After the long ride into Del Rio, at breakfast I wondered if I would be able to ride today.  I still seemed exhausted.  After some eggs and pancakes (pancakes always cure what ails you) I decided to try it.  I needed to get back on that horse! And, after all, we were going to make a run to Walmart on the way.  I needed some necessities like sunscreen.  This might be my last chance for a while! While going through Del Rio we ran into Irv and his riding partner.  Irv was the fellow from GA Tech who was Robert Hulsey's roommate some years ago at Tech. 

The ride to Brackettville (Ft. Collins Springs was our lodging place) was uneventful.  Cool weather, overcast skies and flat roads made for an easy ride.  When we arrived, the ladies of the Chamber of Commerce had lunch waiting for us at the old officer's club, now a place for social gatherings. Ft Collins is an old cavalry base from the 1850's that was abandonded in 1944, when the army decided that the cavalry was obsolete. Its buildings have been mostly converted into private residences.  The picture below is the Ft. Collins United Methodist Church minister, a retired Kindergarten teacher who went to seminary after retirement.  This is her first church.  Sound familiar Jimmy?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The barracks were converted into nice hotel rooms.  General Patton was here at one time.  We found out that the movie Arrowhead was made here. For more history see  http://www.texasbeyondhistory.net/forts/clark/saddle.html 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

During World War II, German POWs were kept here for a while.  We saw a picture painted by one of the POWs in the "brig".  They built a water tower for the enlisted troups that still works today. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But, perhaps the most impressive site was the swimming pool.  It is spring-fed, 68 degrees all the time and larger than an olympic-size pool  Polly, you would love it.  Not sure if any chemicals ever came near this pool, just plain old spring fed water.  Remember the Lakeside pool in Metter?  The water was just as cold.!  While, I didn't actually swim, I did put my feet in the water.  Ramsay from Nashville was my roomie for the evening.  We enjoyed talking "southern" stuff.