NOTE: Drones are not allowed in Texas State Parks. All drone footage in this video was filmed outside of the park Safety is our #1 priority and we want to stress that this adventure, and all future adventures, will be done responsibly and with the health of others in mind. Here are the steps we are taking everyday, including in these videos: 😷Masks and face coverings. We wear these anytime we are near others outside and especially indoors. If we don’t have a mask on in a video, it’s 99% because there was no one around. ❌Not seeing anyone outside of our household. We are currently living with 4 family members and have a strict “do not see anyone outside of the household” family policy. The only interactions we have with others is quickly grabbing takeout or going to the grocery store. ⏰ Exploring early. We have been starting most of our days before sunlight so we can limit our interactions. 🧼 Washing and sanitizing our hands 6️⃣ Keeping our distance. We are trying to stay at least 6 ft from others, which truthfully isn’t always possible (and then we make sure we cover our face).
Hahaha we've been waiting to be scolded for our beans 😉 The dutch oven is so versatile, we love it! We will have to try to fry something up next time (and not burn it 😜)
I have the BEST memories of Garner SP growing up. Camping, making friends with other campsites, Saturday night dances, jumping off the rope swing into the river.... it was AWESOME! And Yes .... for Spring or Summer you have to make a camping reservation at least a year in advance or hope for a cancellation.
The dances look SO FUN! We will have to visit when COVID is no more so we can break it down lol! And maybe when it's warmer so we can use that rope swing. Such an awesome place!
Enjoyed the video. I have the same kayak and bought it 4 years ago. Knock on wood, we have not had any issues up to this point. Even with three kids using it. My advice to you is get a different pump especially one that can take the air out of the kayak. It will make your life easier. Can’t wait until your next video.
Spent a few days at the Frio River...remember it living up to its name: Frio! (Cold)...and super clear! Thanks for bringing back some pleasant memories!
@@AdventuresofAplusK i recently went hiking at Reimers Ranch park out near Austin. I loved it! It was peaceful and the views of the river such a sight. This might be a good add on your TX backyard videos.
We make Frito pie and cobbler in the Dutch oven when camping. Very easy and delicious. Like others mentioned, place the Dutch oven over hot coals rather than the fire. Use a chimney starter to heat the coals. Glad to see another video. Safe travels...
Cobbler sounds amazing!!! Definitely wanting to try some desserts in there! And thank you for the tips on how to use the dutch oven, we definitely did not research enough beforehand haha
Greetings friends from PA! I'm now retired from American Airlines, after spending 18 years living in Grapevine, TX. Great to see your videos exploring Austin and the hill country. Some wonderful memories...thanks, and stay safe.
We have that same kayak! It is so convenient for traveling! The bag ripped though now that I am thinking about it! We may have to find something else to put it in! This was a very great video! We actually haven't been to this state park either and we are from TX!
That is one thing we keep forgetting to tell people, the bag is not the best. Ours has already ripped a little after one trip haha. If you find another good bag to use, let us know! We hope y'all can make it out there someday 😄
We loveeee this vid! The colour of the water while you were kayaking was just perfect - We are gonna have to get ourselves one this summer we think...! The cornbread was still way better than I would have made it for sure 😂 this park looks incred 👌 one for the US list for us for sure!
It's definitely worth a visit if you find yourself in Texas! The water color and views are top notch! And thankfully the cornbread was still mostly edible 😂😂
FYI: The Boy Scouts have a chart that tells you how many charcoal pieces to place under and over the Dutch oven for the temperature you want. Everything we’ve cooked has been perfect using their method. That whole bag of charcoal is like 4 times too much.
I miss Hill Country! That State Park was so BEAUTIFUL, and we're ordering that blow-up kayak to take with us anywhere there's water! It's really awesome how much there is to explore in our own backyards - the epic trips are definitely fun, but we're looking forward to some Texas vlogs for sure! Those caves were super cool!! Thanks for sharing these less visited areas... makes us wanna visit Texas! 😀Aaron & Nicole
So pumped y'all are going to get the kayak! 🙌🏼 We loved it so much and are so excited to take it out more! And you're so right, there is so much to do close to home, especially where y'all live too!
Living in Our Now this is for you if you're ever in DFW. Rockledge Park in Grapevine, TX. Grapevine Lake will knock your socks off. Beautiful and peaceful. The lake has kind of a MN/WA look and vibe in my eyes
Yea! So glad you guys were able to get out and away for a short trip. Garner looks really nice and the fact that there weren't many people there makes it even better. What a great kayak too! That water was so clear and beautiful. Thanks for the hikes too. Getting antsy to get away ourselves but probably not anytime soon : (
It was nice to get out of the house and back in the van for a bit! Excited for more van trips around the state soon, we really miss living in the van full time! The water was so insanely clear, we haven't experienced anything like that in Texas before, but as we are quickly learning, there are a lot of places and cool features across the state we had no idea about before!
Your corn bread does look delish, just always remember, Dutch oven cook low n slow on the bottom coals and high and lots of coals on your lid. Takes close to 1 hr. For bakes n cakes. Invest in a small hanger or a grill to set D. O. over an open flame to fry, brown, or stew. Like you would cook over a gas stove only you stoke the flames flames to your desired heat. GOOD LUCK! -O’l ranch hand cook
Yay, glad you guys are back and can't wait to see more of Texas! Sunrise hikes in the winter are my favourite because the sun doesn't rise till so late; you can get up at a reasonable time and still make it to your chosen location. None of this 3am, 4am nonsense like during the summer haha.
Just watched your more recent video from Padre Island.....RIP kayak. Lol. That park looks really nice! We are up in Fort Worth, so this is not terribly far. Gonna have to check it out!
Hahaha RIP 😭😭 the excitement in this video to the sadness of losing our kayak in the most recent one is funny haha! Definitely check it out! It’s incredible out there!
Beautiful hike! Love the sunrise views! Also I love that inflatable kayak! We used to have a kayak and hauling it around was a pain without a truck. Very cool cave exploring! So fun!!
