It’s time to pull up stakes and roll out-of-town as our stay in Rockport, Texas has come to an end, rather reluctantly I might add. The month of January seems to have flown by. As I scroll through all my photos, I realize I still have more to share about the Texas Gulf Coast.
Although the majority of my time was spent in the Rockport area, I did venture into the city of Corpus Christi and over to Mustang Island. Al and I are somewhat familiar with the area and it doesn’t take long for us to easily reacquaint ourselves.
Years ago, long before moi, Al was stationed at the Naval Base in Corpus Christi and learned how to fly on and off the USS Lexington. The Lex has since been taken out of commission and turned into a museum. Hmm, wonder if that makes Al feel old? I have to admit, I was surprised to see how small the USS Lexington is in comparison to other aircraft carriers I’ve personally seen.
In my humble opinion, it either takes a large set of cojones or stupidity to land an airplane on such small square footage. Hubby insists I note; “he is not stupid” 😉
Moving on…..I cross the bridge and find myself in downtown Corpus Christi. All along the shore is a park like setting complete with a wide concrete walkway. Further down Ocean Drive are parks and beaches that I’m sure are crowded during warmer weather months.
I’m drawn to all the boats docked in the Corpus Christi Marina. I’m a huge fan of boating, although partial to fresh water, but never the less it’s always fun to check out the various watercraft……almost as much fun as checking out RV’s.
The city of Corpus Christi offers several museums as well as a state aquarium. Even though we did spend an entire month in this part of Texas, I kept very busy and therefore did not have the opportunity to visit any of the museums myself. Busy doing what you ask…….well posing…..naked in Corpus.I’d say a rather nude likeness of myself, wouldn’t you agree? Yay, yay, yay…..in my dreams, but hey, that could be my long tresses blowing in the wind.
From downtown Corpus Christi, I head over to Mustang Island where a friend and I share lunch on the beach. This is the beach my mom and dad fell in love with years ago. After traveling around the country in their motorhome, they settled in at the Pioneer RV Resort near Port Aransas. It’s easy to understand why they spent 6 months in northern Illinois and six months in Port A, quickly becoming ‘winter Texans’. Well, maybe I don’t understand the 6 months in Illinois, but I won’t go there.
The beach is gorgeous on Mustang Island and just doesn’t end, not that you’d want it to. Did you know you can even boondock on the beach? Yep, park your RV on some packed down sand and set up house. Just be forewarned, it doesn’t take long for the corrosive effects of salt spray to take hold on your equipment. Our bikes are sporting a fair amount of that lovely rust color that we’ll need to tackle as soon as we return to the desert.
After a great lunch of fried shrimp and fish and a nice long walk on the beach, it’s time to return to Rockport and experience another first for me. I take Highway 361 toward Aransas Pass and although the map looks like I’ll be crossing via a bridge…. NOT. I get to take a ferry. It’s a very short ferry ride and actually takes longer to load or unload than the ferry ride itself.
I’m the first vehicle on the right with no vehicles behind me. Vehicles and RV’s of all sizes take the ferry. You can see an Airstream trailer on the ferry next to me.
I really enjoyed my day of explorations and would highly recommend this scenic loop. I barely touched the surface of all the things to see and do in the Corpus Christi area. I think it’s a safe assumption to say, “I’ll be back”.
Moon Texas (Moon Handbooks)
Republic of Barbecue: Stories Beyond the Brisket (Bridwell Texas History Series)
I like Corpus, we were there in October. We wanted to go Mustang Island, but ended at the Rockport 😕 The USS Lexington is impressive! You took much better photos than I did.
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I don’t know, you are such a great photographer. The beach on Mustang Island is a must for a future visit. I think we’ll try and camp on Mustang Island for at least a week next winter. The two day trips I took were not enough 🙂
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Thank you for the information, Ingrid! I’m coming 🙂
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Thank you so much for the compliment, Ingrid!
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Beautiful! I always wanted to visit these places. Thanks for the sharing this.
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Glad you enjoyed and I would agree….beautiful 🙂
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Be safe and have fun as you move to your next adventure!
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Thanks. We’ve moved on to San Antonio and brrrrr is all I have to say!
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Polar Vortex GO AWAY!!
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“Republic of Barbecue” hahaha! I always enjoying checking out your Amazon links after reading your delightful blog stories. Hope the weather is improving in Texas. It felt downright HOT here yesterday in Apalachicola when the temperature hit 75 degrees…but now it’s back to 45 degrees.
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Thanks….on one of the first days in Texas I had to go out for some good ole Texas BBQ – yum. I became an Amazon affiliate so if anyone does buy something after linking through my blog I get Amazon credits. I feel uncomfortable actually promoting it but enjoy sharing products we either already have/use or ones on our wish list.
28 degrees in San Antonio….brrrr 😦 Hoping for warmer weather soon!
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To land on that Al must have a BIG pair… loved this post… and just love this blog…
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So he says LOL. Perhaps next year we’ll actually tour the USS Lexington. We got side tracked with other things and never got around to it before moving on!
