For the final leg of Trip 11, time to head over to the mainland to Aransas Bay RV Resort, or "ABRV", in Aransas Pass, Texas. This one saw a one month stay.
Grounds: ABRV is found within an otherwise developing outskirt of Aransas Pass, almost immediately off a highway bypass under construction at the time of our stay. Access to the business route version of the highway for resupply, along with a way to get to the island, is short and easy.
Sites: This park has about 80 full hook-up sites, all back-in and pointed in the same direction on both sides of the street, some being marked as "premium" based on pad width. Each pad is concrete with some of the best paved "patio" areas seen from a site since our adventure began, room enough to set up a full outdoor kitchen. The fairly wide separation between rigs is a combination of grass and gravel, so the lawn maintenance contractors aren't potentially damaging the hook-ups while keeping a sound appearance. We were happy to be able to get a site on relatively short notice during Spring Break, as it seems most vacationers will choose the island. The asphalt streets could probably use a re-paving, along with painting the location of the speed bumps whose position could already make backing in a rig slightly difficult.
Staff: The staff is friendly and accommodating, as well as receptive to the immediate needs of the guest. There seems to be a bit of a communication breakdown, as our paperwork was "lost" at check-in time after having reserved in person a few days prior. In addition, after a security issue involving a door-coded amenity, the guests weren't notified of a change that had been made, even after allowing for time as the incident occurred when the office was closed.
Amenities: The amenities at ABRV are hit or miss. They have relatively inexpensive laundry facilities for the area, along with a small and unheated yet beautifully designed pool with deck. There is a rec room with kitchen and billiard table, but is more like an extended office building, in that it's only accessible during the office's limited hours. Pet areas are not fenced, so unleashed time for the pup will need to be done at a city dog park. The bath house with four house-like full rooms are easy to get around, although some things don't work, such as an external fan that's seen better days.
Atmosphere: This park seems like it caters more to the long-term resident. The people are friendly, but seem to keep to themselves. There are a few families with children young and very young, although no play facilities exist.
Overall, Aransas Bay RV Resort receives a 9 out of a possible 10 rating. Although the monthly price is unbeatable, they do not accept cash and charge fees to use a card, so be ready to hop into town to purchase a money order at a lower fee rate. The local staff is thankfully very understandable about patrons doing this, especially when settling electric with the office that doesn't open until after check-out time. If your Internal Compass takes you to this area and you don't want the hustle, bustle, and premium pricing of the island, this is definitely the place to go.
The next disc golf match is upon us.
Welcome to Ingleside, Texas, and Live Oak Park for the site of this match. Live Oak Park is a free-to-access municipal park and is home to two disc golf courses, and we are playing the easier Red course. Although the concrete tees and holes are numbered, some of the signs have since faded making it difficult to know where to go. Thankfully, along with an online map, we were joined by two somewhat experienced gentlemen on our trip through the front nine; we'd like to thank Eric and Matthew for playing along with us.
Our session saw the four of us playing the front nine. No pup, handicap still in play, and thanks to our guests for allowing us to sample some of the other discs that are available to the discerning disc golf player. Some of the holes were a little tricky, but we were able to get through them with only a couple of discs in the trees, this time choosing to drop without penalty. How did the scores go?
Course Result:
Front Nine:
His Holes: 3
Halved: 2
Her Holes: 4
Course Record: Him 3 - 2 - 3 Her
Holes Record: Him 22 - 19 Her
This match found him having a dreadful start, hitting tree after tree by allowing her to take an early two hole lead. He started to pull it back in hole 3, but some awful putt luck (dinged off the hole, similar to a lip-out on the ball-and-club counterpart) meant a trade back in hole 4. He brought it back to even in the next two holes, while seven and eight were halved, leaving the lunch prize to the ninth hole. A choke on the tee, followed by yet even more bad putt luck gave her the win in the match play. He was able to win the strokes 54-55, but it's the match play that counts for the record books.
This brings us to a tie in course record, with him having an edge on holes. Who will take the edge on the next course? We'll find out next time, but until then, Follow your Internal Compass.
