Day 205. February 27, 2014. Great outdoors

"We are still at Choke Canyon State Park, 85 miles south of San Antonio.  We took a long hike to a second lake area in the state park.  It is called "75 Acre Lake"

BUT, since there is a terrible drought, it is more like a 5-acre lake

There are a few fish and alligators in the small ponds.

In the PM, we went to a park ranger-led talk about migrating birds.  Pretty interesting.  On our way back, we saw 2 cougars, also called mountain lions.  Exciting!

In the evening, a bobcat jumped out of the bushes near our camper, chasing a rabbit.  Then, deer strolled by.  Wow!  

Dinner.....As an appetizer, we had raw veggies with some "kale-a-mole" dip I had bought at Whole Foods.  It is like guacamole with kale.  Should be quite healthy!  I fixed paninis using leftover grilled chicken breasts and  gruyere cheese, on a crunchy baquette.  It was fun buying different foods at Whole Foods yesterday, as recently we have been in small towns with small grocery stores, with limited options.  One interesting note about these small grocery stores.....their store brands are Shur Fine, which is the brand we sold in my father's small town grocery store years ago.

Day 204. February 26, 2014. San Antonio day trip

As predicted, today is rainy and cold.  The temperature dropped 40 degrees since yesterday.  Since it wasn't good weather for campground activities, we drove into San Antonio.  First, we stopped for lunch at the Granary 'Cue and Brew.  It is part of the old Pearl Beer brewery that is now condos and lofts.  They turned the copper's house (the beer barrel maker) into this restaurant.  We had a great pulled pork sandwich.

Then we went to Whole Foods, where I had a gift certificate, so we went on a shopping spree.  Then, we found a brewpub called Blue Star, in an old part of town, and tried their beers.  Back to the campground by late afternoon. 

It was too cold to stand around a campfire, so we invited the campers we had met yesterday over to chat.  They are from Idaho, and have travelled around Texas a lot.  Our first house guests!

For dinner, I sautéed a Mahi Mahi fillet that we bought at Whole Foods, and served it with rice.  

Day 203. February 25, 2014. Quiet day

We rode our bikes for a nice long ride.  We stopped at the park entrance to pay for additional nights.  I asked the clerk about any interesting places nearby for road trips.  She said San Antonio is the only place, and it is not far.... 85 miles.  Then she said, "only about 45 minutes".  I think she must be a bit math-challenged, but somewhat correct as they really drive fast here.

We did some slow-day tasks like cleaning out the cooler.  Our campsite is nice.  The picnic table has a roof, and it overlooks the reservoir.  

A new couple arrived, and they gave us some pointers for far west Texas.  

For dinner, I made a garbanzo bean soup (50 cent package), and added diced potato and grilled, local smoked sausage.  Now I need to figure out what to do with all the leftover beans!  

Day 202. February 24, 2014. Choke Canyon relaxing

We are enjoying Choke Canyon, about an hour south of San Antonio.  We took a long hike to explore the campground.  We saw birds and deer.  Texas is supposedly the "birdiest" state in the country.  We chatted with our Belgian friends, then relaxed around the campsite.

Quiet day.  George made a campfire and I grilled tandoori chicken that I had marinated in plain yogurt and herbs.  

A new RV pulled in with a giant grill.  We learned that the guy is a professional BBQer and competes in contests.  He is going to grill ribs for everyone on Friday, so we are extending our stay here.  

Day 201. February 23, 2014. Small world!

We left Falcom State Park and drove 180 miles through nothing.  Vast ranches with scrub bushes.  All the ranches had high fences around them.  We think that many are game ranches for hunters.  We stopped at a roadside stand for lunch...see fence

We are now at Choke Canyon State Park, about 100 miles south of San Antonio.  This is oil country.  Oil fields everywhere with temporary housing....cabins and RVs for the workers.  We are next to a big reservoir.  

To our delight, we recognized a unique RV  when we pulled in.  It was a wonderful couple from Belgium that we had met first in Okeefenokee Swamp in Georgia, then again outside of New Orleans.  They are spending about 9 months traveling around the USA.  We joined them for a glass of wine and Belgian beer and they told us about their 3 years camping in South America.  They will leave their camper in a Texas, and fly back to Belgium for the summer.  Then, they will return to Texas in Sept, pick up their camper, and head to Baja California where they will take a boat to mainland  Mexico to camp for several months.   

