Road Trip....hiatus or the end?

I'm sitting on the back patio, watching the dusk gather on Los Angeles. I put on a long-sleeve shirt when it dropped below 70f, and I'm sipping a Malbec. Today I went to Whole Foods and found some good bread and cheese, and they happened to have a wine section. Later I walked to a Farmer's Market that occurs every Wednesday, and found a seafood stand that had fresh flounder and calamari. A few minutes ago I made a aioli with egg yolk, olive oil, garlic and a chili from the garden bordering the backyard. The calamari is going to be flash-fried till crisp and tender. Then I'll watch Cal try to beat Texas. I've parked the truck and camper on a street where it looks out of place, cleaned out the fridge and turned off the gas.

I left South Texas over a week ago, spent Christmas in Bisbee at the great RV campground Double Adobe, then drove here in two days. My good friend L. has offered the hospitality of her house, and I am planning on staying here while she goes to Europe in a couple weeks for a month. It's a fine neighborhood, two blocks away a view of the Pacific is available, and walking distance from stores. The backyard has a lemon and fig tree, and a palm tree in the distance. The front yard has a pomegranate tree, and a green groomed lawn. 

Here's the deal: I'm tired of life in my camper, as fun as it has been. I begin to understand why those RV-ers I've occasionally mocked with their satellite tv and sound systems have them. I'm not inclined that way, but I now understand it: there's nothing to do in RV campgrounds in the winter when it gets dark at 5:30pm. And, if it's nippy outside, one isn't inclined to go out at look at the stars. I've read in the evenings, listened to music, and watch movies on my dvd player. There is only so much of that I can do. I actually miss having to go out and shovel the snow, and walking around my house.

My stated goal for this trip was to see new places, avoid the snow, and perhaps do some fishing and meet new people. Mission accomplished on all counts. I actually have done more fishing than I had anticipated, the fishing was at times excellent in Port Mansfield. I met new people, some of whom I hope to continue to have contact with, and I saw places previously unseen.

I had thought I could find a place that was warm and had something to do, like fishing. I could simply hang out, read, and contemplate my navel at other times. I did that, for the most part; turns out finding a warm place in the winter is not that easy, unless you're willing to put up with south Florida. Even a mile from Mexico in south Arizona can get quite nippy. But, my capacity to simply hang out turns out to have limits. Mine was a couple months. And, the confining space of my camper eventually got to be a bit much.

So....I think I'll be here for a month or more longer, and eventually go home near the end of February, after a visit with my kids in the NW. The camper will stay on the truck through the fall, there's plenty of camping and fishing to be done this summer back in Montana. I miss Montana.

I'll probably post a few times while here, but this is the last post on this blog. I'm not on a Road Trip any more. It was fun, and instructive. But it's time for something else. My daughter Kate had some good advise for things I can do when home to better occupy myself. I also didn't care for being so far from my kids, and I want to be able to drive for a day and see them if I want or need arises.

So, thanks all for your support and comments.

The Winter of My Discontent, or, It's Raining Again

Another rainy and semi-windy day. My neighbor and new-found-friend and I decided not to go fishing; tomorrow the forecast is somewhat better. So I sat, watched the rain, napped, listened to music and thought.

Why am I doing this trip, anyway? Contrary to what I've been telling anyone who asks, it's not just to avoid shoveling snow this winter. I think it is more out of boredom, or lack of purpose. Before I stopped working, I was busy; work had, up until the last couple years, occupied and interested me. Teaching, training, help develop new products, refine existing ones, on and on. I went from that to basically twiddling my thumbs. I thought my interests would occupy my time fine: fishing, travelling, seeing and doing things not done. Turns out they don't. And it ain't just today's weather.

I thought this trip would be just the thing: new places, warm weather, life on the road. I've tried travelling constantly, a day or two in one place, moving on. I've tried staying weeks in one place. Getting comfortable, meeting people, and now in this place fishing. Good fishing, actually. Neither have captured me; made me say this is fine, this is what I'll do. It's fine for a bit, but......even if it were possible for me to continue this on to the future, I'd choose something else.

So. In a week or less, the trip is reversing course. I'll fill you in as it happens.

