Magnificent birds. Gnarly old trees. Cactus. Lots of litter. Poverty. Opulence. Hardy wildflowers. Fast food galore. Dust. Wind. Heat. Cold. Wet at the ocean. Dry in the desert. Vast open spaces. 80 miles per hour speed limits. Plethora of RV parks, which are called resorts in a true grandiose description. Most Mexican restaurants, ever. A land of interesting and perplexing contrasts…
We have been in Texas for a week, after having traveled through Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, and Louisiana to get here. This is our fourth visit to this state of contrasts. We did a car trip here long before the pandemic, then traveled here each of the three years we’ve been in Vanda. Texas is so very different than many other states to which we have traveled, with so much variance within the state that it creates ambiguous feelings within me to be here.
For instance, when we shopped at a Sprouts Farmers Market the other day, there were strongly worded signs on the doors claiming their right to not allow guns, either open-carry or concealed, inside the store. [In Texas?!] That is a positive. There is so much construction occurring here, both housing and commercial, which is a negative, as wildlife habitat is being chewed up by big machines to pave roads and sidewalks. Many of the people here this time of year call themselves “Winter Texans” describing their choice to live here from November through March as an escape from the cold in Minnesota, Wisconsin, New York, Maine, and even Canada. The plethora of RV resorts, particularly in South Texas is truly astonishing, and it appears that each one remains full this time of year, not only with travelers but also with families living in an RV due to the relatively low expense — it costs about $3K per year to rent a space in an RV resort, which sometimes includes utilities, and we’ve seen used RVs for sale in corner lots for $25K and above, which makes this arrangement affordable in contrast to the cost of renting or buying a house. The RV resort in which we have stayed for the past two visits to the Rio Grande area has numerous families with children — the school bus drives through to pick the kids up, UPS and FedEx deliver to RV sites, and USPS brings the mail. So…home for many. That would be considered a positive, I think. Along the roads and in vast empty fields destined for future construction, there is so much litter, more than in many of the cities and towns that we have visited. A negative. There are a lot of Cybertrucks being driven, another negative, but there are a lot of bicycle paths in contrast, a positive.
Some of our camping has been on the beach, allowing for sunrise and sunset walks in the sand, some have been near estuaries, and some have been in the desert. This current location is the only camping with a pool (and hot tub!).
It is the birding that draws us here! Between the wading birds on the ocean, and estuaries & wetlands, to the magnificent songbirds that populate the desert and dry forests, there are just so many stunning birds.
The bird seed and suet, as well as the water attracts Javelinas and Chachalacas.
And…the ancient trees in the desert are magnificently weird!
We’ll be heading home later this week, after having thoroughly enjoyed this 6-week vanlife trip. Texas may be filled with contrasting elements, some fabulous and some less fabulous, but we are already planning a trip back here next winter for more birding and biking! Oh, and to soak in the hot tub at the RV “resort”!