The inflatable kayak is already one of the best things we have purchased! Love how easy it is to lug it around and it still felt super solid while on it!
We just went to Davis Mountains State Park. It's between Big Bend and Guadalupe Mountains. We really enjoyed the views and the hikes. If y'all haven't checked it out already, we recommend it. We will make it back there some day. But first, we are trying to visit every Texas State Park.
@@AdventuresofAplusK The Indian Lodge hike seemed simple enough. My 2 daughters and I took that one while my wife stayed at the RV to do some art work. The hike down was a lot more intense than expected. Upon reviewing the map afterwards, I saw that was the most challenging hike in the park, LOL. I commended our daughters, 10 and 6 years old on their accomplishments. And then I went to bed exhausted and sore. Sorry, that was long. I really liked that hike though. I would have liked to do the hike down into Ft Davis, but we didn't' have time. It looked really cool.
Just googled that trail and it looks gorgeous!!! Big props to your daughters for tackling it 👏🏼💪🏼 We are hoping we can make it out there before we hit the road again, but it's a bit of a trek. We loved Big Bend though, so we can imagine we will love that are as well.
Wow! I am so Happy Y'all got to Finally Experience Garner State Park & The Frio River. I got to go for my 1st time back in October and like yall I fell in Love with the Area and all the Amenities that Garner Offers. How bout those 1000 Year Old Cypress Trees and their Gnarly Roots rising from the Water? I know it felt Good to get Back out there. And, so relatively close to Home.
Oh my gosh, we are IN LOVE! We had good cell service, so we may head back soon just to work there for the week from the van and kayak after work. It's so gorgeous! And those trees by the river are absolutely stunning 😍😍😍
Hey A+K! I found your videos while doing some Seattle research and I have been bindge- watching them all night. The two of you remind me of my husband and I! We live in Texas and LOVE a good adventure. Keep on keeping on 😄! New subscriber 😉
@@AdventuresofAplusK you've already hit most of the spots we love! We've also camped near Lake Lewisville at Hickory Creek Camp. It's just a peaceful place to go when the weather is cool. We also LOVE going to Waco. Cameron Park is beautiful and so is the suspension bridge. There's a few little mom and pop food trucks and restaurants that are the bomb too.
Ooo we haven't been to Lake Lewisville! Waco is super fun, we really like it there and it keeps getting better and better. We have yet to make it to Cameron Park though, but we had originally planned to go in December before we had to change some plans. So hopefully we can get back there soon!
They make paper liners for Dutch ovens that make it, so you don’t have to worry about things sticking to the pot. Plus they make it super easy to clean up!
I'm catching up on older videos and wanted to say we've had Intex inflatable kayaks for 3 years now and we LOVE them! We've convinced 5 family members to get them as well. My only suggestion is make sure you have all your caps for the inflating part! We lost one once and it made the kayak un-useable!
SO happy to hear you love it and have had it for so long! Not sure if you saw our padre island video where we popped it, but we have bought a new one (it wasn’t the kayak’s fault) and cannot wait to use it! Makes me feel even better that we replaced it knowing yours has lasted so long 🙌🏼
Reviewing some of your older videos of the Big Island, Hawaii Can't wait to go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! May 2021 prayers it works out! thanks for the tips!!!
Just wanted to say I really enjoyed the video. I watch a lot of them and so many are just no where as good as this was. Keep up the good work. My wife and I have been to Maui in January for the last two years. Would love to see a video from y’all on Maui or maybe another Hawaiian island.
Hi Tim! That means a lot, thank you! And we love Maui! We have been twice together and can’t wait to go back 🤙🏼. We have videos from Oahu and the Big Island, but have been to all 4 major islands, just need to film Maui and Kauai still!
Loved this adventure...beautiful!!! You two are the cutest! And I've been adding pinto or kidney beans to my chili for 50 years. I'm a True Texan! Lol.
So good to see you both out adventuring again! I loved the start when Kathryn, you said: "We're so pumped about this kayak"... meanwhile the kayak's like: "I'm pumped too... you guys pumped me up" 🤣Oh dear that is a truly terrible dad joke🤦♀️!!! The Kayak seems like an excellent investment and as always I especially loved the hikes. The views both from the top, but also of the wildlife were lovely. Not that I've used a Dutch oven, but another alternative to having it higher could be to wait for the charcoals to cool a bit more maybe? Loved all of your pre-measured food, this is exactly how most of my students arrive for their food tech lessons (albeit their parents usually do it for them... they rarely know what they have with them. Of course I'm now picturing Kathryn's mum having packed all of that for you both 🤣)
Hahaha that was an unintentional joke, but I am so happy I made it 😂 Love me a dad joke! We felt like we were on Triple D (Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives) with all of our pre-measured food. We definitely stole all of the containers from my mom lol! 😂 PS: We've been watching your Scotland videos and loving them! 💗
Quick question? Were you guys in Red River Gorge, Kentucky a couple of weeks ago? Your channel was recommended to me today and this is my first time watching. But, while I was there I saw a van just like yours with a young man and dog inside. Jw. Lol. If you haven't been then you definitely should.
Congrats on the kayak! That will open up many more adventures for you! The color of that water, wow! 😍 We received a hand-me-down inflatable paddleboard from a friend we can't wait to try out! Also, had no idea about the beans in chili controversy. We always add beans! Yum.
Ooo y'all will love the paddle board too! It's fun to have a new toy to use right now as we are a bit more limited on other activities! And don't tell other Texas, but we prefer it with beans shhhhhh 🤐🤫
@@AdventuresofAplusK I really like the off-the-beaten-path places, such as Devils River State Natural Area, Davis Mountains Preserve, and the relatively-overlooked Caprock Canyons State Park in the Panhandle (gets unfairly overshadowed by Palo Duro), but so many favorites. But yeah, that rugged Hill Country area west of San Antonio is great. Garner, Lost Maples, Hill Country State Natural Area...all fantastic.
Thanks for this video! We were struggling to find a hiking spot with really good views in the San Antonio area, and never even heard of this park! We’re gonna have to check it out on our trip down there!