Cheers

The Winter of My Discontent, or, It's Raining Again

Another rainy and semi-windy day. My neighbor and new-found-friend and I decided not to go fishing; tomorrow the forecast is somewhat better. So I sat, watched the rain, napped, listened to music and thought.

Why am I doing this trip, anyway? Contrary to what I've been telling anyone who asks, it's not just to avoid shoveling snow this winter. I think it is more out of boredom, or lack of purpose. Before I stopped working, I was busy; work had, up until the last couple years, occupied and interested me. Teaching, training, help develop new products, refine existing ones, on and on. I went from that to basically twiddling my thumbs. I thought my interests would occupy my time fine: fishing, travelling, seeing and doing things not done. Turns out they don't.

Another evening

Dusk comes on a cloudy, warm day here in the south Texas Gulf. I went fishing today, caught 3 speckled trout on my 6wt, it was fun. The biggest was around 20", and while it fought well, it was less spectacular than a similar rainbow. I didn't keep any, a bit tired of fish at this point. The fellow I went with has a nice boat, and is as committed a flyfisher as I've met. I listened for hours to him talk about how it has taken over his life (my interpretation). Curious, I asked how long he's fly fished, and he said 8 years. He asked me when I started, and when I said I thought it was in 1952, he didn't pursue the topic.
This evening is less windy, warm and cloudy. Deer again come around begging.

I didn't take any picture out on the gulf. In truth, I was less than happy to be fishing today. This fellow was kind enough to invite me, he's starved for conversation with other 'fly fishing folk', I didn't think it appropriate to tell him that I was tired of this cult-like attitude towards fly fishing. I smiled, only occasionally saying when he mentioned fishing on a river on such and such a place that I'd fished there in the 70's when it was good.

So, I'm still enjoying being here. One takes it all, and picks and chooses, eh?

For those still commenting on the previous post, that's where I'm continuing the conversion, in the comments section.
Cheers

The things we dont' talk, or blog about

So, in my idle time here in the south gulf, I've been thinking. In these blogs I read, yours mostly, and you know what I'm talking about, yes, I mean you. There are subjects, issues not discussed. We discuss the easy things, the weather, the good food we're having, or the personal difficulties we have, sometimes. There are some larger issues out there, that are only tangentially discussed. I have a proposal: let's talk about them. Anonymous, if need be. You can all figure out how to post anonymous comments, it's easy.

So, let's make a list:

Immigration
Let's discuss border policy, the number of hispanics coming into the US, what that effect will be. Let's discuss the opening or closing of the borders and immigration, from other countries. What if the demographics in the US shift, to a majority of the population being non-white? Is that bad? Like to hear your thoughts.

The role of government
What is it? What should it be? Is the government too intrusive, and control too high? Do we pay too much taxes? If so, what is to be cut? Are schools and roads and health the province of the individuals, and if so, how do they pay, and how much? Was Roosevelt wrong when he instituted the New Deal? Are we willing to pay, through taxes, for the roads, infrastructure, schools and poor? What about the seniors....is ss something you working people will continue to fund even though you may not get any? Clearly, we have economic limitations to what we can do, with our current taxation. Look at Europe's taxation....are you willing to do that, to continue with something like our present system? If not, what are you going to do with the poor and seniors who cannot support themselves, through whatever circumstances? Do you think that 'get a job' is enough incentive?

Health Care
Should every American be responsible for the cost of health care he needs? Should a smoker have to pay, up front, for every lung function test? Someone who ate red meat pay out of pocket for each bypass or stint? Should they have to have health insurance, of some support? Should someone with a genetic disposed disease, such as alpha-one-antitrypsin deficient be required to pay for their lung care? Should alcoholics be made to pay up front for alcohol-related problems? Drug addicts? How about pregnancy, that's a choice, or isn't it? Birth control?

 Our Education System
By every measure, we are falling behind the world. Math and Science in particular. We encourage video games, watching television, going to the mall, all instead of studying. The rate of descent is remarkable. What is to be done, if anything? We rely on the television, and other similar things as parenting tools. Does this play a role? Few American high schooled could go to Europe, Japan or China and work at the levels their peers are at in science. Is this a concern, or are all our kids going to McDonalds?