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Really have been enjoying the blog! Looks like you two are having a great time in Texas. Looking forward to hearing more about your adventures on the road. 🙂
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Thank you and yes we are truly enjoying the ‘Lone Star’ state in spite of the crazy up and down weather. Thanks for following along 🙂
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Great pics and narrative, Ingrid. Looks like a beautiful place. Love the statue, but it took me a couple of seconds to work out what you were talking about, as I saw it facing right, not left, so didn’t see at first that it was a woman, but rather some weird sea creature rising up out of the water. 😀
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Thanks Sylvia. I photographed that sculpture from all angles and finally decided on this one photo. Perhaps I should’ve posted a collage of all the angles to show the true likeness 😆
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That wasn’t you?! I was sure I recognized her and she reminded me of you:)
Great writing. Lots of laughter!!
Beautiful photos, the blue is so vivid!
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You are too kind, but keep it coming 😆
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Great post Ingrid. I have always wanted to go to Corpus Christi as one of my favorite aunts lived there most of her life. I didn’t make it there before her passing so I enjoyed your tour. Thanks!
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Since Al lived in Corpus for a year and a half and my parents spent their winters here, we felt quite at home. There’s a little something for everyone to enjoy and I know we’ll return next winter. I fell in love with the birding, which surprised me and am missing the place a little 😉
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🙂
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Thanks Darla 🙂
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Several years back, we took an excellent tour of the USS Lexington. So exciting to actually know someone who served on that ship…well not exactly know, but you get my meaning.
I say you are a dead ringer for a look alike!
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Aww, thank you Marsha and I know exactly what you mean. I thought for sure we were going to tour the Lex but Al didn’t seem to want to and I didn’t push. Went to Fredericksburg yesterday and loved it. I know we’ll go back and actually stay in the area…..when it’s warmer 🙂
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There sure is a lot more to see and do there than what I would have thought.
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I’ve enjoyed the area very much and felt quite comfortable, almost at home so to speak. I’m in San Antonio now and missing all those birds!
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Ingrid: your “title” got me running to the pictures to see what I could see…shucks…. good job girl…
Maynard
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Hope I didn’t disappoint you too much 🙂 I thought that sculpture was so pretty, I just had to share it somehow 🙂
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Isn’t Texas wonderful? There was a photo not opened and I wondered if it was you posing….I’ll never know I guess. I’ll have to add this location to our listings of places to see. That list keeps getting longer and longer.
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Since my post is G rated it probable didn’t open LOL. Hmm, all of them should have. Sometimes this system gets temperamental. We’ve fallen in love with Texas and plan to spend even more time around the state next winter. And we say that even though the weather has been less than agreeable 🙂
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That looks like your hair. Did you model for the statue? Interesting post and great photos as always. You may or may not want to know that it is only 55F and cloudy here today, but I’ll order some warmer weather for your return. Safe travels.
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Please, do order that weather for me. Right now 28 degrees and winds rocking us from side to side, not fun 😦 Warmer weather is in our future. Does look like my wind swept hair, doesn’t it 😆
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Cool here. And 3 whole days of cloudy weather! That’s a bit much! Warmer temps in the forecast. It will be perfect when you arrive. I can (almost) guarantee it!
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Ingrid: Your “title” had me scrambling into the pictures to see what I could see. Good job, girl!
Maynard
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I saw on Google maps with the bike layer they had some nice trails in Corpus Christi along the coast….seems like an assortment of “good things” around there. Mermaids always hold my imagination…be fun to be one for a day :O)
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The biking and walking opportunities in the area are endless. A beautiful bike ride would be from the Corpus Christi Marina all the way down to the Texas A & M campus. I drove it and thought about biking it in the future. Lots to see and do!
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Great Post – loving your captures! I have decided we are doing the family reunion in the Gulf of Texas in 2015-2016 – beautiful area and lots of things to do and see for everyone. Happy Hump Day:)
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Awesome….I think you’ll discover there is a little something for everyone 🙂
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Exploring and revisiting previously visited places can be so much fun. Glad that you were able to enjoy yourself.
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We’re learning revisiting areas is so much fun. We have time to discover hidden gems 🙂
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I know we will be there in a year or so, and I will see the naked Ingrid in person 🙂
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Just let me know, and I’ll tell you where to find her 😆
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Thanks for the tour of Corpus. We did get there to tour the “Lady Lex” , as our Uncle Jr. was stationed on it during WWII. After being on the deck of our son’s ship, the JFK, landing on the Lex had to be like skydiving and hitting the X…scary!! Weather here sucks pond water, just sayin’.
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The weather is even colder 3 hours north….brrr and grrr. Al didn’t want to tour the Lex this trip….maybe next time. Hang in there, warmer weather is on it’s way 🙂
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Ingrid I had to read the line ‘ well posing….naked…’ a few times. 🙂 Haha you had me for sure. Beautiful photos of the marina. Happy trails!
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Thanks….that sculpture was so pretty…..I was so intrigued by it. Glad it provided a chuckle 🙂
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