Huge tract of Texas coast land to become state park

Texas state park officials are now in possession of 17,351 acres of spectacular property along the Texas coast. The Powerderhorn Ranch in Calhoun County is one of the last big tracts of Texas coastal prairie. The big chunk of land cost a big chunk of money -- $37.7 million, making the deal the state's biggest-ever conservation land purchase. The Lone Star government is aiming to turn the property into a state park and wildlife management area.

The state partnered with several other agencies, conservation organizations, and individual donors to swing the deal.

This state-produced four minute video shows off just what visitors can enjoy in the future when the gates to Powderhorn Ranch swing open to public visitors.

Circuit of The Americas™ offers multi-night, premium RV parking spaces during 2014 events in Austin area

Circuit of The Americas™ (COTA) is offering multi-night, premium RV parking spaces during two major events coming to Central Texas next month. South by Southwest (SXSW), the world’s largest music, film and interactive festival, will take over downtown Austin March 7-16, while the Star of Texas Rodeo returns to the Travis County Fair and Expo Center March 1-16. Both events draw hundreds of thousands of out-of-state visitors to the Austin area.

To help accommodate the many visitors heading to Austin for SXSW and the rodeo, COTA is renting its permanent RV parking spaces located along the circuit’s Back Straight between Turns 11 and 12. The rental price per space is $50 for up to four people and includes one 75-foot paved RV space with 24-hour security and in-and-out privileges. RV sites will have access to water and electricity hook ups, full bathrooms and a laundry facility.

COTA is located only minutes from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and is approximately 15 miles from downtown Austin, where many of the SXSW activities are planned. COTA also provides easy access to SH 130 and U.S. 183, two main arteries leading to the Travis County Expo Center where the rodeo takes place.

“We are pleased to offer safe and affordable accommodations for guests traveling to Austin for these major events,” COTA Vice President of Public & Media Relations Julie Loignon said. “RV spots during these festivals are in high demand, and we’re happy to make our permanent spaces and support services available to Austin visitors.”

Premium RV parking can be reserved by calling Julie Woody at 512-944-5800 or 512-944-5096. RV park rules and regulations will be posted at www.circuitoftheamericas.com. There will be an additional charge of $5 per day for RV sites that exceed four occupants.

RV parking spaces will also be offered during the Republic of Texas Biker Rally, set for June 12-15, 2014.

Free 2014 RV Travel & Camping Guide to Texas now available

ROY ORBISON, JANIS JOPLIN, BEYONCE AND WILLIE NELSON ARE FEATURED IN THE 2014 RV TRAVEL & CAMPING GUIDE TO TEXAS, WHICH HIGHLIGHTS FAMOUS PERFORMING ARTISTS FROM EACH REGION OF TEXAS 

Texas is famous for its country musicians, including Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and Tex Ritter. But some of the best known names in every genre of music were either born in Texas or lived there for long periods of time, including Scott Joplin, Roy Orbison, Janis Joplin, Beyonce, Selena, Freddy Fender and Kris Kristofferson.

So, in an effort to add a new level of interest to the 2014 RV Travel & Camping Guide to Texas, the Texas Association of Campground Owners (TACO) is introducing each region of the Lone Star State by highlighting famous singers, songwriters and musicians who were either born there or lived there for long periods of time. 

The guide is divided into seven regions, each of which has a two-page, illustrated introductory spread that talks about singers, songwriters and musicians from each region as well as popular songs that highlight each area of Texas. "We think it’s a pretty unique approach to introducing each region of Texas,” said Brian Schaeffer, TACO’s executive director and CEO. Click here for more info or to order.

April in Texas is for the birds.

Spring migration, temperate weather and more documented bird species than any other state comprise the perfect recipe for an April visit one of the dozens of Texas State Parks that cater to birders with bird-friendly habitat and viewing facilities.

