USA February 2011

Photo: Texas Longhorn and bison, sunrise at Goose Island SP and Roadtreks in a row with the bags of rubbish in front awaiting pickup...MidWinter RT rally at Orlando Central Florida Fairgrounds!

Plans for February are travels west in my Roadtrek....first major stop on 1 or 2 March in Tucson to visit with my friends Clay and Becky then on 4 March in Phoenix AZ to visit my friend Christine.

28 February Monday (Tucson AZ)
Sunny and cold and windy but maybe it will reach the predicted 70 degrees! Visited the Tanque Verde Ranch with its aroma of horses then hiked the Douglas Spring trail in the Saguaro National Park on the east side of Tucson. I am now visiting with Clay and Becky for a few days. I knew Clay from the rugby days of George Mason College.....and another rugby player Rick will join us for dinner this week also!

27 February Sunday (Tucson AZ)
Yeah, I am in Trader Joe land!! But I am not sure when I will get there.....I woke up early this morning to rain, so off to take a shower, and when I walked out of the shower room, there was snow on the ground....and it is still snowing one hour later! I visited another Roadtrek owner and spent the night at her RV park right down the road. We cooked a delicious stirfry and watched the Oscars!

26 February Saturday (Deming NM to Tucson AZ 200 miles)
Well, the winds have not started blowing yet so will hit the road to see how far I can go without being blown off....they still predict snow today! Arrived Tucson midday and found Adventure Bound Cactus Country RV park with all of the amenities (I enjoyed hamburger and hotdog for lunch at their annual free barbq...what timing!)....overcast and windy and precip is predicted for this evening. And, I found Girl Scout cookies in Benson enroute!

25 February Friday (Hueco Tanks SP TX to Deming NM 295 miles)
Departed Hueco Tanks SP at sunrise (6am), got petrol in el paso then headed into New Mexico north on route 54 with stop at Oliver Lee State Park (they have no hot showers) and now using internet at Hampton Inn in Alamogordo. Beautiful drive through White Sands National Monument. Worries of the day have been whether the roads are open (the missile range folks close route 54 and route 70 at random for testing), predictions of very high winds which makes for difficult driving and now snow for Deming NM! So I continued on route 70 west (which was open today but closed tomorrow) to Las Cruces then onto Deming for the eve at small RV park. Will continue on I10 west until this driving in the wind drives me crazy....maybe will stop in Benson where I have stayed before and really liked.

24 February Thursday (Balmorhea SP to Hueco Tanks SP TX 198 miles)
A very windy day to be driving....and crystal blue sky! Drove I10 to Van Horn then north on route 54 (beautiful views of Guadulupe Mountain and other mountains) then east on route 62/180 (with coffee stop at Mays Cafe) to Hueco Tanks State Park....a rock climbers paradise....in fact, climbers from around the world are gathering here this weekend. I spent the afternoon hiking through the boulders....very impressive....maybe Oliver Lee park tomorrow for another hike which is south of Alamogordo....trying to avoid el paso! Then onto White Sands and down to Las Cruces...I had to walk about a mile to the visitor center here at the campground to get internet reception and am now sitting on the ground outside the front door!

23 February Wednesday (Seminole Canyon SP to Balmorhea SP TX 195 miles)
Early morning crossing the bridge over the Pecos River in the fog! Still looking at the weather to determine travel plans.....would like to visit Carlsbad and White Sands but the road over the pass at Cloudcroft at almost 9000 feet looks like snow so maybe the longer route! Drove route 90 then route 285 to Fort Stockton then I10 west to Balmorhea State Park/San Solomon Springs where they have a huge swimming pool that is natural artesian spring fed from the Davis Mountains....sunny and warm and refreshing swim felt great with the pupfish and mosquitofish and the ducks. This pool was built as CCC project in the 1930's and there were quite a few divers in the water also!

22 February Tuesday (Laredo to Seminole Canyon SP TX 221 miles)
No internet in the parks of course so found that there was a Hampton Inn close by so was on my way there this morning to do internet but then found Starbucks....first that I have seen in a long time......heading to Seminole Canyon State Park north of Del Rio....which is a wonderful park! Three hour hike to where Seminole Canyon meets the Rio Grande River with another view of Mexico and to view pictographs...and they even have internet out here in the middle of nowhere....although not that great.