Trip 11 takes us, after a workamping excursion, to another campground. Nestled on Mustang Island in South Texas is Pioneer Beach Resort, a private campground that saw one of our first extended park stays of just over two months.
Grounds: Pioneer is outside the small island city of Port Aransas on the main Mustang Island highway, a few miles in the other direction from Corpus Christi. The resort is on the beach side of the highway with a private access point.
Sites: The park has nearly 400 sites, all of which fill up for the busy seasons of Spring Break in March, as well as the summer. We were able to get a spot, along with an extension up until just before spring break, on short notice. All of the sites are full hook-up, with some pull-thru and some back-in. There are also a few cabins able to be rented for those without a rig. The pads are concrete, although our site has a small paved patio area. Some are more cramped than others. The park also elects to practice dog breed discrimination.
Staff: Although the staff does the best they can, they seem to be hampered by a lack of organizational helpers. The office workers do not have computer access. Greeters do help you back into the tight sites. However, all of the staff seems to suffer from Jekyll-and-Hyde syndrome depending on the season, with things seeming "on edge" as Spring Break approached. They also seem to become more asinine when you are neither from their state nor of their preferred age group.
Amenities: Along with the beach access, where the wash faucets along their private boardwalk don't work, Pioneer has a rec room chalked full of activities. However, there is a cost associated with most of the activities that isn't disclosed until you're already there; it isn't on the calendar. Bathhouses with decently sized showers exist, although the hot water does take some time to get running. A hot tub exists along with unheated pools. Laundry exists, although the price doubled during our stay along with new yet dirty appliances; we found it better to go to the downtown laundromat. Don't even try using Park Wifi, because it doesn't work most of the time. There is a dog park, but is severely restricted to one dog and 15 minutes; you're better off going to the city park in Port Aransas.
Atmosphere: As we were there during the "Winter Texan" season, there were many visitors from the northern midwest who seem to have been coming for many years. As is typical with RV resorts, it is an older clientele, yet the other campers are quite welcoming and overly friendly. Once in a while, you'd see families come by.
Overall, Pioneer Beach Resort receives a 7 rating out of a possible 10. The price is one of the better ones for the island, although the mainland is much less expensive if you can stand the ferry waits. If our Internal Compass told us that we had to stay on the island again, we would be happy to return to this place.
When here, you can go up, down, on top, or in. The Department of the Interior charges many entrance and parking fees, but none here. It's where Alvin McDonald once led spelunkers on tours.
Welcome to Wind Cave National Park. Situated in western South Dakota along US Route 385 between Custer and Hot Springs, Wind Cave has become a place for nature seekers to explore. Unlike most of the National Parks in the system, this is one of the few that is able to be visited without cost to the visitor, although several tours of the caves themselves, along with campground stays, are able to fund the park. Even if spelunking isn't your cup of tea, the prairie is accessible by several walking trails above the ground, along with a few driving roads where wildlife can be seen.
Wind Cave was first discovered by the McDonald family in the late 1800's, when the family moved from Iowa to start their exploration. Alvin McDonald was the main cartographer and guide, and although his life was cut very short by typhoid fever, his contribution has one that is still enjoyed today. The caves themselves seemed endless according to one of Alvin's final journal entries, but there are five designated cave trails today of varying difficulties are available for the public to explore.
While taking a look around the Prairie Vista, one point of interest is a small yet inaccessible cave entrance with an associated story known as Lakota Emergence. The Lakota people believed that they, along with bison, emerged from this point when each species was in its infancy. The spirits were told not to come forth until the Earth was ready, though some prematurely arrived after giving into temptation, and after suffering from the inability to survive the harsh conditions, were further punished by being transformed into bison. The people who obeyed were then instructed to follow the bison to survive, but the entrance was shrank to what it is today to prevent returning to the spirit world.
So the next time your Internal Compass takes you to Western South Dakota, make a stop at Wind Cave National Park.
Time to go back to the links!
We're coming to you from beautiful Mustang Island, at the Community Park in Port Aransas, Texas. Today's course lies within a free-to-access municipal park along a walking trail near the Nature Preserve. Port Aransas Community Park is unique in that although it is a nine-hole course, there are three bonus holes offered along the vehicle right of way, which means this will be a twelve hole match. Although no map exists outside the course, here is a map of the first 9 holes. The tees are well marked, although there are no concrete tees.