Texas is blessed with more than 630 species of birds, some of them colorful, tropical migrants that return to the state or pass through as the weather warms and food becomes more plentiful. Even those unfamiliar with birding can have fun spotting such easily identifiable species as northern cardinals, green jays, kiskadees, painted buntings, roseate spoonbills and brown pelicans. Beginning birders may want to download Introduction to Birding  to learn what to look and listen for.

The Lone Star State is home, too, to the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail, the nation's first, and the 17th annual Great Texas Birding Classic being held from April 15 to May 15.

Each region in this sprawling state - from Gulf Coast beaches to the mountains of Big Bend -- offers a different birding experience and a variety of resident specialty bird species. To learn about the varied birding opportunities, birding facilities and birding eventsat a Texas State Park near you follow this link. To find a birding event near you, visit the Texas Parks and Wildlife calendar of events here. 

A can't-miss birding opportunity for beginning and accomplished birders alike awaits at the World Birding Center headquarters at Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park in Mission. Bentsen is one of three Rio Grande Valley state parks that double as WBC sites. At Bentsen, visitors can hike or ride bicycles to see a dazzling variety of birds, many of which visit from Mexico and points further south. Bird feeding and watering stations and photo blinds throughout the park, as well as a two-story hawk watch tower, provide excellent birding vantage points.

A dozen other Texas State Parks have been designated as having the "best birding blinds" that offer prime perches for viewing and photographing our feathered friends: Abilene, Blanco, Brazos, Devils Sinkhole, Falcon, Fort Parker, Franklin Mountains, Goliad, Lake Mineral Wells, Palo Duro Canyon, Pedernales Falls and San Angelo.

To learn about some birding basics and what you should bring on your birding adventure, watch this Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's "Basics of Birding" video.

Whispering Pines in Tyler to join up with Jellystone

Whispering Pines RV and Cabin Resort will become the fifth Texas campground to join the Jellystone Park Camp-Resort network of family focused campgrounds. The official start date is Jan. 1.

The 30-year-old park has 133 RV sites and 18 park model cabins. Don and Jan Tardy acquired it in May. “I like the concept of Jellystone Park and I want to emphasize the fact that we are a park that caters to families,” said Don Tardy.

Jellystone Parks are known for offering family activities that include crafts, games, “hey rides,” birthday parties, and daily appearances by cartoon character Yogi Bear.

The Tardys run the park with their adult children Colt and Bree Perrin. They already have a head start on the family activities and amenities, including two salt water swimming pools and a fishing pond stocked with perch, bass and brim. And they have other plans.

“We’re about to add five more cabins and we have plans for other activities, including laser tag and a zip line,” Don Tardy said. “We will also put in a beach around our pond and add paddle boats, which we hope to have done by summertime. We also hope to eventually have a train.”

Whispering Pines also has four large meeting rooms with separate kitchens to accommodate large groups. Other amenities include basketball, horseshoe, ping pong, shuffleboard and volleyball courts, a camp store and a poolside cafe.

New trails at Palo Duro Canyon State Park

Last month, Palo Duro Canyon State Park inaugurated a new Cliffside trail that climbs 600 feet and offers breathtaking views of one of Texas’ most beautiful parks. The opening brings Palo Duro’s total to about 40 miles of hike, bike and equestrian trails throughout the 30,000-acre Park south of Amarillo. The park's campground has water and electric hookups.

Send for free Texas travel guide

The state of Texas will send you its 2012 official state travel guide, just for asking. Actually, you'll need to visit the Travel Tex website. If you would prefer to read the guide immediately online, you can do that, too. It includes 100 percent of the same information but zero percent of the paper. Either, way, you'll need to click here.

Guadalupe River RV Resort honored as best park

KERRVILLE, Texas, May 15, 2012 – Ever since Don Temple and a group of investors purchased Guadalupe River RV Resort seven years ago, they have constantly worked to improve the park, investing more than $1 million in improvements. Their efforts are paying off.

Last week, the riverfront resort won the “Park of the Year” award in the large park category from the Texas Association of Campground Owners for the third year in a row. It has also won top ratings from the nation’s leading campground directories.

