Dakota Magic Casino, ND

637 Km. today

Stromsburg, NE

468 Km. today.

South Haven, Kansas

We had a leisurely start as we waited for the morning rush hour to abate before driving the freeway through Fort Worth.  We bid adieu with fond memories to Texas and sped through Oklahoma on the I35 North in the rain.  The winds were buffeting the Bigfoot so Cam needed a break.  I settled myself behind the wheel and drew myself up like a ship's captain on the poop deck or wherever it is a captain stands.  Cam only yelled once when one idiot in a 3/4 ton tried to merge into the side of us but I managed to avoid him.   The freeway here is a 4 lane divided hwy that runs through lovely rolling hills with a speed limit of minimum 40 maximum 75 mph.  I have come to agree that despite the one idiot I mention above it is much safer avoiding all the small towns with a lot more people trying to pull out in front of you at 2 mph.

The truck stops and casinos had become less appealing the further we drove from Fort Worth so we looked for another RV park just across the Kansas border.   We found the Oasis RV park which has meadowlarks singing and only one other camper.  Quite nice.  

Burleson, TX

Big thundershaker last night after midnight.  The day dawned beautiful and sunny.


On the road today, up Highway #77 to Burleson, TX, just south of Fort Worth, TX.
Texas looks a lot like Manitoba in July right now.  The Bluebonnet Lupines, Indian Paintbrush, and many other wildflowers line the highway and spread across the fields.

Indian Paintbrush

Calves are already getting big and some crops are 'headed out' and a foot or more high.

Alas, we stopped around 4:30 p.m. and did not have time to visit the local attractions which included Billy Bob's Botanical Gardens and the Stockyards.

563 Km. today.

The last day at Drifter's RV Park, Estes, TX

Did nada.  Laid around the whole day, preparing for tomorrow's journey north.  Nancy took a few shots of Drifter's RV Park to remember it by.

Our campsite

 The neighbourhood

Most of the snow birds have departed, but not all of the summer crew is here yet.

We spent the afternoon by the pool, prepped for departure and waited for an anticipated thunderstorm.

Wunderground.com's version

The storm arrived around midnight.  The onslaught was a mix of lightning flashes and rolling thunderclaps the like of which would do a prairie proud.   The frogs were singing like sirens and the Bigfoot rocked like a ship at sea but nary an oak limb bashed or fell on us.

Mustang Island State Park & Padre Island National Seashore

With the cold front out over the gulf, we have had on and off showers overnight and today.  We decided to load up and go exploring anyways.  We took the ferry over to Mustang Island, and headed south to the State Park.  The campgrounds were not as exposed as we had been told, sitting in a fold in the dunes, back off the main beachfront.  Nancy & Kirk went for a walk on the beach. 

Kirk and I explored a beach which was pretty much empty of humans.  

We found a number of other interesting individuals starting with Portuguese Man-of-War which is not really a jellyfish but a colony of hundreds of animals working together as a single unit (kind of like the Borg on Star Trek).  Kirk showed no special interest in these beauties which was good as there were quite a few and they can give you an extremely painful sting.   

Ruddy Turnstones, Willets, gulls, Royal Terns, and Sanderlings dashed about after tasty bits and had Kirk distracted until he encountered the crabs.

Ruddy Turnstones

Willet

Groups of anywhere from 6 to 15 crabs were feeding right on the edge of the waterline, surfacing just after a wave receded then just barely covering themselves with sand.  I think these were the “fighting sand crabs”  that Port O’Connor team (referred to in an earlier blog) was named after because when Kirk ran over and stepped on them they came up fighting, snapping at him.  The war was on.  Kirk ran into a crowd of them and was leaping and snapping as crabs emerged from the sand under him while I tried to make sure nobody got hurt.  Neither side wanted to give any ground.  Claws and teeth were snapping, sand was flying. I managed to haul Kirk up the beach but he was like a prize fighter pulled from the ring and couldn’t forgive and forget so it was time to leave.  So much for the original perception of solitude on this beach.