Day 200! February 22, 2014. Birding

I

We are at Falcon State Park another day, in south central Texas.  It is a popular place for birders.  Many of the campers walk around with binoculars around their necks.  

Today's theme is leftovers, or perhaps I should say, "repurposed food".  With a tiny refrigerator, we can't store much.

The freezer is even tinier, holding this one ice cube tray

So, I try to think about how I can use food for several days, without having the exact same thing.  Today, as an example, George made grits using the chicken broth I had made a few days ago when we had grilled chicken.  To that, he added a dollop of the yummy jalapeño cream cheese I had used with celery slices last night.  I had 2 eggs left, and prepared then sunny-side up on top of the grits.  

Continuing with leftovers, I made paninis for lunch with leftover pork from 2 nights ago, with (of course) more of that cream cheese.

For dinner, George made a dip with avocado, tomatillo, salsa, and lime juice.  We had that as an appetizer with crudités (aka the remaining celery and some carrot sticks).  The main course was stuffed potato packets.  I partially baked  2 potatoes in the microwave.  Into the centers, I stuffed sautéed onion, garlic, and a remaining bell pepper I needed to use up.  I seasoned them with oregano and safe, and a bit of butter.  I wrapped them in aluminum foil and threw them on the campfire.  The potato bits that I scooped out will be used in a few days for a soup I'm planning.  We also grilled some Spam slices.  I know.....might seem odd, but we actually like Spam.  The leftover Spam slices will be used for lunch sandwiches tomorrow, and we will spread the leftover avocado dip on top instead of using mayonnaise.  I really enjoy all this planning, and we try to make it as economical and healthy as possible.

Now for the day....We did the 3 -mile trail loop again.  This time, we saw lots of rabbits and 2 javelinas. In the PM, George polished the camper, and then we drove to a birding center.  There were beautiful birds there, some migratory and some Texan ones.  A couple feed them every year, so the birds know to come here.  

Beautiful sunset, nice evening. The only thing missing was Saturday night's ritual, Praire Home Companion.  No radio and very limited internet here. 

Since there is also no TV here, the campers trade around DVDs.  We watched an old movie "Big".  

Day 199. February 21, 2014. Outdoor life @ Falcon

A beautiful day here at Falcon State Park.  This is the first morning in a long while where everything is not dewy from overnight moisture.  So, we enjoyed breakfast outside.  

We hiked the campground's 3-mile loop trail.  We saw road runners and lots of signs of coyotes (i.e. their poop) on the trail.  There are lots of javelinas here, but we haven't seen them yet.  

We walked to the campground's rec center and butterfly garden.  The long-term campers really keep things nice.  Also, there are several AmericaCorps crews here. I think this is a government program to employ new college grads who can't get jobs.  They were out on the trail, pruning the bushes, and also were cleaning the restrooms.  

We biked to the park entrance (uphill) to extend our stay by one night, since we are not in a rush to go anywhere else.  We wanted to see the dam up close, but it is the actual border, and we couldn't.  

I needed to use up the celery we bought a few says ago (seems like a huge bunch), so I planned to serve slices stuffed with pimiento cheese.  I could not find it in stores here, so substituted jalapeño-flavored cream cheese.  Yum!  I made rice and served it with the leftover fajita style vegetables.  

Day 198. February 20, 2014. Following the Rio Grande

We packed up at South Padre Island.  It was sad leaving, as we had gotten to know a nice group of people there.  We are thinking about returning here next January, after we return from India.

There is a not-so-pleasant part of camping.  We have 2 drains:  1) sink water and 2) toilet.  We try not to use either very much.  We always use the campgrounds' showers, and I usually don't wash dishes inside.  In any case, we have to dump the water in a dump station.  Here is George dumping before we hit the road.