This match in the late morning consisted of 12 holes, using the red markers for the front 9, and the only markers available (blue) for the bonus holes. No pup, same handicap for the discs. Because of the limited discs and the corresponding inability to throw over a marsh, the participants agreed to play hole 3 starting from the location of hole 2, as opposed to the tee. How'd this one go?
Course Result:
Front Nine:
His Holes: 2
Halved: 5
Her Holes: 2
Bonus Holes:
His Holes: 0
Halved: 3
Her Holes: 0
Total:
His Holes: 2
Halved: 8
Her Holes: 2
Course Record: Him 3 - 2 - 2 Her
Holes Record: Him 19 - 15 Her
This match went back and forth. He took hole one, but she immediately answered back with hole two. After a few halves, he was able to clinch hole seven, but she answered right back with a par of hole eight. However, hole nine saw both players achieving par, him for the first time, as the match ended not only halved, but a draw in terms of stroke count: 39-39 on the front nine par 27, and 16-16 on the bonus holes as a par 9.
With a draw this time around, she's able to keep pace, but he maintains the one course lead. Who will take the next course? Stay tuned as we Follow our Internal Compass to another match.
Nestled deep within southeast Texas is a vacation spot where many flock to visit: Port Aransas.
Port Aransas is found on the north side of Mustang Island, about 20 miles east, as the crow flies across the bay, from the center of the port city of Corpus Christi. There are only two ways to access Port Aransas by vehicle: Either from the highways of Corpus Christi and through Padre Island, or by a ferry northeast of the city near the resupply and financially-friendly small city of Aransas Pass, funded entirely by the Texas DOT and taking 15 minutes or longer to cross depending on traffic; check here for updates on travel times. The ferry is able to carry RVs or trucks at no charge to the driver, assuming the tide isn't low enough to weigh down the boats too much. Speaking of boats, taking the ferry not only gives the rider a chance to view dolphins frolicking in the water, but to also watch a number of ocean liners pass through this canal from the Gulf of Mexico to Corpus Christi Bay. Once on the island, Port Aransas is a golf cart community, but be sure to stay within the lower speed limit areas of the old town and the driveable beach, while avoiding the major State Highway 361, which would include crossing.
While in Port Aransas, take some time to check out the west side of the city: the Port Aransas Nature Preserve, specifically "Charlie's Pasture". This is a tribute to Charlie Bujan, a rancher whose father first settled on Mustang Island in the late 1800's and leased much of the land in what is now Port Aransas. Today, his land has become a nature preserve, which is a sanctuary for many species of wildlife, including the endangered whooping crane. Enjoy a lovely trail walk from a couple miles outside the "Old Town" near a compendium of apartments, hotels, and RV resorts, while stopping at the lookout tower to either spot the many animals, or for a similar moment of reflection. If you prefer to take your golf cart to this preserve, you may access it from either the Community Park or the Birding Center.
Along with the various commercial, dense residential, and hospitality outlets that seem to come with any sort of coastal city that is a destination for "Winter Texans", spring break party-goers, and summer visitors, no coastal city would be a coastal city without the beach. Port Aransas, and Mustang Island itself, boasts many miles of shoreline along the Gulf of Mexico. Much of this beach is driveable with public and private access roads and piers to help patrons reach the waters. The majority only allows parking by yearly-paid permit with a three-day maximum stay in one place for any RVers looking to brave the salty air. However, those looking for a simple day use may head up to the free-to-access area on the north side, from the fishing pier near Lantana Street to the jetty. Take a long walk along the beach, get out some fishing poles and try your luck, or just go along the jetty to view the ocean liners as they come in to Corpus Christi.
So the next time your Internal Compass leads you to South Texas, perhaps make your way to the resort destination of Port Aransas.
Once again near some courses, it's time to hit the park!
