Almost...

We almost got out at the time we planned... the guy two sites over decided, while I was putting stuff away, this would be a good time to come over and tell me about the difference between 5th wheels and motorhomes.  I nicely let him know that we have had 6 motorhomes, so we did have some experience with that.  He told me how impressed he was with our "system" of setting up and tearing down... and especially our sewer hose trough that I made.  I had the feeling that his wife sent him out because she was almost ready to put a muzzle on him.

We pulled out of the RV park around 9:30 and managed to avoid the rush hour(s) traffic... on 151, I-10, and I-37 as we rolled past downtown San Antonio.

The weather weasels almost got it right.  Nahhh, I'm kidding - we had a thunderstorm roll through in the middle of the night... the wind blew, the lightning lit up the "room darkening" shades, the thunder rolled (while I counted the seconds between the flash and the roar - yep, just over a mile away), and the rain came down.  Not a hard pounding rain, just enough to make a mess of the truck and 5th wheel.

Their prediction for north wind around 15 for our trip south was almost spot on... except the wind speed was about twice what they predicted, with gusts beyond 30 mph.  The truck and 5th wheel are well mannered, but we generally try to avoid this kind of wind.  Once on the road, we are kinda committed.  Joan checked weather along our route - it was supposed to be letting up the further south we got.  Almost... except, it got stronger.    Fortunately, it changed from a crosswind to a quartering crosswind... and, we almost got 10 mpg.

We stopped for lunch at a Texas tradition: Whataburger.  The one we almost always stop at in Kingsville was packed.  I had to park alongside the road, since there wasn't room in the parking lot for us (3 trucks in the place we can usually fit the 5th wheel).  Joan fed Izzy while I went inside for people food... I was number 8 in line.  An older gentleman behind me seemed lost... he asked where I was from... when I told him, he said, "I haven't been down there in years.  I just live in Riviera.  I lost my wife 7 months ago, and I am a terrible cook; so, I eat here when I am up this way."

We visited while we both waited for our food... they had been together 63 years.  Joan and I have been together since we were teenagers - I understand.  His food came first; I wished him good luck... he thanked me for visiting.

Back to the truck with the food.  Yep, the wind was continuing to build.  We rolled.  And now, we are almost home.  We will spend a couple nights in an RV park near our storage unit, so we can unpack and clean up the HitchHiker... a job that will take longer, thanks to the rain last night.  Jill (the GPS) almost guided us right to the park... for some reason, she told us to turn 4 blocks too soon.  Nope, no RV park in this residential neighborhood.  We found it, and got set up... with wind blowing like stink.

We have been out of the howling wind for over 2 1/2 months.  I haven't missed that.  Not even almost.

Of course, little Izzy wanted to go for a walk once we were set up... "No, Iz; I'm afraid you would take off like a kite in this wind."  ;-)  She almost understood that.

By Sunday, we should be settling in at home.  No "almost" about it - we have had a very nice winter out.