We drove about 150 miles north and west, following the river.  It is a lot hotter here....mid 80s.   We are staying a few nights at Falcon State Park.  The Falcon Dam and Reservoir are part of the Rio Grande.  We are facing Mexico.  One of our neighbors told us that sometimes you can hear gunshots from the Mexican town across the lake.   I don't have USA cell service.....just Mexican companies.  There are only Spanish-speaking TV stations.  One if them was out of Mexico City.  We seem pretty isolated.

It started getting hot so we turned on the A/C.  First time we have used it, and it works fine.  Hooray!  

For dinner, I wanted to use up the celery I had bought the other day for chicken salad.  So, I sautéed some and added it to stuffing mix.  We had that with grilled porkchops and broccoli on the side.  

The evening was beautiful.  Since we are far away from everything, we could see lots of stars, and it really cooled down.  Listened to the coyotes

Day 197. February 19, 2014. Last day in South Padre Island

Another beautiful day.  I have  mentioned that the island has a wonderful free bus service.  Consequently, we haven't driven much.  When I got in the car this AM to drive to the laundromat, I found the battery dead.  George asked  a nice neighbor to jump it.  

We fixed an at-home gourmet lunch.....peel 'n eat shrimp and avocado slices.

Life is not fair....George and I eat and exercise the same, but he gets skinnier all the time, and I stay the same.  He has to wear suspenders to keep up his pants!

We went to a really nice Italian restaurant for dinner to celebrate our last day here.  George had lamb testicles as an appetizer.  We had a good wood-fired pizza for the entree.  Lots of leftovers.

Day 196. February 18, 2014. USS Forrestal

People here at the campground  have been tracking the route of the decommissioned USS Forrestal which is being shipped from Pennsylvania to Brownsville.  It was supposed to arrive at 7:00 AM, and people flocked to the beach to watch, but it was fogged in.  

We went out for lunch at Pier 19.  I had a Bloody Cesar...almost a salad

We went on a 4 -hour boat ride.  The cruise was supposed to be of the Brownsville port, but because of the USS Forrestal, we were able to watch it come into port.  Due to the morning fog, we were lucky to be on this cruise, since it didn't come into the channel until afternoon.  We sort of raced it, in order to get in front of it, as it sailed into the port.  The Coast Guard stopped us, so we followed the aircraft carrier.  It is huge, with 4 tug boats.

It was a famous ship during the Vietnam War, and now will be turned into scrap metal.  It is the largest ship to ever go into this port.

Then, our cruise boat went into the shrimping harbor where we saw all the shrimp boats.  This used to be the workd's largest shrimping area.

We were surprised to be served dinner on the cruise...boiled shrimp, sausage, potatoes and corn on the cob. Also, awful beer. 

Day 195. February 17, 2014. Turtle Release on South Padre Island

Another  beautiful day....highs around 80, and cool in the evenings.  

George grilled the leftover chicken, and I made chicken salad sandwiches for lunch.  Then, we biked over to the beach at the park where we are camping to watch the turtle release.

When we visited the Turtle Recue Center last week, we learned that hundreds of turtles had washed ashore in December when it was unusually cold, suffering  from "cold shock".  They were rescued and have been rehabilitating at the center.  Today, now that it has warmed up, they are being released back to the Gulf.

There were lots of people there to watch.  They brought the turtles in cars and trucks. 

The bigger turtles were driven down to the water.  

The smaller ones were carried.  The volunteers showed the onlookers.

They were beautiful

In the PM, I read a book in the sun.  

I made a tasty dinner....a type of frittata with artichoke hearts, zucchini, onions, goat cheese, Parmesan cheese, and nice herbs.  I'm trying to plan menus to use up food in the refrig before we leave on Thursday. 

Day 194. February 16, 2014. Bus adventure

Another beautiful day.  George borrowed a neighbor's ladder and did some maintenance on the camper.  We chilled around the campground.  

There is a wonderful bus system that takes people all over the island, at no charge.  There is also a bus that goes over the causeway to the mainland.  We decided to give it a try and went shopping at a supermarket.  Vegetables are really cheap here.....cilantro @ $.28; red peppers @ $.40.  We ended up buying more than we planned, including some big bottles of beer.  We got quite a few strange looks on the bus., with all our bags.

For dinner, we barbecued chicken on the grill, with veg and potato wedges.  I watched 2 Downton Abbey shows....happy, happy! 

