Looking Forward to Trip to Texas
This is the ninth consecutive year we’ve spent winter in Texas, seven years in Rockport and now two years in Mission. This year, for some reason, I looked forward to getting down hear with more anticipation and enthusiasm than ever.
It’s not clear why, but I have some ideas.
First, the Mission/McAllen area is a vibrant business community. (I call it a “community” but please understand that this area has about three-quarters of a million people in it!) It appears that business is thriving here. There are lots of shopping areas, lots of restaurants, and lots and lots of RV parks.
Second, there is a lot of music available here! Many parks have music jams each week. My favorite: a polka jam at Enchanted Valley! Beginning in January, many parks feature Branson-style entertainment one night each week. We heard several good ones last year, a few great ones, and one or two from folks who should keep their day jobs.
Third, if you need another reason, is the fruit! It’s great!
Driving South
Our heading-south process goes something like this: the week before, we pile things we’ll be taking wherever we can find room, preferably near the front door. Then on “moving day” I go to the storage lot where the trailer is stored, hook it up, air its tires, and take it to our condo. After about two hours and a couple of dozen trips between the house and trailer, we’re ready to roll.
To Des Moines
This year, we were on the road at a respectable 10 AM. First-day objective: Topeka, Kansas. We chose to leave Cedar Rapids and use US30, the Lincoln Highway, rather than I-380 and I-80. The traffic is much less but there are more hills. Plus, this let us take advantage of the diagonal highway, one of the few in Iowa, which runs from Marshalltown to Des Moines.
And that conveniently connected us with a bypass around the major portion of Des Moines. It takes one down the east side and across the south side of the city. There’s very little traffic on this road as compared to I-80/I-35.
To Kansas City and Topeka
Morning at Wal*Mart in Topeka, KS
Then on toward Kansas City! A friend tipped me off to a “painless” way to deal with KC: go west across the top, then down a bit of the west side, then on to Topeka. Everything went fine and we overnighted in a Wal*Mart parking lot, along with several trucks and at least one other RV.
To WinStar Casino (Thackerville, OK)
WinStar Casino is conveniently located at Mile 1, I-35, in Oklahoma. They have a very attractive RV park. The price is right: $22.50, electricity included, for full hookups. The lots are large and pull-through.
Plus, because it is at mile one, we are now just a few miles past halfway to our destination! Yes, it’s true: when you get to Texas you’re about half way there!
On to Seguin, TX
Next planned stop: Sequin, TX. We get back on I-35 and settle in for a long drive. But first, we need to get through Ft. Worth. The day we did it, it was a problem. Due to construction, there was a lane closure and stop-and-go traffic for about 45 minutes. Fortunately, that was the only delay of the entire trip.
On the north side of Ft. Worth, I-35W goes right past the Texas Motor Speedway home of IRL and NASCAR races. It is a huge place!
I-35 also goes right past the Baylor University campus in Waco. They must be planning on having a winning football team for the next several decades as they are building a gigantic stadium adjacent to the highway. It appears to be 75% finished. I suspect they’ll be playing there next fall. The surprising thing is that when we came home last March all there was at that site was an empty field. They have really progressed rapidly.
Seguin is on I-10 and about 30 miles east of the south edge of San Antonio. The neat part of this trip is using the relatively new toll way from north of Austin all the way to Seguin. It avoids the Austin traffic and all the other towns on the way to San Antonio. It’s a near-perfect road with very little traffic.
Currently, they are charging trucks the same toll as cars, no doubt to get truckers hooked on the convenience. Do they plan to raise the toll? What do you think! (Car toll = $18 for the 80 miles.)
A neat feature: you don’t stop to pay tolls! They take a picture of your license, then mail a bill to you! Except we still haven’t gotten a bill for our trip each way last year! Lyle and Lila Helm did get one this year, so I expect one to show up shortly.
Last spring, we found a convenient RV park in Seguin so we stayed there again. But the best thing about Sequin is the convenient access to friends in the area. I’ll cover that in another article!
The Last Leg: On To Mission!
From Seguin, it’s less than 300 miles to Mission. That makes it an easy drive!
Specialized Oil Field Truck
All four front wheels steer.
The most obvious activity during this drive is all of the oil-field-related activity: pop-up RV parks, drilling activity, pop-up motels, and big trucks with loads never seen on Iowa highways.
But the last couple of hours could be considered boring by many. I think every place has it’s own interest and beauty.
We arrived at our rented spot in Hidden Valley Ranch early in the afternoon so had time to get pretty well set up that day.
Ahhh —at our new home for the next four months!