Author: wellsmarsha

Denise and Jim arrive at our campsite around 9:30 and we head out to tour Texas Hill Country. As we meander the back roads there are plenty of old homes and farms. We experience some of the area’s history. At this time Wells is rereading Alaska by James Mitchener and mentally revisiting our journey to Alaska last summer. Today Wells determines the next book to reread is Texas also by Michener.

We stop at a county park in Kerville where we walk along a trail along Guadelupe River. Next we head to a barbeque joint which is outstanding. You order and head outside to a picnic table with great eats.

After more miles we get on I10 heading back to our campsite. The center median is filled with Indian Paintbrush and Texas Bluebells. Where we traveled earlier in the day was not yet in bloom.

Back at the campground we continue our catching up and hoping that we can meet up again in the future.

It’s a travel day for us. We pack the truck and camper and are on the road. Today’s goal is a state park a bit north and west of San Antonio, Guadalupe River State Park. We don’t have reservations yet we hope to find a site there.

First thing to do is ignore our GPS directions. This is not from the difficulties encountered yesterday where it took us on non-existent roads rather to avoid the traffic of the city. With Wells at the wheel and Marsha at the map we did a large arc around the city on two lane roads. As we traveled inland from the coast we started seeing more Indian Paintbrush wildflowers along the road. The roadsides were often painted in red by this lovely flower. Then yellows mixed in and finally blues of Bluebonnets. Traveling on these small roads with a trailer does not allow for pulling over to photograph. These small roads still have a speed limit of 70 or 75 mph. Tomorrow will be a photography day.

Mid-afternoon we arrive at the state park and they have room for us. We set up and enjoy the remainder of the day. Tomorrow we’ll spend with a friend of Marsha’s from college, Denise and her husband, Jim.

Monday March 25, 2019

We are heading over to Aransas National Wildlife Refuge. As we drive Marsha is busy so Wells relies on the GPS to find it. He knows better than to totally trust the GPS yet he’s blindly moving forward. Marsha finishes her task and is now gently suggesting we turn around and try another approach, yet Wells pushes onward. We’re on a gravel road when the GPS says turn left at the next unpaved road. The road is smaller. By this time we should turn around. Finally Wells turns the truck around when we come to a locked gate. So much for the GPS. Between our crude map and the view of the land we find the refuge.

Seeing the refuge from land is different than from the water as we did yesterday. Instead of seeing whoppers maybe 200 feet away we view them from half a mile. The experiences are both great yet very different. We did see a couple of scissor tailed flycatcher, a couple of eagles, whoopers, great blue herons, plenty of ducks, red tail hawk, and many turkey vultures. After both driving the wildlife viewing loop and hiking a couple of short trails it was time to head to Rockport to pick up medications and do laundry.

We’re back at the campsite planning our next day. We’re heading to the San Antonio and Austin areas tomorrow.

Sunday March 24

We need to move to a new site at the State Park. Last night they assigned us a special overflow site that is only available for one night. By midmorning a site opens up and we make our move.

Time to head to Rockport 20 minutes away running a few errands and getting to the dock for our 1 PM bird cruise. Wells needs a couple of prescriptions renewed so we locate a pharmacy and make arrangements for them to be filled. We’ll pick them Tuesday morning. The other day we stopped at an ACE Hardware Store and picked up a pair of battery LED lights to stick on the wall used for reading. The store was 50 miles away. One of the two lights did not work so we looked to return it to get a working one. At the store they were not sure what to do when we suggested since the batteries were already in the light when it shipped maybe the batteries were dead. We checked and that was the case so they gave us some new batteries and we were set. On to the dock.

It’s towards the end of whooping crane season. Sometime around the end of March and early April the birds begin their migration to Wood Buffalo National Park in northern Alberta and southern Northwest Territories. After a thirty minute cruise across the bay we are at Aransas National Wildlife Refuge. Off in the distance across the marsh we see our first pair of whoopers. As we move along the shoreline with the boat bottle nose dolphins play around the boat. Soon we see other whoopers always a bit closer than the pair before. Wells is capturing plenty of images of whoopers and other birds such as oyster catchers, osprey, various cranes, among others.