Day 193. February 15, 2014. More fun in South Padre Island

      

We picked up a map listing the 25 sand castles on the island, and biked around to see them.  We biked the full stretch of the island....10 miles round trip.  It wasn't bad as we stopped along the way to look at the sand  castles.  

Most are in great shape, after being created more than a year ago. 

Each is sponsored by a business

This one is in the front yard of the artist.  We talked to her about the process.  She mixes in beach sand and river sand.  Once the castle is complete, she sprays it with  an Elmer's glue/water solution.

We pedaled back for lunch.  In the PM, George washed the camper and car.  I read in the sun.  Later, we hopped on the bus and stopped at a beach bar on the lagoon.  Great views, and interesting sunset with the fog

I made shrimp tacos with some local fresh Gulf shrimp. We used some tomatillos in the sauce.  Quite authentic-tasting!

Day 192. February 14, 2014. Exploring South Padre Island

We took advantage of the beautiful weather and spent the whole day outside.  We rode around the campground on our bikes...about 600 sites....like a small city.  At first, I was excited to see campers with MN license plates, but now realize that about every other vehicle is from MN, so ts no big deal.  

After lunch of tuna/cucumber sandwiches, we started our outing....

  We hopped on the free island bus, and hopped out to visit the birding center.  Very nice, with boardwalks overlooking the lagoon and inlet.  Then we walked to a bar that proclaims to be the biggest beach bar in Texas.  We didn't stop, but people-watched.  There was a band and people everywhere

Then we hiked to the sea turtle rescue center.  It is similar to the one we visited in the Keys, but smaller.   Recently, here in South Padre Island when it was unusually cold, hundreds of turtles washed ashore.  They had "cold shock".  So, many are at his center, recovering until they can be returned to warmer water.  One was attacked (they think by a coyote) while on the beach, and is in their ICU.

Others are missing fins, usually due to fishing line or other human trash

One of our neighbors said he came across one of these "cold-shocked" turtles on the beach, and led the rescuers to take it back to their center

 This island is famous for its sand castles.  Here is one at the Turtle Rescue Center

And, here is one at the Visitor Center

 

We hopped back on the bus, and got out at a nice Italian restaurant.  We had a glass of wine.  They were packed for Valentine's Day, so we didn't stay to eat.

 We joined our neighbors for a bit for the daily happy hour.  Everyone brings a chair and a drink.  Pretty much the same group everyday...from Michigan, Ontario, Washington, British Columbia, Missouri, and us from Minnesota.  

 For dinner, we had salad, sautéed peppers and onions, and leftover potato/tomato veg bake.

Day 191. February 13, 2014. Brownsville shopping

We drove back to Brownsville to get new tires for car.  Yikes!  Really messed our budget!  For lunch, we went back to the restaurant where we had gone yesterday.  We ate while they were working on the car.  We had fish ceviche.....really good and huge portion.

We went grocery shopping in Brownsville.  It sure didn't seem like USA.  We were about the only English-speaking people.  It was just like Mexico....loud speakers, unusual fruits and vegetables, with people everywhere. The meat section was interesting.....whole pig heads, lots of tripe, cow feet.  I bought some Mexican cheese, just called queso fresco.

The weather is turning beautiful, so everyone in the campground is out and about.  We rode bikes for awhile, then joined our neighbor's happy hour.  We walked to a restaurant near our campground for an appetizer.  Here is the view from the restaurant facing our campground.

Brownsville is famous for its fresh wild-caught shrimp.  We bought some, and I fixed shrimp pasta for dinner.  I sprinkled the queso fresco on top.  Quite good!

Day 190. February 12, 2014. Brownsville, Texas day trip

South Padre Island is a real tourist destination.  I remember that in college, many classmates drove here for Spring Break.  Like in most beach towns, there are a lot of souvenir/beach ware shops.  For some reason, they drive George crazy.

We decided to take a day trip to Brownsville. Being there is like being in Mexico.  We need new tires, so George arranged to get them tomorrow.  We went to a great TexMex restaurant for lunch.  We split the Pancho Villa special and had a Michelada....a drink with beer, bloody mix, and lime, with salt on the rim of the glass.

