One more walk in the park and another dolphin sighting.
After Tim finished his exercises, we went to pick up his bike from Native Island Surf Shop. $10.00 for a new inner tube…what a deal!
Next, we went to the South Padre Island Farmers Market. We got some organic, vegan, gluten free spelt bread. We found a nice wheat sourdough loaf. We got granola with toasted coconut and pecans. We found some local coffee. We got some mangoes. Our best find of the day was from Christa’s Kitchen; homemade guava butter and a cherry amaretto chocolate jam. Both were amazing!
Tim watched NASCAR. We both took bike rides. I worked on a project and did some cleaning.
We watched one last sunset on South Padre Island. Tomorrow is moving day. We are planning to go north and we want to visit Padre Island National Seashore for a day or two. The campgrounds there are first come first serve with no hookups. We aren’t certain that we will have service but we will post again when we do.
I walked the loop around Isla Blanca and Tim did his yoga and stretching and then he headed to the gym. We try to hold the morning exercise time as sacrosanct. It is so much harder to get it done later in the day. This has become our routine and it works.
We took Tim’s bike and went across the bridge to Port Isabel. We went to find This Little Bike Shop. It was no longer there! Boo!!!
We got groceries and filled our water bottles. We went to the seafood market and bought some more red snapper.
I took my bike for a ride this afternoon and then Tim took my bike for a ride.
We had one more possibility for bike tire repair. Island Native Surf House. We stopped and they had the correct inner tube and they will have Tim’s tire fixed tomorrow morning. YAY!
We went to Berry divine Acai Bowls for our dinner. Acai berries have all kinds of antioxidants and have lots of proven health benefits. We had seen lots of acai bowl places in California and our interest was piqued. Tim chose a Volcano Bowl. His acai was topped with kiwi and strawberries and granola and blueberries and coconut oil. I had a Maui Waui Bowl which was topped with granola and pineapple and cashews and cocoa nibs and bee pollen and honey. The yummy bowls were loaded with fiber and protein and we were satisfied.
We walked to the water’s edge to watch the sunset. It was a quiet day but it was a very good day!
We spent Thursday morning walking and exercising and biking and taking care of business.
We packed the Jeep and left for an overnight beach roof top tent camping trip.
We spent the early evening just sitting on the beach, enjoying the sunshine. We saw lines of pelican traveling along the breaking waves in search of supper.
We saw strings of brilliant white snow geese flying north in a beautifully executed zipper-like ballet.
The surf was much calmer but it was pretty breezy. Tim found a spot tucked among the dunes and out of the wind where we set up our home for the night.
I made omelets and we sat by the fire. We stood on the tops of the dunes watching the sun go down over the bay. We watched the stars pop out. Such a nice night. We are so fortunate to be doing this together.
Morning coffee on the beach…nothing better!!
We had a quiet “recovery” day on Friday. I walked to Isla Blanca.
Tim biked into town and walked his bike back with a flat rear tire.
We went to dinner at Sea Ranch. We had delicious mussels and then salads with blackened tuna and big Gulf shrimp for our dinner. We watched the pelicans feeding in the marina.
I began the day with another 4 mile walk from the campground and around the perimeter of Isla Blanca. I stopped for awhile at the mouth where the bay meets the gulf and watched dolphins feeding.
Tim prepped our bikes with lubricant to knock off some of the desert dust.
We cycled into town, down to the water tower. We took a more leisurely ride back, stopping on a pier.
We found this sandcastle exhibit as we biked on.
We took the pedestrian boardwalk under the highway and then back to the KOA.
This evening we took the Jeep to the bayside. We packed grilled salmon and salads for our meal. We watched kiteboarders grabbing wind.
I waded out into the shallow water.
As the tide receded, we watched grackles feeding on small flies at the water’s edge.
The sun appeared to melt into the water. Another good day on South Padre Island.
Last night the wind finally subsided a bit and we had a fairly quiet night.
This morning, I walked to Isla Blanca State Park. I saw lots of shore birds.
The park memorial to fishermen lost at sea.
The Gulf of Mexico.
Tim went back to the gym and then took a bike ride. I went to Port Isabel to get groceries. Raul came and washed our RV; it was desperately dirty!
This afternoon, we took the Jeep to the beach. The surf was rough and the tide was high. The beach was narrow but the Jeep had no trouble passing through. We found a spot and sat awhile to watch the water. It was very breezy.
We were given a trash bag when we entered the park. We filled it with debris.
Tim walked around and found a better place to park where we could still see the shore but where we were also more protected from the wind.
We enjoyed the afternoon. I cooked some very fresh red snapper on the cookstove. The fish was fresh and dense and sweet and delicious…the best fish I have had in a long time!
I took a walk this morning along County Road 402. I was walking along when two dogs charged toward me. The little dog was yipping and annoying and the bigger dog more menacing with spittle flying. I tried screaming at them but they continued to walk alongside me barking their “fool heads off.” They finally gave up and went back home but in the meantime my heart was pounding. I was done walking on this lonely country road. I went back to the pecan farm and walked back and forth among the rows of trees.
