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SWIMMING
TO MEXICO
Part II
by John Troesser
Water:
Guadalupe River
Towns: Boerne, Comfort, Center Point and Kerrville
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GUADALUPE
RIVER STATE PARK
South on 281 brings you to Hwy 46 where you will turn right to Boerne
and Guadalupe River State Park. After eight miles you’ll come to the
entrance to the park. This park is one of the Parks and Wildlife Department’s
crown jewels. Tall limestone bluffs dominate the cool inviting waters
below. Tubing and canoeing are available. A two-mile hiking trail
follows the river. Enjoy yourselves, but eventually they'll ask you
to leave. |
BOERNE
Continue on Hwy 46 to Boerne. Perhaps the most difficult part
of writing this trip will be getting you to leave Boerne and continue.
The banks of Cibolo Creek invite you to walk. So
does the historic district with its specialty shops, restaurants and
antiques. Beside the cleanliness and the shade, there’s the fact that
real restaurants outnumber fast food franchises 4 to 1, and Beds and
Breakfasts outnumber hotels 5 to 1!
A must stop is the Chamber of Commerce at One Main Plaza (830-249-8000),
if only to see so many people so happy without being under the influence
of alcohol. Walking tour brochures are available as well as directions
to attractions nearby like The Cave With No Name. There used
to be A Cave With No Directions, but nobody remembers where it is.
In addition to The Official Guide to Boerne, there’s a handy one-sheet
listing of all restaurants and accommodations.
The local Chamber of Commerce is a good indicator of a town’s feeling
toward tourism, and let’s face it, we’re all tourists unless we always
stay home. Boerne has a good attitude. (A bad Chamber is where they
all wear T-shirts saying "I’m not a tourist, I live here").
It is no coincidence that towns that "have their act together"
also have an active and cooperative Chamber.
Boerne’s contribution toward staying wet comes in the form of a town
lake (on Hwy 46) and Lake Boerne, just south of I-10 a short
drive west of town. Continue on to Comfort.
Boerne
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COMFORT
A
town comfortable with itself.
Most of Comfort
is closed on Monday. This includes the Chamber of Commerce. Comfort
is a quiet charming town with some fine specimens of Hill Country
architecture. Most of downtown Comfort is in the National Register
of Historic Places. Monday would be the ideal day for picture taking
since the historic district is practically deserted. The library (closed
Monday) has its initials etched in the glass doors which shows the
town’s appreciation for simple elegance.
Comfort
is also comfortable with vegetation. Potted plants abound, and vines
can stretch their tendrils into places suburbanites would never allow.
Comfort has a good nursery (open Monday!) with unusual but not too
exotic plants. It fits in quite well with the abundance of antique
shops and Bed & Breakfasts. It’s nice to find a town that doesn’t
treat fallen petals like litter. This town can easily be thought of
as a home away from home. Call the Comfort Chamber of Commerce, Box
777, Comfort 78013, Tel.210-995-3131 and ask them what they do on
Mondays.
Avoid returning to I-10 and take Hwy 27 to Center Point. |
CENTER
POINT
Here
is a place where you can linger and get wet. Or get wet and then linger,
it’s up to you. The Guadalupe River is accessible one block west of
"Downtown". A resident flock of ducks and a gaggle of geese
swim silently through the green tinted water. Early in the morning
swallows and scissortails dart across the river scooping up water
in their tiny beaks. A small dam creates a waterfall that could almost
put you……..
WAKE UP! Splash some water in your face and drive the eight miles
to Kerrville.
Kerrville
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KERRVILLE
Most people have heard of Kerrville before they actually see it. This
is due to their wildly famous folk-music festival held every
Spring. Seeing Kerrville for the first time, most people are shocked
at the amount of asphalt they see. I suppose it’s because we associate
Folk Music + Festival = Outdoors. Well, if it weren’t for asphalt,
what would we have? Mud, that’s what. And muddy people don’t play
music well, so get over it.
There is no shortage of nature in Kerrville,
and a lot of it is right off downtown. In Kerrville access to the
Guadalupe River is in Louise Hays Park south across the bridge on
Hwy 16.
Kerrville Convention & Visitors Bureau: 210-792-3535.
KERRVILLE-SCHREINER
STATE PARK
Just south of downtown Kerrville on Hwy 16 across the bridge you’ll
see the sign for 173. Go left on 173 and two and a half miles later
you’ll come to the park entrance on your left. This 517-acre park
offers canoe and tube rentals in the Guadalupe River. During the week
it’s very tranquil and on weekends it’s still an improvement
over the crowds found on the river back in Kerrville. Reservations
recommended for overnight stay. Annual bicycling event every Easter
Weekend. 830-257-5392.
Kerrville
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SWIMMING
TO MEXICO Part III > next page
Water: Medina, Sabinal, Nueces and Leona Rivers and Rio Frio
Towns: Utopia and Uvalde |
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