Travelogue -- Dr Bob's Wrap-Up Motorcycle Ride
	Send a message to Dr Bob

7 May 2018, 10:30 PM CT, Laredo, TX

Buenas noches queridos lectores. Estuve en México hoy. Pero más de eso después. Dejame empezar por el principio.

If you do not understand this, maybe you should take Spanish lessons, or use Google Translate. Actually, that would be faster. For me at least.

Today started a little slower. I have been off by 8:00 each day until today. Today I was late, I was off at 8:30. I first went to downtown Brownsville. I had set my GPS simply for Brownsville, and here's where I ended up.

At the Courthouse. This was an old street. I had lots of bounces off my seat riding some of the streets to get here.

Here's the view looking down the street from the same position, just across from the Courthouse. This could be one of many old US towns.

I wanted to find the end of the Rio Grande, so I went as far east and as far south as I could, but I was not close to the Rio Grande. But, I did end up on South Padre Island. Two times in two days I have been to Padre Island. And I looked it up, it was August 2001 when I declined to go.

I came across this place, and I decided I had to take a picture for Hanna. I looked up what that word means, and it is slippery road. Right, Hanna? I think it is a water park.

I had to work at it, but I did find a way to the beach. It was not easy.

This is looking south. Somewhere down there the Rio Grande empties into the Gulf.

I then headed back into Brownsville and tried to go as far south as I could to see the Rio Grande. It did not work, and I gave up and simply headed towards Laredo on US-281 which runs along the border.

Not far out of Brownsville, I saw this.

I did my old trick of stopping the bike along the road, on a narrow shoulder, and grabbed this picture. I could tell there was no use for me to go up and look through that fence. You can tell when I am in a rush, I leave the bike running.

For miles I could see a fence, sometimes a different size, all of them keeping me from getting a picture of the Rio Grande that I could share with you.

Then I had a brilliant idea. What if I went into Mexico? I would have to cross a bridge over the river, wouldn't I? So that's what I did.

Finally, my picture of the Rio Grande. You might end up seeing several pictures of the Rio Grande. I may see it in Big Bend. I may see it in El Paso. I may see it in Taos. I am planning to be in all those places on this ride.

So, I ended up in Mexico.

Then I went back across the bridge and continued my trek to Laredo. This explains my opening sentence, "Good evening dear readers. I was in Mexico today. But more of that later. Let me start at the beginning."

For miles and miles, the land was covered with these shrubs or trees.

Here's one up closer.

And here is a picture of the leaves. Anybody know what this is? Is it mesquite?

As I was walking back to my bike, parked along the road, of course, I spotted some cattle in the shrubs. This fellow got my attention. I want to find a Longhorn. I don't think that is what this fellow is, though.

I stopped early in Laredo. Decided to call it a day. Tomorrow I am thinking I will go to Marathon and spend the night, another shorter riding day. That is the closest I can get to Big Bend. Then I will have a full day to explore Big Bend. I want to find the Mules Ears. I want to see the Rio Grande up close. Both of those things were possible, and happened, when Hanna and I drove from our home in California to our new life in Florida. So I have pictures of the Mules Ears and the Rio Grande in Big Bend, I just want to do it again, on the bike.

At my hotel I parked next to another Harley, with Mexico plates.

Half an hour later, I met the rider, Jose. We chatted for a while, then I had to go eat a pepperoni pizza.

That's it for today. I rode 296 miles, 1,850 total in four days. Marathon tomorrow?