Escaping the MN Cold for the Winter

We left behind the winter weather and headed straight for the Texas Gulf Coast!  The trip went smoothly, and we had time to visit Mom for Christmas, too.  We did get to her place (in IA) a day late due to snow and wind that made a lot of roads hazardous to travel with a trailer in tow.  But we enjoyed the time spent there, plus visiting with my brother and sister-in-law.  

We arrived at Mustang Island State Park on the first day of 2023, and appreciated the moderate temps and sunshine.  The beach was wide and packed well so driving, walking and biking were all possible on the sand.  Each day we were on the beach brought new debris and surprises.  The jellyfish that washed up on the sand with high tide were everywhere!  Not much for shells in this area, they are pretty broken down by the time they land on shore.  It was typically windy and noisy with the sound of the waves, and sometimes hazy for the morning.

The campground there was no frills, just a parking lot with lines painted for designated spots.  There was water and electric at each site, and a picnic table with shelter overhead.  There are few, if any, trees for shade.  A short walk (maybe ¼ mi.) across the sand dunes brought you to the waterfront.  So if you are going to this park for a scenic campsite, you will be disappointed.  Camping on the beach is allowed, but that was mostly vans, tents and truck campers.  We would not risk pulling the trailer down there and getting stuck in the loose sand area!

We moved on to another state park, Goose Island, just north of Rockport, also on the coastline.  In this park, there are a group of campsites on the waterfront and another group in the wooded area.  Both locations have pros and cons, and we chose the wooded area just because we didn't think it would be a good idea to spend 10 days in the salt spray on the trailer and truck.  There is a long pier to explore and feel like you are floating out there on a boat!  There's a public landing, also, which is well-used by local boaters and fishing people.  The boat of choice seems to be the type of airboat that we rode in Florida last winter.  However, these are equipped with different seating for fishing.  And those things are really noisy!  Our campsite was about a mile's walk from the landing, and about 5:30 every morning we could hear the roar of those boats if our windows were open!  The trees are primarily oaks with widespread low branches, perfect for climbing.  We did not attempt the climbing!

On one of our walks, we encountered this little group of leaf cutter ants crossing the sidewalk.  There were moving snippets from a grassy area to their home, and they seemed to work around the clock every day.  Such fortitude!