Do you want to keep driving south along the coast of Texas until you run out of this country? You're about to find a pot of gold at the end of that rainbow.
Welcome to the Lower Rio Grande Valley, or "RGV" as it is known locally. The RGV is one of the southernmost points in the Continental United States, second only to Florida. This section borders both the Rio Grande itself, which separates Texas from Mexico, as well as the Gulf of Mexico. Metropolitan areas on the United States side include Brownsville and McAllen, connected by the lowest highway number on the Interstate Highway System, Interstate 2. The RGV is accessible by several US highways, one of which is in the process of being upgraded to Interstate 69E, as part of the "NAFTA Superhighway".
While in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, one of the highlights of the trip will be a drive along Texas Highway 4 towards Boca Chica Beach. Along the route, catch a view of the Palmito Hill Battlefield. Fought during the War Between the States, this battle was unique in that it was fought after the southern generals had already surrendered in Virginia, yet their forces were able to claim victory. Head further down the road to see one of the newest and awe-inspiring developments: Starbase, Texas. Starbase is used to develop the SpaceX company's newest rocket at the time of writing, Starship. Although the road is closed during tests and launches, drivers will actually be able to drive right next to the development warehouses, the stacking high bays, the launch tower with test stands, and even see some of the rockets both retired from flight and presently in development.
If the rural life isn't your cup of tea and want something a little more bustling, head east from the highway to South Padre Island. Right along the Gulf of Mexico, this island community has built up to quite the resort destination, with high-rise condominiums and Winter Texans abound. See a dolphin or two as you take the bridge from the mainland, and park at one of the free day-use public accesses to spend time at the beach. On a clear day either on the island or along the Texas Highway 48 connector on the mainland, you may even be able to see the aforementioned Starbase and some of its activity from a safe distance.
So the next time your Internal Compass takes you southbound, consider making a stop at the Lower Rio Grande Valley.
Trip 11 is a bit of an odd duck for us, as we're considering several locations within the same state for this one. However, what was originally going to be two locations is now three, and potentially more.
Needless to say, we have had some really terrible luck once again with a workamping job at a campground. There was another change in direct reporting almost immediately after we arrived, and although this time we tried to stick it out for a safe place in the winter, it just wasn't meant to be. We won't go into details about what happened in order to protect the innocent, but at least there weren't any dramatics required. However just like trip 7, or any future trip involving workamping for that matter, we won't mention nor review the specific location, not only to protect the interests of those who utilize our services, but for the fact that a good review would be conceited, while a bad review would mean we didn't do well at our jobs.
On the bright side, and this is probably why we'll continue to consider campground jobs in the future, there are many wonderful people we met during our relatively short time at this location. They were very friendly and welcoming to all three of us with the Freedom Rolling crew. This has always been a great reward for us not only at the campgrounds, but at the other long-term workamping job that we had during trip 9. There are too many to mention by name, both human and canine, but we do sincerely hope that they are well, and that they are continuing to follow us by either the blog or one of our several social media outlets.
In the meantime, we are trying to stick around the same area because of local arrangements, albeit at a different spot or spots. The internal compass definitely wants to be here, but we'll see how long it lasts because it is a popular destination. At least once the months begin to pass, options open up as to where else to go, and we're already planning for the summer location. We'll find out together what happens in the future.
Trip eleven saw yet another campground visit. About an hour north of Houston just outside the city of Livingston lies Rainbow's End Park, a sponsored private campground where a four-night stay was had.
Grounds: Rainbow's End is a few miles outside the city of Livingston as a rural community. The term "community" is used because, along with the campsites, there are a number of privately owned "deeded lots" interspersed across the grounds that look to be owned by RVers and are part of a homeowner's association of sorts. If you're looking to use a boat, Lake Livingston is about 15-20 minutes away.
Sites: The park has over 175 sites able to be rented by travelers to the area. Online reservations were found to be difficult, and we had to call in the reservation. The majority of the sites are back-in, though there are some that are pull-thru. Nearly all of the sites have full hook-up, varying between 30 or 50 amp maximum electric depending on the site, with a couple of "dry" spots. The pads are sand and fine pebbles, while being reasonably level when dry. Our site was located in the wooded area, though there are some that are more open. The sites in this part of the campground are tightly packed without much room outside.
Staff: Of the staff seen, most were fairly friendly, although the check-in person seemed a bit hurried. Some of the signage they placed around the park bordered between being comical and being over the top. We had no issues that needed to be rectified, so no information on maintenance quality.
