It's Friday night and we have decided to leave Padre a day early. I'll loose my $4.00 campground fee for Saturday already paid, but we are ready to move on and I'll just have to suffer the loss.
Today was the best day we have had here - simply perfect! Temperature was about 80, winds were tolerable, and the sky was blue. But other than walking the beach (not a bad thing to do) there is nothing but the Gulf view to enjoy while reading a book. No trails or hikes other than the beach. We feel the need to "keep going". This is a definite camp ground we will return to in the future and anyone with a 4-wheel drive vehicle would be in heaven given the beach driving allowance.
We have no cell phone service here at the camp site but can get a signal out on the end of the pier. So anyone who may have tried to call has not been ignored, just can't get the service.
The strange thing is that we do have an Internet connection, even if it is a slow one. I can't upload any pictures but can post.
Tomorrow we are off to Galveston Island State Park for a three day stay - then three days of driving home.
See ya soon.
The best weather we found last winter was in the desert of Southern California at Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. We're going back!
The Weather We Left Behind
THE WEATHER WE LEFT BEHIND
Friday, March 18, 2011
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
DAY 84
Rv battery did die today (yesterday actually) when I had to move the rig to "dump" - simply would not start the RV. Went into town today to do laundry, buy new battery, shop for groceries, bought more fresh shrimp & oysters & grouper & mahi, made some phone calls, buy gas for the generator, etc.
Weather got better with a little more sun and slightly warmer, but the winds just won't go away! All and all a good day and more on the way. So good, in fact, we paid for three more days here - $12.00 total. Why leave? It's great being a "senior citizen"!
With spring break in "full force" this weekend we could not find a state park reservation anywhere on the Gulf Coast until Sunday at Galveston Island State Park. So moving on from here would only be "chancy" at best even if we were willing to stay at a private RV park. We don't. Most are not good experiences. So we are here through Saturday night. Then on to Galveston Island for three days, and then home. Expect to be home by the 25th or 26th.
Ellen is getting to know everyone around here and Isabelle is a "hit" with all the male dogs. They are both bitches! They both like to "walk the walk and talk the talk" two or three times a day. I keep looking for the spring break "babes" but not having any success. Oh well, we are having a good time. Even letting Isabelle swim in the Gulf . Doing so creates a real mess with her getting so wet and sandy, but she has such fun we can not deny her.
No pictures tonight. Hope to have a few tomorrow.
Weather got better with a little more sun and slightly warmer, but the winds just won't go away! All and all a good day and more on the way. So good, in fact, we paid for three more days here - $12.00 total. Why leave? It's great being a "senior citizen"!
With spring break in "full force" this weekend we could not find a state park reservation anywhere on the Gulf Coast until Sunday at Galveston Island State Park. So moving on from here would only be "chancy" at best even if we were willing to stay at a private RV park. We don't. Most are not good experiences. So we are here through Saturday night. Then on to Galveston Island for three days, and then home. Expect to be home by the 25th or 26th.
Ellen is getting to know everyone around here and Isabelle is a "hit" with all the male dogs. They are both bitches! They both like to "walk the walk and talk the talk" two or three times a day. I keep looking for the spring break "babes" but not having any success. Oh well, we are having a good time. Even letting Isabelle swim in the Gulf . Doing so creates a real mess with her getting so wet and sandy, but she has such fun we can not deny her.
No pictures tonight. Hope to have a few tomorrow.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Day 82 (2)
I forgot to post this picture of EJ earlier today and got chastised for it. It's the start of a "cocktail" walk around the park the other evening. Notice the beverage of choice in hand! So that is why I had to do a Day 82 (2).
It really is a beautiful part of the country as you can see. Ellen looks beautiful too, doesn't she. And happy. And when Ellen is happy ------
Well, enough said.
It really is a beautiful part of the country as you can see. Ellen looks beautiful too, doesn't she. And happy. And when Ellen is happy ------
Well, enough said.
We drove about 100 miles today (round trip) traveling the entire barrier reef to the north known as Mustang Island. There is a state park there we spent one night at a few years back in bad weather and wanted to see it in sunshine. We liked what we saw. Would not hesitate to spend time there next trip.
We continued north to Aransas Pass and took the ferry back to the mainland. Then south to get back to Corpus Christi to have lunch at a seafood restaurant in town. On the way we stopped at a fresh fish/seafood "shack" and bought shrimp and red snapper. The look of the place made us nervous, but the quality of the product made us happy.
Found great Gulf oysters and shrimp and Gumbo at the restaurant. Corpus Christi is a very beautiful and clean city. Lots of shoreline views. This will definately be a stop for us again.
Forecast was for rain and thunderstorms today but never arrived. Clouds, sun, clouds, sun, and then clouds tonight, but no rain.
No more tonight. Good night.
Day 82 (I Think)
Anyway, it's Monday and we came into town to "lunch" and blog.
Pictures below are the ones I couldn't load last night.
We were in the rv w/ tow car so had to park down the road in a semi lot and walk to Salt Lick
One happy cowboy
Pictures below are the ones I couldn't load last night.
We were in the rv w/ tow car so had to park down the road in a semi lot and walk to Salt Lick
As we got closer we saw they even had a winery
Yee-Ha!
Howdieeeeeeeeeee (and don't forget to look at my boots)
The smoking pit inside. There is a big one not visible that smokes all day. They then just bring out front what they need immediately
Jim's Ribs, beans, and potato salad
Ellen's combo platter of sausage, pork, and brisket
One Happy Cow girl
One happy cowboy
Chincia - I saw this boot and thought of you - Jjjjiiiiiiimmmmmmmm
Issy and I went for a 10 mile run
Sunday, March 13, 2011
DAY 81
Hi ya all! A big Texas "how ya doin".
