A MYSTERIOUS AND SPECIAL PLACE--LA SAL DEL REY

Monday, February 25 – We did another “Making Memories with Friends” field trip today. The group was only Paul and Marsha and Angie and Rick. Our destination was La Sal del Rey (the King's Salt) also known as “La Purificacion.” It is a salt lake which includes an estimated four million tons of salt and was once part of an extinct inland sea.

Home of 1100 types of plants, 700 vertebrate species, and more than 300 kinds of butterflies, the region is one of the most biologically diverse in the nation and is commonly visited by nature enthusiasts, birders and history buffs from around the world.

Our trail was a dirt road.

The lake has a circumference of five miles, is a mile long, and normally ranges from two to four feet in depth. The bed consists of 99.0897 percent sodium chloride. The large salt deposit has no connection with any other body of water and no one knows for sure how the lake was formed.

Paul tasted the salt and confirmed.....”It sure is salty!”

We walked on an area that was once under water that felt “mushy” under-foot due to the amount of salt. It just felt like any minute we would sink ankle deep in muck. But thankfully, we returned to firm land without a mishap.

They are drilling oil/gas wells in the area and a gate guard required us to park about 1.5 miles from the lake.

We hiked not really sure where we were going but Marsha's iPhone gave us a visual reference where we were and led us right to the lake. We hiked several miles around the salt deposits in spite of gusting winds that were making everything rather dusty.

Marsha found lots of shells and other signs of life left behind.

We were concentrating so hard on finding this place that we didn't even know we were driving on a famous street.

WEAVER Ranch County Rd. How appropriate.

We stopped at a local restaurant, Cheddars, on the way home for lunch/dinner and enjoyed a delicious meal. It was a long day in rather windy conditions. When we arrived home, we found that leaving windows open during dust storms is not a “good thing.” Everything was covered with dust......jeesh!

Thanks for stopping by. Hope to see y'all back real soon. Have a great day.

ADIOS AMIGOS SOCIAL HOUR(S)

Friday, February 22 – We had a “Farewell-To-Friends” dinner on Friday as Jane and Joe were going to be leaving the RGV on Sunday. We went to a wonderful barbeque restaurant – 492 BBQ.

We enjoyed delicious Baby-Back Ribs, Chicken, Jalapeno Sausage, Brisket, and a variety of side dishes. Everything was fantastic.

The barbeque is done outback by a couple of guys. Man did that area smell GOOD!

Here is where the magic happens.

There is an outdoor dining area where a fellow was busy painting a mural on the wall.

Angie and Rick kindly picked up the tab as a thank you for work Paul and Joe did around their house here in Leisure Valley. Thank you very much! Of course, the friendship we shared was the best part! Joe and Jane and Angie and Rick will be surely missed as we prepare to head out ourselves on March 1.

Saturday, February 23 – Marsha had her “Adios Amigos” social hour(s) today. Not having a place for her guests to get out of the hot sun, Jan and Barry were kind enough to have the get together at there place.

The boys.

Marsha spent two days preparing food for the event......”enough to feed the entire neighborhood,” Paul said. Surprisingly, most everything disappeared. Paul thinks she must have given it away out the back door just to prove him wrong......again! Marsha…."I don't think so, Paul!"

The ladies.

She had Calzones, sausage stuffed peppers, rice pilaf, cinnamon pull-apart, orange-pineapple cake, lemon bars, vegetable tray, Mexican fruit tray, homemade bread, etc. The ladies all pitched in to help her. Interesting drinks were available also, like Beer Margaritas and Champagne coolers.

Everybody had a great time and enjoyed the wonderful food. It's true…It's the friends you meet along the way that make RVing such an interesting lifestyle. We'll sure miss these friends!

Thanks for stopping by. Hope to see y'all back real soon. Have a great day.

CRAZY JOE'S SALOON

Friday, February 21 – We met the gang this afternoon at Crazy Joe's Saloon to check out, what we were told is the best country band in the Rio Grande Valley – Country Roland Band. Thanks Gayle and Jim for the great recommendation.

Our directions to Crazy Joe's told us to take Conway Street South toward the Mexican border. Turn left on Military Highway, and we'll see the saloon just after passing under the bridge going over the river to Mexico. Yep, we're enjoying the band right on the USA – Mexico border.

Here is where the boy's room is located. 

The crowd was made up of many bikers, Gringos, Hispanics (from Reynosa, MX), and a big group of Winter Texans, retirees enjoying the wonderful weather here in South Texas. It was an interesting and fun group of friendly people.