Welcome to the Waldron Park Disc Golf Course, located just off the Gulf coast in Corpus Christi, Texas. This is a free access park, albeit tucked deep within a sizable residential area. Waldron Park is a nine-hole course, with two tee pads marked to emulate a total of eighteen holes. Most of the course is fairly straight-forward, although hole eight is very difficult if you don't have good distance because of the water hazard. A billboard with a map of the course is available near hole one.
Our session around noon found us only playing the front nine, seeing how there's no real difference other than angle of tee shot. No pup, same handicap as always with discs. Who took this match?
Course Result:
His Holes: 5
Halved: 2
Her Holes: 2
Course Record: Him 3 - 1 - 2 Her
Holes Record: Him 17 - 13 Her
He started off with a hole lead, and basically ran away with it, including a lucky long putt on hole 5. She started to catch up on holes 8 and 9, but by then, it was too little, too late. The shot count ended in his favor at 43-48 on a Par 27, but we must give her a special commendation on hole 9 for achieving the first "par" in our disc golf series.
He may now be up in both course and holes, but that ending may leave her some room for momentum. Can she cash in on it and even things up? We'll see when we Follow our Internal Compass to the next course.
If you're headed to south Texas, you might not be to help but take a visit to one of the area's largest cities.
San Antonio, Texas is the third largest metropolitan area in the state at the crossroads of Interstate Highways 10 and 35. Named after Saint Anthony of Padua, San Antonio first started as a colonial outpost for the Spanish over 300 years ago. Since the annexation of Texas in 1845, San Antonio has been steadily growing at every census into a place with over 1.5 million people.
While in Downtown San Antonio, take a stroll along the River Walk. The San Antonio River runs through the heart of the city, and its banks have been developed into a park-like setting for locals and tourists alike. Walk down the stairs at almost every cross street to find a peaceful and serene environment below all the hustle and bustle of city at the surface. Once you reach Market and Commerce streets, the river splits off to create a commercial loop where many flock. This is where you can find the Go Rio cruise line, which provides guided tours along the river. You may also want to head to Cafe Olé, a fajita bar which offers a Texas-sized 60-ounce margarita containing 13 shots of tequila!
No trip to San Antonio would be complete without a visit to arguably its most famous landmark: The Alamo. The Alamo was a missionary site and fort throughout Spanish and Mexican occupation in the early days of the Americas. At the start of the Texas Revolution, Mexico had lost the fort and the Texas army chose to fortify the location, until the Mexican army attempted to re-take San Antonio in 1836, resulting in the fall of the Alamo, claiming the lives of William Travis, James Bowie, Davy Crockett, and other notable names in Texas history. Today, this historic landmark offers tours of the grounds, restored cannons, and the original chapel for moments of prayer. It is also the inspiration for the name behind many points in the city, including the nearby football arena: The Alamodome.
Other landmarks that may pique your interest include the Tower of the Americas, a 750-foot high needle-style observation tower built for the 1968 World's Fair; The San Antonio Zoo on the north side, with over 750 species of animals; and the arena on the east side for the NBA's San Antonio Spurs: The AT&T Center.
So the next time you go to south Texas, perhaps consider Following your Internal Compass all the way to San Antonio.
Welcome to San Antonio, Texas: Home of the Alamo, the River Walk, and nestled within the industrial area of the northeastern part of the city, Ranger Creek Brewing and Distilling. So come along with us as we take a deeper dive into one of San Antonio's rising stars in the beer world.
Ranger Creek started in 2011 as a whiskey distillery. Shortly after, the company expanded their offerings to brewing beer. The process is mostly the same between the two, so it was a natural fit, as described by brewmaster Harley. All of Ranger Creek's processes are done in house, from the large vats that brew the several different varieties they sell, to a smoker within a shipping container that gives the grains their distinct taste, even bringing in a mobile canning solution to help with packaging and distributing their beers all across Texas. Ranger Creek is very proud of the fact that minimal waste comes from each step of the process, from barrels to kegs to even their cardboard packaging boxes; nearly everything is able to be reused. They are also able to help the community as a whole, not only by offering volunteer opportunities in the whiskey making process, but also providing used dry grain to local farmers who are able to feed their livestock.