Padre Island National Seashore was next, and the rain was coming down pretty good.  Regardless, Nancy & Kirk put their rain jackets on (well, Nancy did, anyways) and they headed off down a .75 mile grassland trail in the pouring rain.  There was the odd bench with cabana shelter along the way and Kirk with a wistful look pulled towards cover but it was not to be.  

We stopped at the Malaquite Visitor centre next.   Padre Island National Seashore protects the world’s longest undeveloped stretch of barrier island.  Seventy miles of beaches, dunes, endless grasslands and tidal flats.

Our tour ended at South Beach.  Surprisingly, you can drive down 5 miles of South beach with a car and 60 miles by 4-wheel.  Speed limit is 15 mph.  People were surf fishing.  Cam drove out on the beach and Kirk and I went for another walk.  Once again the sand crabs emerged and the battle ensued.  It was a short walk.

BBQ

The cold front finally got here bringing rain and the temperature plummeted to 25 degrees C.  We had planned on a trip down to Mustang Island but the fogginess and potential for heavy rain deterred our journey.  Instead we shopped for sandals (my last of 2 pair having given up the ghost while washing the Bigfoot last night), a new choke chain for Kirk since the 4 Jack Russell terriers moved in a few RVs over (Party time! -as my sister said when I bemoaned to her Kirk’s sudden loss of training memory), and a trip to the art gallery.  

Cam spent the afternoon out in the rain scrubbing the high, cooked on bug spots I missed on the Bigfoot so I went to town for a hair cut (found out about all the best seafood, po-boys and Texas barbecue in town).  Apparently, this town has the freshest oysters in the U.S. as they come off the boats "onto your plate with the sea water still runnin' off em".  Not being a raw oyster fan, we had barbecue from Hatfield’s BBQ which was one room with a wall sized blackboard menu listing your choices of barbecued meat and sides to go with it (this being coleslaw, beans, corn, mac & cheese, etc) and beer brands, a roughed in L shaped bar/order counter, picnic tables for seating, a small partitioned off 10 x 7 kitchen open to view, and whitewashed walls on which you could write your own words of wisdom, draw or sign your name (and many had). The smoker/barbecue was outside.  The kitchen counter had a large sign that said “No you can’t have it done your way”. The owners were friendly, the food was very good and being Texas there was plenty of it. Total bill for ribs, chicken and sides was $18.22.  The hair stylist had said it was family run and indeed the 3 generations were there running it. They made the TOP 50 Barbecue in Texas in the Texas Monthly magazine.  The Corvette and Hummer outside can attest to success as I was the one driving the 400,000 km Accord in the parking lot and their only customer at 4 p.m. before the Friday crowd.  

Rockport, in the 'winter' is the right mix of things to do and see, a variety of restaurant choices (ranging from gypsy caravans $$ with smokers along the road to fancy $$$$, lots of fresh sea food, very little traffic, shore/pier fishing spots everywhere and good weather.  The people are also a mix of local fishermen, merchants, the weekenders from Houston, the regular working guy, seasonal snowbirds, and travellers (like us). Houses ranging from $100,000 to million dollar mansions (cabins) all mixed together.  Everybody seems to have a boat, the majority being either 18 ft flat boats with high hp engines or 50+ foot yachts. There are a few sailboats and the odd catamaran and of course working fishing/shrimp boats.  All I can think of is there must be one hell of a boat service industry here.  When I think of the maintenance we used to do on a 40 ft fishing boat the thought of owning a really large boat makes me want to run screaming in the other direction.  Of course, if you can own it you probably aren’t the one maintaining it.

Gathering strength for the return journey

The laid back lifestyle is setting in.  The Great Horned Owls, frogs, Poor-wills and toads are calling at night. The Black-crested Titmouse, Cardinals, Guinea hens and even chickens today, wake us in the morning.  Not even the diesel throb of a struggling F450 hauling out a 40 ft 5th wheel at 7:00 a.m. with “your little dog too” barking out the window can cloud the loveliness of the morning. 

