Where in the world are you taking me?

If you have never been to Laughlin AFB or Del Rio, TX you don't know what you're missing! On day 4 of our trip we're still pressing to make sure we arrive Friday, 9/11/2009, for Kylan's big birthday party which was set for the 12th at noon. The rain slowed us some as did an excursion to Camping World, the "Wal Mart" of RV supply stores. We found one just outside of Houston TX and spent over an hour browsing and buying. We had to leave before we maxed out the credit card.
We hit San Antonio and left the Interstate (and the last vestiges of civilization!) about 3 pm. US highway 90 is a straight shot to Del Rio and due west of San Antonio. Once you leave SA, other than a couple watering holes, it gets more and more desolate and more and more like the SW desert that it is. They call it the "hill country" of Texas which I guess makes it sound less bleak but it really is more desert than anything. Cactus, purple sage, scrawny mesquite and pinion trees are everywhere. Armadillo and skunks are common views (i.e. roadkill). After about an hour out of San Antone we were imagining a question that must have been uttered a thousand times if once by the wives of future pilots making their own way beyond the edge of known civilization on their way to this airplane patch out in the middle of nowhere USA..."Honey, where in the world are you taking me?"
Just when you are about to think the GPS is wrong, there really is nothing out here...you come up over a small rise (hill?) and it's as if a military base just pops up out of nowhere...or out of a the desert...or maybe it's a mirage...and there it is, Laughlin AFB in all her glory. Named after a pilot from Del Rio who was killed in combat in the Pacific during World War II, Laughlin, though operational off and on in the 40's, has been training Air Force pilots continuously since 1952.
We found the FamCamp easily and our parking spot for the RV which would be our home for the 2 weeks or so. We were going to surprise Katie, Kylan and CJ with a slightly early arrival, but we had to announce our presence right away to get help with a jump-start for the Honda we tow behind the RV. So Katie and Kylan came down and we got hugs all around and a jump-start too. And in just in time for the big 4 year old birthday party!