Winter stay in Texas at Texana Lake Campground

Hi Friends,
So far we have been here just over 4 weeks and we are loving our stay at Texana Lake Campground just outside of Edna, Texas. We are getting out and discovering some very cool places. We are pretty much centrally located between San Antonio and Houston just 30 minutes from Victoria and only about less than an hour from the Gulf. Had some rain for a few days but had sun in between so thats ok with me. Edna is a very small town of about 5000 people and not much to do here. But thats ok because its peaceful and quiet and we can take a little drive if we want some fun. We like the fact we are out away from town and in the woods and enjoying wildlife all around us. Plenty of trails and acres of campground to walk and get the dogs some exercise. I can ride my bike or I can hike the trails. I did bring my kayaks with me but not really interested in kayaking with the gators. So I will have to find somewhere else to go and thats ok. The park has good wifi at different stations and thats ok with me. It works better than most others. bathrooms and showers and not much laundry facilities here and that would be my only complaint. Have to go into Edna where the laundry facilities is ok not the greatest. If you go to Victoria there is wifi and very nice laundry facilities there. Edna has a HEB grocery store and a small Walmart and a couple places to eat that are ok, nothing to write to Mom about. I love the Gym at the Wellness center located at jackson hospital. There is another gym in town that looks ok. We wewre able to join this one because Monica is a Occupational Therapist. Well thats it for now, overall we are very happy here at Texana lake Campground. If you are wanting an fun exciting place well this is not for you...Have a Great Day All...

Texana Lake Camprgound

Hello Campers, Daves Outdoor World arrived a couple weeks ago from Illinois. So far we are loving Texas weather and why not. In Illinois they received their first early snow of the year of about 8 to 14 inches and pretty cold to boot. So we are very happy to be hear. But not only that we are very happy about Texana Lake Campground as it is a very nice place. So far there has been plenty of wildlife including lots of deer to photograph and enjoy. Even seen a few Gators. Was hoping to do some kayaking but just not sure about it yet in the lake. Everyone else seems to be unafraid. With a low profile boat such as a kayak just not sure about my arms dangling over the side. Lots of trails to walk and enjoy and a nice view of the lake from the camper. We had a Great Thanksgiving as we went out to eat. Rained pretty hard today and feel sorry for the tent campers, with more to come. Happy Thanksgiving to you all out there. Enjoy your long weekends...So for now I am signing off. If you would like to follow Daves Outdoor World just go to Daves Outdoor World web page or to my facebook pages. www.Davesoutdoorworld.com  find me on social media facebook, twitter and google plus and more. Send me your pics of your Rv or tent camping or any unusual pictures of funny things that happened while camping. God Bless and Happy Camping....

University Of Illinois Hennepin Canal Survey

Hello Friends, recently I was contacted by the University of Illinois. Dr. Laura and her students were conducting a survey on the Hennepin Canal and want help in getting the survey out. I hope that all of you will help by taking this survey and passing it on to your kayaking and biking friends. These kinds of surveys and research will be used by many different organizations, groups etc. The Hennepin Canal is starting to gain a bit of momentum as more and more people are discovering this historical multi national trail system and its importance not only for people but for environment and wildlife. Daves Outdoor World has been an advocate for many years working to educate and promote the Hennepin Canal. I will continue to say that the Hennepin should be the focus in Rock Falls and Sterling. The canal has the potential to draw in tourism, new business, new tax money and more. This kind of involvement by the University Of Illinois is very importat in our efforts to preserve, educate and bring awareness to this great trail.
Please click on the link below to take the survey of the Hennepin Canal.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MC2Y35G 

Daves Outdoor World, Traveling To Yoakam Texas

Well Friends, Daves Outdoor world will be heading South for the winter. We will be leaving Oct 30th to Yoakam Texas for the winter. We will return most likely in late may to Sterling IL. It was a good year for Daves Outdoor World of  Kayaking & Mountain Biking. Hundreds more kayakers came out to kayak and bike the Hennepin Canal Feeder in Rock Falls & Sterling IL. The Hennepin Hundred Race was a success and planning for the race for next year has already begun and promises to be a great race for years to come. www.Facebook.com/Hennepinhundred . many have found the Hennepin Canal Feeder as a place to recreate and get away from our busy lives. The Hennepin Canal is 104 miles of kayaking, biking and more. Help support the Hennepin Canal as the State of Illinois struggles with financial problems and cut backs to the Illinois Department Of Natural Resources, the care takers of the Canal. www.Facebook.com/Hennepincanalfeeder  Also help support Daves Outdoor World volunteer efforts along the Hennepin Canal and other volunteer efforts by going to our web site at www.Davesoutdoorworld.ning.com and purchasing online outdoor gear from outdoor gear companies that we support. Hope to be out of here before the snow flies. looking forward to warmer weather in Texas. Follow daves Outdoor World on Twitter at Davesworld62 on facebook at www.facebook.com/Davesoutdoorworld

Historical Hennepin Canal Is The States Problem?

Hi Friends,
I have heard many local city officials say that the Canal is the States problem and we cant do nothing about it! Did I hear that right? We all pay local, state and federal taxes along with many other usage taxes, boating, water usage, gas tax and many other fees and licenses on top of the taxes we already pay. I argue this is whats wrong with our country as a whole. Not taking responsibility for our own backyards and how they look. And the hennepin is literally in Rock Falls back yard. The States problem has become our problem here in Rock Falls and the neighboring cities and communities. Sterling & Rock Falls spent money, effort and time in employees salary to get the Sinnissippi Dam Walkway built. Why? Because of the connection to the Hennepin. The value of Nims Park, Centennial Park and Crystal Lake Rv Park were great ideas because of their locations next to the Hennepin Canal Feeder Trail. Arduini boat launch area park also was built knowing that the Hennepin Canal enhanced all of these efforts and was either the main reason or one of the reasons for building these parks. So why have we all neglected the very source that connects and enhances all of them? Take out the Hennepin Canal and how does all of these places look, would they have been built if it were not for the Mighty Beautiful Historic Hennepin Canal Feeder, and the beautiful buildings that line her banks. Why are we looking away and doing other projects that only seek to duplicate what the Hennepin already has in place and so much more? The River Fronts which will cost all of us millions of dollars that we do not have and will take years. With the dams in the way no boat traffic will ever get to pass by the River Fronts and into businesses like Dixon. The only way that we can get the boat traffic is to open the Guard Lock gate! To much duplication and to much money being spent in the wrong places.

