Wal-Mart and Rudy's

We had a great day to move to Boerne, Texas. We left late enough that we missed the morning rush hour traffic in San Antonio. We arrived at our new campground and were all set up in less than 2 hours from the time we left Hondo. We were all happy about that.

Boerne Visitor Center

Original Ranch house

After lunch, we decided to search out the local Wal-Mart. I needed a few items from the grocery anyway. Only about a mile and a half from the campground we found the most amazing Wal-Mart we have ever had the privilege to visit. The first thing we noticed as we pulled into the parking lot was the Boerne Visitor Center. It was located in an old ranch house. We went in to see what we could learn and picked up a few brochures. We looked around the original, smaller ranch house and then we noticed the live oaks. Apparently, someone just couldn’t cut these grand old trees down when they put in the Wal-Mart parking lot, so they left them. There are several and they are fenced off protected from crazy drivers.

Windmill and water tank are also on the property.

We finally got around to doing our shopping. The antler man was parked near us when we came out. What a hoot.

It has been several weeks since we had a taste of Texas BBQ so that was what we wanted for dinner tonight. Gene went into the campground office to ask their opinion on the best BBQ place near here. The unanimous vote was for Rudy’s. When we stopped in the Visitor Center, we asked those ladies their opinion of a good BBQ place nearby. Again, the answer was Rudy’s and you must try the creamed corn.

Rudy’s was something else. Originally, this was a gas station and general store called Rudolph’s. It came up for sale and Mack “Doc” Holiday bought the property. He turned it into a meat market which eventually evolved into the Rudy’s of today. You enter and select you drink from a long trough of iced beverages, stop at one end of the counter and place your side order, then continue down the counter to place your meat order and pay up. Gene had brisket and I had a half rack of ribs. We each had a side of corn and shared an apple cobbler. Plain sliced white bread comes with every order. We have had BBQ three times since arriving in Texas. Gene ordered brisket at all three places and he says they were all equally good. I had brisket the previous times, but my ribs tonight were far and away better than the brisket. The creamed corn, on the other hand, was to die for. It may have been the best corn I have ever put in my mouth. The cobbler was okay. It would have been better warmed with a scoop of ice cream on top.

The atmosphere of Rudy’s was fantastic. It is still a market and it still sells gas. At the back of the market are long folding tables with red checkered table cloths. You get your food in a dairy crate; you eat off of waxed freezer paper with plasticware. If I lived here, I’d have to go there at least once a month.

Tomorrow we are planning to head back to downtown San Antonio to finish the River walk and visit the Mission Concepcion.