These are only a few of topics, but enough for this. I'm not asking for answers, just to see if anyone is interested. You and your generations are going to have to deal with this, and I'll be gone before any solution is found. If there are solutions.

One final note. Like my generation, yours might think that it cannot happen to us, it's too far off. I leave you with T. S. Elliot's famous line:

This is the way the world ends
Not with a bang but a whimper.

Cheers,

The things we dont' talk, or blog about

So, in my idle time here in the south gulf, I've been thinking. In these blogs, and you know what I'm talking about, yes, I mean you. There are subjects, issues not discussed. I have a proposal: let's talk about them. Mano

Texas Dinner (my version)

First, the weather. WhenThe I got here on Monday it was cloudy and quite cool by local standards, and a brisk wind. Today started off overcast, looking like rain even, then the clouds cleared mostly out and the sun came out. I changed to a short-sleeved shirt, it was 78f in the shade. Met a couple locals, got tips on fishing from the shore and where to go, found a place where my Onstar system could make calls and called Emily.

This evening I'm having tamales, pinto beans, and tortillas. I found a tamale joint in town yesterday, bought a dozen small pork tamales, and they were selling fresh tortillas they had just made. Some pinto beans, with some green chilies and garlic added, and that's dinner. The tamales have an aroma drift off that makes my nose weep. Literally. They seemed to be saturated with some red chili oil, that stains the fingers.

I'll start the beans soon, cook them down to let the green chiles and garlic absorb, steam the tamales and warm the tortillas.

The sunset here is around 5:30pm, get's dark quickly. Time to hunker down for another evening in south Texas. Wish y'all were here.

Fishing

You'd think with a nom de guerre like Should Fish More, I'd have more entries about fishing, wouldn't you? In fact, if you've followed either of my blogs, I rarely post about angling. In 60 years of fishing, I think I've either heard or said damn near everything there is to say. Every rhapsodical, philosophizing, complaining, bragging, this is better or more important than life it's self thing there is to say or write. At this point in my life, it's enough for me to say I enjoy it, and my time on the water. In fact, at times I've gone out to the Big Hole and simply sat and watched the water for a couple hours. Catching another couple trout after the 10's of thousands I've caught is not a priority. And while I rarely keep a fish, I've heard more than enough from those who think releasing every fish is a moral imperative, and is a pathway to good karma.  

Hmmm, it appears I've digressed. 

Hey, I went fishing today! My neighbors here at the camp have a boat, they invited me out with them this morning in the gulf, and I gladly accepted. Bill and Linda are both around my age, and from this part of the world. We went out for about 4 hours and roamed this part of the huge bay between the Texas mainland and Padre Island. I was very surprised at how shallow it is; at times we were zooming over long flats of less than a foot of water. 

Some pictures:

Heading out of the harbor

Out in the bay

We fished in 4 or 5 different area's, depth ranging from around a foot to three feet deep. We used jigs, and I cast a spinning rod for the first time in years. It was fun, and I found that motor-muscle memory is true; by the third cast I was putting it out a hundred feet. 

Oh yeah, almost forgot. We didn't catch a thing, not even a bite. It was so much fun to be out on the water, smelling the salt gulf that it was unimportant. Bill said it was unusual to not catch anything, and he wants company on more trips. I'm up for it. As a consolation prize they gave me some sea trout fillets from their last trip a couple days ago, so despite catching nothing, I'm having fresh fish tonight. 

Cheers all,

Mike 

Port Mansfield, TX, BBQ and 'Tahta Salad

I decided to stay here a week. The sun is out today, first time since I've been in this state. And....wait for it....there's fishing here! Yep, sea trout, whatever they are, something called redfish...all catchable from shore. So tomorrow, a-fishing I go. All less than a mile from here. Another factor in my staying is a couple hundred yards down the road there's a BBQ place, that was closed until today. Sweet Gregory P's Smokehouse. I had breakfast there (fine eggs and bacon, nearly as good as the BS in Butte), and decided to get some takeout for dinner tonight.

At 4pm I went back, decided on brisket and ribs, with a side of potato salad. The brisket and ribs came, looked wonderful. Then the waitress put out the potato salad, in a styrofoam bowl, and I looked at it. The styrofoam bowl was as it should be, but it looked like mashed potatoes mixed with maybe some green onions and perhaps mustard. Ever the diplomat, I asked "What's this?" pointing at the bowl. "Tahta salad." she replied. Wanting clarification, I said "No it's not."

