Dallas, Big Bend, Gulf Coast
Whew. Arrived back home Wednesday after three full weeks on the road.
The weather really lent some added interest to this entire trip. Rained torrentially after I arrived in Dallas. So fun camping and walking dogs in pouring rain. Big Bend in December is usually warm enough for shorts during the day — not this year. The gulf coast had one good day for beach walking and then wind, rain, and cold temps came in.
Last, but not least, an epic “Arctic Vortex” swept the eastern half of the country at the end of the trip so I spent and extra day at Erik’s house (goody – more time to visit and play with the kids) and I got to experience spending the night in my camper with a cozy 15 degrees outside. Walking the dogs when it’s 15 degrees also sucks. At least it didn’t seem to bother them.
To give some perspective to this journey:
Miles Driven (not including around Dallas)
| Miles Driven | By |
| 1848 | me |
| 1650 | Don |
Legs of the journey:
| Leg | From – To | Miles | Driving |
| 1 | Home – TN to JBs RV Park | 577 | me |
| 2 | JBs RV Park to Destiny RV Resort | 304 | me |
| 3 | Don’s House to Buck Creek RV Park | 174 | Don |
| 4 | Buck Creek RV Park to Terlingua | 411 | Don |
| 5 | Terlingua to Quiet TX RV Park Hondo | 382 | Don |
| 6 | Quiet TX RV Park Hondo to IB Magee Beach Park | 200 | Don |
| 7 | IB Magee Beach Park to Berry Springs RV Park | 284 | Don |
| 8 | Berry Springs RV Park to Destiny RV Resort | 199 | Don |
| 9 | Destiny Dallas RV Resort to Erik and Brandy | 49 | me |
| 10 | Erik and Brandy to Sunset Travel Park Cottondale | 576 | me |
| 11 | Sunset Travel Park Cottondale to Home – TN681 | 342 | me |
| Total Miles | 3498 |
Map of the Routes
Dates and Locations
| Thursday, December 19, 2013 | Leave for Dallas |
| Friday, December 20, 2013 | Arive Dallas |
| Saturday, December 21, 2013 | Leave for Terlingua |
| Sunday, December 22, 2013 | Arrive Terlingua |
| Monday, December 23, 2013 | Big Bend Area |
| Tuesday, December 24, 2013 | Big Bend Area |
| Wednesday, December 25, 2013 | Big Bend Area |
| Thursday, December 26, 2013 | Big Bend Area |
| Friday, December 27, 2013 | Leave for Gulf Coast |
| Saturday, December 28, 2013 | Arrive Gulf Coast |
| Sunday, December 29, 2013 | Gulf Coast |
| Monday, December 30, 2013 | Gulf Coast |
| Tuesday, December 31, 2013 | Leave for Dallas |
| Wednesday, January 01, 2014 | Arive Dallas |
| Thursday, January 02, 2014 | Drive all over DFW |
| Friday, January 03, 2014 | Drive all over DFW |
| Saturday, January 04, 2014 | Shop, etc. |
| Sunday, January 05, 2014 | Drive to Erik’s |
| Monday, January 06, 2014 | Stay at Erik’s |
| Tuesday, January 07, 2014 | Leave for TN |
| Wednesday, January 08, 2014 | Arrive TN |
Legs of the Trip
The rain in Dallas was horrific, but at least it let up for the drive out of town.
Big Bend was okay. Glad I went, but I’m not a desert person and ten or so trips to Big Bend is enough. I don’t want to go back.
IB McGee Park on Mustang Island is an awesome campground with the beach a very short walk away. I would recommend the campground to anyone, but was warned to not go during the summer or spring break — the campground, the beach, and Port Aransas are wall to wall people. October to May is your best bet, avoiding mid-March for spring break.
It was nice to get back to Dallas. Everything was so insane when I left last year that I didn’t really have a chance to say goodbye to my life there. I did on this trip and it felt good.
Seeing Erik and Brandy and the kids was an absolute blast. See next post for pics.