Soon we come upon a pair in flight then another pair. Whoopers stay with their mate and defend up to a square mile of territory. Next, we see three whoopers together. These are teenagers not paired up yet. As the boat drifts close to the shore the birds come closer and closer with Wells firing his camera.

So far we have not connected with decent wifi but when we do Wells with add photos. As we pull into the harbor a common loon greets us. We enjoy a seafood supper in Rockport then back to the campsite. Tomorrow we drive to Aransas National Refuge for exploration via land.

Friday March 22, 2019

Up to enjoy beautiful sunrise. After breakfast we head out on a birding expedition to Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge and High Island. At Anahuac NWR we observed a plethora of birds including Crested Caracaras, Roseate Spoonbills, Great Egrets, White Ibis, Mockingbirds, and many more. Many of the birds are new to our life lists. There was a viewing of a baby bobcat but we did not see it. It’s an outstanding location for birding.

Next, we are on to High Island, a small town with tree groves that are great for seeing migrating birds. We are a bit ahead of the migration but we did observe a Prothentary Wabler. A beautiful wabler. Next we visit the High Island Rookery where we see Roseate Spoonbills, Neotropical Cormorants and Great Egrets. All we can say is WOW. The trail to the rookery makes the rookery so viewable. There are four observation towers are within 100 to 200 feet of the nests. From the observation towers it was possible to see eggs with the naked eye.

One additional thing about High Island. If you have seen the birding movie, The Big Year, one of the early scenes where the birders are witnessing a “fallout” is at High Island. A “fallout” is where migrating birds coming north over the Gulf of Mexico get caught in a storm and are exhausted when they reach land. They come to the first trees and land to recover. If the weather is favorable with a assisting tail wind the birds will continue flying northward and may not stop at High Island.

Tomorrow we are off to the Galveston area for more birding.

This morning it was not freezing rather it was 33 degrees. It’s a heat wave. On the Trace heading southwest early we did see plenty of frost in the open fields. Late morning has temperatures well above 50 and later in the day around 70.

Marsha has a book, “Road Food” that discusses interesting places to eat so we set our lunch goal stop for Natchitoches, Louisiana. The place, Lasyone’s with its Soulful Louisiana Creole. The specialties, meat pies. The meat pie consists of a mixture of pork and beef. I settled for a crawfish pie, which in my opinion was much better. The pies were outstanding but as with any place that achieves  notoriety it was crowded. The service was efficient yet without character. Next time through Natchitoches I’ll pass on this place and explore other eateries.

Today was a day of smaller roads. The Trace, our route across Louisiana, and so far in Texas have mostly been two lane roads. Mind you the two lane road in Texas has a speed limit mostly at 70 or 75 mph. In most of the towns we pass through the limit dropped to 55. In the two or three larger towns it did get down to 35.

We’re camped in a small and comfortable park, Village Creek State Park in Lumberton, Texas somewhat north of Beaumont, Texas. If all goes well tomorrow we will arrive along the Gulf Coast then it is time to break out the camera equipment.

Up to enjoy beautiful sunrise. After breakfast we head out on a birding expedition to Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge and High Island. At Anahuac NWR we observed a plethora of birds including Crested Caracaras, Roseate Spoonbills, Great Egrets, White Ibis, Mockingbirds, and many more. Many of the birds are new to our life lists. There was a viewing of a baby bobcat but we did not see it. It’s an outstanding location for birding.

Next, we are on to High Island, a small town with tree groves that are great for seeing migrating birds. We are a bit ahead of the migration but we did observe a Prothentary Wabler. A beautiful wabler. Next we visit the High Island Rookery where we see Roseate Spoonbills, Neotropical Cormorants and Great Egrets. All we can say is WOW. The trail to the rookery makes the rookery so viewable. There are four observation towers are within 100 to 200 feet of the nests. From the observation towers it was possible to see eggs with the naked eye.

One additional thing about High Island. If you have seen the birding movie, The Big Year, one of the early scenes where the birders are witnessing a “fallout” is at High Island. A “fallout” is where migrating birds coming north over the Gulf of Mexico get caught in a storm and are exhausted when they reach land. They come to the first trees and land to recover. If the weather is favorable with a assisting tail wind the birds will continue flying northward and may not stop at High Island.