We did stop by The Salt Lick BBQ in Driftwood just south of Austin for lunch on Friday. What an operation it is! They do $50,000 (avg) in sales every day, seven days a week, all cash and that is all food, no alcohol! I think we said previously that it is a BYOB kind of place and they just happen to have a winery on site where you can purchase wine to drink in the restaurant or carry out. They can seat 800 at a time and on busy nights and weekends there is usually a two hour wait. They have to smoke 24 hours a day to keep up with demand. They do weddings, parties, catering, and more. There is a second restaurant in Austin that is a replica of the original Driftwood location and they have locations in both the Austin airport and the Oklahoma City airport. And, they take online orders for shipmet anywhere in the country. Finally, they even have a winery in California. For all you BBQ lovers this is the place! Happens to be Bobby Flays favorite in the country. We liked it a lot but would not want a steady diet of it.
We wanted to camp on the shore at Padre Island National Seashore but it's first come - first served only. Not wanting to be turned away on a late Friday afternoon (and the beginning of Spring break) we booked two nights in a Corpus Christi RV park. Our plan was to have a "base" to check out the available options. As usual, despite being highly rated, it was awful! As soon as we set up we got in the car and drove out to Padre to "check things out". Had we taken our chances we would have gotten the last open site on Friday. We could have reserved it and drove back to the RV park to get the RV but it would have been too late. It takes about 30-40 minutes to get from Corpus Christi to the Padre Island campground.
So, we forfeited our second night at the RV park. Packed up first thing Saturday morning and got that open spot right on the Gulf. Booked it for 5 nights at a cost of $4.00/night. That's it in a nutshell. It's been warm, but windy. Blue sky Saturday, overcast today.
A few spring breakers are around but this is not the place to be after all. That would be South Padre Island about 150 miles down to the end of the Seashore near Brownsville. If we had a four wheel drive vehicle and the "balls" to give it a go, we could drive about 60 miles south on the beach. It's allowable to drive and even camp anywhere you want to here on the sand. Checking out the areas yesterday we saw some pretty big RVs right on the water's edge. However, the caution is if you get stuck or get caught up in a high tide or a sudden storm you may need to be towed out at a cost in the $$ thousands.
I'll try to put some pictures on below but we are so far away from town the internet connection is slow (and telephone service spotty). If not successful today, I'll take the computer to town with me tomorrow and upload the pictures while there.
Not able to do pictures!
Please look at tomorrow's posting.
We did stop by The Salt Lick BBQ in Driftwood just south of Austin for lunch on Friday. What an operation it is! They do $50,000 (avg) in sales every day, seven days a week, all cash and that is all food, no alcohol! I think we said previously that it is a BYOB kind of place and they just happen to have a winery on site where you can purchase wine to drink in the restaurant or carry out. They can seat 800 at a time and on busy nights and weekends there is usually a two hour wait. They have to smoke 24 hours a day to keep up with demand. They do weddings, parties, catering, and more. There is a second restaurant in Austin that is a replica of the original Driftwood location and they have locations in both the Austin airport and the Oklahoma City airport. And, they take online orders for shipmet anywhere in the country. Finally, they even have a winery in California. For all you BBQ lovers this is the place! Happens to be Bobby Flays favorite in the country. We liked it a lot but would not want a steady diet of it.
We wanted to camp on the shore at Padre Island National Seashore but it's first come - first served only. Not wanting to be turned away on a late Friday afternoon (and the beginning of Spring break) we booked two nights in a Corpus Christi RV park. Our plan was to have a "base" to check out the available options. As usual, despite being highly rated, it was awful! As soon as we set up we got in the car and drove out to Padre to "check things out". Had we taken our chances we would have gotten the last open site on Friday. We could have reserved it and drove back to the RV park to get the RV but it would have been too late. It takes about 30-40 minutes to get from Corpus Christi to the Padre Island campground.
So, we forfeited our second night at the RV park. Packed up first thing Saturday morning and got that open spot right on the Gulf. Booked it for 5 nights at a cost of $4.00/night. That's it in a nutshell. It's been warm, but windy. Blue sky Saturday, overcast today.
A few spring breakers are around but this is not the place to be after all. That would be South Padre Island about 150 miles down to the end of the Seashore near Brownsville. If we had a four wheel drive vehicle and the "balls" to give it a go, we could drive about 60 miles south on the beach. It's allowable to drive and even camp anywhere you want to here on the sand. Checking out the areas yesterday we saw some pretty big RVs right on the water's edge. However, the caution is if you get stuck or get caught up in a high tide or a sudden storm you may need to be towed out at a cost in the $$ thousands.
I'll try to put some pictures on below but we are so far away from town the internet connection is slow (and telephone service spotty). If not successful today, I'll take the computer to town with me tomorrow and upload the pictures while there.
Not able to do pictures!
Please look at tomorrow's posting.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Day 79
Last pictures of McDowell Mountain Regional Park above
Three pictures from Roper Lake State Park, AZ below
Below - pictures from here (Pedernales Falls State Park, TX)
Pedernales River is a small (usually) spring fed river that provides water activities for the Texas Hill Country. However, it flash-floods with any rain in the area. Signs everywhere to get to high ground fast if any rise in water level noticed. As you can see the sky is blue for us so no chance to witness any flash flooding.
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