And the New Broadband Wireless Internet Provider Is....

There really wasn't too much of a choice for RV'ers...AT&T or Verizon have BY FAR the best coverage in the Lower 48.  Better the Devil I know....so I went with Big Red.  Actually between now and the end of the month all four majors are offering double data plans for wireless broadband plans.  Under my old Millenicom plan for 20 GB/month and my Verizon smartphone plan on Verizon with 3 GB/month I was paying:

Millenicom:  $89.99/month  (20 GB data)
Verizon:       $110.00/month (smart phone with 3 GB data)
TOTAL:       $199.99/month

My NEW monthly charge:

 Verizon:  $210/month (40 GB Data, 2 lines: smartphone and 4G Jet Pack)


Yup you read right!  Big Red is DOUBLING my monthly data for $10 more a month.  Normally this plan would only have 20 GB associated with it so if you're thinking you need wireless broadband make the jump before the end of this month while those double data plans are still around!  Yay more monthly data!  By the way the 4G Jet Pack (a broadband wireless router that can have up to 8 devices connect to it) I referred to was free if I signed a 2 year contract.  There was no contract if you wanted to buy the Jet Pack up front...I think it was around $145.

Thanks for reading!

So long, Millenicom

Got some bad news this week.  My wireless broadband provider, Millenicom of Portland, OR is no more as of the end of October.  Reports say they sent out an email (I never got mine.) saying all their accounts had been "acquired" by Verizon.  Verizon was the network upon which Millenicom's minutes had been sold so so far I'm still able to use the Internet but I have no doubt that status will change come November 1.  I (and thousands of other RV'ers) need now to find a new wireless broadband provider that hopefully will offer as good a deal as Millenicom had.  I hate it when stuff that worked really well ends!  I'll update you with whatever service provider I get and my plan details.

Thanks for reading!

Campground Review: Lake Livingston State Park Livingston, TX

I'm still in the South Texas area and my daughter called me to say she would be attending a batchlorette party in Houston and wanted to camp one day that weekend in the Tank and spend time with me.  After trying to get reservations at the parks closest to Hoouston and finding them booked I lucked out and got one of the few remaining sites at Lake Livingston State Park where I've never camped.

The park is about 8 miles southwest of Livingston.

Lake Livingston is the reservoir for the city of Houston and was formed by damming the Trinity River with the Livingston Dam.  With water depths up to 55 feet it's an impressively large lake when you see it.

Lake Livingston from the top of a 3 story observation tower.

Lake Livingston State Park is tucked along the southeast corner of the lake and features 5 different camping "Loops" each with about 35 campsites.  Four of the five loops have lake view/access.....ours was the the fifth without.  It was called the Pin Oak Loop if you want to try to not get assigned there - it's the east-most loop in the park , as I mentioned, we were fortunate to get any site so beggars couldn't be choosers, so to speak.  It was a nice enough campground and very lively given the presence of 100 or so girl scouts and boy scouts camping there that weekend.   My daughter and I walked from our loop to the Day Use  area where we got the pictures of the lake you see.

My daughter Nickelle at the top of the lake observation tower.

Here's the Lake Livingston State Park data sheet:

Hookups:                                 20, 30, 50 amp  water and sewer

Fire ring:                                  Yes

Water Access:                         Yes at 4 out of 5 loops

Fresh Water:                            Yes

Trash Service:                          Yes

Toilets:                                    Yes

Showers:                                 Yes

Dump station:                         Yes

WiFi:                                       No

Level sites:                              Yes

Laundry:                                  No

Store:                                       Yes

Pool:                                        Yes

Shade:                                     Yes

Verizon reception:                   4G, 2 out of 4 bars

Millenicom reception:              3 out of  4 bars

Cost:                                       $18 / night

The Day Use area of the park has a boat ramp for getting boats onto Lake Livingston and a better stocked than usual park store and the aforementioned three story observation tower that provides great views of the lake.  This state park is on the smaller side so there were less hiking trails than you usually get...about 2 miles of hiking and 2 miles of horse back trails.

Docks and fishing piers at the Day Use area of the park.

This was the view from the back steps of the Tank at our campsite which was completely shaded by trees.

Each site had an RV parking spot and a tent pad for tent campers.

If you make plans to camp at Lake Livingston State Park try to reserve campsites on the Piney Shores loop, particularly sites 1-10 or 53-71, those are directly on the lake and would offer (I assume since I couldn't get one) the best camping experience with views of Lake Livingston.  I always enjoy camping with my daughter so it didn't make that much difference to me this time!

Thanks for reading!