Try Pedernales State Park, Government Canyon State Park, entire Highland lakes area, Lost Maples State Park. There are many incredible hikes in the San Antonio area.
The corn bread definitely reminded me the infamous pizza incident in Montana lol but definitely looks like a great state park! And the hike looked amazing for half a mile!
This was awesome!!! Oh it’s so good seeing a vlog from you guys again! Looks like a beautiful state park! Also Katherine, I love my cornbread the same way you do...with lots of butter and honey! Thanks for sharing, this made my day! 😍😍😍
Butter and honey is the best way! SOOO good, I could eat the whole pan myself hahah! So glad you enjoyed our first adventure of 2021, it's great to be back 💕
All I see around me is cold and snow. It needs to get warm already so I can finally travel. To give me hope, keep the videos coming. I still will eat all that cornbread. The night sky looks beautiful. 😮
Sending you some Texas warmth! We go from cold days to hot days very quickly around here, but it's overall super mild in the winter. And we devoured the cornbread despite its flaws lol!
First: As a Texan, I eat beans in my chili. In fact, many of us do. This whole beans vs no beans mess came from the snobs at the Terlingua chili cookoff. I also found the best bowls of red go well mixed w/ Fritos, shredded cheese, and onions. Second: I'm glad to see The Frio and Garner State Park get the attention it deserves. Mostly you hear about people tubing/kayaking the Guadalupe, but the Frio, Nueces, and Sabinal rivers are even more amazing (and less crowded). They're truly amazing hill country treasures. Lastly: Did you season your cast iron before you took it out on its first use? Reason I ask is I've seen a similar issue w/ some folks who use it the first time and have a similar sticking result. Love the vlog guys, keep up the amazing work!!!!
We’re so glad we aren’t the only Texan that enjoys beans in our chili! It just makes it more exciting in our opinion! And we love Frito pie! The Frio and Garner are AMAZING! One of our new favorite areas for sure! The Dutch oven came seasoned, but we learned we did WAYYYY too many coals...oops!!!
I (Kathryn) work in marketing for a fully remote (even pre-COVID) tech company and also run our A+K business full time and Adam has a web design business, teaches english online (he was a teacher before van life), and also does a lot for our website, UA-cam channel, and other A+K business items!
The kayak is amazing! The back support felt good to us and we ended up not blowing up the seat portion so we wouldn't be sitting too high. Adam's only complaint is that his feet were always extended, which wasn't always comfortable.
Caves in TX...amazing!!! Cornbread looked great! My husband would like to know, "what was the orange thing on your backpack strap? and "what was holding your camera on your backpack strap?" Thank you!
We have some super cool caverns in the Hill Country too that would be fun to check out sometimes! The orange thing is called a Garmin InReach Mini (amzn.to/3o6Z9N9)! We will share more about it in a future video, but it's a satellite device that we can use to text family members updates, have people track us, and get help (via a SOS button) if we ever get into an emergency. It works without cell service, so if we are in remote places or backpacking for days we can let people know we are okay. The camera clip is a Peak design camera clip (amzn.to/3iBqHJ6) and I LOVE IT! You can slide the camera right into it and it makes it easy to carry the camera around hands free!
Great adventures as always 😊 Your chili and cornbread look delicious.just. I've forgotten to spray my pans too, it's madding when you go through the trouble of making a recipe and forget to grease the pan!!!😳 Enjoyed 😊🍁
Hi guys,so great to see you again, would give you a big hug if I could 🥰 Nice to see you're wearing your life jackets, lol I sound like a Mom 😉 You're chilli looked yummy! Lol "cornbread" here's your top half! 😂😋 Great video once again!!! 👌
Hahahaha we knew my mom (and other moms!) would appreciate the safety efforts! 😉Although, it does make it harder to paddle and makes us feel like a marshmallow haha. Glad you enjoyed the video Cathy!
Awesome video. I grew up camping at the base of baldy right across the dam from Garner at Magers River Camp. Been up on Baldy many times. We found a cave, well really a deep crack in the face of baldy that we went pretty far into. It was right at the top of the tree line below the rock face about in the center horizontal wise if that makes sense. Did y’all go in there as well? What app were you using to see the trails that was pretty cool.
Garner is an awesome place! We kick ourselves because it took us so long to get out there for the first time as native Texans! No the crack you’re talking about doesn’t ring a bell. We use AllTrails for all of our hikes. Thanks for watching!
Lovely video! Love all the shots taken. Quick question? I saw that you have taken drone footage and you put out a note saying all shots were filmed outside the park. Could you explain what that meant? What are the flying polices. Thank you in advance and God Bless!
Hi! Drones are not allowed in Texas states parks (or most state parks in the US), so we flew it outside of the park property so we could capture the area legally. Hopefully that helps!
Hi Michelle! Thank you so much for watching, we really appreciate it! 💕 We use AllTrails! We have their Pro subscription, which we recommend because you can download offline maps.
We LOVE it! It felt super sturdy and comfortable! We forgot the fin on the bottom at first and it kept going in circles haha, but once we added that, it felt just like a regular kayak to us.
Heyyyy we have that kayak! So impressed with it honestly haha. We took it out on Bear Lake in Utah and it made it through the wind. That cornbread is reaaaally making me want cornbread 😂
Ahhh no way!!! So glad it has held up well for y'all! We did see another on the river and they said they have had theirs for 3 years! I am glad our burnt Oreo crust cornbread hasn't ruined cornbread for you 😂😂😂
@@AdventuresofAplusK Yeah I feel that too haha. We went from international travel channel to hiking in the US channel 😂 we'll watch whatever ya put out though!
We tried one time! Didn't have any luck though :( We filmed a video there veryyyy early on in our UA-cam channel. ua-cam.com/video/iOhqe51vqag/v-deo.html
It’s super hard to predict Texas fall and winter haha. It could be 100 degrees or it could be freezing. I’d look at historical weather for this past November to get a better idea of what this last year was like.