The park borders the Guadalupe River with 212 RV sites including pull throughs with 30 and 50 amp service, as well as wireless Internet and cable television service. It also has 46 park models, 17 cabins, three swimming pools (including an indoor heated pool during the winter), hot tub, dry heat sauna, steam sauna, exercise room, laundry rooms and two large recreation halls, plus an attractive onsite bar with indoor and outdoor seating.

“We’re still the only RV park in Texas with a liquor license,” Temple said, adding that the onsite bar is a popular amenity for RVers who like to enjoy their drinks without having to worry about getting back on the road. Temple also has barbecues on weekends, which are always well attended.

The bar has also become a favored hangout for active and retired law enforcement officers, from Texas Rangers to U.S. Marshals, which helps ensure that Temple never has any problems with his bar patrons. “On any given night, there are at least five badges in the crowd,” he said. Temple is currently expanding the bar to include a new outdoor stage and dance floor.

But while the improvements and amenities and fine customer service ensure repeat business for his park, Temple said the ratings and awards help put Guadalupe River RV Resort on the map. “People pay attention to ratings,” he said.

For more information on Guadalupe River RV Resort visit the resort's website.

Some Texas campgrounds still have space for Memorial Day weekend

CROWLEY, Texas, May 14, 2012 – It’s not too late to book a campsite, cabin or cottage for Memorial Day weekend. At least 11 Texas campgrounds and RV parks still had availability for the holiday weekend as of Friday.

 “We sent out an email blast to over 350 of our affiliated campgrounds, RV parks and resorts in Texas and 11 responded right away to tell us they still had vacancies for Memorial Day weekend,” said Brian Schaeffer, executive director and CEO of the Texas Association of Campground Owners (TACO).

Most of the parks that still have campsites, cabins or cottages available can be booked through TexasCampgrounds.com or TexasCabinRentals.net. But the association is also providing phone numbers and individual websites for these parks as well. They include:


Austin Lone Star RV Resort, a Carefree RV Resort in Austin, (512) 444-6322 or  www.carefreervresorts.com


Bay RV Park in San Leon, (713) 298-7088 or bayrvpark.com


Chimney Park RV Resort in Mission, (956) 585-5061 or chimneyparkresort.com


Fig Tree RV Resort in Harlingen, (956) 423-6699 or figtreervresort.com


Hill Country RV Resort & Cottage Rentals in New Braunfels: (830) 625-1919 or hillcountryrvresortnb.com


Mockingbird Hill RV Park in Burleson, (817) 295-3011 or mockingbirdrvpark.com


Sandy Lake RV Resort, a Carefree RV Resort in Carrollton, (972) 242-6808 or  carefreervresorts.com


Tejas Valley RV Park in San Antonio, (210) 679-7715 or tejasvalleyrvpark.com

Travelers World RV Resort, a Carefree RV Resort in San Antonio, (210) 532-8310 or carefreervresorts.com


Treetops RV Resort, a Carefree RV Resort in Arlington, (800) 747-0787 or carefreervresorts.com


Valley Gateway RV Park in Edinburg, (956) 381-1883 or valleygatewayrvpark.com

The Texas Association of Campground Operators publishes and distributes the Texas RV Travel & Camping Guide to Texas each year. For more information about the 2012 directory or for statistics involving the latest camping trends in Texas and New Mexico parks, please contact Brian Schaeffer at (817) 307-0129 or visit www.texascampgrounds.com and www.texascabinrentals.net.

Best way to keep Texas State Parks open? Visit them!

Visiting Texas State Parks with family and friends is one of the most important ways to help keep them open. Entrance and usage fees, overnight fees and state parks pass sales all go directly to fund park operations.

Texas State Parks are unique and beautiful places. From rugged mountains in far West Texas, to the legendary canyons of the Panhandle and countless miles of shoreline along lakes, rivers and beaches, they offer a wide variety of outdoor recreation while also conserving these natural and cultural resources for future generations. They're also affordable and family-friendly. In fact, children 12 and under get in free.