We visited the Sabal Palm Sanctuary south of Brownsville, right on the border.  We went through the border fence to get to the sanctuary 

As we walked around the park, we stopped at a Rio Grande observation deck.  Here is the river, with Mexico in the background on the other side. We shouted "hola" to a farmer rounding up his cows.

Then, we drove on some back roads.  We followed the ugly border fence

 We made a suspicious-looking U-turn, and got stopped by the border patrol.  A little tense, as I had left my driver's license at the camper.  They let us go on.....I'm sure because we look like harmless old Midwesterners. 

Day 189. February 11, 2014. Hibernating in South Padre

It is a cold, windy, rainy day.  To keep warm, we did laundry in a laundromat, then visited the museum.  We drove to the undeveloped north end of the island.  Sand was blowing across the road

Then the road ends in sand dunes

We drove a little on the beach.  The surf was really pounding.

We stopped at the brewpub again for inexpensive oysters.  It was crowded with what they call us....Winter Texans.....everyone trying to find warmth.

Fir dinner, I made beans and rice with soy chorizo.  It is less greasy than the real chorizo, and has good flavor.  

Spent  the evening watching the Olympics. 

Day 188. February 10, 2014. South Padre Island paradise

Today we have perfect weather.  Clear and in the low 70s. We could get really spoiled here.  We are just a few yards from several seafood restaurants.  Also, there is a free island bus that you can  flag down anywhere.  So,  no need to drive much.  

We walked to a bike shop to buy the part I need for my bike.  Then we hopped on the bus and rode around the island.  We stopped at the South Padre Island Brewery for a beer and to use their wifi.  

Back at the campground, George rebuilt our picnic table.  Other camper guys stopped by to give advice and loan tools.

In the evening, we walked to Dirty Al's next door for $6/dozen oysters.  

For dinner, I improvised on a new recipe.  It called for polenta, which was not sold in the grocery here, so I substituted potatoes.  It also had mushrooms, onions, cheese and tomatoes.  Unfortunately, it made a lot, so we have lots of leftovers.  Kale for side dish...trying to keep healthy.  :-) 

Day 187. February 9, 2014. Party in San Padre Island

Today is warmer, and everybody is outside.  We took a long walk along the beach and the adjoining campground.  There are 600 sites!  We planned to take a bike ride around the island, but my bike seat broke.  So, we just relaxed here.  Our neighbors embellished on the daily happy hour and arranged a potluck dinner to honor those with February birthdays.  About 50 people came, bringing food and drink.  The sun came out, and it was lovely.  We just had snacks as we had dinner plans.  

For dinner, we met up with an HR colleague I got to know when I was on the ASHHRA Board.  She lives in nearby Harlingen.  We ate at a great seafood restaurant on the bay, just steps from our camper.  We talked with them about our tentative plans to travel by bus through Mexico to visit friends in Nicaragua.  They cautioned us against doing it.  So now, we are rethinking our plans. 

Day 186. February 8, 2014. To South Padre Island, Texas

We packed up and headed south to South Padre Island.  Although both Padre Island and South Padre Islands are barrier islands, they are no longer connected.  So we had to drive inland.  It is about 175 miles farther south.  We aren't far from Brownsville, which is on the Mexico border.

We drove through miles of nothingness....gigantic ranches.  There was even a sign warning that the next gas station was 100 miles.  Once we got closer to civilization, we stopped for lunch in a small town.  The restaurant is a mom-and-pop place with all the customers and waitstaff friends.  The menu was home style, like liver and onions, chicken-fried steak (I have never figured out that name), and meatballs.  The back side of the menu had their Mexican menu.  We split an order of chalupas (delicious with lots of avocado slices).  George topped his lunch off with a piece of homemade apple pie.  Everyone converses effortlessly between Spanish and English.  Neat!

We didn't have reservations, so were a bit nervous about getting a site state at the  county park campgrounds on the island.  Although it is quite crowded, we were able to get a site.  We are right on a marina

The campers are super friendly.  Most are here for the winter, but they say they leave right before the spring break college student invasion in March.  As soon as we arrived, our neighbor introduced himself (from UP Michigan), and invited us to  happy hour outside his RV.  Every day, people gather around and chat.  Today the group was from British Columbia, Michigan,  Washington, and Missouri.  