We use AllTrails (we have their Pro service so we can download maps)! You can follow us here if you want to see some of our favorite hikes and hikes we want to do in the future: www.alltrails.com/members/kathryn-frazer
Hi Vanessa! He got it about 3 years ago, so I don't think they sell the exact one anymore, but it looks pretty similar to this one: www.columbia.com/p/mens-bayou-bluff-insulated-jacket-1855541.html?dwvar_1855541_color=464 and also this one: www.columbia.com/p/mens-voodoo-falls-590-turbodown-jacket-1698361.html?dwvar_1698361_color=464. It's super warm, he loves it!
NOTE: Drones are not allowed in Texas State Parks. All drone footage in this video was filmed outside of the park
Safety is our #1 priority and we want to stress that this adventure, and all future adventures, will be done responsibly and with the health of others in mind. Here are the steps we are taking everyday, including in these videos:
😷Masks and face coverings. We wear these anytime we are near others outside and especially indoors. If we don’t have a mask on in a video, it’s 99% because there was no one around.
❌Not seeing anyone outside of our household. We are currently living with 4 family members and have a strict “do not see anyone outside of the household” family policy. The only interactions we have with others is quickly grabbing takeout or going to the grocery store.
⏰ Exploring early. We have been starting most of our days before sunlight so we can limit our interactions.
🧼 Washing and sanitizing our hands
6️⃣ Keeping our distance. We are trying to stay at least 6 ft from others, which truthfully isn’t always possible (and then we make sure we cover our face).
Good plan. All you can do these days is control your own environment
Absolutely! We're very thankful that we (and our family) have been able to stay safe and healthy through all of these methods!
@@AdventuresofAplusK Keep up the good work & stay safe !
We hope you stay safe and healthy as well!
@@AdventuresofAplusK 😷
Amazing video! Garner is now on my list to hike!
It is an AMAZING park!
That water is so clear and beautiful!
We had no idea this clear of water existed in Texas..."clearly" we need to get out more here!
Nice job of showing off Garner. The lid of your dutch oven is also a fry pan. Lastly, beans do not go in Chili.
Hahaha we've been waiting to be scolded for our beans 😉 The dutch oven is so versatile, we love it! We will have to try to fry something up next time (and not burn it 😜)
That chill an corn bread seem so good making my mouth watery
I am so glad our burnt cornbread didn't scare you away lol!
Yay! Missed your videos. Texas is truly a gorgeous place. Thanks for taking us all along in your home-state adventures! 🥰
We have missed making them! Excited to share more of the state, there's so much to see here!
I have the BEST memories of Garner SP growing up. Camping, making friends with other campsites, Saturday night dances, jumping off the rope swing into the river.... it was AWESOME! And Yes .... for Spring or Summer you have to make a camping reservation at least a year in advance or hope for a cancellation.
The dances look SO FUN! We will have to visit when COVID is no more so we can break it down lol! And maybe when it's warmer so we can use that rope swing. Such an awesome place!
You guys are so adorable together. Really love your adventure with everything included. You rock!! Thank you
Thank you so much for the kind words! Means a ton to us!
Enjoyed the video. I have the same kayak and bought it 4 years ago. Knock on wood, we have not had any issues up to this point. Even with three kids using it. My advice to you is get a different pump especially one that can take the air out of the kayak. It will make your life easier. Can’t wait until your next video.
That is super awesome to know! And thank you for the tip, we will have to track one down!
Spent a few days at the Frio River...remember it living up to its name: Frio! (Cold)...and super clear! Thanks for bringing back some pleasant memories!
We have been so happy hearing about others who have been there! Glad we could bring back some memories!
So good to see yall post a video, and of all places Garner. It's truly a Texas gem. I look forward to more adventures!
It is such a gem! We have been missing out BIG time!
@@AdventuresofAplusK i recently went hiking at Reimers Ranch park out near Austin. I loved it! It was peaceful and the views of the river such a sight. This might be a good add on your TX backyard videos.
Ooo thank you! We have yet to go there!
That river looks really nice. We are shooting for Yosemite in June...again. Covid 19 please go away !
We are dying to get back to Yosemite, it's so incredible there! Crossing our fingers things are a lot better by June 🤞🤞🤞
I’m shooting for Yosemite also, and eventually Rocky Mountain national park
We make Frito pie and cobbler in the Dutch oven when camping. Very easy and delicious.
Like others mentioned, place the Dutch oven over hot coals rather than the fire. Use a chimney starter to heat the coals.
Glad to see another video. Safe travels...
Cobbler sounds amazing!!! Definitely wanting to try some desserts in there! And thank you for the tips on how to use the dutch oven, we definitely did not research enough beforehand haha
Greetings friends from PA! I'm now retired from American Airlines, after spending 18 years living in Grapevine, TX. Great to see your videos exploring Austin and the hill country. Some wonderful memories...thanks, and stay safe.
Congrats on retiring, that is awesome! We're glad to show you a bit from your former home!
We have that same kayak! It is so convenient for traveling! The bag ripped though now that I am thinking about it! We may have to find something else to put it in! This was a very great video! We actually haven't been to this state park either and we are from TX!
That is one thing we keep forgetting to tell people, the bag is not the best. Ours has already ripped a little after one trip haha. If you find another good bag to use, let us know! We hope y'all can make it out there someday 😄
One of the BEST state parks in Texas. TOP 3
For sure! We'd say our top ones are Garner, Caprock Canyons, and Palo Duro. What are yours?
@@AdventuresofAplusK MY TOP 3 !!!! Honorable mention: Pedernales SP
Would totally agree on that one too!
We loveeee this vid! The colour of the water while you were kayaking was just perfect - We are gonna have to get ourselves one this summer we think...! The cornbread was still way better than I would have made it for sure 😂 this park looks incred 👌 one for the US list for us for sure!
It's definitely worth a visit if you find yourself in Texas! The water color and views are top notch! And thankfully the cornbread was still mostly edible 😂😂
FYI: The Boy Scouts have a chart that tells you how many charcoal pieces to place under and over the Dutch oven for the temperature you want. Everything we’ve cooked has been perfect using their method. That whole bag of charcoal is like 4 times too much.
