R Shaeffer Heard Campground
at West Point Lake West Point, Georgia
We took 10E across the rest of Mississippi and into Alabama. We got onto 65N in Mobile and then in Montgomery
we got onto 85N. The entire time, it
rained.
It was foggy and grey. The little drops turned into bigger
drops. I was hypnotized by the rhythm of
the windshield wipers. I was getting a
little slap happy. This was our third
long driving day in a row…300 miles or more each day. So, I started making lists and then I started
writing Christmas cards and, I got a lot accomplished!
We arrived at R Shaeffer
Heard Campground and the rain had stopped…as we were setting up, the sun came
out!
Tim started a fire and I did
some cleaning and organizing.
We had a simple dinner.
November Days of Thanksgiving Day #23: We are grateful for blue skies after the rain.
We took 10E across the rest
of Texas and into Louisiana. We crossed
this bridge onto an elevated highway that spans the Atchafalaya Basin.
This is the largest wetland
and swamp in the United States. It
consists of river delta where the river and the Gulf of Mexico meet. The leaves are changing here but not with
brilliant color like the changing leaves at home.
There have got to be fish in
that water.
We crossed this bridge at
Baton Rouge, over the Mississippi River.
Barges on the Mississippi.
We arrived at Shepard State
Park and set up. We got on our bikes and
rode around the park.
This park has disc golf and an
archery course.
The boat ramp is the only place
that we could actually see the water.
We saw this grasshopper on
the sidewalk…he was 3 inches long! He
might have an injured leg…he didn’t move even when I took his picture.
We made a salad and grilled
veggie burgers. It was nice enough to
have a small fire and eat outside.
November Days of Thanksgiving Day #22: We are grateful for bike rides after long driving days.
Winnie-Stowell County Park Campground
Winnie, Texas
Goodbye beautiful beach!
Today Tim spent the day
driving and I spent the day riding. We
traveled just a little over 300 miles.
We passed through Corpus Christi and then for most of the day we drove
through wide open space…filled with grassy fields, agricultural areas, windmills,
cattle, trains, industry, black dirt, tractor trailers, power plants, road
construction…and then through Houston…crowded and congested.
When we emerged on 10E on the
other side of Houston, it was time to think about a stopping place. We pulled into a rest area and looked at options. I have a clear memory of being at that same
rest stop last spring and choosing the Winnie-Stowell County Park then as
well. We rested for a while and then
hopped on our bikes. It felt good to be
moving on this warm and pleasant day.
We passed this FEMA tent and
then we passed lots of houses with debris in the yard. On September 19, 2019, the town of Winnie had
40 inches of rain. The area was badly
flooded. People had to be rescued in
boats and military vehicles. Many of the
houses are still terribly damaged. Some
families who were affected by Imelda, had been previously affected by
Harvey. It is humbling to see people who
work with determination and grit to be resilient.
We found a good BBQ place for
an easy dinner.
November Days of Thanksgiving Day #21: We are thankful for each new town that we visit. We always make an effort to see the good. Every place has its own beauty.
Bird Island Basin Campground Padre
Island National Seashore Corpus Christi, Texas
We had another nice bike ride
this morning! It was balmy and windy and
we had to work a bit harder but it felt so great to be pedaling. We have seen these crested caracara in the
park but today was the first day we captured some pictures.
A turtle.
The wetlands are beautiful!
Cranes here for the winter.
We spent a couple of hours at
the laundromat and then had salads for lunch at a Mexican restaurant. We got groceries and RV supplies. Tomorrow we begin to head north to
Atlanta. It’s going to take us a bunch
of days to get there…it’s really close to 1,000 miles from here.
This afternoon we did some research for our winter trip to Baja, Mexico. I learned about FMM cards and Mexican car insurance. We are always planning ahead for the next adventure.
November Days of Thanksgiving Day #20: We are thankful for these beach days filled with warmth and sunshine before we head north for the holidays.
Bird Island Basin Campground Padre
Island National Seashore Corpus Christi, Texas
Happy Birthday Dad…remembering you today.