After grocery shopping, we did our Saturday night ritual....listened to Prairie Home Companion.  When we hear the local MN forecast (15 degrees below), I feel embarrassed that I have been complaining about the weather here.

Dinner turned out to be a real success.  It was a new recipe with rice, orzo, cannellini beans, tomato and tuna.  As a side dish, I sautéed Swiss chard in garlic, and heated it with Gruyere cheese.  Yum!

Still cool and overcast here, but it is supposed to warm up.  We are turning into what they call Winter Texans.  Our license plate holder says it all...

Day 185. February 7, 2014. Six Months on the Road!

Today marks our 6 - month anniversary on the road.  We have driven about 20,000 miles.  As a recap.....we started on August 7 outside my Mayo Clinic office building.  Our first night was in Wisconsin.  From there, we went through Michigan, Ohio, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland, Maine, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Maryland, Washington DC, Virginia, West Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabana, Mississippi, Louisiana, and now we are in Texas.  (Hope I remembered them all).  We have had all kinds of weather, and have seen so many interesting sites.  We have enjoyed regional cuisine and beers.  We have met lots of interesting people, and have met up with friends and relatives along the way.  

Our day today wasn't too auspicious.  The weather continues to be cold and dreary.  Since there weren't too many outdoor options, we decided to go into town.  We did laundry (always fun).  They must have a lot of drifters here, as the faucet in the laundromat bathroom had been dismantled and a sign above the sink warned  "No Bathing...5-minute Limit".  

We ate fish tacos at a seaside restaurant.  Even indoors, it was cold.  Here I am with 4 layers  of clothes! 

After running some errands, we found a restaurant that wasn't busy and had wifi, and spent the rest of the PM watching a movie on my iPad.  

For dinner, we had some guacamole on crackers (from delicious avocados at 3/$1.00 that we had bought along the road), and some chili.  Another early night, as we don't have electricity for lights.  

Day 184. February 6, 2014. Retirement on $4/day!

We packed up from Lake Corpus Christie.  It is unpleasant weather....40s and drizzle.  We drove about an hour to the coast, and are staying two nights at  Padre Island National Seashore.  It is just outside the city of Corpus Christi. With George's senior pass, camping is only $4/night.  We didn't need to shop for groceries or buy gas, so the entire day only cost $4!  This is a thin, barrier island that extends 60 miles beyond the end of the road.  Our camper faces the Gulf.  Very pretty, except for the weather.  

It is about 34 degrees with a strong wind from the North (MN perhaps?). We don't have electricity, hot showers or running water.  This is a bit of a test to see if we like what is called boon docking.  We have learned that there are places (mostly in the West) where campers congregate (free) and camp without any amenities.....called boon docking.

 You can see our camper from the beach.

Since we have propane for heating and cooking, we are ok.  

We spent most of the day inside, keeping warm, and reading.  We took a drive around part of the island.  There is another even more primitive campground here, without any bathroom or grills for cooking.  There were some people camping there, including a hippie-looking family in a school bus.  

For dinner, I warmed up the homemade chicken veg soup I had made yesterday.  Without electric lights, it got dark early so we went to bed at 7:30!

PS... Hello to Lynne Green who says she is enjoying the blog

Day 183. February 5, 2014. King Ranch, Texas

We visited King Ranch, about an hour from here.  It is the largest ranch in the USA, bigger than Rhode Island.  We took a bus tour, seeing longhorns and other cattle, and their horses.  Also wildlife..deer and wintering Sandhill cranes.  Due to the drought, they cannot irrigate, so they have fewer livestock than normal.  Everything is brown and barren.

This guy was pretty friendly

There are javelinas around here.  We have not seen them, but have seen where they burrow.  

Nothing very interesting food-wise today....we made sandwiches for lunch with our leftover Franklin BBQ brisket.  For dinner, George ate my portion of the fire-hot chicken dinner that I couldn't eat the other night.  I made homemade chicken veg soup for later, using the remaining pieces of the rotisserie chicken.  Three meals from that chicken @ $3.99.....pretty good!