As of April 15 almost $2 million has been raised in support of the Texas State Parks system, which started 2012 facing a $4.5 million budget gap because of last year’s record drought, heat and wildfires. A total of $1,915,415 has been donated since Texas State Parks Department leaders appealed for help last December. In March alone, $521,853.91 arrived. Leaders say the most important thing Texans can do to help this spring is to visit state parks, since visitor fees pay about half the cost to operate the system. For information about visiting parks or to make a donation go to www.texasstateparks.org. --Jim Caruthers

Amarillo hosts free RV museum

Amarillo now stakes claim to being the home of the newest RV museum in the country. Jack Sisemore's Traveland RV Museum opened earlier this month and offers visitors a trip through RV time at no charge.

Included on the museum's 7,000 square foot show floor is the 1948 Flxible Clipper bus famous in the Robin Williams film, RV. You may recall the big red conversion bus known as "Happy Max" tailing the unfortunate family that Williams headed up on film.

Sisesmore hasn't limited his museum to just the Flyer. A visit to this website at www.rvmuseum.net reveals no less than 15 different rigs from the 1930's right into the 1970's, including what must have been one of the first commercially produced pop-up trailers.

The museum is open 8:30 to 6:00 weekdays, and 8:30 to 5:00 Saturdays, located at 4341 Canyon Drive, Amarillo, Texas.

photo: 1937 Kozy Kamp

New free online magazine debuts for Texas anglers

Just in time for spring fishing, Texas Parks and Wildlife magazine has launched its first-ever online-only digital extra, “Texas Fishing 2012.”

The 40-page digital publication features a 2012 fishing forecast by TPWD staffer and long-time outdoor writer Steve Lightfoot as well as a figurative tackle box full of topical articles aimed at making a fishing trip enjoyable and productive.

According to the publishers, readers will get "the same full, rich content and breathtaking photography you expect from Texas Parks and Wildlife magazine with lots of interactivity, including instructional videos and links to helpful agency information on all kinds of fishing topics."

The magazine can be viewed with a computer, tablet or smart phone. Read it.

The birding is good in Texas

While most animals and people find ways to cope with winter weather, an oasis awaits in the south for birds (and travelers) willing to make the trek, Encore RV Resorts reports.

Before winter arrives, hundreds of species of birds travel south each year in search of sustainable food, warmer climates and increased daylight hours. Two of the four major flyways in North America converge in south Texas, creating one of the nation’s premier hotspots for bird watching, said Greg Duncan, a company spokesperson.


RV snowbirds also find winter homes in south Texas. "Bird watching is a natural fit for RV campers and many plan their winter vacations to follow the birds’ paths," said Duncan. "Traveling south like the flocks they chase, bird watching enthusiasts use RVs as a home base allowing for mobility and comfort."

Along the Texas coast and in the watersheds of the Rio Grand Valley, migratory birds make stopovers on their way to destinations farther south or find winter homes until mid-spring. With such a high concentration of different species in south Texas, RV birders can set up in one spot and still check plenty of birds off their must-see lists.

Encore RV Resorts provides eight premier RV resorts in the prime bird-watching region of south Texas. "Encore offers RV bird watchers safe and friendly campgrounds with resort-style amenities to call home for the season or just the weekend," said Duncan.
Using Encore RV Resorts as a home base, novice and veteran RV birders can find multiple places to observe their favorite birds, he explained.

"The dune meadows and salt marshes of the South Padre Island coast attract many different species of birds, including endangered species such as the piping plover, peregrine falcon and brown pelican," said Duncan. "Further inland, green jays and buff-bellied hummingbirds flitter around the verdant, tropical landscape. Bird watchers may have the opportunity to see rare birds too. The black-vented oriole was recently spotted in the south Texas area."

