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.

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 "That Way!"

Gulf of Margaritaville, TX

Great BW spot on the San Bernard River

SpaceX was planning Launch number 8 of their prototype Starship from Boca Chica, TX sometime over the next few weeks so Kelly VI and I wended our way slowly south along the Gulf coast.

We stayed at Boondocker Welcome sites, truck stops and Walmart parking lots, so every night was free, except one when I decided to use the paid overnight to dump and fill my tanks.

Fancy shark sculpture

 

A solo musician played for the diners at restaurant across the street from my BW Host, for video, Click Here. 

Northbound tug and barge

For video, Click Here.

A solo musician played for the diners at Sunday Brunch, for video, Click Here. 

Campsite, Magnolia Beach, Matagorda Bay, Indianola, TX

Dawn on the bay.  For video, Click Here.

At the fishing marina,
Indianola, TX

Sunset as the fog moves in.

Fog was THICK!

A nice bike ride along the water
from my campsite to the
fishing marina at Indianola. 

This walk was through an
arroyo in Harlingen, TX

On the beach enroute to Corpus Christi.
Free camping on the beach here at Mustang Island,
yet the sand is very fine and Kelly VI, my RV, almost got stuck.

Bill Taylor flew in from DFW to enjoy a few days
together on the beach.

Sunset in Brownsville, TX 

Storms rolled through Brownsville and 

South Padre Island for a couple days.

In Isablanca Park on South Padre Island,
looking across at the SpaceX Starbase.

I believe this little octopus was dead.

Huge, noisy flock of birds at Brownsville Walmart

Koch in FL

Kim folded his tall, lanky form into
the tiny mercury capsule at the
Kennedy Space Center's Rocket Garden.

Great buddy from college and Europe drove to Florida to visit, we had a great time watching rockets, 'gators, manatees and an occasional beer.

Kim's first evening we enjoyed this
view of the Indian River from a
fun tiki bar at "New York, New York,"
Titusville, FL.

At the Kennedy Space Visitor Center

Launch Pad 39B, seen from the
Saturn V Museum.

Kim stands before the Atlantis Shuttle display
that features Astronaut Joe Allen,
former neighbor of Randy Allen in
Crawfordsville, IN.

A Falcon 9 first stage that was landed safely and
reused for additional launches by SpaceX.

The Falcon 9 first stage seen from the engine end.
That triangular shape along the hull is one of the landing legs.

Still can't figure out how he got out,
let alone into, that miniscule capsule!

Live music at the Pier 220 tiki bar.

Sunset in Titusville

At the Playalinda Beach, Canaveral National Seashore.

Launch Pad 39B seen from the Canaveral National Seashore.

Great sunsets in Titusville!

A couple dads with their sons caught
these blue crabs and also saw a big gator!

Many manatees at the boat launch near Haulover Canal.

And a terrific rocket launch.