The day consisted of a minor grocery shop. Hey, that’s eggs for .99 cents stop there!  Cam tells me this is a "loss leader" move on the part of the merchant.  Hah, pre-warned, it didn’t work, I got the eggs and left. Watching the new summer folks roll into the RV park and the travellers and snowbirds roll out. Cam’s moment where he filled a near empty Accord for $21.   Followed by a fuel frivolous cruise around the area through potential future RV parks, the tour brochure’s wildflower cruise through the cemetery, and boat gawking along the harbour.  The afternoon pool session and yes - the China Buffet.   I gave the Bigfoot a bath to remove the oak pollen.  

The weather in the central states, especially those we would need to travel, has been fierce, and continues to be so, with tornados, flash foods, high winds and yes the dreaded low temperatures.  Cam snivels and whines at the prospect of having to wear socks again.  On this basis, a decision was made at the pool to book in here until Monday.   (Sorry too lazy to take photos today)

Tule Creek Hike & Bike Trail

We went back to the Tule Creek Hike & Bike Trail this morning.  I took the Runner for a run up and back on the trail, while Nancy & Kirk (allowed on these trails) did part of this trail, then headed into the nature preserve.

  The trail winds through the bush, then heads along a drainage canal.

Coral Bean

Slender Dayflower

Whitetail deer

(this one is for all those mushroom pickers out there - soon my friends)

Here's a couple of shots of the pool at Drifter's RV Park.  There's been one or two people there, but usually, we have it to ourselves.  Me in the "slightly warmer" tub.

Nancy - this morning I found an unfortunate Hurter’s Spadefoot toad on the lane however I saved  another unidentified toad from the pool later.  The Sheep frogs are singing along with numerous others at night.

31st Wedding Anniversary

We had a take-it-easy kind of day, to celebrate being officially wedded for 31 years (and living together for 35 years) today.  We stopped briefly at the Tule Creek Hike & Bike Trail.  

Pool and relaxation in the afternoon, and went out to Shempy’s, a highly recommended seafood joint for supper.  Nancy had shrimp and soft-shelled crab, but couldn’t bring herself to eat the legs, despite the encouragement of our server.  We took advantage of their BYOB policy to celebrate with a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc.

Port Aransas, TX

Port Aransas is on the north end of Mustang Island, which is an extension of Padre Island.  After taking miles of bridges and causeways over swamps and waterways, the final couple of hundred yards (at best) is by ferry.  I guess this is because this is a shipping channel (Corpus Christi is the 5th busiest port in the U.S.), but on the surface, it doesn’t make a lot of sense.  There are 5 ferries, running in parallel berths, many deck hands waving, and a very, very, short ride.  Perhaps the ferry company is owned by a Senator’s family, or something.

It was pretty efficient, at least during the day, during the week, when we were there.  

Port Aransas does have some excellent birding sites, and it was Port Aransas Nature Preserve At Charlie’s Pasture which was our initial destination.  Charlie’s Pasture was named after Charlie Bujan, son of the man who initially pioneered and brought cattle to the island in the 1850’s. The city has put a lot of time, effort and funding into this area, and it shows.

Dogs are not allowed on the trails, so Kirkly and I sat at a table and drank coffee, while Nancy headed off down the trails.

Blue Crab

Lantana

Evening Primrose (yellow) and Indian Blanket (Gaillardia)

Coreopsis

Snowy Plover

Black-Bellied Whistling Ducks

Summer Tanager

Roseate Spoonbills, Teals and Coot

Avocets

Crowded Island - Red Eared Slider Turtles and Coot

Green Winged Teal (in front)

Long-Billed Dowitchers

We also stopped at Paradise Pond, and the Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Centre.  On the way home, we also stopped at the Lighthouse Lakes Trail  (first paddling trail established on the Texas coast)

And then it was Back to Drifters RV Park for the pool and a beverage.

The Trusty Accord