15th ANNUAL TEXAS POWER WAGON REUNION

April 27, 28, and 29, 2007

Goliad State Park, Goliad, Texas

The 15th Annual Texas Power Wagon Reunion was held April 27, 28, and 29, 2007, at the Goliad State Park.  There were many historical attractions in the area making this very suitable for the whole family.  And those family members who really like to shop found that Goliad has many nice gift shops.

Events

Friday

We followed our usual Reunion routine.  A few arrived Thursday but the rest arrived and got settled in Friday afternoon   After raising a lot of hoods and looking under some trucks, we finally headed into town for supper Friday night.  Our little dinner group of about 40 hungry folks overwhelmed the staff a bit, but our Power Wagon folks didn't mind waiting a little.  After all, this was a Reunion in every sense of the word, and we all had plenty of catching up to do.  The food at the Empresario Restaurant on the Courthouse Square was excellent and worth the slight wait. 

Saturday

We enjoyed the great camp breakfast at the Dining Hall.  We welcomed some Saturday arrivals, raised more hoods, and looked under some more trucks. 

The recent rains that were sorely needed have helped farmers and ranchers.  Wild flowers were everywhere.  The down side was that the folks who owned the nearby 700 acre ranch where we were going for our trail rides were concerned that we might damage the land because it was so wet and asked that we not go there. 

This meant there would be no trail rides so we headed back into the historical district and lined up our trucks on the Courthouse Square.  We were pleased that local residents as well as the many tourists visiting historic Goliad came to look at the trucks.  It never ceases to amaze me that so many folks who stop to look at our Power Wagons have stories that involve these great old trucks. 

On the Square

16 Trucks on the Square

Sid Beck stopped by in a Chevy

While some Reunion participants hung out at the trucks swapping stories with folks who came to look, others spent time shopping and looking at historical sites and objects.  And the kids found some mud.  When lunch time came, we all tried out the food at the restaurants on the Square and declared them all very good.  Without the trail rides, Saturday afternoon provided the opportunity for folks to travel to other area attractions.  The temperature rose to above normal and we even had some folks who made the short drive and went swimming in the Gulf. 

When everyone gathered back at the campground, there were still more hoods being opened and more stories being told.  We don't have the kind of winters in most of Texas that would provide images for a Currier and Ives print, but I guess we feel a little of the winter isolation all the same.  Everyone was really enjoying getting together and sharing each other's company.  The whole event just had a "nice" feeling. 

After a long, pleasant afternoon, we gather for an excellent supper at the Dining Hall. 

Sunday

We enjoyed another great camp breakfast at the Dining Hall.  Surprisingly, there were more stories to swap.  Finally, we all began to realize that this excellent event was going to end.  I think we were all reluctant to leave.  Everyone was helping everyone else get trailers connected and trucks loaded.  It was just one more way to delay our departures. 

Finally, when we knew we absolutely must... we said our good-bye's, and started looking forward to the next Power Wagon event.