21 February Monday (Penitas to Laredo TX 144 miles)
I had decided not to drive to Falcon State Park yesterday because it is a holiday weekend and I was afraid that they would be too busy.....so will explore Falcon Lake and Casa Blanca Lake today....this is definitely a bird watchers paradise...overnighted at Lake Casa Blanca State Park in Laredo....one of the hottest days for this trip! I missed the fireworks and huge celebration here in Laredo yesterday....it appears that Presidents Day is a very big event here! Some campers that I had met had told me to give Laredo a miss because it is not safe....and I wondered also why no RV parks were listed in my books.....but camping at the Lake worked out fine....maybe because it is a bit further from the border?

20 February Sunday (Brownsville to Penitas TX 142 miles)
Heavy morning fog, as it seems to be every day here, then heaps of wind! Explored Port Isabel lighthouse and a flea market and South Padre Island which is very built up on the south end. Drove north to the end of the road and was met by wind and sand drifts! Returned to drive route 281 along the Mexican border where I had a nice view of "the fence"! Stopped midday at small RV park in Penitas TX.

19 February Saturday (Riviera to Brownsville TX 120 miles)
Planning to driving down to Brownsville (the southernmost city) and explore South Padre Island and Port Isabel and may stay a few nights before driving north again up routes 281/83/277/90/285. I did drive out to Boca Chica beach, right on the border with Mexico, where I waved at the Mexican fishermen on the opposite side of the Rio Grande, then decided to just camp close to Boca Chica at Rio RV Park after filling my propane tank at $2.80 per gallon at Hino gas (only needed 4.6 out of max of 8 gallons). Gasoline prices are just below $3 per gallon.

18 February Friday (Riviera TX)
Drove to the town of Riviera (do not blink else you will miss it) to fill with propane but the filler guy was not there so will have to wait until Brownsville tomorrow. Explored the area on the return to the campsite: Kings Inn and Baffin Bay Cafe and some other RV parks. Walked the beach and the birding trails then cooked a stir fry to last me the next few days on the road. Met my neighbour Roger from Oregon who also lives in his much larger fifth wheel RV....he was out fishing for black drum which I guess is unique to this bay. Another beautiful and breezy day here at the SeaWind which lives up to its name.

17 February Thursday (Lake Corpus Christi SP to Riviera TX 87 miles)
First to visit Lipantitlan State Historical Park near Nueces River which is just an historical marker in the road, a fort built by the Spaniards in 1728 near Lipan Apache village then abandoned after the Battle of Medina in 1813. Decided to stay two nights at SeaWind RV Resort right on the Baffin Bay. My uncle and aunt (my father's sister who is now deceased) spent many winters at the resort so thought that I would see what it was all about. Nice and breezy here with heaps of sun. So time to wash some clothes and clean out the van a bit and lie on the beach! Walked out to the pier and the fisherguys were cleaning black drum fish.
History of Baffin Bay:
http://www.essortment.com/unknown-fishing-baffin-bay-texas-43183.html

16 February Wednesday (Goose Island SP to Lake Corpus Christi SP TX 133 miles)
Had considered another day at Goose Island but then spoke with folks who had been to Lake Corpus Christi SP and they said that it was nice and empty there....traveled to Aransas/Mustang Island SP (just a parking lot near the beach), Padre Island and Corpus Christi today....great short ferry ride to Port Aransas (wonderful little beach town). Overnited at Lake Corpus Christi....quiet and dark....just loved it. Met couple from Haines who stay winters in Port Aransas...they were at the Lake fishing for crappie!

15 February Tuesday (Galveston Island SP to Goose Island SP TX 179 miles)
Gorgeous moonset this morning and then sunrise on toll bridge ($2) off Galveston Island.....more overcast today and then sun....drive along coast to Freeport then inland a bit on Farm to Market route 521 (that is what they call the roads here in TX) then route 35 west. Now at public library in Palacios. Overnite at Goose Island State park near Rockport/Fulton....heaps of birders here and fisher people (trout and red fish)...great two hour walk on park trails and out to end of fishing pier. The park was very full so camped at a tent site.

14 February Monday - Happy Valentines Day! (Baton Rouge LA to Galveston TX 279 miles)
Sunshine and warmer days predicted for this week! Off the motorway at Winnie for coastal route 124/87 to Port Bolivar and free ferry to Galveston...have met three RTs today....woman from VA, couple from MA and couple from Ontario. Overnight at Galveston Island State Park right on the water with sounds of the surf.

13 February Sunday (Pensacola FL to Baton Rouge LA 238 miles)
Unfortunately it is now time to get on the interstate.....I had done these back roads along the coast about four years ago but now will just head to Houston then off the interstate to Port Bolivar for ferry to Galveston. Overnite near Baton Rouge LA...four states today!