Beginning RV bird watchers can look for guidance at the World Bird Center. Attracting new bird enthusiasts as well as expert birders, this network of nine different sites offers unique opportunities for viewing birds and other wildlife. Developed in conjunction with the Texas Parks and Wildlife, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services and nine Rio Grande Valley communities, the WBC provides prime viewing stations, watching towers, interpretive centers and programs. Besides guided tours, the WBC offers guests hands-on, educational exhibits for the curious birder.

RV birders will also find the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail a desirable setting to find birds, said Duncan. Developed by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, this system of trails offers hiking and driving options with boardwalks, parking pullouts and observation platforms. Trails meander through some of the well-known birding sites while also offering more ambitious birders the opportunity to reach more secluded spots.

"Whether just starting out as a bird watcher or are an aspiring ornithologist, south Texas’ location and diverse habitats attract hundreds of species of birds to the area. Encore RV Resorts give RV’ing bird watchers a great place to stay while experiencing this birding paradise," said Duncan.
The following Encore Resorts are located in the heart of Texas' birding country:

• Country Sunshine RV Resort – 1601 S. Airport Road, Weslaco, TX 78596
• Fun N Sun RV Resort – 1400 Zillock Road, San Benito, TX 78586
• Lakewood RV Resort – 4525 Graham Road, Harlingen, TX 78552
• Paradise Park RV Resort – 1201 N. Expressway 77, Harlingen, TX 78552
• Paradise South RV Resort – 9099 N. Mile 2 West Road, Mercedes, TX 78570
• Southern Comfort RV Resort – 1501 S. Airport Drive, Weslaco, TX 78596
• Sunshine RV Resort – 1900 Grace Ave., Harlingen, TX 78550
• Tropic Winds RV Resort – 1501 N. Loop 499, Harlingen, TX 78550

For more information or to make a reservation, call 866.730.0637 or visit www.RVontheGo.com.

Source: Encore RV Resorts. Photo: Black Headed Nightengale Thrush, courtesy City of Pharr, Texas

Texans respond to call for help for state's parks

After facing wildfires, heat, and drought, by year's end a $4.6 million revenue shortfall plagued the Texas State Park system. When officials put out the word that parks needed financial help, the question was, would the public respond? It seems the answer is clear.

More than $335,000 came rolling in after the December call for tax-deductable donations prior to the end of 2011 tax year. "We are tremendously encouraged and very grateful that we’ve received upwards of $335,000 in barely three weeks, with steady donations continuing to come in," said Carter Smith, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department executive director. "That includes a single generous gift of $250,000, and we’re hopeful that with more like that, we will reach our $4.6 million goal. But every donation, no matter the size, is important and appreciated."

From December 6 through 27, people had donated $64,826 online. Another $20,685 had been mailed in, including one check for $10,000. And officials said a steady stream of donations continues to come in each day. To make donations easier, park officials point out ways the public can help:

• Go to http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/helpparks to make a tax-deductible donation.
• Make a donation when you renew your motor vehicle registration.
• Finally, because visitor fees pay for about half of park system operating costs, visit state parks often with family and friends.

Texas parks are feeling more than just financial relief: All but about 10 of the 94 Texas State Parks have lifted burn bans, a big change since nearly two-thirds of the parks were not allowing ground campfires this fall because of drought and wildfire danger. Check each park’s web page online for the latest information. 



Brazos Bend State Park, Theodore Scott on flickr.com

Texas State Parks struggle with lowered visitation due to weather

Texas had a rough year, and the state park visitation rate showed it. Weather problems depleted lakes and rivers that are popular visitor destinations, burn bans outlawed building campfires, devastating wildfires swept across much of the parched land, and long stretches of 100-degree days all combined to discourage visitors from venturing outside.

The problem was compounded since 50% of the state park budget comes from visitor fees, and as the visitor traffic and entry fees nose-dived, the budget gap widened.

