We are in week one of a two-month ramble, west from Georgia to Texas, New Mexico, Utah, and Colorado. As you may know, San Antonio is very special to Jerry and me, since we met here and started our 20+ year adventures together. ❤
We found our home base here, River Walk RV Park, on our visit to San Antonio last November on a motorcycle trip. We were visiting dear friends for Thanksgiving and discovered the park while touring near downtown. Although the name is a bit misleading, as the famous San Antonio Riverwalk is about 4 miles away, it IS one of the closest parks to downtown. The park has seen several updates since being purchased last year, and checked all the boxes for us: competent staff, big-rig friendly, long pull-through sites, a pool, and it is kept very clean. We also checked out the San Antonio KOA, a half-mile closer to downtown, but it is more expensive, and not that much nicer, in our opinion. A bonus for both parks is that the San Antonio transit service, Via, runs frequent service on the road right out front.
Anyway, we had the day free and decided to ride the bus downtown and try the bicycle sharing service called San Antonio Bcycle. The bus dropped us off on one of the main drags in town, Commerce Street. We headed down to the Riverwalk, and walked south a bit, out of the main tourist area. We found an Ambassador, hosts scattered around downtown to help guide tourists and locals alike, resting in the shade, and he was able to provide a map with the Bcycle locations so we could go check out bikes.
By the way, this is a special time in San Antonio, home of the “Party with a purpose” known as Fiesta, which runs from April 20th to 30th this year, and you can find festive decorations and parties almost anywhere in the city and surrounding communities. I believe this is the reason for the Ambassador’s constant presence downtown.
So we found a Bcycle station, read the directions, and checked out two bikes at a rate of $12 (for a day pass) each. Now, we haven’t used bike sharing in other cities yet so this may be routine, but we were taken aback at the Bcycle policy that you have to check in each bike every 60 minutes or pay an overage charge of $2 per 30 minutes over the hour. 😦 Once we figured out the process, and that the stations were plentiful, it wasn’t that awful, but it did take some of the fun out of riding to have to watch the clock. We rode city streets for a couple of blocks and stopped at the downtown location of the fabulous San Antonio grocery chain H-E-B to buy tickets to Fiesta event NIOSA for Friday night. Story on that to come later. We also grabbed a sandwich and side item for a picnic lunch later.
![IMG_20170426_123736_365[1]](https://curvyroads.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/img_20170426_123736_3651.jpg?w=665)
Picnic lunch in King William
Once this administrivia was dealt with, we were able to get back on the Riverwalk and head south again. We had decided to ride about 3 miles south to see another of the historic Missions, which are part of a San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. The history of this area is rooted in the Spanish efforts to protect, educate and Christianize the native peoples, and these activities were centered in the Missions. Although known mostly for the famous battle, the Alamo is also part of the historical park and is located right in downtown San Antonio, but we have visited there before. Of the southern Mission trail, the first and most well-preserved is Mission Concepcion.
The remaining structure is beautiful and ornate, though the protective stone walls around the complex have been long lost.
![20170426_140152[1]](https://curvyroads.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/20170426_1401521.jpg?w=665)
An inside breezeway
![20170426_141638[1]](https://curvyroads.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/20170426_1416381.jpg?w=665)
Another view of the unique architecture
![20170426_141426[1]](https://curvyroads.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/20170426_1414261.jpg?w=665)
Cactus in bloom
![20170426_141510[1]](https://curvyroads.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/20170426_1415101.jpg?w=665)
Another beautiful bloom
![20170426_141556[1]](https://curvyroads.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/20170426_1415561.jpg?w=665)
My love getting another angle
It was growing late so we were fairly focused on getting back to town and catching the bus back to the RV in time to meet friends for dinner, but we did manage to stop for a few of the scenic photo ops. 😀
![20170426_143245[1]](https://curvyroads.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/20170426_1432451.jpg?w=665)
One of many beautiful mini-waterfalls along the trail
![20170426_143340[1]](https://curvyroads.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/20170426_1433401.jpg?w=665)
The last of the Bluebonnets
![20170426_144252[1]](https://curvyroads.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/20170426_1442521.jpg?w=665)
The outflow facility, part of the downtown flood control facility keeping San Antonio safe
![20170426_144320[1]](https://curvyroads.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/20170426_1443201.jpg?w=665)
Texas Sage
![20170426_144329[1]](https://curvyroads.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/20170426_1443291.jpg?w=665)
Looking north and east to the Tower of the Americas
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The Riverwalk foundation has installed interesting art all along the trail, like this amazing bench
![20170426_150433[1]](https://curvyroads.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/20170426_1504331.jpg?w=665)
A final look back to the River
How lovely!
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Thank you Cindy!
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Looks like great fun. Seems a little odd that you would have to check in the bikes every hour. A pain in the butt, but worth it to get around quicker than walking.
Thanks for sharing the pictures.
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Thanks Brandy, I agree! It was still fun 😊
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Great photos!!! Great idea about the bikes but bummer on the timing. We’re gonna be headed up Northern Cali, Oregon and Washington states this time.
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Oh Lynn, that West coast trip is our holy grail, and we’re hoping to do it next year. When are you going?
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The bike rental sounded like more trouble than it’s worth. The River Walk area is wonderful and was a real surprise to me when I was there for a meeting.
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It is wonderful, Richard. They have extended it for many miles south since we lived here in the 90s and it makes for a great hike or bike ride!
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Absolutely beautiful! Were those pics taken with just your cellphone?? Also, love reading the blog–you travel writer, you!! –Hi to Jerry! –Kat
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Thanks, Kat, I’m glad you’re following along! 😊 And yes, all photos on Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge. It really does a great job!
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[…] via Enjoying San Antonio…again — […]
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[…] spring, we took off from Georgia, traveled to Texas, enjoyed San Antonio (where we met), celebrated our 22 year Dataversary, and then embarked on a National Parks and […]
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