We traveled again today. We left Falfurrias and Tim drove to South Padre Island. The wind was relentless with sustained winds of 25-30 mph and gusts greater than 50. I know that Tim wasn’t having much fun driving, particularly when there were crosswinds.
The wind turbines were still today. I read that with winds around 55mph, they automatically shut off. More wind it not a good thing for them.
We made it safely. I took the laundry across the road to the laundromat. I walked again while the clothes were drying. Tim found a decent gym here in the resort and did his workout. Otherwise, we hunkered down in the RV protected from the wind.
When we watched the news this evening, the wind and weather was THE STORY.
This morning I was able to walk a portion of the Salado Creek Trail. This multiuse greenway was adjacent to the RV park.
Welcome Spring!!
This would have been a nice place to ride our bikes but we had plans to move on again today.
We drove from San Antonio south to a small town called Falfurrias. Here there was a Harvest Host site, the Boykin Pecan Farm. Larry is the host/farmer/cowboy/owner in charge of this beautifully kept farm. He met us with a warm Texas welcome and told us to make ourselves at home. He invited us to come to the house once we were settled. We met Larry’s wife Sophie and we enjoyed chatting around their kitchen table and getting to know more about their family and their farm. These were such kind and authentic, hardworking people. We left with a 5 pound bag of pecans and a dozen fesh eggs…so fresh that Tim went out and helped to gather them from the chicken coop.
We spent the remainder of the evening parked in the orchard among the pecan trees. It was peaceful and lovely.
I walked through Sonora this morning. First around the rodeo venue and the community park and then on the sidewalks through town,
Tim noticed this yesterday…the taxidermist and meat processor right next to the BBQ place.
We traveled in the RV again today from Sonora about 150 miles to San Antonio. Both yesterday and today I did some of the driving. Tim chose nice smooth, flat roads for me to navigate. I was able to merge onto the highway from a rest area and then eventually put it on cruise control and then just steered. I did have to pass a few other vehicles and I had to move over for stopped trucks on the shoulder. We switched both days before we got into town. It was good practice. I am feeling more confident and I think I might be doing better. I cannot ever imagine that I will be relaxed, there is just too much to be aware of.
Once we were settled at the Alamo KOA, we ventured into San Antonio. The camp host suggested that we use the city bus. She said that parking was difficult and expensive. The bus stop was right across from the campground. We had to wait about 25 miuntes but then we were on our way.
We started our exploration at the Alamo. This is the site of the most famous battle in Texas’ war with Mexico for independence. I did not remember that Texas was it’s own republic for about a decade before it decided to join the United States. The Alamo was crazy busy. All tickets for all tours were sold out. We were able to walk the grounds. We got to listen to an enactor tell the story of the Texas War for Independence.
Next, we crossed the street to the San Antonio River Walk. More than a century ago, this town was built very near the San Antonio River. The river flooded the town in 1921. In 1929 an architect deisgned a plan to divert and dam some of the river while creating a system of walls and paths along the water’s edge. This was the beginning of River Walk. It is quite a spectacle. Today was a Saturday and the Saint Patrick’s Day celebration on the river was underway. It is part Vegas. part Mardi Gras, part Duval Street and then there is the whole western element thrown into the mix.
The Saint Patty’s Day barge parade happened while walked. The float with the bagpipes was the very best!
The art, sculptures, city buildings, bridges, boat tours, the colors, the restaurants, the landscaping…this place was happening! Lots of music and food and throngs of people. We enjoyed walking the loop and taking in all the sights and sounds.
We found our way back tot he bus stop for the number 24 and made it back to the RV. It was a very different and fun day!
We left El Paso at 8am, eager to be on the road and chipping away at the miles that are Texas. Texas is big.
This javelina was nosing around in the trash at a rest stop. We watched a tractor trailer driver feed it.
We traveled about 400 miles today, arrving in the small town of Sonora after 4pm.
This evening we went into the market for a few things. We passed the local elementary school. There was a sign in front of the school that stated that some school staff were armed. I did some reading and about 30% of Texas school districts have implemented programs allowing teachers and other personnel to carry weapons during the school day. These teachers receive special training.
At the grocery we picked up a brochure about predator management on ranches. Coyotes and feral pigs are killing young deer, turkey, and quail. On one 1200 acre ranch where trappers worked to manage the predator population; 43 coyotes were killed in one season.
Every place that we visit has its own struggles. It might be immigration or earthquakes or wildfires or homelessness or drought or a myriad of other problems. As visitors we cannot even hope to fully comprehend the complexities of the issues and we shouldn’t endeavor to judge solutions. We don’t live here.
After exercise time, we left Tucson. We traveled on 10E to the New Mexico border.
This afternoon, we stopped at a rest area so Tim could nap. Once he had slept, he was ready to go. Today was about driving east and getting the miles done!
In Las Cruces, we stopped for another break. I like this roadrunner sculpture.
We drove into Texas and through El Paso. Again today, it took several phone calls to find a campsite. The place we finally found sits in the shadow of Interstate 10 and Tim swears that as he arrnaged the hookups, he was in the shadow of the passing cars. We are grateful we found a place. We were tired and ready to settle and we really try hard never to drive the RV in the dark.