The numbers tell the story. The popular 5,926-acre Bastrop State Park near Austin, for example, showed an 88% drop in revenue in October after it was ravaged by a wildfire. Wildfires devastated the equally popular Possum Kingdom park hugging the rocky shore of a lake west of Fort Worth and the Davis Mountain Park in West Texas known for having the state's most extensive mountain range.

Heat and the drought forced the closure of ramps used by boaters and fishermen on Sheldon Lake park's 400-acre reservoir for several weeks, and children's fishing programs were cancelled when fishing ponds shrank to less than a foot of water.

How to help

A fundraising drive was announced Tuesday and if enough revenue is not raised, the state will be forced to make some tough decisions such as shortening park hours, cutting staff and even possibly closing parks.

The three ways Texans can help their state parks as part of the fundraising effort include:

Make a tax-deductible donation at www.tpwd.state.tx.us/helpparks.

Make a donation when renewing motor vehicle registrations starting Jan. 1.

Visit state parks to increase usage and entry fees.

Get out and visit

Officials encouraged visiting Sheldon Lake Park, a biological island surrounded by an industrial area, 2 miles east of Beltway 8 in Houston, which is home to 250 species of birds, alligators, bobcats, foxes and other wildlife.

In addition, the park recently opened a $1.3 million 75-foot observation tower (photo) from which tourists can view wildlife as well as the downtown Houston skyline.

Bastrop just backdrop for Texas park woes

After being seriously charred by wildfires earlier this year, Bastrop State Park is trying hard to rise from the ashes, Phoenix-style. Early this month, as rangers re-opened park gates, they probably gazed longingly up a distant--and empty--road. As bad as it is for Bastrop, it's just a 6,000 acre example of what's happening to many of Texas' parks. Now the agency's executive director has taken up the tin cup.

"We need to raise $4.6 million to keep state parks operating," says Carter Smith, and adds this plea, "We can't do it without you." Earlier this week, Smith went before media cameras at Government Canyon State Natural Area. Like scores of other state park agencies across the country, Texas State Parks are cash-starved, and looking for relief among state lawmakers is like a fruitless rain dance.

Bucking the trend of other states, however, Texas has yet to resort to closing park gates for lack of funding. Not yet, anyway. But after lengthy drought and vociferous wildfires, natural attractions at many parks have been dried up or burnt up. The resulting drop-off in visitation rates is killing the park system budget. Park generated revenues from gate receipts and activity fees account for half the system's budget are drying up.

With nearly 96% of the park charred by wildfire and closed to the public for months, it isn't surprising that revenues from the park have nosedived by almost 90%. With the park re-opening, will the revenue begin to rebound? It's a big question. Meanwhile, park land management isn't taking time off to see. Log onto any Texas State Park website and you'll find a picture of Carter Smith, begging for help. What's to be done? Give. Outright donations. Increase your visits.

Winter Texans outraged by water surcharge

City officials in San Benito, Texas will "revisit" a town ordinance that has Winter Texans seeing red from more than just chilli. Caught with declining sales tax revenues, the town council passed a law that makes up $348,000 a year. Trouble is, it's based on placing a $10 a month surcharge on all apartments and RV spaces--occupied or not.

"They need to do a lot of rethinking," Sissy Wilhoit, manager at Tropical Trails RV park, said. "They owe some of us refunds." Wilhoit is quoted in a story on the subject in the Brownsville Herald. To be sure, snowbirding out-of-staters are upset by the town's approach to propping up its budget. Other RV park owners echo similar sentiments, warning town fathers that their approach will backfire when snowbirds revolt and take their rigs--and money--elsewhere.

Still, town officials claim it's necessary, and protects regular residents from an unfair monetary burden. Nevertheless, in mid-December town officials will make a "judicious review" of the matter.

photo: minimalistphotography101.com on flickr.com

Winter Texans--will they come?

Texas' Rio Grande Valley loves its Winter Texans. When the warm weather beckons the Mid-Westerners, they come with their RVs, their pets, and of course, a little spending money. But history hasn't been entirely kind to the Rio Grande.

