To Mexico (almost)

On the way to Falcon SP we made a few birding stops but the heat was intense and the birds probably felt it, too. We heard very few and saw fewer.   Even the signature birds of some areas (meaning they are nearly always spotted in season) were not around. Exhausted, we decided to stay two nights in Falcon and take it easy after addressing a couple of van issues.  Ron got the black water tank (aka toilet liquid) flushed and I defrosted the refrigerator; got rid of a few mystery leftovers, too. Took a couple of short walks and added the brown crested flycatcher, black-throated sparrow and pyrrhuloxia to our trip list. Also a jack rabbit, lots of lizards and a javelina or two. Mostly we read and napped and tried to stay cool.   It was over 90 when we left the following morning so only half-heartedly stopped once or twice on the way to Laredo. Took a short walk around Roma Bluffs to check the outlook over the river and watched the border patrol on boats making their early morning run.

Now the very name Laredo brings to mind the old west so we eagerly looked forward to seeing cowboy movie type streets and buildings. We circled the historic district, following one way streets and making u-turns at dead-ends but to no avail. As an aside, all along our drive on Rte. 83 (which pretty much follows the Rio Grande) we saw signs pointing left saying “Mexico”.  There are many crossings and Ron counted about seven bridges marked on the map in this area alone. So when I turned down a side street with a sign pointing left saying “Mexico” I wasn’t really surprised.  This one, however, meant it.  Less than 50 feet ahead was an honest to goodness international bridge linking Laredo to Nuevo Laredo to the south, complete with armed border officers and metal gates. The guard has probably dealt with errant tourists before so he just picked up his walkie talkie and asked his colleague at the gate to let us through.  Only slightly embarrassed, I made the turn.  The street we landed on was packed with shoppers, Mexicans in Laredo looking for their Easter finery.

Ron had his heart set on a steak dinner after passing all the cattle ranches on Rte. 83, but it was not to be.  We settled for enchiladas and mole and headed to San Antonio, planning to spend the night at a rest stop half way there. This border stuff is obviously foreign to me so when we saw flashing lights I just followed the van in front of me to a checkpoint, manned by (you guessed it) border patrol.  I drove through as if I was at the Goethals Bridge toll plaza, slowly and carefully, until I heard the guard order me to stop! He asked if there was anyone else in the van and if we were US citizens and then motioned us on, saying “Next time, stop!”  You bet I will.

We made an unplanned stop at Casa Blanca SP and drove around the lake to check out the fishing pier and have a light lunch. It was hot, hot, hot! (see below)

Spent the night at the rest stop as planned and met a couple from the Netherlands also “camping” there. They had driven from Uruguay, through Mexico, on the way to Chicago.  They are photographers and writers, working for non-profit organizations at home primarily involved in micro-finance.  They have driven in Africa and all over South and Central America doing impact analysis for their investors. They are headed home for a couple of months when they come back to the US for a while. We invited them to stay with the village on their way through New York.