A week in Abilene, Texas

We spent a week at The Whistle Stop RV resort in Abilene because once we committed to Christmas and New Years in Austin, it takes a few stops to get out of Texas. So, before we landed in Amarillo yesterday, we spent a week in another hidden gem of small town America, Abilene, Texas. 
The Whistle Stop had some qualities we don’t often see and experience. It had a cell tower, great WiFi for free, cable tv, and bathroom/showers with heaters in each individual room. It had great dog parks and camp store and convenient laundry facilities. It was also 10 minutes from EVERYTHING.

Abilene had the old time versions of every store you need. We needed a mall stop for some winter shoes (so unprepared we were). The mall was one floor and old school. Small department stores and very attentive and helpful people. The people of Abilene were simple and kind and so helpful. 
We cooked and ate at home most of the week but did enjoy a few local meals out. We had our first “taco tuesday” in Yolo. We use to “taco tuesday” every week but not since we left. It was fitting in the heart of Texas.

Abilene was COLD. This was our first true test of being 4 season explorers. We had multiple days in the teens and twenty’s with highs barely above freezing. So, first we learned we need the right shoes and socks and layers. We also had to learn about capturing the sunshine through the windows during the day and blocking drafts and space heater placement at night. Mollie needed some new fleece and a Sherpa coat to keep her from shivering!

We also had to learn about Yolos plumbing. We couldn’t freeze pipes or holding tanks. I was vigilant about the temperatures and after the week, I feel more confident moving forward. It’s been cold but with brilliant sunshine. We can do this!
Texas has so much sky. Because it’s so flat, you can see 360° of sky. The sunsets and sunrises are breathtaking and the night sky is huge with more stars and planets visible than I’ve ever seen. 

The cost of meat is less expensive in Texas but the meat is so much fresher looking and tasting. These folks are cattle ranchers. They know beef and steakhouses are big in this area. 

Wikipedia says: Established by cattlemen as a stock shipping point on the Texas and Pacific Railway in 1881, the city was named after Abilene, Kansas,^[1][11] the original endpoint for the Chisholm Trail. The T&P had bypassed the town of Buffalo Gap, the county seat at the time. Eventually, a landowner north of Buffalo Gap, Clabe Merchant, known as the father of Abilene, chose the name for the new town. According to a Dallas newspaper, about 800 people had already begun camping at the townsite before the lots were sold. The town was laid out by Colonel J. Stoddard Johnson, and the auction of lots began early on March 15, 1881. By the end of the first day, 139 lots were sold for a total of $23,810, and another 178 lots were sold the next day for $27,550.
The economy in Abilene was originally based on the livestock and agricultural sectors,^[1] but is now based strongly on government, education, healthcare, and manufacturing. The petroleum industry is prevalent in the surrounding area, also.^[1] The city has established incentives to bring new businesses to the area, including job training grants, relocation grants, and more.

Abilene was refreshing to me. There wasn’t much traffic and getting around was a breeze. People were friendly with an authentically Texan flare and it was genuinely easy to be in Abilene for a week to learn how to do winter.