When the 9-11 attacks on the World Trade Center sent a shiver into the bones of nearly every American, the Winter Texans were among them. Visitation rates dropped like a rock, and it wasn't until the 2010-2011 season that the number of seasonal visitors ever hit the same levels as before that fateful year of 2001.

The question now is: Will the violence spurred by Mexican drug cartels frighten off the Winter Texans? RV resort owners and others dependent on tourism are counting that the snowbirds will come as always. So far, they seem to be right. Lon Huff, who manages the Sunshine RV Resort in Harlingen recently told the Brownsville Herald that the numbers are looking good. Last year the park filled almost 90% of its 1,000+ RV slots. "We're definitely ahead of last year," says Huff.

Still, Melissa Cortez over at the Country Sunshine RV Resort in Weslaco isn't so sure. "My numbers are a bit down this season," says Cortez. "The publicity we're getting because of the Mexico issue has really hit us hard." Her reservations are down around 30% from last year.

Discussions we've had with RVers seem to indicate that the "Mexico scare" just isn't having a large an impact as some would have us believe. One traveler told us she's planning a trip into Mexico itself--alone--and is more concerned about how long it will take her to get back into the states when coming home time arrives.

Come season's end, the numbers will show how folks have been affected.

photo: Roadside stand on US Highway 281 north of Edinburg, taxibill on flickr.com

New, 75 mph speeds authorized on four Texas highways

RV snowbirds might want to be aware of new speed limits on a few Texas roads. The Texas Transportation Commission recently approved higher speeds on four Central Texas highways making them the first in the state to be posted at the 75-mile an hour limit since recent legislation (HB 1353) took effect on September 1.

After conducting engineering studies, the Texas Department of Transportation recommended that speed limits be raised on sections of I35, SH 130, SH 45 and US 281 in Bell, Travis, Burnet and Williamson counties.

"This is a great start, but we have a long way to go," said Carol Rawson, TxDOT Traffic Operations Division director. "TxDOT is reviewing existing 70-mile per hour speed limits statewide to determine where a higher limit may be safely posted. We anticipate having all of the speed studies completed by early 2013, so be looking for new 75 mph signs in the near future."

Texas already had 1,445 miles of 75-mph speeds and 521 miles of 80-mph speeds on certain state highways, but these areas were previously restricted to specific rural counties and highways located mostly in West Texas. The new law allows the department to implement the higher speeds on any 70-mph highway across the state.

The most recent 75 mph speed limits are located on:
•I-35, 22 miles from Georgetown to Salado;
•SH 130, 45 miles from I-35 in Williamson County to US 183 in Travis County;
•SH 45, nine miles from US 183 to I-35 in Travis County; and
•US 281, 12 miles from the Lampasas-Burnet County line to eight miles north of the Burnet city limits.

Speed limits in Texas are set by the 85th percentile method which represents the speed the majority of drivers are traveling at or below. This recognized engineering principle has been used to set speed limits nationwide for the past 60 years.

South Texas RV show coming January 5 to San Antonio

The South Texas RV Super Sale will be held at San Antonio's Joe Freeman Coliseum Exposition Hall on January 5-8, 2012. Participating dealers are Ancira RV of Boerne, Camping World of San Antonio, Crestview RV Superstore, ExploreUSA RV from San Antonio and Ron Hoover RV from Boerne.

This represents a new chapter in the South Texas RV Industry as multiple local RV dealers join forces to present and promote this Super Sale. The last exclusive RV show held in San Antonio was in 2007.

More than 200 RVs will be displayed, from basic towables to mega-motorcoaches with price tags of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The show will feature special pricing for all active duty military and RV Club members. In addition, children under the age of 15 are free. Show hours are 10 AM until 6 PM on Thursday and Sunday and 10 AM until 8 PM Friday and Saturday. Free parking is availablel. Additional information is at SOUTHTEXASRVSUPERSALE.com.