The two waitress' looked at each other. "What is it, then?" one asked, clearly wanting to engage in dialog. "Mashed potatoes." I said, helping further the exchange. They looked at each other. "Where you from?" the first rather pointedly asked. I wondered if this might be taking a wrong turn, somehow. "Montana." I replied civilly. More looks were exchanged between the two women. "A Yankee." the first said knowingly. To which the other replied "No, that's like from Canada."

At this point, Gregory came out from a back room. "Hells going on?" he asked, at least that's what I think he said, the local dialect is sometimes difficult to understand. The two waitress talked at the same time for a minute, Gregory seemed to take it in and looked at me. "Want a beer?" he asked.

I left a bit later, intact and with some excellent bbq. And the Tahta Salad ain't bad.

I never question the food in a restaurant, my girls can attest to that.

3 days and 1000 miles

Port Mansfield, Texas. I've been on the road now since 1 October, and logged a lot of miles. My goal, for whatever reason, has been get to the Gulf of Mexico. Seemed right, somehow. Three days ago, with Montana-like conditions forecast for Bisbee, I decided to hit the road and outrun the cold front. Saturday I got to Van Horn Tx, and the next day to just north of Laredo. Today, I made the trip to here.

What had I expected? Not sure, but probably something along the line of laying on a beach, drinks with little umbrellas, stuff like that. What have I found? (Yes, it's still early in the trip, and I expect it'll change...)

Deer. Whitetail deer. Place is overrun with the buggers. The community of Port Mansfield (calling it a town is a stretch) is an area that was designated as an animal sanctuary, donated by one of the King family, of the King ranch clan. The picture was taken about 30 feet from my truck camper.

A couple pictures of the port, and gulf:

It's currently around 55f, which has the local's dismayed. Once I found this place in a book I called, and after a friendly chat in which I said "no, I can't repair dryers", the owner said I could stay for cheap, even though I can't repair household appliances.

I foraged in Raymondville on 77, and found fresh tortillas, local lettuce and avacados (huge, and 2 for a buck), and some decent looking fajita beef skirt steak. And a huge papaya for breakfast, with a couple limes to dress it.

My impression of Texas has not improved on the drive here; the many long miles on I10 were the same scenery, and intermittent rain. I've seen enough mesquite to last a lifetime. And mesa's, as neat as they may be. Perhaps the drive north from here, past Huston on the seaward side, will change my mind.

It's windy tonight, cool by local standards, and the weather looks iffy for the next few days. I may just wait it out here, and get Kate to help research my trip north.

Art

There is an artist-in-residence of sorts here, a gentleman camped nearby, Glen Hanson. He's done many things in a wide-ranging life, and is currently creating bead art on tanned elk hide. He presented his latest to me yesterday, and we negotiated. It took him three weeks of 4 to 6 hour days, and is comprised of 13+ thousand beads. I was attracted to it because it reminds me of some Navajo and Hopi art I have.

It's now hanging on the back wall of the camper

At home, it should go well above a bowl I have made by Violet Huma

It's onward tomorrow morning, so I'll post again as may be.

Cheers all

Wind

It's now been exactly 2 months since I left Butte. Seems like longer, and an age since I was in Seattle.

Today is my girls birthday, both born on 1 December, some years apart. Kate was less than thrilled to share her birthday for a couple hours, but they now refer to it as "our birthday". Great people, both of them, and the joys of my life.

It's windy, starting around 5 this morning. The camper is rocking like a ship in a storm. I've battened down any hatch I can, and am reading or surfing the web. Here's the Canadian camper across the road:

The skies are cloudless, but that's supposed to change by evening, and snow is forecast for tomorrow and Saturday. Not what I signed up for, it's what I'm trying to avoid this winter.

I'm thinking about heading over across New Mexico on Saturday, perhaps going as far as either Big Bend Nat'l Park, or even Laredo. It's the closest I can see where it's warmer.

My friend Glen came over this morning for coffee and to listen to MPR, and I plan to hole up for the rest of the day.

Cheers, all and sundry.