to any of your travel questions relating to Hidden Valley or San Antonio. At this site we hope to keep you advised of all San Antonio and Hidden Valley has to offer. My husband and I are looking forward to meeting and serving you at "the Great Escape Place," Hidden Valley.