Okay, I’ll admit it! I’m still not wild about Mission, Texas and the Rio Grande Valley, but I will admit we’ve really been eating well in the three days we have been here! Our friends Ron and Brenda Speidel took us to a wonderful Chinese buffet with a hibachi grill called, appropriately enough, the Hibachi Super Buffet. I’d put it up there in the top three of all Chinese buffets we’ve been to nationwide.
Yesterday we went to another favorite restaurant of theirs, the 492 Bar-B-Cue. I like barbecue almost as much as I like Chinese buffets, and I would say this is probably the best barbecue we have found anywhere. The ribs were fall-off-the-bone tender and just melted in your mouth. Terry had a pulled pork plate and said it was two thumbs up delicious. I may have to come back here just to eat at these places again!
Unfortunately, our time here has been very short and we will be back on the road today. As with all fulltime RVers, our plans are always written in Jell-O. And we’ve had to stir the Jell-O a bit. We had planned to stop at the Escapees co-op in Hondo for a quick visit with our friends Mike and Elaine Loscher, but as it turns out, I have to be at the VA Medical Center in Tucson on Tuesday, not Wednesday as planned. It’s almost 1100 miles between here and there, and that’s a lot of distance to cover in just 2 driving days. So we had to send Michael and Elaine an e-mail with our apologies, and a promise to catch up with them down the road.
I plan to take US Highway 83 north out of Mission and follow it to Del Rio, where we will pick up US 90 and continue west on it. I’m not sure if we’ll take 90 all the way to Van Horn, or if we’ll jump up to Fort Stockton and pick up Interstate 10. I’ve always wanted to take 90 through Alpine and Marfa but we’ve never had the chance before. Maybe we’ll do that this trip. The mileage is about the same and I’ve been told 90 is a good road through there.
Depending on which route we take and where we find ourselves tonight, I may or may not have a blog for you tomorrow. If I can’t get a signal, I’ll have to skip a day. I have no idea what to expect in the way of cell service out in that direction, or where we’ll spend the night along the way. Any suggestions or tips?
I’ve had a number of readers asking about volunteering at our Arizona Gypsy Journal Rally in Yuma. We can always use help with parking, assisting the vendors getting set up, as seminar room hosts, helping with morning coffee and donuts, helping with the pizza party setup and cleanup, as door prize runners, and with other rally chores. Don’t worry, if you want to volunteer we’ll find somewhere to put you to work! Just send us an e-mail telling us what you’d like to do, or Terry will have sign-up sheets at the registration tables when you get to the rally.
Speaking of the pizza party, we have to order them ahead of time so that Dominoes can order in the supplies necessary to meet our needs. Cost of the pizza party is $5 per person, and we supply paper plates and napkins. Bring your own drinks and utensils if you want them. Please let us know soonest possible if you plan to participate in the pizza party so we will have an idea of how many to order.
Thought For The Day – How old are you before it can be said you died of old age?
Nick Russell
World-Famous, New York Times Best Selling Author, and All-Around Nice Guy!
Have you heard of the lights of Marfa? There is a place to boondock right on 90 where the lights are seen. We know of a couple folks who have seen them. but not us in 2 tries. We even spent 1/2 day at the library studying them before the first nite we spent there. Hope you don’t get abducted though.
Nick –take 90 all the way to Van Horn, only route we take to the west when coming out of the Valley, it’s a great road without the totally boring drive along I-10. But when going on west US90, leave Del Rio with a full tank of diesel, it’s a long, long way to Van Horn.
Nick, I’ll refer you to my Blog way back on one of our many trips from Mission to North Ranch,,,,,,hwy 90 from Del Rio on is a great road and not much traffic… There is a great (one of our best) boondocking spots about 40 miles West of Del Rio,,,in a rest stop that is back off the road a ways on your left…. Its close to 400 miles and a good one day trip from Mission… Beautiful spot… high above the Pecos River.
have a good trip and we hope to maybe be at your Rally in Yuma,,,,,Not sure yet…We are retired ya know….
Anyhow here iss the info on that boondocking spot…..watch for it or you’ll overshoot it and go on past….
http://mikepatstravels.blogspot.com/2010/02/weather-delaysorry-my-blog-is-late.html
Travel Safe….
Mike
Towers are few and far between in Far West Texas. The maps show sporatic service when you are west of San Antonio. :Hopefully the wind will not be blowing because the space is often hit by wind, especially after you leave El Paso. Lordsburg has a restaurant called Cranberries that has good food and good parking for an RV.
Nick the visitors center in Langtry Texas has Wi fi And there is a ma pop rv park across the street or places to boondock verizon phones do not work there but Att do but there is a good Texas Wi Fi signal Then up 90 to the Marfa Lites Viewing not sure about wi fi a big new visitor center an goog cell service for verizon 90 is a good run I live in Fort Davis And know the area well
I have never been at the Marfa lite and not seen them though many people deny i met ya in elkert in 06 Rocky fixed my refrig if ya get to marfa lites email me but its 600 miles approx long way Langtry would be about 450
If nothing else, the spot that Mike McFall is talking about is a nice place to stop and have lunch or even just as a stop, get out, and walk around a bit, place. We were there in 04. We stayed in a small rv park in Sanderson before we dipped down to Big Bend and later at one in Alpine. Nothing fancy but both were ok for the nite.
Needless to say we are sorry that you cannot stop to see us on your way to AZ but we understand plans are written in Jello and changes happen. Hope to catch you somewhere down the road. We still do not know if we will make the rally. We love you guys and just be safe.
Thought For The Day Answer:
99 years, 3 months and 14 days. Peter’s Mom just passed away recently. Her death certificate says, “Failure to Thrive, Apparent Age.” And truly she died peacefully and of old age. We couldn’t have asked for more; she was well cared for, loved and wore out gracefully.