Ooo thank you!!! We should've definitely done more research beforehand...oops! 🙈
Lodge also has a chart as well.
I miss Hill Country! That State Park was so BEAUTIFUL, and we're ordering that blow-up kayak to take with us anywhere there's water! It's really awesome how much there is to explore in our own backyards - the epic trips are definitely fun, but we're looking forward to some Texas vlogs for sure! Those caves were super cool!! Thanks for sharing these less visited areas... makes us wanna visit Texas! 😀Aaron & Nicole
So pumped y'all are going to get the kayak! 🙌🏼 We loved it so much and are so excited to take it out more! And you're so right, there is so much to do close to home, especially where y'all live too!
@@AdventuresofAplusK haha "pumped" about the kayak :)
Living in Our Now this is for you if you're ever in DFW. Rockledge Park in Grapevine, TX. Grapevine Lake will knock your socks off. Beautiful and peaceful. The lake has kind of a MN/WA look and vibe in my eyes
Glad you're back and off to a great start. It is amazing on how clear the river was. That chili recipe looked great!!!
The chili was sooo good and super easy, definitely going to be a new van staple!
Last summer was my first trip with a dutch oven. Baked a cake in Banff National Park. Find the charcoal chart. Less guess work. Cheers
Someone sent us one, so we'll be good to go now! Baking a cake in Banff sounds pretty epic!
So glad you guys are back on the open road. We've missed seeing your videos. Always full of useful information.
We've missed making them! Thank you so much for watching, we're so grateful to have you follow along!
Yea! So glad you guys were able to get out and away for a short trip. Garner looks really nice and the fact that there weren't many people there makes it even better. What a great kayak too! That water was so clear and beautiful. Thanks for the hikes too. Getting antsy to get away ourselves but probably not anytime soon : (
It was nice to get out of the house and back in the van for a bit! Excited for more van trips around the state soon, we really miss living in the van full time! The water was so insanely clear, we haven't experienced anything like that in Texas before, but as we are quickly learning, there are a lot of places and cool features across the state we had no idea about before!
So glad to see you guys again! Thanks so much for posting please stay safe and healthy.
Thank you Mark, we sure will! Same to you!
Thanks for this great video! Haven't been since I was a little kid but looking forward to visiting the park soon...and taking my own inflatable kayak.
That's awesome! We hope you have an awesome time!
Your corn bread does look delish, just always remember, Dutch oven cook low n slow on the bottom coals and high and lots of coals on your lid. Takes close to 1 hr. For bakes n cakes. Invest in a small hanger or a grill to set D. O. over an open flame to fry, brown, or stew. Like you would cook over a gas stove only you stoke the flames flames to your desired heat. GOOD LUCK! -O’l ranch hand cook
We thankfully have had one success with it since! We need to use it more!
Yay, glad you guys are back and can't wait to see more of Texas! Sunrise hikes in the winter are my favourite because the sun doesn't rise till so late; you can get up at a reasonable time and still make it to your chosen location. None of this 3am, 4am nonsense like during the summer haha.
Hahaha we couldn't agree more! 5:30AM is nowhere near as brutal as 3 AM in the summer! 😴😴😴
Welcome back guys! Great video. Happy 2021 adventuring.
Thank you so much Wendy, we're so happy to be back!
Glad you guys are back!
Us too! 🥰🥰
Loved seeing another TX State Park. The kayaking qaa super. Good to see you loving Texas. Good views... from the Blue Ridge Mountains... really
It was spectacular! Quite a few incredible parks around the state that we are excited to share!
Just watched your more recent video from Padre Island.....RIP kayak. Lol.
That park looks really nice! We are up in Fort Worth, so this is not terribly far. Gonna have to check it out!
Hahaha RIP 😭😭 the excitement in this video to the sadness of losing our kayak in the most recent one is funny haha!
Definitely check it out! It’s incredible out there!
Beautiful hike! Love the sunrise views! Also I love that inflatable kayak! We used to have a kayak and hauling it around was a pain without a truck. Very cool cave exploring! So fun!!
The inflatable kayak is already one of the best things we have purchased! Love how easy it is to lug it around and it still felt super solid while on it!
Great video y'all! That kayak seemed clutch and dinner seemed perfect. Who knew Texas had that landscape, we seriously need to visit.
The landscape even surprised us! Such a beautiful area of the state!
Glad you guys are still posting awesome content!
Thank you so much for watching! We appreciate folks watching, even as we explore close to "home" for a while!
The kayaking look like so much fun! Definitely need to make our way to Garner SP in the near future...so pretty!
Yes y'all do! Preferably with us and matching kayaks 😘
That would be fun!
We just went to Davis Mountains State Park. It's between Big Bend and Guadalupe Mountains. We really enjoyed the views and the hikes. If y'all haven't checked it out already, we recommend it. We will make it back there some day. But first, we are trying to visit every Texas State Park.
We reallyyyy want to go there! We were looking into it the other day and it looks beautiful! Any hikes you recommend there?
@@AdventuresofAplusK The Indian Lodge hike seemed simple enough. My 2 daughters and I took that one while my wife stayed at the RV to do some art work. The hike down was a lot more intense than expected. Upon reviewing the map afterwards, I saw that was the most challenging hike in the park, LOL. I commended our daughters, 10 and 6 years old on their accomplishments. And then I went to bed exhausted and sore. Sorry, that was long. I really liked that hike though. I would have liked to do the hike down into Ft Davis, but we didn't' have time. It looked really cool.
Just googled that trail and it looks gorgeous!!! Big props to your daughters for tackling it 👏🏼💪🏼 We are hoping we can make it out there before we hit the road again, but it's a bit of a trek. We loved Big Bend though, so we can imagine we will love that are as well.
