Feb 2000

February 2000
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The month of February we stayed at Tropic Winds RV Resort, Harlingen, Texas. Harlingen is located in the southern tip of Texas generally referred to as The Valley. But there is no valley as the land is flat as a pancake. The temperature during the month was usually in the mid seventies to low eighties with about five cool days. And there is Texas size wind that blows all the time. This was a pleasant place to spent the month as up north the folks are having snow and cold weather. We kept seeing fields afire and wondered what was happening. We learned that sugar cane is grown in large fields and the growers burn the fields and harvest the stalks. Being just across from the Mexican border makes the field burnings interesting. Trucks with loud speakers drive through the fields announcing in both English and Spanish, "Please get out of the field. We are going to burn it. We are not the Immigration Authorities. You will not be arrested. We are only interested in your safety."

Bentson Rio Grand Park is located on the river south of the town of Mission. We took a two mile hike to the River and saw some interesting items on the USA shore. Intertubes, empty garbage bags and old clothing covered the shoreline. We figured Mexicans floated across the river on the intertubes, discarded their wet clothing and dressed in dry clothing from the garbage bags. The hiking trail was interesting with large cacti, interesting plants and many birds. Also near Mission we visited LaLomita Mission which sets on part of a 1767 Spanish land grant. The mission was used to support priests who visited the farms and ranches in the valley. The present chapel was constructed in 1865 on the Brownsville - Roma Trail and the small mission is still used for weddings.

Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville is one of the nicest zoos we have visited. It was clean and all animals were in their natural habitats. In the gorilla exhibit there was a momma gorilla with her small baby. The momma would cradle the baby in her arms and rock the baby. When the mother walked she put the baby on her foot and the baby clung to momma's leg. Linda was so interested in the gorillas she didn't want to leave. The second weekend in February the Texas Air Museum in Rio Honda has an Early Aviation Festival. The museum rebuilds old airplanes and shows them to the public. They also have part of the Iwo Jima aircraft carrier, the part from the deck to the mast. I sets on the ground and can be toured. The afternoon we attended they had a display of World War I aircraft with a dog fight over the viewing area. There was also a re-enactment of Pancho Villa and his impact on early aviation. For people interested in early aviation the museum is a must.

We met a very nice couple in the campground, Don and Marianne LaMay, from Livonia, Michigan. We attended several events together, ate together and played Dominoes. Most of all we enjoyed their friendship and talking with them. They are true snowbirds as they live in their home in Michigan most of the year and winter in the south. Later this year we plan to visit them in Michigan.

We were at Tropic Winds RV Resort because that is where the RV America Y2K Party was held. On the RV America bulletin board on the internet an idea was brought up of having a Y2K party. Most of the people had plans for New Years but could attend a party in February. Dave Peters, one of the participants called the party a big blind date because most of the attendees had never met in person, only on the bulletin board. Also arriving early for the party were John and Libby Veach and Dutch and Marilyn Souder. We drove to South Padre Island where motorhomes are parked on the beach just a few feet from the water. The camping is free but the wind and blowing salt water would keep us from camping there.

RV America Y2K Party

Since we arrived early for the party we volunteered to help any way we could. Nancy Gallagher headed the party and set up the pre-party planning. We volunteered to help register attendees, make morning coffee, setup the opening night event, cleanup after events, make pictures and hand out door prizes. Norm also got stuck with handling the money. Fifty-nine rigs registered, 132 people attended and the party was a smashing success. The attendees came from California, New York, Florida and all points between. Three couples from Canada attended. During the party we had a "cheep beer and boxed wine" opening event, a grapefruit picking trip, a shopping and eating trip to Progresso, Mexico, a traveling in Canada seminar by Peggi McDonald, a RV tips question and answer by Dave Peters and Rodney Simmons, a pot-luck supper, a catered Bar- B-Q supper and a street party. One couple, Rich and Diane Emond, did not have a RV so they flew in from Atlanta to attend the party. The events were great but meeting and talking to the people was the best part of the whole event.

Y2K Party pictures:
(The camera was not working correctly so we did not get as many pictures as we wanted)

Y2K Banner - from Dave Peters
Nancy and Pat Gallagher - Y2K Party organizers
Bryan Walker and Dutch Souder - the parking crew
Peggi and J.R. McDonald - their 18th anniversary
Melva King and Charles and Pat Wolf
Pat Gallagher and Dave Peters - cheep beer party
Dave and Pat Peters - checking in
Picking Grapefruit
Linda picking grapefruit
Kirk Wood, John Veach, Diane and Rich Emond
Willie Nunez and John Veach
Pot Luck Supper

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