Tomorrow we are off to the Galveston area for more birding.

Last night we checked online for availability at Sea Rim State Park not far south from our current location. Nothing was available so we decided to look into it more in the morning. The attendant at the State Park where we stayed offered to call and see what availability there was for camping. Primitive camping on the beach is the only thing available. We are full on water and an empty waste tank so we decide to drive to Sea Rim and stay maybe one night.

On our way through Beaumont we stop for food supplies at a grocery store chain, Market Basket. The service and friendliness of all the employees was impressive. It was a good stop. Now on to Sea Rim State Park. At one point one was able to drive down the Texas Coast just south of Beaumont all the way down. Various hurricanes over the years brought that to a halt and now the road dead ends just beyond Sea Rim. The road to Sea Rim passes through petrol chemical industrial areas for miles, but about 20 miles before Sea Rim the area becomes more natural.

Sea Rim is a small State Park right on the Gulf. The formal sites with hookups are small and close together. The beach is a much better option.  To our delight we are camped along a three mile stretch of beach that is hard enough to drive on and pull the camper. Our closest camping neighbor is more than a mile down the beach. Beautiful spot.

Once done setting up the campsite we enjoy the beach and shore birds then we drive about 5 miles to a birding spot owned and maintained by a local ornithological club. It’s not a large site yet has the only woods for miles. It is a hot spot for migrating birds. We are a bit early for the migrating birds yet we saw a Louisiana water thrush which is a first for both of us. There were a variety of frogs, alligators, and red eared sliders (turtles). Back at the beach from our campsite we observed willets, royal terns, sandwich terns, laughing gulls, brown pelicans, plus lots more.

We will spend another night here and enjoy our private beach.

Tuesday March 19, 2019

With our 10 AM appointment it was not necessary to get moving early. This is a good thing since temperatures sat around 30. We’re roughly an hour east of downtown Birmingham and the tire store. At present the Interstates traveling though the downtown area are closed as they remove the elevated highway to create a city friendly atmosphere.  Last night a friendly resident of the RV park gave us detailed directions to the place since our GPS still believed the Interstates were open. Thanks Lee! His directions spot on as we arrived just a few minutes after 10.

Shortly after noon we are on the road heading west. Marsha suggested we take part of the Natchez Trace Parkway and we’ve both happy with the idea. We’re now set up at a free campsite one of three located on this 400 mile long scenic road.

Grasses and wildflowers as well as flowering trees are prevalent as we move south and west. Temperatures tonight may drop only into the 40’s after a few days with frost ea

 

Plans for tomorrow are to continue the Natchez Trace Parkway to Natchez then take small roads across Louisiana arriving is eastern Texas at day’s end.

There was frost on the pumpkin this morning. Actually, the frost was on the cooler left outside the camper door. Our camper heater intermittently is not working. On Saturday evening we left the trailer heater on but it stopped working. At a rest stop on Sunday we found the trailer to be warm. The heater was working once again. Yet on Sunday evening it again did not work. Our concern is the freezing overnight temperatures could result in freezing issues with the trailer water system.

One of the best safety items with travel is a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). As we travel we know the temperature and pressure of each of our six tires (four on the truck and 2 on the trailer). If the pressure drops too quickly or goes above or below a predetermined pressure an alarm sounds. Last summer on the Alaskan Highway we developed a leak in a trailer tire. The alarm sounded and we stopped and working on the tire before it was flat. The TPMS helps our peace of mind. Well the TPMS is working for the four truck tires but not functioning for our trailer tires. We’ve been needing to get it working. Well today we flatted on the highway and by the time we were on the side of the road the tire completely shredded. Our goal of reaching Mississippi today was unattained as we are now camped about 35 miles east of Birmingham, Alabama.

Our trailer tires are an unusual size but we made a few calls and located a shop in Birmingham that has them. We have an appointment for 10 AM to have them installed. Our current tires have 31,000 miles so we are getting 3 new tires, the two on the trailer plus the spar