Wow! I am so Happy Y'all got to Finally Experience Garner State Park & The Frio River. I got to go for my 1st time back in October and like yall I fell in Love with the Area and all the Amenities that Garner Offers. How bout those 1000 Year Old Cypress Trees and their Gnarly Roots rising from the Water? I know it felt Good to get Back out there. And, so relatively close to Home.
Oh my gosh, we are IN LOVE! We had good cell service, so we may head back soon just to work there for the week from the van and kayak after work. It's so gorgeous! And those trees by the river are absolutely stunning 😍😍😍
Hey A+K! I found your videos while doing some Seattle research and I have been bindge- watching them all night. The two of you remind me of my husband and I! We live in Texas and LOVE a good adventure. Keep on keeping on 😄! New subscriber 😉
Hi Stephanie! So happy to have you join our adventures! 🙌 What are some of your favorite spots in Texas?!
@@AdventuresofAplusK you've already hit most of the spots we love! We've also camped near Lake Lewisville at Hickory Creek Camp. It's just a peaceful place to go when the weather is cool. We also LOVE going to Waco. Cameron Park is beautiful and so is the suspension bridge. There's a few little mom and pop food trucks and restaurants that are the bomb too.
Ooo we haven't been to Lake Lewisville! Waco is super fun, we really like it there and it keeps getting better and better. We have yet to make it to Cameron Park though, but we had originally planned to go in December before we had to change some plans. So hopefully we can get back there soon!
They make paper liners for Dutch ovens that make it, so you don’t have to worry about things sticking to the pot. Plus they make it super easy to clean up!
Oooo gonna have to get those! Easy clean up is the BEST!
Good to see you A and K! Love the video!
Yay! So glad you enjoyed it! 💗
Waking up, feeling hopeful and a new video from you all....what a great start to the dat
Hahahah I didn't even catch my own joke! 😂
Loved the vlog.must be nice at this time of year to get out and canoe.Lovely scenery,very jealous..All the best
It was a nice and warm Texas winter day, around 60 degrees Fahrenheit!
I'm catching up on older videos and wanted to say we've had Intex inflatable kayaks for 3 years now and we LOVE them! We've convinced 5 family members to get them as well. My only suggestion is make sure you have all your caps for the inflating part! We lost one once and it made the kayak un-useable!
SO happy to hear you love it and have had it for so long! Not sure if you saw our padre island video where we popped it, but we have bought a new one (it wasn’t the kayak’s fault) and cannot wait to use it! Makes me feel even better that we replaced it knowing yours has lasted so long 🙌🏼
@@AdventuresofAplusK I haven't gotten to the ep yet! I'm glad you didn't give up on it, the kayaks are WELL worth the money! 🥰
What an Awesome adventure, makes me want to go explore Texas. Thank you for a great Video.
Yay! That's the goal! Glad you enjoyed it 🥰
My home away from home! You definitely need to return in the late spring or summer time to take a dip in the Frío!
We definitely will! Some people were in the water (brave!) and it looks super fun to go on a rope swing!
Reviewing some of your older videos of the Big Island, Hawaii
Can't wait to go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! May 2021 prayers it works out! thanks for the tips!!!
We hope you can too! It's so amazing there! 🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼
Glad you are traveling a little bit
That park is so nice
We still can't stop talking about how much we loved it there! Glad we have some good state parks and outdoor areas in the state to explore for now!
Just wanted to say I really enjoyed the video. I watch a lot of them and so many are just no where as good as this was. Keep up the good work. My wife and I have been to Maui in January for the last two years. Would love to see a video from y’all on Maui or maybe another Hawaiian island.
Hi Tim! That means a lot, thank you! And we love Maui! We have been twice together and can’t wait to go back 🤙🏼. We have videos from Oahu and the Big Island, but have been to all 4 major islands, just need to film Maui and Kauai still!
Loved this adventure...beautiful!!! You two are the cutest! And I've been adding pinto or kidney beans to my chili for 50 years. I'm a True Texan! Lol.
Hahaha love it! Beans just give it some extra "oomph!" 😋
Amazing park! So beautiful. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks so much for watching Trevor! One of our new favorite spots in TX!
Those Dutch ovens are sooooo great! Use ours while camping: chili to deserts! So great!
It seems so versatile! We cannot wait to use it more!
Awesome to see your take on Garner State Park!
Thanks and thanks for watching!
You are welcome
So good to see you both out adventuring again! I loved the start when Kathryn, you said: "We're so pumped about this kayak"... meanwhile the kayak's like: "I'm pumped too... you guys pumped me up" 🤣Oh dear that is a truly terrible dad joke🤦♀️!!! The Kayak seems like an excellent investment and as always I especially loved the hikes. The views both from the top, but also of the wildlife were lovely. Not that I've used a Dutch oven, but another alternative to having it higher could be to wait for the charcoals to cool a bit more maybe? Loved all of your pre-measured food, this is exactly how most of my students arrive for their food tech lessons (albeit their parents usually do it for them... they rarely know what they have with them. Of course I'm now picturing Kathryn's mum having packed all of that for you both 🤣)
Hahaha that was an unintentional joke, but I am so happy I made it 😂 Love me a dad joke! We felt like we were on Triple D (Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives) with all of our pre-measured food. We definitely stole all of the containers from my mom lol! 😂 PS: We've been watching your Scotland videos and loving them! 💗
Quick question? Were you guys in Red River Gorge, Kentucky a couple of weeks ago? Your channel was recommended to me today and this is my first time watching. But, while I was there I saw a van just like yours with a young man and dog inside. Jw. Lol. If you haven't been then you definitely should.
We went there a few months ago actually! We filmed a video there and loved it. We definitely need to go back!
Awesome. Thanks for the quick reply.
Congrats on the kayak! That will open up many more adventures for you! The color of that water, wow! 😍 We received a hand-me-down inflatable paddleboard from a friend we can't wait to try out! Also, had no idea about the beans in chili controversy. We always add beans! Yum.