Country Roland Band was terrific.

Eight of us got together and enjoyed several adult beverages, good music, Texas two-stepping, that's dancing folks, and a lot of good fun with friends. The band plays from 4-7 p.m. Marsha and I were there for most of the show. What a great time!

Some were having more fun than others.

Marsha and a group of ladies attended a Ladies' Ropa Fashion Show at a local park. Marsha had a wonderful time and wanted to share just a few pictures with mostly the ladies. You men might not get much out of the next section.

The centerpieces were so clever.

This lady is 90 and modeling night wear!

The cutest cookies were at each seat.

In our last blog we mentioned our time is winding down here in South Texas. Many readers mistakenly assumed we were heading into the COLD NORTH. No way!

From the Rio Grande Valley, we plan to visit Texas Hill Country for a couple of weeks, then on to Houston for several more weeks, including the Houston Rodeo, and from there, we will saunter along the Gulf of Mexico for some beach time.

We plan of visiting Paul's brother in Augusta, GA, some time in April and from there, eventually, turn towards Ohio. So we aren't pushing Mother Nature, regardless what that groundhog said about an early spring!

Thanks for stopping by. Hope to see y'all back real soon. Have a great day!

LAST VISIT TO MEXICO.

Monday, February 18 – With our time quickly winding down here in South Texas, we decided on one more trip to Nuevo Progreso, Mexico. We've wanted to get some Mexican pottery to take back to Ohio with us.

Pottery is plentiful in Mexico, but we've been meaning to stop just North of the border to check out a pottery place there. That would eliminate the need of carrying heavy pots through customs and to our parked truck. Of course, when we stopped about 9 a.m. it wasn't open yet. Guess, we'll stop on the way home.

Once we paid our fifty cents to cross into Mexico, we enjoyed strolling along the street and stopping in several stores.

Marsha found several gifts and some nice wine glasses. We stopped and visited with Jose, the painter, and then had lunch at the Marcado at our favorite restaurant......two for one Margaritas.....yummmmmm.

Paul stopped at Gloria's Barbershop and got a haircut for $4. What a bargain and the best haircut Paul's gotten in years!

After covering most of the main drag in Nueva Progreso, we headed back across the border to the good ole' USA. We stopped at the pottery store and purchased a pottery Texas boot and a large Mexican vase. We plan on placing these outdoors in our garden.

A few nights back we enjoyed another happy hour at Rick and Angie's. The happy hour turned into dinner ending with a wonderful chat around the Chimenea.

Oh no…Marsha is starting a new hobby, Swedish weaving. Her friends, Donna and Susie, enjoy this hobby, and Marsha wanted to try her hand at it. Both ladies showed her how to get started, stitch and follow a pattern. Susie gave her some fabric to practice on. Marsha is hooked. She can't wait to get back to Ohio and start her first pattern.

Susie gave Marsha a homework assignment to practice sewing a pattern.

Thanks for stopping by. Hope to see y'all back real soon. Have a great day!

QUINTA MAZATLAN WORLD BIRDING CENTER

Saturday, February 16– On Wednesday, we visited the Quinta Mazatlan McAllen Wing of the World Birding Center.

The Center is housed in a 1930's historic Adobe home on the South side of McAllen.

The home is an attraction by itself. We were free to roam around many of the beautiful rooms – what a magnificent place.

Outside the grounds can be explored using one of the many trails that loop through the vegetation. Much of the area is overgrown giving plenty of hiding places for the numerous birds. Feeding areas are spread out giving private viewing areas to enjoy the wildlife.

There are hundreds of hummingbird feeders and orange slices in the trees. We came across several water features that make great places for birds or animals to get a cool drink or go for a swim on a hot day.

Almost 500 species have been documented in this unique place. We saw many green jays and numerous other birds scattered around the property.

Green Jays

Great Kiskadee

We know it is a hummingbird but not the specific name.

No idea.

The best find was several rather large Chachalaca birds. We were quietly walking down one of the trails and two walked out of the brush right in front of us. We quickly stopped and sat down and enjoyed four of these big birds parading through the thick brush and crossing the trail all around us. How cool!

This little guy was causing a stir at the bird feeders.

We spent about two and a half hours wondering around the Birding Center before calling it an enjoyable day and heading home. Once home we sat outside soaking up some of the beautiful sunny days we've been having here in the South Texas Rio Grande Valley.

Thanks for stopping by. Hope to see y'all back real soon. Have a great day!