That's Texas talk for: we're heading for home. We really enjoyed the RV park we were in last night, but we are both ready to be home. Home is about 400 miles away, more than we usually care to do in one day. Yeah, Mother Nature knows we are on the way... the wind blew like stink the last few hours yesterday, but it was blissfully calm at the RV park. Today: home is southeast from where we stayed. There is no diagonal road going southeast... so, we go east, then south... then east again, then south... repeat. With the southeast wind, we go from a quartering headwind on the port side, then a quartering headwind on the starboard side. All the way home.
Leaving the fort/resort this morning, we came across deer crossing the road in front of us...
Ten deer total, but only 7 in the photo above. I saw some last night while outside with Izzy. They are protected here and have no fear of humans. Yep, this resort is very unique.
We have made that run between south Texas and Phoenix many times. Since we planned the time to see Big Bend National Park, we decided we would be taking back roads between the park and home (generally, we are on Interstates all the way). Different scenery, different terrain. While I have made mention that there isn't much along I-10 in west Texas, the back roads between Big Bend and Bracketville are really empty of civilization, with the exception of Del Rio. Today, we had a different perspective.
Of course, this close to the US/Mexico border, there are inspection stations...
If you are offended by profiling, this would be a good place to avoid. As we roll into the inspection station, it appears that we are photographed before ever getting to an agent. Likewise, it appears that he has our license number and information pulled up. I always have my driver's side window down, and remove my sunglass; and greet the agent with, "Good morning, sir."
"Are you both US citizens?"
"Yes, sir."
"Anyone else in there with you?"
"Just the two of us and our cat."
"You have a good day."
Sometimes they ask where we have been or where we are going... I think to allow enough time for the K-9 team member to sniff all our vehicles. I don't make small talk, neither do they. At this particular stop and this time of day, there wasn't a long line of vehicles.
I mentioned "the back roads"... the condition of the roads varies greatly by county. Like yesterday, we saw a lot of semi traffic, but not much else. The sign said "Narrow Bridge"...
No kidding. To the left is the newer section of bridge going the other direction. We have now left the high desert terrain, and start to see agriculture...
Lots of green fields; some would consider this "south" Texas - we are pretty much directly southwest of San Antonio but far enough that we miss the large rolling hills of Hill Country. When we drive on I-37 south of San Antonio, we see evidence of all the businesses related to fracking and the oil fields; this road puts us more on the west side of that... and, with all the gates chained shut, it is clear that this segment of the oil business has taken a beating...
Yep, closed down. Not a lot to see on the GPS...
At the town of Dilly, we pick up Interstate 35 for about 40 miles...
Good road, especially compared to what we have been driving on. The wind has been steadily increasing, dropping our fuel mileage by more than 2 mpg... doesn't sound like much until you consider that is about a 25% reduction. A stop at a Flying J along this stretch, and fuel for $2.10 per gallon, will get us home.
Off the Interstate and heading east on a county road. Some of the small towns seem to be doing OK, some, not so much. Another thing you come across when not on the Interstate...
This was one of two train crossings where we got stopped today. While waiting at one of them, I saw this...
By the time we got to Kingsville, it was well past our lunch time, so we stopped at a Texas institution: Whataburger. From here to home, we have covered this road many times. Passing RV parks along the way, it is clear that most of the winter Texans have returned north. The traffic was thick along Highway 100, the road between the Expressway and South Padre Island - lots of people here for Holy Week (the week before and up to Easter). We missed the rowdy crowds of spring break, but this week will be pretty similar. We'll be spending time getting moved back in and getting the coach cleaned up.
The bridge was out as we pulled up to our island...
We unhooked the CR-V and cargo trailer from the coach in the Welcome Center parking lot, and drove separate to get the coach parked and then the cargo trailer...
Home, sweet home. On the drive today, we talked about what we want to do at home: the restaurants we like, biking on our island, walking the beach (after this week), getting the boat out (after we get the coach cleaned and put away).
We weren't crazy about getting unloaded right now - enough to settle in for the evening, and we'll get back at it tomorrow. It was a long day's drive today... we are both tired, and little Izzy has this "new house" to relearn.
One way I know I am excited about a place is that "twinge of excitement" I feel in my stomach as I get close. I had that feeling as we started seeing the palm trees today.
The house did fine in our absence. I opened hurricane shutters and turned on water. Joan put away the few things we brought in, and made us supper.
We made one last trip to the coach to get a few more things. I looked around the coach a bit before I went back in the house... this trip was 2 1/2 months, actually one of the shorter outings since we got this motorhome two years ago. This coach is a champ. It, too, feels like home.
It is good to be home.
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