South Texas

Starbase!  At Boca Chica Beach.
Those RVs beyond Kelly VI (my RV)
are permitted free camping along the road and on the beach.
As the sand here was quite fine, I decided
against driving, let alone camping, on the beach
and stayed at various places in and near Brownsville.

The main reason for heading to Brownsville, aside from having never been there, was to observe the eighth launch of the SpaceX prototype Starship.

As the launch was projected to take place in late February or early March, I knew there was a good chance I'd get to see the launch.

I also knew that rocket launches are often delayed, sometimes by weeks or longer, so missing the launch altogether was certainly a possibility.

For panoramic video, Click Here.

This bike ride has good variety
as it runs southbound from
the Palo Alto Battlefield National
Historical Park to the
Mitte Cultural District,
downtown Brownsville, TX.

Map of the Palo Alto Battlefield at the National Park,
north of Brownsville.

My bike at the northern end of the
historic Palo Alto Battlefield Trail.

This park, 
Ernesto Gamez Cascade Park,
was very nice with
many families enjoying
picnics, walks and
even a fun water park. 

This is the front side of that
artificial "mountain" in the
previous photo.  It feeds the water park.
For a video, Click Here.

This walk took me around the
park and into the pennisula.

Statue of "Mr. Charro."  In the Mitte Cultural District,
downtown Brownsville.

The "Mr. Amigo" plaques
honoring local citizens
are mounted in the plaza
in a semicircle around
the grassy mound.

This spot is only 6 miles from the launch pads
at Starbase and is on a small hilltop so the pads 
are easily visible, but only from the roof of Kelly VI.
Thankfully, my collapsible ladder
provided me a rooftop perch.

View of Starbase from my rooftop.  Sadly, it was a
foggy, hazy day.  The launch date had already been pushed
into early March and even with the poor visibility,
the broadcasters for the launch were mostly positive about
Launch 8 taking place today. 
For a video from my roof, Click Here.
The countdown worked down to T-40 seconds, then a Hold.
Sadly, the hold continued to be extended until a
delay was announced.  As I had to
begin my trek back to Houston the next day,
or miss my flight to visit my son, I would miss the launch.
Launch 8 would not launch until two days later.

My stop for the night was also very hazy & foggy.
The birds were very much a huge presence,
for a video, with avian audio, Click Here.

This video's big impact is the audio.  These birds 

were not to be ignored!  😮

Halfway back to Houston, I revisited Magnolia Beach.

This street sign confirms that
the right way is "This Way!"