12 February Saturday (St Joseph SP to Pensacola Beach FL 149 miles)
Beautiful sunrise as I left the campground...forgot about time change to Central Time (gain an hour) at Mexico Beach.... and no more rural Florida.....everything west of Panama City is built up! No campsites left at Henderson Beach SP so overnited at Hampton Inn right on the beach where I had stayed four years ago....just lovely sitting by the pool working on my tan again. Beautiful drive through the very white sands along Gulf Islands National Seashore.

11 February Friday (Econfina River SP to St Joseph Peninsula SP FL 156 miles)
Hopefully will not have problems finding a campsite cos it is a weekend! Beautiful drive along Forgotten Coast of Florida....great visit to Apalachicola (home of inventor of ice machine!)....overnight at St Joseph Peninsula State Park with two hour hike then beautiful sunset on the beach.

10 February Thursday (Cedar Key to Econfina River State Park FL 134 miles)
Early departure in the pouring rain.....and temps started out warm but quickly turned colder! Back roads to Manatee Springs State Park to just suss out the campground then route 98 west with stop at WalMart for petrol at $3.12. Crossed the Suwanee River at Fanning Springs where the old bridge is in a wayside park with the words of the song of Stephen Foster. Camping at Econfina River Resort campground near the State Park on the Econfina River.....rains have stopped but heavy overcast and a bit of peaking sun. Spent time on my walk this afternoon talking to a local fisherman....I guess this is what they call the "real Florida"....the way it was before.....and it is great....hardly any people (they arrive on the weekends to fish and hunt pig, boar and turkey)!

The name "Econfina" is an Indian name meaning natural bridge, or bridge over, and it referred to a shallow fording spot approximately two miles up the river from the resort.

9 February Wednesday (Largo to Cedar Key FL 124 miles)
Departed early today and started heading to Bellingham for ferry to Juneau on 29 April...first stop at Cedar Key (home of Eagle pencil and the FL rainway)....lovely campsite on the water at Low Key Hideaway and short walk to cute town to visit library and use their internet.....sunshine today!

A bit of history.....
Early in his career as a naturalist, John Muir walked 1,000 miles (1,609 km) from Louisville KY to Cedar Key FL in just two months in 1867. Muir contracted malaria while working in a sawmill in Cedar Key, and was nursed back to health in the house of the mill's superintendent. Muir recovered enough to sail from Cedar Key to Cuba in January 1868. He recorded his impressions of Cedar Key in his memoir, A Thousand-Mile Walk to the Gulf, which was published in 1916, after his death.[

8 February Tuesday (Largo FL)
The prediction for today was sun but it is cooler and overcast so no sunning at the pool today.....instead I prepped heaps of food in mum's kitchen for my journey west.

7 February Monday (Largo FL)
A foggy day here....took my van to mum's mechanic because of concern I had with water leak....appears to be just the aircon moisture from the defrost....also had them rotate my tires.....plan to depart on Wednesday.

6 February Sunday (Largo FL)
A grey day here so spent most of day catching up and cleaning out my van.

5 February Saturday (Orlando to Largo FL 117 miles)
Early departure from Stage Stop Campground in Winter Garden heading west on highway 50 (wonderful country road) to 589 turnpike south to route 60 west across Campbell Causeway for stop at my favorite food market, Nature's Food Patch, to stock up for my journey (only place that I can find Whole Soy plain soy yogurt). About thirty miles west of Winter Garden on route 50, I found the Rainbow Family Restaurant. They had done all the catering for our rally and their food was delicious so stopped in to say hi. Now back at mum's where I washed my van in the rain (only allowed to wash cars on Saturday)!

4 February Friday (Orlando Florida)
My trip back to mum's will be delayed one day because I will return to Leisure Time RV for additional work on my Roadtrek....like getting a new microwave....and I do not want to drive in Friday afternoon traffic! I also found from them that it is not good to have the house battery inside the van with no proper ventilation (and I was sleeping on top of its location). The previous owners had moved it into the van because the lower container had rusted out.....so was happy that they had one in stock to install!

3 February Thursday (Orlando Florida)
Full morning session learning more about about our Roadtreks......a gray day so tis okay to be inside....prime rib for dinner!

2 February Wednesday (Orlando Florida)
They predicted thunderstorms for today but none arrived....just overcast and a bit muggy. Great educational sessions today and great food for brekkie and dinner....then evening entertainment with Donna Moore, a one woman show impersonating sixteen celebrities.

1 February Tuesday (Orlando Florida)
Arrived yesterday for the Roadtrek Mid Winter Rally. About 100 Roadtreks here at the Central Florida Fairgrounds through Friday. Breakfast and dinner included with educational sessions on the Roadtrek and all its parts including generators.....always something new to learn!