It was so foggy when we woke up that you couldn’t see the water in front of the RV. We watched the fog lift and the sun begin to shine through. This flock of redhead ducks was resting in the sound. These ducks breed in Alaska and are here in Texas to overwinter. They are quite lovely with blue beaks and blue feet.
We took a great bike ride
this morning.
We packed our lunch and drove
to the beach. We gathered another 6 bags
of trash and then we relaxed.
We spent the afternoon
watching the water on the sound side.
The sunset was spectacular!
The coyotes in the park are crazy tonight, yipping and howling…they sound incredibly close!
November Days of Thanksgiving Day #19: We are thankful for feeling alive, for the wonderful energy we are infused with as we travel and experience new places and things.
Bird Island Basin Campground Padre
Island National Seashore Corpus Christi, Texas
Happy
Birthday Dre!!!
First thing this morning, we
moved across the park road to Bird Island Basin, a campground right on the
sound.
From there we rode our bikes
through the wetlands and along the park road.
The sand is hardpacked along
the shore and we were able to continue our bike ride on the beach.
We took a break, sat in a
pavilion, and watched the waves and the shore birds and then headed back to the
RV.
We stopped at the wildlife
observation area and saw lots of turtles sunning themselves.
Pelican at the boat ramp.
We thought about driving the
Jeep to the beach but it was so pleasant sitting in the campground by the
water. We were content to wile away our
afternoon right here.
We watched a tug guide a
barge out through the intercoastal waterway.
And another tug, pushing a barge
in.
We watched gulls and other
birds fishing and a guy windsurfing.
Sunset.
November Days of Thanksgiving Day #18: We are grateful for the beauty of the water, the sunshine, the beach, the birds, the turtles…for being constantly surrounded by nature!!
Malaquite Beach Campground Padre
Island National Seashore Corpus Christi, Texas
We started the day at the visitor center in order to post yesterday’s blog. We had packed a lunch and went out to the beach. Today was warmer and less windy. The coyote was still hanging around at MM15.
The water was the calmest it has been since our arrival.
We only had two garbage bags
left so we filled those and then spent some time enjoying the beautiful
day. We ate our picnic of brown bread,
raw vegetables and boiled eggs. Tim
walked and I read.
We went into town, back to
Scuttlebutt’s, to watch the end of the last NASCAR race of the season. The race didn’t end the way that Tim had
hoped…but we still had a nice evening sharing appetizers and a couple of adult
beverages!
The sun had set as we drove
back to our campsite.
November Days of Thanksgiving
Day #17: We are grateful for the independence
and freedom we have to determine our own path and our own schedule!!
Malaquite Beach Campground Padre
Island National Seashore Corpus Christi, Texas
This morning we met our
neighbors. Linda and Mark who also have
a Jeep. When two Jeep guys get together,
they have to compare gear…it’s a Jeep thing!
This Jeep is outfitted with a tent on top and awning along one side and
on the back. They are using solar
panels. We have been considering an
awning and some solar power as well. It’s
helpful to talk to other people and get ideas about what works. The inside of their Jeep is designed to accommodate
storage and camping needs. Mark and
Linda have been traveling for months. They
are great people. We had a lot in common
and they were fun to talk with.
We went to the visitor center so that we could borrow some WiFi to post the blog. It was taking a long time. Tim went back to the RV and made us each a 3rd cup of coffee. When the blog was posted, we drove out onto the beach. The birds all take off as we go by.
Our new friends, were set up to camp among the dunes. We stopped to say hello and we left them with a trash bag, promising we would come back to collect it!
We drove several miles and
then got out to collect trash. Debris
that washes up on shore comprises the foundation of the dunes. Sea grass, shells, wood, and coral are covered
by sand and the dunes grow. Unfortunately,
when all of the plastic garbage washes up, it becomes the base for the dunes.
Today we collected 9 bags of
trash and some other big stuff. Tim
found a syringe and I found a purse, lots of flossers, Q-tips, combs, bic
lighters, ballpoint pens and the usual flip flops, bottles, and other
stuff. Do you know how long it takes
plastic to biodegrade??? It NEVER, EVER
does!
It was Saturday and there
were lots of people out fishing. We stopped
to take a picture of this beauty. The
guys said they had been catching lots of drums and redfish.
