Sunday I left Port Aransas and drove to Rockport and boondock camped there. Monday I confirmed the availability of RV parking near Aransas NWR, in Austwell. I drove through the wind and rain to settle in for a few days and ride out the winter storm. After getting my RV spot established, there was still … Read more
The Port Aransas Nature Center had a popular boardwalk over the freshwater marshes on the property until 2017’s Hurricane Harvey dismantled it beyond use. Not ones to give up easily, Texans rebuild what nature breaks, and this boardwalk is no exception. There are about three miles of pathways planned, but the 1500 feet they’ve completed … Read more
I tried to visit the National Butterfly Center last week, but the big freeze and the power outage at the time mandated they close, so I had to turn around and try my luck elsewhere. Given this location’s excellent reputation for meeting birds and butterflies, and its proximity only two miles from my camp in … Read more
Quinta Mazatlan is a 20 acre nature reserve owned and operated by the City of McAllen (Texas). Theirs is a story about a tiny victory in the war on the environment, and the rescue of an estate that was under threat of demolition and obliteration by developers. The city fathers heeded the out-cry of concerned … Read more
Last spring I came to south Texas for the first time, hoping to visit the many legendary birding venues I’d heard about in the Rio Grande Valley. Unfortunately for me and the rest of the planet, the global pandemic reared its ugly head and forced us to alter the course of our lives. The Santa … Read more
I wanted to wait for my bicycle to finish up in the shop before I attempted more explorations of Bentsen Rio Grande State Park. South Texas has been hard hit with weather related dilemmas of late. The unusual cold we’ve been experiencing has degraded to cold with power outages. We lost power Saturday night, and … Read more
Another cold morning it was in south Texas this past Tuesday, but I was determined to get out and explore the region. The camp where I’m staying is but 1.5 miles from Bentsen Rio Grande Valley State Park, so I set my sights of getting acquainted with the grounds there. Monday started off at 22°F, … Read more
Deciding where to spend my last day in Brownsville wasn’t easy. I plan to stay two more weeks in the Rio Grande Valley, but I want to explore sites further upstream before I resume my journey east. There is still so much of the Gulf Coast I’ve yet to see. Spring hasn’t yet arrived, and … Read more
South Padre Island Birding & Nature Center is part of a network of birding meccas in south Texas, collectively called the “World Birding Center”. It sits next door to the Convention Centre, which I love, and so I’ve not bothered to pay my fees to enter its grounds. On Monday, with my time in Brownsville … Read more
It takes a little over an hour of freeway driving to reach Edinburg (Texas) from my camp in Brownsville. The reserve encompasses 40 acres, but most of the trails available for exploring are within a 0.8 acre patch nearest the visitor center. Contained in this small section are almost a mile of trails winding through … Read more
