050112-Corpus Christi
050112-Corpus Christi
Leaving San Antonio and arriving at Kingsville was a pleasant drive – with some light winds and showers, but nothing to threaten us.
Kingsville is about 40 miles northwest of Corpus Christi and the home of the King Ranch. Actually, the entire ranch is about the size of Rhode Island, but it started in Kingsville. The total acreage is about 825,000.
It was started by an Irish immigrant from New York, who developed a colorful life from the age of nine when he ran away from home by stowing away on a boat heading south. He became a steamboat captain, and with some good friends and connections, saved enough money to buy some Mexican land grants in Texas at the price of about 2 cents an acre.
The ranch is responsible for developing a special breed of cattle (Santa Gertrudis) as well as raising horses – quarter horses and racing horses.
In the early 40s, there was a colt born on the ranch that injured its foot on a pointed stake and was though to never be able to run. As it turned out, that horse did learn to run and run fast. His name was Assault and he won the Triple Crown in 1946.
On of the Mexican cowboys that work the ranch named Lo Lo, gave us a brief history of the ranch from his prospective as a 4th generation ranch worker. In fact he was the first cowboy to break and saddle Assault. Lo Lo is now in his 70s, a widower, and works as a spokesman and historian of the ranch.
The bus tour was about 2 hours, but we were not allowed to get off so taking photos was not very productive, but to be there and recognize the magnitude and spectra of the land was awesome.
Onto Corpus Christi, we booked a RVP along the bay. Infact, our campsite was “sitting by the dock of the bay”. The weather was warm, in the 80s, but the humidity was in the 90s. That was one of the reasons I left New York.
Peter seemed to like the smell of salt water in the air, and we spent a lazy afternoon sitting by the bay reading, sunning and napping (Peter did the napping – didn’t bring a book to read).
Today was a different situation. The winds are whipping abound – up to 30 mph gusts – which woke us up with a rocking of the Beast.
The bay looks like it’s creating its own tsunami, with white caps and waves that are breaking over the embankments. We are apparently in no danger, and one brave fisher-woman even braved the winds to stand on the dock and cast away.
We have a sudden change of plans – the next campsite we planned for was in Rockport – a few miles away – but we could not get a reservation, so plan B was Lake Conroe, just north of Houston. It’s within a day’s drive and should be nice. We’ll be there for 8 days and then head for New Orleans.
Till next time,
Leaving San Antonio and arriving at Kingsville was a pleasant drive – with some light winds and showers, but nothing to threaten us.
Kingsville is about 40 miles northwest of Corpus Christi and the home of the King Ranch. Actually, the entire ranch is about the size of Rhode Island, but it started in Kingsville. The total acreage is about 825,000.
It was started by an Irish immigrant from New York, who developed a colorful life from the age of nine when he ran away from home by stowing away on a boat heading south. He became a steamboat captain, and with some good friends and connections, saved enough money to buy some Mexican land grants in Texas at the price of about 2 cents an acre.
The ranch is responsible for developing a special breed of cattle (Santa Gertrudis) as well as raising horses – quarter horses and racing horses.
In the early 40s, there was a colt born on the ranch that injured its foot on a pointed stake and was though to never be able to run. As it turned out, that horse did learn to run and run fast. His name was Assault and he won the Triple Crown in 1946.
On of the Mexican cowboys that work the ranch named Lo Lo, gave us a brief history of the ranch from his prospective as a 4th generation ranch worker. In fact he was the first cowboy to break and saddle Assault. Lo Lo is now in his 70s, a widower, and works as a spokesman and historian of the ranch.
The bus tour was about 2 hours, but we were not allowed to get off so taking photos was not very productive, but to be there and recognize the magnitude and spectra of the land was awesome.
Onto Corpus Christi, we booked a RVP along the bay. Infact, our campsite was “sitting by the dock of the bay”. The weather was warm, in the 80s, but the humidity was in the 90s. That was one of the reasons I left New York.
Peter seemed to like the smell of salt water in the air, and we spent a lazy afternoon sitting by the bay reading, sunning and napping (Peter did the napping – didn’t bring a book to read).
Today was a different situation. The winds are whipping abound – up to 30 mph gusts – which woke us up with a rocking of the Beast.
The bay looks like it’s creating its own tsunami, with white caps and waves that are breaking over the embankments. We are apparently in no danger, and one brave fisher-woman even braved the winds to stand on the dock and cast away.
We have a sudden change of plans – the next campsite we planned for was in Rockport – a few miles away – but we could not get a reservation, so plan B was Lake Conroe, just north of Houston. It’s within a day’s drive and should be nice. We’ll be there for 8 days and then head for New Orleans.
Till next time,
posted by The Highway Guys @ 1:24 PM
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