Who Is Dave Druen Creator Of Daves Outdoor World?

I am the youngest of 7 children of Alice & Oden Druen from Kentucky. We lived in a small two bedroom house in a small sub division east of Rock Falls on Rt 30. My dad was employed at North Western Steel & Wire for 25 years. My mom and dad believed in God as I do and we grew up in church. After school at Rock Falls High I left for Texas for 18 years. Returned in 2004 and married my wife Monica Gallentine. She is a Traveling Occupational Therapist. We purchased a travel trailer and now travel from Sterling in the fall to Texas in the winters. My background is in Retail Sales Management & Sales. Spent many years managing for, Walgreens, Albertsons, Kroger and Convenience store supervisor over several stores.The last several years I have been self employed and currently am owner & Creator of Daves Outdoor World. I  have always been active on the Hennepin Canal and since 2004 have biked, kayaked, walked and researched the Hennepin Canal. Because of my love for the Hennepin Canal and wanting to be a part of revitalization and a renaissance of this beautiful and Historical Multi Recreational Trail that has been such a big part of my life. I created my own volunteer group. at one time there were 5 of us called the Rock Falls Canal Trail Blazers. Soon I realized I wanted to represent the whole area including Sterling and Dixon and beyond. We are all connected and need each other to create a large enough theme for tourist to want to stay for the weekend or a vacation. So I sat out to not only promote the Hennepin but the Rock River and all recreational opportunities in the 50 to 100 mile radius. During this time I joined the Friends Of The Hennepin Canal in Geneseo and attended meeting once a month for over a year or two. I have walked the west end of the main canal and learned much about the efforts of the Friends and other groups. I then also joined the Rock River Development Authority in Rock Falls that is part of the Canal & Rock River cleanups and part of the Rock Falls Trails. Former Mayor David Blanton was a member along with other city officials. I once tried to get the RRDA to team up with the Friends Of The Hennepin and things got crazy as they thought I was trying to take them over, which I was not. Just wanted them to partner together, but I was told by the new president James Marks that they did not have enough members and did not want to be part of the whole canal only their small area which I understood and moved on. I wanted to support the whole canal. I even tried to get the Friends to partner up with me and tried to connect them with other groups in our area by inviting them to town hall meetings on the creation and start of the Rock River Trail Initiative where I was asked to be the Illinois Coordinator of the Rock River Trail Organization.I tried to get these groups together along with asking the Blackhawk Hills organization to help us bring all these groups together and nothing ever happened here either. No one had the desire or will to have one group bringing many together. During this time I had many town hall meetings in Rock Falls, Sterling, Dixon with all officials from Sterling, Rock Falls and Dixon there.No one stepped up and wanted to form this new River Action Group.They all agreed that it would be good but nothing ever came out of it. Everyone went back to their individual ways. I will not get into all my travels and all the people that I met and emails and phone calls I made. I have been very active over the years trying to bring people together but no one wanted to and now you can see why many years later while we are making progress that progress could have been much faster. I am still a council member on the Rock River Trail in which in 2013 was designated as a National Water Trail . The RRTI formed partners and have had success in bringing people together. Today many have still not utilized this Organizations efforts to promote tourism and help promote their communities . After creating Daves Outdoor World because I wanted to promote Rock Falls and the Hennepin and the surrounding area including the Rock River I still have hope. Some think I am pushy or they say that I need to attend meetings, well I have and years later not much has gotten done. That's why I decided to go out on my own and I believe by myself I have been able to bring awareness, education and fun to many many people...

Rock Falls City Sues Rock Falls Tourism 2014, Today Battle Not Over? Councilman lashes Out!

After the City of Rock Falls sued the Rock Falls Tourism to get back over 600,000 dollars and tourism records because of lack of transparency by the Rock Falls Tourism department, a member of the Rock Falls City Council lashes out with personal attacks against a local businessman Dave Druen of Daves Outdoor World when he ask for proof of how the tourism money was spent in the past, and how it will be spent in the future. All this after no audits had been done from 2008 to 2012 per city agreement. Some council members stepped down during this battle. But some are now lashing out at a business man Dave Druen for asking questions about the spending of tourism monies. Dave Druen accused the Rock Falls city and Rock Falls tourism of wasting and losing millions of dollars by not spending the tourism money on promoting, marketing  of the Hennepin Canal. He also claims that Rock Falls will be  partially to blame if the IDNR closes the 104 mile long multi trail system. The State has no money and has laid off or not hired maintenance workers to replace the workers lost. The canal use to have up 13 workers and now is down to 3 for the whole 104 miles. Druen has asked the Rock Falls tourism and city to spend the money on the Hennepin. Druen believes that the Hennepin is close to dewatering due to erosion of the banks and deterioration of the locks and the State will have no choice but to close the trail. Below are the links to the debate....

http://www.saukvalley.com/2015/08/31/use-tourism-funds-to-repair-hennepin-canal/a2bakbn/



http://www.saukvalley.com/2015/09/08/accusations-false-toward-city-canal/af4n23b/