Amenities: Rainbow's End is unique for its amenities in that not only are they shared between campers and homeowners, but in that most are geared towards the park's sponsor, whose national headquarters is at this place. The bath houses have squeegees inside the showers with expectations for the women (but not the men) to "squeezee" the walls, however the laundry facilities nearby have some of the cheapest prices ever. The pool was closed during our visit despite warm temperatures, but the dog parks are spacious and well kept.
Atmosphere: The other campers were relatively friendly for the most part. The park is geared towards an older clientele, with amenities and activities planned in accordance. Hardly any families were seen, and no playgrounds exist.
Overall, Rainbow's End Park receives a 7 rating out of a possible 10. The price paid is dependent on membership, and although it is competitive with parks in other parts of the country, it isn't the best value for the young full-time RVer. If you're a member of the sponsoring club, this is a great spot for a couple nights, if only just to take care of administrative business.
On today's adventure through Texas, we take you to... ...a convenience store chain. However this place isn't your run-of-the-mill off-the-highway gas station.
Welcome to Buc-ee's, one of the most beloved brands in Texas. Bu-cee's first started by Arch Aplin in 1982 as a modest convenience store in Lake Jackson, about an hour south of Houston. Since the turn of the century, the company has seen a significant growth increase, both in terms of locations and physical size of the stores. It is not uncommon today to see a Buc-ee's with dozens, or even hundreds, of gas pumps, as they also boast of having the cleanest restrooms, according to a Cintas study. As of the time this was written, the chain holds two world records: Largest convenience store at its New Braunfels location, and Longest car wash at its Katy location. Locations today are found not only in Texas, but other places in the south and midwest.
As you walk into Buc-ee's with its beaver logo, you see a massive amount of retail space with rows upon rows of product. Alongside the traditional offerings you'd see on the shelves of a convenience store, be on the lookout for the wall of jerky. Dozens of flavors adorn both the wall and the display islands around the store, ensuring everyone has something they enjoy. As you head towards the coffee and prepared foods stations, you may hear the staffers yelling, "Brisket on the board!" The center station has several workers preparing fresh barbecue brisket sandwiches for you to enjoy. Be sure to grab a bag of "Beaver Chips" on the side. In fact, you'll see several "Beaver" products in the store, as a tribute to the founder's childhood nickname, "Beaver".
As with any pit stop, a restroom break may be needed. As you walk towards these facilities, check out the legitimate artwork on the wall from local artists. As everything seems to be bigger at Buc-ee's, the restroom is large with individualized stalls. Once out, you'll find that Buc-ee's is much more than a convenience store, as they have all sorts of different odds and ends, from camping and grilling supplies, to branded home decor merchandise. Who knows? Maybe you'll be able to upgrade your small camp stove to a portable wood smoker.
So the next time you're driving around Texas, Follow your Internal Compass right on over to Buc-ee's.
Once again, everything has been packed up, and we are on the road. Where, you might ask? Fans of a particular genre may have figured it out by the title of the trip, and those looking at a calendar will have narrowed it down. However in this case, our previous location has been left behind, and we are embarking on a multi-leg trip. There are a few lessons learned.
First, we've figured out, for the most part, what we materialistically do and don't need. As is typical with just about anything in life, it comes with practice. We had received a tip about this from another full-time RVing couple that didn't take enough with them when they started. However, we went to almost the complete polar opposite and took too much with us. Looking around at the time this is being written, which is near the beginning of this trip, there's still quite a bit, but much of it being consumable and should be able to be whittled down easily.
Large amounts of consumables brings us to the second lesson learned: the torment of the terrace. Yes, during trip 9, we must admit it: We cheated a bit and stayed in a stationary fixture. It was offered as part of the workamping deal, so it's not like an apartment was rented. However, some of those habits started to return, such as buying in bulk and using amenities that aren't exactly portable. Some packing nightmares may have returned, but we weren't in as much of a mess as when we started this whole thing. Not to mention, their next crew has been set up for success, at least as much in terms of what we were able to offer them.
The third, but probably the most important lesson learned, was figuring out what's important to us. Anyone who seeks to enjoy this lifestyle should know that the only way you're ever getting rich is if someone who recognizes you from social media happens to buy you a winning lottery ticket. Full hook up and salary isn't worth it if you're going to end up with the same problems that drove you to start doing this in the first place. Obviously you'll need some income flowing if you're young full-timers with many remote work outlets requiring stationary living to suit their "reliable internet" needs, though answering a want ad with seasonal work for wage, despite all the signs everywhere, is more complex because you're then beholden to that particular state's tax situation, and there's only seven in the lower 48 at the time of writing this that don't charge state income taxes (there is an 8th that charges it on unearned income, which you'll probably have). At the end of the day, things should work out.
With all of those lessons learned, we're now better prepared to Follow our Internal Compass to the next land.
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