January has been a tricky travel month for us. The weather can be mild, like an early spring day, or it can turn on a dime, bringing van-shaking winds, flurries, and shivering temperatures. Like a Forest Gump box of chocolates. This year, we decided to hug the Gulf coast and work our way west into south Texas.

Our last stop in Louisiana was Sam Houston Jones State Park, near Lake Charles.

This park has seen a lot of renovation post-hurricanes. The campsites are large and paved, with full hook-ups and good amenities. The tent you see in the background is one of several that can be rented by folks who wish to “glamp.” This really is a pretty park. Nature trails circle the campground. Bald cypress trees fill the lagoon, reminding you that you’re still in bayou country.

Our first day here was mild and quiet. Our second night, we were under a tornado watch, and then a windy rainstorm came through overnight and knocked out the park’s power. Luckily, we have a good-sized battery bank, so we had electricity. As we pulled away the next morning, we saw power company crews working to restore power. We were hoping this was a fluke, and that milder weather would greet us in Texas.

Our first overnight in Texas was at Galveston Island State Park. It was windly and chilly, well okay, cold. We bundled up for walks, had quick soup dinners, and soldiered on. (Here’s where we learned that Texas State Parks’ bath houses and restrooms aren’t heated.)

You know you’re in Texas when you see an H-E-B grocery store. Yay!

H-E-B was founded in 1905 by Florence Butt. The first store was located in her home. Later on, her son Howard Edward Butt took over, hence the name. Today, H-E-B stands for Here Everyone Belongs. It’s a terrific store, reminds me of Wegman’s where we used to live. As we travel, I enjoy exploring stores to see what’s popular among the locals.

At most H-E-Bs, you can see tortillas being made by hand. At the “Plus” stores, you’ll find floral design, fresh sushi (Wednesday is sushi special day), a tempting bakery, and a gadget-filled home decor section. H-E-Bs close to the Louisiana state line, are stacked up with Mardi Gras King Cakes, cajun spices, and gumbo ingredients, along with bags of dried Mexican peppers and hot sauces. The diverse product mix adds to the adventure of shopping here.

Goose Island State Park was next on our route. Temperatures lifted and we rode our bikes and hiked familiar trails. Each time we stay, a visit to The Big Tree is a must. This champion live oak predates the Civil War and has weathered all the hurricanes since then.

We dipped down into south Texas and checked into the Sunset Palms RV Resort in Brownsville. Here, they call snowbirds Winter Texans. These rv parks usually have sections for full-time and seasonal residents, and then some spots for folks like us, who are just passing through. Space is at a premium; you’re close to your neighbors.

Some might not call it a resort, but it was clean and safe, and the bath house was tidy and warm, with plenty of hot water. It had what we needed, and then some, including a big library. The staff was friendly and helpful. We agreed; this would make a great base camp for a couple of days.

And then folks started talking about the advancing cold weather – an arctic freeze wreaking havoc up North. We made a quick decision and asked if we could add to our stay. Better to be here and a little chilly than deal with snow and ice in Austin and San Antonio. We ended up staying a week. It was a really good move.

After the extreme cold passed, we set out to explore the area. One day we went to the International Museum of Art and Science in McAllen, TX. On another, we explored South Padre Island and Boca Chico Beach.

At Sea Turtle Inc, we watched volunteers bring in “cold-stunned turtles.”

When water temperatures drop below 50 degrees, sea turtles enter a coma-like state. Unlike land turtles, sea turtles cannot retract into their shells. So, while lethargic they are exposed and vulnerable. Extended cold can be life-threatening. So Sea Turtle Inc, gathers them up, provides a warming spot, and then returns them to the Gulf in a day or two. There are at least a dozen agencies that are working to protect the Gulf’s sea turtles. Volunteers play a vital role during these cold emergencies.

When we visited, hypothermic turtles were being housed in large kiddie pools in the education center’s public bathrooms. One of the docents said it can get pretty wild when “everybody starts waking up and crawling around.”

The center has a hospital for nursing injured turtles. There are also large tanks for housing resident turtles that cannot be returned to the wild. A new building is under construction to support Sea Turtle Inc’s valuable efforts. Sea Turtle Inc

Nearby, we walked a nature trail along the Laguna Madre, or Mother Lagoon. This is one of six hypersaline coastal lagoons in the world – hypersaline meaning saltier than seawater. This very diverse wetland is a haven for migrating and resident wildlife. The salinity fosters the growth of seagrass, which is a big part of the diet for endangered Ridley sea turtles.

Mexico Daytrip
Being this close to the border, it seemed that we should spend an afternoon in Mexico. I’d never been to Mexico and this seemed like an opportunity. I had read reviews online: “Great daytrip! Giant margaritas, music in the streets, excellent restaurants! So much fun!” We were advised to travel an hour north to Progreso, TX, to cross over into Nuevo Progreso, Mexico.

We drove and parked in the day parking lot next to the bridge (along with hundreds of other daytrippers). We paid a couple of dollars, walked across the bridge, and presto, we were in Mexico. But this wasn’t the Mexico I’d read about. From the moment we started down the main street, we were hounded by over- zealous merchants selling trinkets, jewelry, pharmaceuticals, and souvenirs.

This is the place for inexpensive services: dental work, eyeglasses, pharmaceuticals, nail salons, shoe shines, and barber shops. The town survives on tourist traffic, but it doesn’t look like it’s thriving. Life here looks like a struggle.

We tried to make our way through the throng, but if you stopped for even a moment, you were surrounded. Bars on the street were already busy selling mid-morning tequila shots and margaritas. No Mariachi bands here! Just loud music broadcast from the bars.

The hawkers were unrelenting; many were just little kids. The competition for our dollars was overwhelming and also sad. We ducked into a few stores to look around and get away from the crowds.

We found a restaurant for an early lunch, which turned out to be a tourist trap. The cluster of uniformed waiters buzzed around like bees in a frantic rush to keep the flow of patrons moving along. In all, it was a pretty mediocre and pricey experience.

We left soon after lunch and crossed back into the States. Along the crossing bridge, hands reached through cracks in the wall, begging for change. Sigh. Now I can say that I’ve been to a border crossing town once… and once was enough.

Brazos Bend State Park
We turned north and started our trek back toward Florida, where we planned to spend February. We spent a few days at Brazos Bend State Park, south of Houston.

The park was fairly quiet, especially midweek. We rode our bikes along the lakes and enjoyed the solitude…and nature.

A few more stops, and we found ourselves back at Ft Pickens campground on Santa Rosa Island in Florida.

John resumes his quest of searching for the perfect shell. So many shells, so little time.

Our Winter Texan adventure was fun and educational. I’m not sure that spending the entire winter in Texas is for us, but we did enjoy exploring and look forward to return trips. More adventures to come!