As Ranger Creek is nestled within an industrial part of the city, aside from the production, the "Brewstillery" becomes a great place for laborers to kick back after a hard day's work. Once you walk into the taproom, you come into an industrial decor that still lends itself to being an inviting setting, with the walls adorned with their various whiskey offerings, along with the whiskey making process. The taproom includes a couple of seating areas, a lounge with books and board games for your entire party to relax, and a small set of gift shelves to purchase a souvenir to bring home with you. On nice days, perhaps head out to the patio behind the brew factory, among the various garages where the whiskey is allowed to age in a climate-controlled setting.
Ranger Creek is quickly becoming a rising star in the local area for craft brewing, as they offer eight beers on tap along with a selection of whiskey drinks. Their signature beer, the San Antonio Lager, has been a staple on the menu since their inception, and even comes in a wonderful salt and lime variety. Quickly becoming a favorite among beer connoisseurs at retail stores is the "Dog in the Hunt" Amber Lager, as a high demand has been reported. Production has been so well that the company is trying to expand their production areas in the hope of taking their beers not only throughout all of Texas, but to potentially begin a national campaign.
So the next time you head out to San Antonio, give Ranger Creek Brewing and Distilling a try. This company may just become a mark on your Internal Compass.
As we continue our mini-series on Ranger Creek Brewing and Distilling in San Antonio, Texas, we look at the rest of the beers offered at the time this is being published, along with an idea for a cocktail using their bourbon. Please ensure that these, or any brews, are enjoyed in accordance with local laws wherever you may be. In addition, one other brew that may pique your fancy is the Love Struck Hefe, a hefeweizen previously reviewed in the main brew review series.
When tasting a flight of beers, it is best for the taste buds to go from the lightest to the darkest in color. What better place to start at Ranger Creek than with the Laguna Madre Belgian White Ale. Like many Witbiers before it, Laguna Madre brings that light, clean taste to be able to enjoy on a hot day, while this particular brew has that slight bit of sweetness that will first hit the tip of your tongue to give it that extra special experience. Whether you're out having a wonderful time on the Laguna Madre itself, or out trying to catch a Guadalupe Bass on the rivers of Texas, you cannot go wrong with this choice.
Many breweries will take their signature beer and add another dimension to please even more discerning palettes. Enter, the San Antonio Salt and Lime Lager. Beer salts are a Mexican tradition that has been in existence for last century. It's not a typical "salt" you'd put on your food, but rather a flavoring used to accentuate a beer, such as a lime flavor that Ranger Creek incorporates into this particular brew. There is a hint of a salty taste as one would expect from the name, but the flavoring is able to subdue the "hop taste" from the signature San Antonio Lager. Those that don't regularly enjoy beer will find this to be a good "ice breaker", so give this one a try if your friends bring you along to the brewery.
One of the dark beers available from Ranger Creek is the Sunday Morning Coming Down coffee ale. As with typical stouts and porters, this one comes in at a higher ABV level and a dark brown color. Enjoyment of this brew is really going to depend on your enjoyment of coffee, as from the time you receive this off the tap or out of the can, to the time it's finished, the senses will be overloaded with coffee, coffee, and more coffee. Sunday Morning is produced using coffee from a locally sourced roasting company, while a hint of lactose sugar adds a milky texture to this already smooth beer. If you're one that likes to finish your meal with a slightly alcoholic coffee, then Sunday Morning Coming Down may just be the ticket for you.
Ranger Creek is known not only for being a brewery, but also a distillery, thanks to a grandfathered process in their production. Their bourbon and whiskey is aged for at least two years in their Texas bourbon oak barrels before being bottled and made available to the consumer. Along with several varieties including single malt and rye, if you wish to skip the oak barrel maturity process altogether, there is a white bourbon. Try this clear variety with ginger beer, simple syrup, and lime juice; a drink they call the "Texas Mule". The slightly peppery taste of the bourbon works in perfect harmony with the bite of the ginger beer and the fruitiness of the lime. Whiskey and bourbon lovers will want to flock to Ranger Creek to try their award winning spirits.
So whether your Internal Compass takes you to beers or liquors, Ranger Creek is going to have something for you.
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