Ooo y'all will love the paddle board too! It's fun to have a new toy to use right now as we are a bit more limited on other activities! And don't tell other Texas, but we prefer it with beans shhhhhh 🤐🤫
Yay ur back I love ur adventures! Never visited that place looked gorgeous 😍
We are so happy to be back! And starting off with this beautiful place!
Beautiful. This is the best part of Hill Country. I always enjoy seeing some Texas outdoors, as my name probably makes evident, haha.
We have yet to explore the entire Hill Country, but we aren't sure how it could get better! What are some of your other favorite outdoor spots in TX?
@@AdventuresofAplusK I really like the off-the-beaten-path places, such as Devils River State Natural Area, Davis Mountains Preserve, and the relatively-overlooked Caprock Canyons State Park in the Panhandle (gets unfairly overshadowed by Palo Duro), but so many favorites. But yeah, that rugged Hill Country area west of San Antonio is great. Garner, Lost Maples, Hill Country State Natural Area...all fantastic.
Oooo you'll enjoy our next video then! Just spent the weekend (and now the upcoming week) at one of those! Hoping to hit up more of these soon too!
Thanks for this video! We were struggling to find a hiking spot with really good views in the San Antonio area, and never even heard of this park! We’re gonna have to check it out on our trip down there!
Oooo yes, you gotta go! It's closer to San Antonio than Austin and if we lived in SA, we'd be going all the time!
Try Pedernales State Park, Government Canyon State Park, entire Highland lakes area, Lost Maples State Park. There are many incredible hikes in the San Antonio area.
The corn bread definitely reminded me the infamous pizza incident in Montana lol but definitely looks like a great state park! And the hike looked amazing for half a mile!
Haha thankfully both fails were still mostly edible! And the hike was pretty spectacular!
This was awesome!!! Oh it’s so good seeing a vlog from you guys again! Looks like a beautiful state park! Also Katherine, I love my cornbread the same way you do...with lots of butter and honey! Thanks for sharing, this made my day! 😍😍😍
Butter and honey is the best way! SOOO good, I could eat the whole pan myself hahah! So glad you enjoyed our first adventure of 2021, it's great to be back 💕
Lol the cornbread 😹 chili looks amazing. Classic- hahaha.
Epic fail! 😂😂😂 We had NO problem eating all of the non burnt parts though in one sitting lol!
All I see around me is cold and snow. It needs to get warm already so I can finally travel. To give me hope, keep the videos coming.
I still will eat all that cornbread.
The night sky looks beautiful. 😮
Sending you some Texas warmth! We go from cold days to hot days very quickly around here, but it's overall super mild in the winter. And we devoured the cornbread despite its flaws lol!
Best state park in Texas! So many great memories :)
It's at the top of our list right now!
First: As a Texan, I eat beans in my chili. In fact, many of us do. This whole beans vs no beans mess came from the snobs at the Terlingua chili cookoff. I also found the best bowls of red go well mixed w/ Fritos, shredded cheese, and onions.
Second: I'm glad to see The Frio and Garner State Park get the attention it deserves. Mostly you hear about people tubing/kayaking the Guadalupe, but the Frio, Nueces, and Sabinal rivers are even more amazing (and less crowded). They're truly amazing hill country treasures.
Lastly: Did you season your cast iron before you took it out on its first use? Reason I ask is I've seen a similar issue w/ some folks who use it the first time and have a similar sticking result.
Love the vlog guys, keep up the amazing work!!!!
We’re so glad we aren’t the only Texan that enjoys beans in our chili! It just makes it more exciting in our opinion! And we love Frito pie!
The Frio and Garner are AMAZING! One of our new favorite areas for sure!
The Dutch oven came seasoned, but we learned we did WAYYYY too many coals...oops!!!
Weird. I was literally thinking about you guys this morning! So glad you are posting. :) Keep it going! Thanks for the great vids!
Thank you for thinking of us! And for watching! 😄
Thanks for the great state park video! Always wondered but what do you guys do for work?
I (Kathryn) work in marketing for a fully remote (even pre-COVID) tech company and also run our A+K business full time and Adam has a web design business, teaches english online (he was a teacher before van life), and also does a lot for our website, UA-cam channel, and other A+K business items!
Texas looks fabulous 👌 that canoe looked amazing for that price 👍
It is such a good deal and after chatting with a few people who also own it, it sounds like it's going to last a while!
Nice to have a new video! Great work as always. I was looking at the exact same kayak. How was the back support?
The kayak is amazing! The back support felt good to us and we ended up not blowing up the seat portion so we wouldn't be sitting too high. Adam's only complaint is that his feet were always extended, which wasn't always comfortable.
What a fun adventure! Texas is on our list! ~Cara 😊
There is a lot to explore here all across the state! Excited to share more!
Caves in TX...amazing!!! Cornbread looked great! My husband would like to know, "what was the orange thing on your backpack strap? and "what was holding your camera on your backpack strap?" Thank you!
We have some super cool caverns in the Hill Country too that would be fun to check out sometimes! The orange thing is called a Garmin InReach Mini (amzn.to/3o6Z9N9)! We will share more about it in a future video, but it's a satellite device that we can use to text family members updates, have people track us, and get help (via a SOS button) if we ever get into an emergency. It works without cell service, so if we are in remote places or backpacking for days we can let people know we are okay. The camera clip is a Peak design camera clip (amzn.to/3iBqHJ6) and I LOVE IT! You can slide the camera right into it and it makes it easy to carry the camera around hands free!
@@AdventuresofAplusK Thank you very much! We look forward to your reviews and videos!!!
omg! Right before the Freeze!! lol
That brutal freeze!!! We got lucky that we didn’t plan this trip for a month later
thats cool!! looks fun
Such a great time! 🙌🏼
Great adventures as always 😊
Your chili and cornbread look delicious.just. I've forgotten to spray my pans too, it's madding when you go through the trouble of making a recipe and forget to grease the pan!!!😳
Enjoyed 😊🍁
Hahaha it's the worst to realize AFTER everything is in it, especially because we had no large bowls...oops! Lots of cooking lessons learned 😂
Hi guys,so great to see you again, would give you a big hug if I could 🥰
Nice to see you're wearing your life jackets, lol I sound like a Mom 😉
You're chilli looked yummy! Lol "cornbread" here's your top half! 😂😋
Great video once again!!! 👌
Hahahaha we knew my mom (and other moms!) would appreciate the safety efforts! 😉Although, it does make it harder to paddle and makes us feel like a marshmallow haha. Glad you enjoyed the video Cathy!