As we passed by, we saw what
looked like a coyote in a campsite along the dunes. We circled back and it was indeed a
coyote. We drove to where the guys were
fishing in the surf and Tim yelled: “there’s a coyote in your campsite!” The older guy said that the coyote had been
there for a couple of days and was really no bother. “He’s not causing any trouble!” The fishermen have been feeding the coyote their
fish heads and so the coyote keeps coming back!
These guys were from Wyoming…they have seen a coyote or two!
We picked up the trash from Mark
and Linda and left them with some firewood/driftwood that we had gathered along
the beach. They plan to stay there on
the beach for the next five nights. They
have all of their provisions. We had
offered to deliver anything they needed.
We intend to go out again tomorrow and we will check in on them again!
We drove to the sound side
and sat a bit.
Tim drove into town to get
gas in the Jeep and I got dinner ready.
November Days of Thanksgiving Day #16: We are grateful for the people we meet along the way, for stories shared, and for Jeep and travel advice!
Malaquite Beach Campground Padre
Island National Seashore Corpus Christi, Texas
The sun was shining when we
woke up this morning!! What a difference
the sunshine makes! We drove 20 short
miles to the National Park.
Padre Island National Seashore
is the longest undeveloped barrier island in the world. It looks much the same as it did when Karakawa
Indians lived here hundreds of years ago.
We camped at the beach. This is our view.
We packed lunch and went to
go for a drive. As we passed the visitor
center, we saw a sign for a sea turtle release.
We hurried to the ramp but we had missed it by minutes. The crowd of people was coming back from the
beach. We were able to watch a sea
turtle release several years ago and it was amazing. The rangers rely on spectators to help safely
guide the small turtles to the surf…and then we all cheered for the tiny little
beings making their way into that big ocean…
We drove out onto the sand
and saw this jellyfish.
We stopped and picked up trash again today. Another 8 bags full.
Our lunch and turnaround spot
at MM25. At this mile marker, the Loop
and the Yucatan currents collide. The beach
is full of shells and of course, trash.
This piece of beach is nicknamed Devil’s Elbow.
Golden hour.
November Days of Thanksgiving
Day #15: We are grateful for the people
who help to save the sea turtles and for the people who try to preserve the
beach…for our grandchildren.
Yet another chilly, grey, and misty day. We decided that we were going to the beach anyway! We packed our lunch and headed out. We stopped at the visitor center.
First we got a tide chart. It isn’t very smart to go driving 20 or 30 miles down the beach, not knowing when the next high tide might be. Sometimes the beach is impassable when the tide is up. We found out that there is a coastal flood advisory…good to know! We also picked up some trash bags. When we were here last spring, we learned that this particular barrier island is at the confluence of two major water currents. From the south, the Caribbean and Mexico, the Yucatan current enters the Gulf. From the north the current comes from the Florida Straits. As these currents collide, the debris that has been carried from all over the world, is dumped here on Padre Island National Seashore. There are armies of volunteers that pick up trash here. However, with every new day, more detritus washes up on the beach. Things like shoes- mostly flip flops, glow sticks, plastic bottles of every sort, straws, plastic forks and spoons, hard hats, fishing tackle, oil filters, crates, buckets, toothbrushes, string, rope, ribbon, and lots of broken plastic. When we are here, we want to help! We filled all four of the bags that we were given and brought back lots of bigger stuff too!
There were dozens of heron fishing in the surf today.
We saw hoof prints all along the beach. We also saw lots of deer in the dunes. They were very skittish and didn’t want to be photographed! We also saw one deer just walking along the surf. It was an odd thing to see…deer on the beach!
An oil rig along visible along the horizon.
We got back to the RV after 2. I took the laundry and found the nicest laundromat,
The Laundry Depot, that I have ever had the pleasure to use. Next, I went to a
HEB grocery store. It was a great store
and I found all kinds of things that we had been missing. I did a little
Christmas errand for the grandsons and then picked up dinner while I was
out. I got a lot accomplished!
We still don’t know if we
will move the RV down to the National Seashore tomorrow…we are liking our
hookups here in town…we don’t have to decide tonight!
November Days of Thanksgiving Day #14: We are grateful that we are able to do a little to help clean up the beach!
