The Texoma Traveler’s under new guidance kicked off their first rally for the year this April at Palo Duro Canyon State Park in the Panhandle of Texas. It was quite an adventure for some of the traveler’s as a late spring storm moved into the area just as the weekend began. Those traveling from the south fought strong headwinds the entire way north, while those coming from the north cruised along with a strong tailwind. Just days before the rally start, the weather was unseasonably warm! But as unpredictable as Texas weather can be, one day the temperatures plummeted into the 30’s with some snow flurries and then the next day popped into the 80’s!
Even with the strong winds, this didn’t deter anyone from making the journey. Some individuals came in a day or so early while others stayed longer to enjoy the beauty of the canyon. The Canyon is said to be 120 miles long, as much as 20 miles wide, with a maximum depth of more than 800 feet. Palo Duro is claimed to be the second largest canyon in the United States. The canyon is only 35 miles south of Amarillo, so if you wish to make a short trek to town for a nice dinner or some shopping, it is easy to do. The RV area that we stayed in provided pull-thru sites, with water and electric. The park facilities were quite nice with showers and a dump station at the entrance.
The park has much to do. You can hike, bike, take a guided jeep tour and more. There is also a visitor’s center and gift shop. During the spring, summer and early fall, you can purchase tickets to the Texas Outdoor Musical which is performed in the canyon amphitheater. This musical show has been going on for over 50 years. Texas Outdoor Musical
Activities
We had a total of 8 couples, and more if you include the pets, which isn’t bad considering this was our first rally in quite some time! On the agenda we had a pot luck dinner planned with a cowpoke dinner theme… beans and cobbler were one of the main side dishes… and BBQ meats and brats… and all kinds of foods and desserts. Other activities were impromptu… one of those was a visit to the RV Museum in Amarillo… and it’s FREE! RV Museum
We had a few members that towed a second vehicle. 
They were kind enough to provide transportation for the ‘non-toad’ owners and provide transportation to the museum. We all had a great time looking at old RV’s dating as far back as the 1930’s. Some of the RV’s were the best of their time and some were even owned by famous individuals. The museum also had a big collection of old motorcycles and other items. It’s was interesting to see the conveniences of the time and to see how far improvements have come. At the same time, we were impressed at the quality and attention to detail of some of the old RV’s.
We also did an open house of everyone’s Leisure Travel Vans. This was fun and interesting, allowing everyone to see the various models and layouts… and also see how other individuals incorporate ingenious ideas or modifications to make their units more comfortable and convenient for their living and traveling purposes. 
Many of the owner’s walked away with new ideas or accessories to acquire that they could incorporate into their own unit. One member even had an older Free Spirit which many of us had never seen! I think we were all envious of their ease of maneuvering in and out of very tight spots!
A few photo’s from the museum
Rally Attendee’s
Our next rally is coming this October in Fredericksburg, TX. If you’d like to have a good time, meet some new friends and enjoy what Fredericksburg has to offer, please join us! We welcome all Leisure Van owners regardless of your home club!
Fredericksburg Rally
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