After a few weeks of some fairly active sightseeing, we were ready for some relaxation. Staying at the RV park at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio seemed to fill that need. Fort Sam Houston is home to the Army’s Medical Corps and it is very busy with soldiers (as well as sailors and airmen) attending basic and advanced medical training courses. The RV park is very nice and in a remote section of the post. There is a nice office with a lending library and lounging area, although the lounging area was closed due to the pandemic. (I am going to be so glad to be able to stop using that phrase, “due to the pandemic.”)

There were routes we could use for biking and walking, I even found a wooded trail that made me feel like I was on a hike.

Two of the more popular tourist attractions are the Alamo and the Riverwalk. We had done these on previous visits, but I wanted to see the Alamo again. I was glad that we did as they had expanded the exhibits and I learned things about the era and the battle of which I had not been aware. I am still impressed that many of the men who fought and died in the Alamo were not from Texas, but were seeking a new life and were willing to fight for it. They had the opportunity to leave before Santa Anna attacked, but were willing to sacrifice themselves to give General Sam Houston and the brand new Texas Army a chance to prepare.

Later in the week we decided to ride the San Antonio River Trail to tour the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. In the 1700s Franciscan monks (members of the Order of Saint Francis of Assisi) established a chain of missions along the San Antonio River. The mission system sought to bring Indians into the Spanish society and the Christian faith. Financed by the Spanish Crown, the missions served both the church and state. The missions became communities for native Indian tribes and centers of commerce. They were also military posts, protecting the mission communities from marauding Indian tribes of Apache and Comanche. All of the missions shared common designs in that they were surrounded by a wall to protect them from Indian attack, a central area that served as a trading center, a church with lodging for the Franciscan monks.

The Hike & Bike Trail winds alongside the San Antonio River through old neighborhoods and farmlands. Dedicated paved pathways that connect the missions along the river are reserved for bikes and pedestrians only. The Hike & Bike Trail is an easy walk or ride and is suitable even for children.

We began our ride at the Mission San Juan Capistrano. This is the third in the series of mission from San Antonio, and was established in 1731. By 1762 there were 203 Indians residing in the mission. They attempted to build a second church at the mission in 1772, but construction was stopped in 1786.

We rode north, toward San Antonio, and our next stop was the Mission San Jose. This mission was founded1720. At its peak in 1768, there were 350 Indians from three tribes living within the mission in 84 two-room apartments in the perimeter wall. The limestone church and “convento,” where the monks lived, are the centerpiece of the mission. The Rose Window is the premier feature of the church.

The third mission we visited is Mission Concepcion. This is the closest to San Antonio and is one of the country’s oldest stone churches. This mission and the others combined the teachings of Catholic Spain with native cultures, giving rise to the unique culture of South Texas. The perimeter walls and other buildings are gone and all that remains is the central church building.

From there we rode the rest of the way into downtown San Antonio for a special treat. We stopped at Schilo’s, a German restaurant near the Riverwalk. It is famous for its homemade root beer and each of us enjoyed one of their root beer floats.

We then retraced our route to Mission San Juan where we loaded our bikes back into the truck and drove to Mission San Francisco de la Espada. This is the fourth and farthest from San Antonio. In addition to the monks and Indians, there were eight Spanish soldiers stationed there to teach the Indians how to defend the mission. In 1826, a band of Comanche raided the cornfields and killed the livestock. The same year, a kitchen fire destroyed most of the buildings.

All of these missions continue to serve their communities, conducting worship services and ministering to the local population.

We rode over twenty miles, enjoyed some beautiful weather, learned a lot about the history of the area, and enjoyed a special dessert. What a great day!

On April 20^th we headed west to visit Big Bend National Park.