We got the dogs out of the vet were we had been boarding them and took them almost immedietly to my grandparents land in Longview. Both the dogs and Amy and I greatly enjoyed being on the land. We hung out in the woods and pastures and let the dogs run free for several hours. 
We went to the stable everyday to check on and feed the horses. They got grain and hay everyday. They are eating better here than at home. ;-) The stable had several pumping oil wells on it that had the most annoying sqeeks. Amy and I both agreed that we would have gone crazy if we had to listen to them for any extended period.
On the way between the RV and the stable Amy and I would pass this baseball field. Only in east Texas would you find several pumping oil wells in the middle of the local schools baseball fields.
On 9/24 we discovered that Rita was going to come right over us in Gladewater and there might be up to 75 mile an hour winds. We decided to move the RV and head west. We got the RV ready for traveling in record time and headed out. The drive west was very windy but we found shelter in Terrell, Tx just east of Dallas. That evening we cooked steaks and had margaritas and drank almost an entire bottle of tequila. We were feeling no pain. The next morning we headed back to Gladewater so we could take care of the horses and dogs. Dad and I almost hated to leave as this RV park had free and pretty reliable internet access. :-)
Here we are finally in Gladewater, Texas at the RV. We arrived in Longview and started offloading the horses at about 2:30pm till around 5:00pm. So it took us about 18 1/2 hours to go from Houston to Longview. I have made this drive many times going to Grandmother and Daddy George's House and it never takes over 5 hours. The evacuation of Houston for Rita was a truely memorable experience that I would not wish on anyone. If it had not been for my parents also choosing to go to Longview area we would not have had such a nice place to go to. Amy and I were very lucky.
We are in Kountze at about 8:00am. We have been driving with the horses since 8:00pm the previous day. We tried to get gas here but after asking the attendant if all the pumps were working we pulled up to one to discover that it was nonfuctional. Since we had about half a tank we decided to head further north in search of gas once we discovered that Beaumont and the surrounding area was being evacuated at that moment. It was now a race north to try and stay ahead of those people! DOH! It was about this time that I decided to ask my parents to call around in Longview for a stable so we could stable the horses and Amy and I could stay in the RV instead of sleeping on the ground at my Grandparents land in Longview. They managed to find us the Seven Pines Stable and a vet that could perform coggins tests on the horses so we could stable them. The vet was extremly nice and the Seven Pines Stable was an excellent place. Thanks Mom and Dad!
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This very hard to see picture is Amy driving the truck. We are south of I-10 still in Houston heading north on 146. (Who has ever heard of 146? Why not 59?) We left the barn at 8:oopm or so and after 6 hours are still in Houston. Incredible! Rita was supposed to be coming to Houston and the horses were in danger so we decided to evacuate on Wednesday 9/21. UH closed early and I headed home to get us pulled together while Amy went to the barn to prep the horses. She then headed back to the house so we could pick up the truck and take it and the Explorer to Pasadena. We loaded up the horses and then took them and the Explorer to her mothers house so she could borrow the Explorer and evacuate her and her dogs. We almost could not get gas and had to stop twice since at the first place I managed to get gas for the truck but they ran out before we could get gas for the Explorer. Luckly Amy manged to fill it at a gas station near the barn.
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Mom waiting on Dad in a bookstore on Fredericksburg's Main street. We shopped till we felt a nap calling, ah vacation is a bitch.
Passing through San Antonio on our way to Fredericksburg. A computer and TV built in the car! A geeks true dream vehicle.