Awesome video. I grew up camping at the base of baldy right across the dam from Garner at Magers River Camp. Been up on Baldy many times. We found a cave, well really a deep crack in the face of baldy that we went pretty far into. It was right at the top of the tree line below the rock face about in the center horizontal wise if that makes sense. Did y’all go in there as well? What app were you using to see the trails that was pretty cool.
Garner is an awesome place! We kick ourselves because it took us so long to get out there for the first time as native Texans! No the crack you’re talking about doesn’t ring a bell. We use AllTrails for all of our hikes. Thanks for watching!
Lovely video! Love all the shots taken. Quick question? I saw that you have taken drone footage and you put out a note saying all shots were filmed outside the park. Could you explain what that meant? What are the flying polices. Thank you in advance and God Bless!
Hi! Drones are not allowed in Texas states parks (or most state parks in the US), so we flew it outside of the park property so we could capture the area legally. Hopefully that helps!
@@AdventuresofAplusK Thank you for the fast response. Is there way (resource) that helped you guys to know what is the Park property and what is not.
Hey you two. Love love love watching your show. I have a question. What app do you use for your hiking? Thanks you. Stay safe. Happy travels
Hi Michelle! Thank you so much for watching, we really appreciate it! 💕 We use AllTrails! We have their Pro subscription, which we recommend because you can download offline maps.
Very cool video!!!
Thank you so much! Glad you enjoyed it!
I think you all should name that video “Smiling Faces” Because that’s what I was looking at throughout the video. LoL
Enjoy life!!
It was such a fun weekend! 😄
I was looking at that kayak online last summer and they weren’t in stock. What is your overall impression? Great videos!
We LOVE it! It felt super sturdy and comfortable! We forgot the fin on the bottom at first and it kept going in circles haha, but once we added that, it felt just like a regular kayak to us.
This looks amazing!
Highly, highly recommend this park to anyone visiting Texas! So many amazing views and outdoor activities!
Heyyyy we have that kayak! So impressed with it honestly haha. We took it out on Bear Lake in Utah and it made it through the wind. That cornbread is reaaaally making me want cornbread 😂
Ahhh no way!!! So glad it has held up well for y'all! We did see another on the river and they said they have had theirs for 3 years! I am glad our burnt Oreo crust cornbread hasn't ruined cornbread for you 😂😂😂
@@AdventuresofAplusK I was dying when Adam said you should trick someone hahah. Im sure you'll have many adventures to come with the kayak!
All we want to do now is kayak lol! But we are trying to pick other activities too so we don't just become a kayaking channel haha
@@AdventuresofAplusK Yeah I feel that too haha. We went from international travel channel to hiking in the US channel 😂 we'll watch whatever ya put out though!
Lots of adjustments this past year! We 💗 hiking videos!
Chili looks delish!
It was soooo good! Simple, easy, and delicious!
You two should go see the strange lights that come out under the night sky down around Marfa Texas
We tried one time! Didn't have any luck though :( We filmed a video there veryyyy early on in our UA-cam channel. ua-cam.com/video/iOhqe51vqag/v-deo.html
@@AdventuresofAplusK by the way, you two are absolutely adorable and fun to watch
Thank you so much for the kind words. It means a lot!
Yall should watch some of cowboy Kent Rollins for tips and tricks on the Dutch oven cooking. He has a lot of ideas.
We just learned about him! We definitely will, thank you!
The cave is sooo good
SO much fun to explore! 🙌
NOOO I MISS IT NOW😩😩GARNER IS LITERALLY MY SECOND HOME🖤😩
We're sorry to make you miss it! But what a special place to call your second home ❤️❤️
We’re going in November. How would you say the weather would be like during that month?
It’s super hard to predict Texas fall and winter haha. It could be 100 degrees or it could be freezing. I’d look at historical weather for this past November to get a better idea of what this last year was like.
What’s the app you used for the trails?
We use AllTrails (we have their Pro service so we can download maps)! You can follow us here if you want to see some of our favorite hikes and hikes we want to do in the future: www.alltrails.com/members/kathryn-frazer
😍 love it
We always say, if it ain’t burnt , then you ain’t truly camping ;))
Hahaha true!
What style Columbia jacket is Adam wearing? Been looking for a good packable jacket for my bf!
Hi Vanessa! He got it about 3 years ago, so I don't think they sell the exact one anymore, but it looks pretty similar to this one: www.columbia.com/p/mens-bayou-bluff-insulated-jacket-1855541.html?dwvar_1855541_color=464 and also this one: www.columbia.com/p/mens-voodoo-falls-590-turbodown-jacket-1698361.html?dwvar_1698361_color=464. It's super warm, he loves it!
For the $100 price range you could also look at getting an REI down jacket! Super warm, packs down really small, and generally just very good quality.
REI makes awesome stuff!
@@AdventuresofAplusK thank you so much!!
@@isawrooka4 thanks Matt! We’re going to go to rei and check them out this upcoming weekend!
I really wanna go to Lost Maples State Nature Area in Vanderpool, TX
We do too! Looks like a beautiful park!
is there 4 wheeling in texas
For sure! We don't have any experience with that though.
It’s funny how it seems there is NO ONE else in the park
It was pretty empty! January isn't the peak season there.
I love it there
Amazing 🤩
you need to season the cast iron before using it
It came pre-seasoned thankfully, which helped with it not sticking! The burning is 100% on us though lol!
Long time No see
👋 👋 Good to be back!
We can help you learn how to cook in your dutch ovem. Check out pole house black pots.
Thanks! We have a bunch of new resources to check out and will get it right next time! Not a total loss thankfully though!