From Mission Texas? Just go east 85 miles turn left and go north 10 miles – you can’t miss it….

South Padre Island 17 February 2014

You can’t get lost driving north on South Padre Island’s Ocean Boulevard.

Here’s why:

For those of us who are a bit slow - they explain the barricade

We could have driven out to the beach a little farther south but since I was only holding the steering wheel and not actually making driving decisions Smiley ended up in this position:

No Photoshop work here

 

OK it wasn’t as bad as that looks. From another perspective you can see he’s hunkered down safely just like the other chicken cars….

Chicken car.

 

Other Chicken cars

And before you decide that only the really brave would try to drive the beach look below. It ain’t just horses and walkers out there – this is beach is almost a highway.

This one is for all the girls who want to ride a horse in the surf.You know who you are.

So we walked in the sunny 70+F weather even dipping our toes in 55F water to prove just how Canadian we are (you can see other northern newbies in the background).

Dry warm sand is over there.

Don't be a wuss

This surf fisherman was also barefoot – the rest were in hip waders.

If I remember correctly the catch is in my right hand. Bait on the left.

On the Gulf of Mexico side the beach stretches unbroken for miles. Almost flat and really stroll friendly. Not so the Laguna Madre side – desert like low growth clings to the dunes and brackish pools abound. Pretty forbidding without hiking boots so we confined our wandering to the beach.

Completely forgot to take photos of the gazillion beachwear shops and all of the usual tourist destinations. You can probably get a Google-full of South Padre Island man made attractions if you are still awake at the end of this entry. CAUTION! If you are already feeling drowsy place a favourite pillow close to the monitor!

So lets plow ahead here. I still have a favoured "artistic" picture to share…

Oh look honey - it's all swirly and dappled and foamy and....

and yet another bird picture:

Bird

You can go now.

Hello!

HELLO!

WAKE UP!

Yes you did.

Rumours of my Laziness are Largely True…

Birding and Strolling at Bentsen State Park 14 January 2014

Bentsen State Park is located all of 3½ miles from our RV Park. If we didn’t have a car or bikes or legs it would be easy to explain why we only got there once . If I had to carve this blog out of granite one might understand why it took so long to tell you about our 7 mile round trip (plus park mileage). I already know you’re too smart for any of my excuses…

This used to be just another RV Park from the 60’s in the Rio Grande Valley.

If you look closely you can see vestigial campsite pull-offs (right middle)

 In 2002 it was closed to camping and designated a World Birding Centre and no longer allows vehicular traffic – just bikes, feet and chairs. 

Since the kiddie twins take a little bit of work to pack into Smiley (see title above) we decided to walk. It got a bit hot (insert smirk here) so we vowed next time to bring the bikes – if they have all 4 tires holding air. As an aside we are now up to 5 flats and 1 new back tire on the twins. A couple more flats and I’m going to get solid rubber South Texas tires for them.

Brought the new Canon Rebel T3 along and fired off a few hundred shots with the zoom lens. Got a few great shots of my shoes, hands, knees, somebody’s ear, and even a couple of birds. You can see some of the better bird shots below – your own shoes, hands, knees and ears probably look better than my photo collection.

Green Jay

Managed to get this shot on one try. (ed. note That is a bald faced lie - it took 63 shots)

Mrs. Cardinal takes the stage

Yours to figure out

More bird naming project

 I know you’re thirsting for knowledge (that is why you’re here – right?) so I added this explanatory plaque shot:

No - the plaque is crooked not the shot. Why don't you believe?

And this shot of the gift shop:

And we’ll finish up with a little entomology lesson. This is an ant condo development beside the Kiskadee Nature Trail. 

 Considering the reputation South Texas ants have for being aggressive to humans (the little buggers bite bad!) this would be a place to avoid for lunch (unless you wish to become an entrée).