Corpus Part 1

Brealynn and I first came to Corpus Christi over spring break, so about a month and a half ago.  I had started with a new company and since we were/are super poor, I went out to go work for a week and thankfully Brea with me.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, we broke down in Corpus Christi.  My first thought was that the transmission had gone, but after thinking it over in my head some more I realized it was probably just an axle.  So after a two night stay we were back on the road again, and only a few hundred dollars more poor.

This really is a big state to drive across.

The first night in town we stayed in the most terrible hotel possible.  A tiny little Motel 6 just off the freeway.  Really it was bad.  Just, so bad.  I couldn't stay another night there, nor could I let my wife stay there.  We ended up switching to a Travelodge which for the fifty dollar a night price, I don't think you could beat.  It was so much better.

The week passed without too much eventful.  There was a little learning curve with the new companies and the way they wanted things done.  The guys took us out to dinner twice which was really nice, and Brea might have started crying when I told her they were taking us to Johnny Carino's and she could get some lobster ravioli.  They were really nice to us and tried to talk to Brea a little so she felt included which I really appreciated.

We went out for dinner one of the nights we were there, probably Saturday, and decided to try a little restaurant down on the beach that had pretty good reviews.  The hostess was terrible and there were a lot of people waiting.  There were mostly big tables though so a guy asked if we wanted to sit with them.  Brea said it would be okay, and I figured it would either be nice company or a nice story so we said yes.  

The food was alright though not wonderful (except the shrimp).  We did however get to see drunk ladies dance to the not very good band which is always fun.  And really it was nice to eat with that couple.  They were far enough away that we really could stay to ourselves, but we also got to talk a little with them, and they were pretty cool.  And it was a little fun to eat dinner with some strangers.

Yep, we made them take a picture of us kissing.

Our new pals.

Sunday happened to be stake conference so we missed church.  Instead we went to Shipley's for some donuts.  Of course.  However when we arrived, they were out of chocolate filled.  I began to weep.  Okay, not really, but I told her how sad I was, which I was.  She told me to hang on for a minute, walked to the back, and said they had some empty ones that she would fill for me.  And they were oooh so tasty.

Delicious.  The donuts were pretty good too.

We decided to stay an extra day so that we could go to the aquarium and it was really cool.  The Tempe one competes with it, or is maybe better on the inside.  But on the outside, they have a dolphin show, an otter exhibit, a place to pet the rays, some birds, as well as a big gator (which led to Brea saying that if she did something crazy, it would be gator wrestling...yeah right).  

Fish Feeding

The sea turtles were really cool.  The other ones stared at you wherever you went.

The dolphins were so cool.

That smile made it all worth it.  Even if it was crazy windy.

Wrestle gators my foot.

The only thing with bigger eyes than my wife and sister.

Blue Bell at the aquarium, how great is this place?

It was really just fun to be there.  We went to the beach one of the days, and even though Brea was bored most of the time, it was fun to go somewhere for a bit.  Fun to go to the beach again.  And fun to go back somewhere that I hadn't been for probably twenty years, to look at the aircraft carrier that I slept on when I was in scouts (the same trip as when the boys in the ward made fun of me for asking who "fluffed".  thanks mom).   

Some pretty decent brisket and ribs.

I look like such a creeper in this pic.  Good thing she looks good.

Of course we had to take at least one picture kissing on the beach.  Or two.  Or three.

Hey I slept on that ship!!  Probably the same year Brea was born....

We were on the beach, alright?  No making fun of me for having my jeans rolled up.

Maybe a titch racist?

On the way home we stopped in San Antonio and had lunch at this vegetarian restaurant that was supposed to be one of the best restaurants in the city.  Brea had a salad with a raspberry vinaigrette dressing, that she said should have just been called "dirt salad", but her eggplant parmesan that was very delicious and my food wasn't too bad either.  We made it safely back home, even though El Paso.  All together it was a really nice trip, and really nice to take a little "vacation" together.

You're even Texas proud in the bathroom.
And you see the "Get Busy!" sign?  Ha ha.

Our vegetarian cuisine.  And yes, the place was full of dirty hippies and granolas. 

Funny to shop here again.

You know you're in Texas when they have smokers in front of the grocery stores.

The Road Less Traveled

So I made it to Texas again. Didn't even break down in El Paso. It's been nice. I've been busy and working in a city about forty miles west of Corpus Christi. 

On the way back last night however, I took the wrong road home. And by "wrong", I mean it would have gotten me there, it was just not the way I wanted to go. So I decided to get off the 44 and take Farm to Market 70 down to Farm to Market 665 (yes there are a lot of these roads). It is probably ten miles or so. 

At the time of this picture I am the blue dot. I am also confronted with a giant closed road sign. Super annoying. However, I am all alone out here and in no particular rush to get home this evening. So I see Co Rd 28 on the map (and in real life) and decide that I should go down this road. 

Now if you need the translation, Co Rd means "this is not really a road for cars, but for horses and oxen". Unfortunately Google did not mention this previously. So off I went down a single lane asphalt road that became dirt road as soon as I passed Co Rd 97. 

Ever determined the Camry fought along. Soon enough I arrived at Co Rd 95. And it got a bit worse. Soon I ran into this: 

Did I continue? Did I have any other option at this point in my journey/adventure? The answer is yes. At least until I got here. This is where, much to my dismay, I throw in the towel and retrace my steps. 

Possibly because I have the memory of this movie lingering in my mind: