Travelog - Day 24, Feb.24

We’re off this morning at 7:19am, headed to Sugar Land, just south of Houston. Al says that our RV campsite was not so bad, after the first day of course. The staff have been very friendly and were concerned that we were happy with our new ‘premium’ site. The showers were roomy, but always wet with dirt/mud on the floor. Last night when we went to pick up the laundry (still wet after one cycle in the dryer??), folks were ‘smokin’ n’ jokin’ as Al would say, playing cards – poker, bridge, and having a good time. The Austin RV park still ‘wins’ hands down. If we come this way again next year, I want to camp on the beach for a few days. Al is agreeable to the idea.

Yesterday just before dinner, Al went for a car wash. He was gone forever or so it seemed. The car looked no different when he returned. Seems the car wash broke down with some poor woman driving a convertible caught in the suds cycle. I have visions of giant bubbles sitting on her canvas roof. And yes, he got his money back.

No fog or even a hint of mist today. We’re driving under very clear skies, so it will be warm. The Interstate Grain Terminal stands out on the horizon along with the smoke stacks of the Dupont factory. One thing Al has noticed about Corpus Christi: it has the least traffic. Austin is the worst so far.

Radio flash – some state is going to prohibit the display of plastic body parts dangling from car/truck bumpers, particularly those that distinguish the difference between males and females and “I’m not talking about the television” says the radio host. Now doesn’t that knowledge just make your day?!!

Now an important news flash for our Canadian readers. Our first train and it has a CN locomotive in front, followed by roughly 30 empty cars (some of them CP) used to transport cars. I sort of understand the presence of Canadian cars, but wonder why the engine is so far from home.

Back to the road. We are now heading NE on #77 which basically runs a distance from, but is parallel to the Gulf. Just short of Victoria, we change to #59 for the rest of the journey, until just south of Houston we connect with #6.

The big highway is rather boring so I’ve gone back to securing the embroidery on a dress I bought in Mexico. None of the ends are tied off, with half showing on the front. My first chore was to pull them to the back, tie them off if I can, and then to tighten up the tension of the rather long embroidery stitches. Tedious to say the least. I shall have to handwash this as I’m convinced that it will shrink otherwise. Should the yellow-green dye run the rayon embroidery thread will not be affected. In fact I was thinking to re-dye or discharge dye the cotton when I get home.

As today is Saturday, we’re again listening to Car Talk on public radio. Advice given to a woman whose mother’s mechanic told her that she should always buy the same brand gasoline. “Bogus” is the response since her ‘club’ buys from a variety of sources. In fact drivers of even ‘premium’ gas cars should buy ‘regular’.

Sugar Land is just what my friend, Kathy, said, a planned community. Lovely boulevards with a dense canopy of trees that will provide relief from the heat in the summer. All the houses seem so big and impressive, first because they are mostly 2-storey and second because they are predominantly brick which adds to the ‘mass’.

Our hosts, Kathy & Perry, show us what good old southern hospitality is all about. Perry’s ribs are wonderful, along with beans which I’m beginning to rather like, a fruit salad, a German noodle can’t remember the name... The desert is, of course, pecan pie. Kathy treats me to a tour of her artwork – mosiacs, quilting, her new machine & tie collection. We’re going to put out a quilt challenge using only ties.

Round about 4:00pm we leave our new friends and head for Almost Heaven RV campground.