Texas

A major storm system moved in off the Gulf on December 27, tracked NNE through Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and headed for the Northeast. As I write this, on December 29, we are in Boerne, TX for five days, and the weather is cold but calm.


The weather after we left Vidalia was hot and humid, with 80F daytime temperatures and 74F nighttime lows, definitely air conditioning weather. We drove through Alexandria, LA on state highways, and aimed for I-10 just east of Lake Charles, LA. We reached I-10, and after a short drive pulled in for the night at Gulf Coast RV Resort, a Passport America park near Beaumont, TX. This was a great overnight stop, clean, spacious, concrete pads, good utilities.

In-vehicle weather radar on the iPad

On Sunday morning we got on I-10 westbound, and passed through Houston easily in light traffic. We were monitoring the online weather radar closely, as there was a tornado watch for the entire region. Watches are not like warnings; they are simply an advice to be on the alert for the potential development of tornadoes.

The wind was gusting from the SE up to 45 MPH, and I could feel it as it made the rig twitch as the gusts hit broadside, but it was no cause for concern. A long wheelbase dually truck really helps in these conditions. It is certainly worth the inconvenience of the wide width in tight parking situations; after all the main function of the truck is as a tow vehicle.

As we were westbound about halfway between Houston and San Antonio, we approached a squall line which was visible on the weather radar. Still, there were no tornado warnings. The rain became torrential, and traffic slowed to 30 MPH. Over a period of 15 minutes, the temperature dropped from 78F to 38F, according to the outside temperature display on the dash. West of the squall line, the skies began to clear, and the rain eased.

We reached Top of the Hill RV Resort near Boerne at around 3:00pm, and settled in for five days. Boerne is a favourite stop for us. It is a nice friendly scenic town in the Texas Hill Country. Time to relax, check things over, tighten loose screws on the rig, and enjoy the great hospitality of the local people.

Your blogger, outside Wanderin' Calf Coffee House, Boerne

I couldn't help but reflect on how mobile Internet access has completely changed this type of travel. We have in-vehicle access to current weather and traffic information, which makes for a safer, more convenient journey. Instant communications makes it easy to stay in touch with family and friends from the road, and even allows me to publish this blog which you are now reading. The cost of a mobile data plan with a reasonable data allowance is money well spent. In the "Good Old Days" we would have been grappling with paper maps and atlases, thick heavy campground reference books, and spending time in pay phone booths with telephone calling cards. We've come a long way!

For the first time since leaving Milton, ON, a clean truck