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On 24th July Doc and I set out to circumnavigate South Texas. Route of flight was from Bulverde, Texas to Eagle Pass, Zapata, Port Isabell, Port Aransas, and return. Total distance was about 700 nm.
Here are some things we saw along the way.
Uvalde, Texas was out first checkpoint and as you can see, the weather was dicey. Actually, we started out together at 2000 feet with 10 miles visibility and Doc in the lead. When we encountered a thick cloud bank, Doc went VFR on top and I went under... so much for flying together on that leg. Doc had radio problems, so we had no idea where each other happened to be. So I text-messaged position reports along the way and we eventually got hooked up at the first planned fuel stop.
Near Uvalde is a rather nice and very exclusive hunting lodge. What is known as a "nice spread."
A bit farther along, just southwest of Del Rio is a GM test track. I have no idea if it is still in use, but when I was a USAF student pilot in 1973 it was active.
Not far from the test track is a ranch with two large grass airstrips. I have no idea what the rancher flies in and out of there.
Approaching the Mexican border at Eagle Pass, Texas I was low on fuel. the winds were not favorable and we had dodged a lot of clouds early on, so I stopped at this sleepy old WWII training site and got gas. Doc passed overhead and turned South for Zapata. From Eagle Pass to Port Isabell we would parallel the border and were very mindful the hazards - There are aerostat sites with 12000 foot cables are all along the border. The sparse population meant nobody was going to find you quickly if you had to land out. We carried water and a snake exterminator in each plane.
At Zapata we refueled. Doc, with 24 gallon capacity had his first fuel stop. The sign over the Zapata airfield entrance says "Home of the World Record Encampment" I had no idea what that meant at the time. I envisioned a humongous camp out with people as far as you could see. Not so. It turns out that since 2000, hang glider enthusiasts come from all over the world to Zapata to ride the tremendous lift and set distance records. Cumulous forms before dawn and by the time the desert heats up there are streets of lift for hundreds of miles. Hang gliding for hundreds of miles YOWZA! Impressive.
We navigated our way past the next aerostat site and approached Harlingen. This part of Texas is subtropical. Much of your citrus fruit comes from here. Yes, Florida and California are better known citrus producers. At any rate, there had been a LOT of rain on Texas early this summer and the Rio Grande was pretty darn full. So full in fact that the levee around Harlingen was in full flood. I had to check the chart several times to be sure I had not wandered too far South, but no, just a levee on the north side of Harlingen.
Finally we skirted Harlingen and saw Port Isabell. Gateway airport to South Padre Island and all the hotels etc. Post Isabell was to be another gas and go.
Here are some things we saw along the way.
Uvalde, Texas was out first checkpoint and as you can see, the weather was dicey. Actually, we started out together at 2000 feet with 10 miles visibility and Doc in the lead. When we encountered a thick cloud bank, Doc went VFR on top and I went under... so much for flying together on that leg. Doc had radio problems, so we had no idea where each other happened to be. So I text-messaged position reports along the way and we eventually got hooked up at the first planned fuel stop.
Near Uvalde is a rather nice and very exclusive hunting lodge. What is known as a "nice spread."
A bit farther along, just southwest of Del Rio is a GM test track. I have no idea if it is still in use, but when I was a USAF student pilot in 1973 it was active.
Not far from the test track is a ranch with two large grass airstrips. I have no idea what the rancher flies in and out of there.
Approaching the Mexican border at Eagle Pass, Texas I was low on fuel. the winds were not favorable and we had dodged a lot of clouds early on, so I stopped at this sleepy old WWII training site and got gas. Doc passed overhead and turned South for Zapata. From Eagle Pass to Port Isabell we would parallel the border and were very mindful the hazards - There are aerostat sites with 12000 foot cables are all along the border. The sparse population meant nobody was going to find you quickly if you had to land out. We carried water and a snake exterminator in each plane.
At Zapata we refueled. Doc, with 24 gallon capacity had his first fuel stop. The sign over the Zapata airfield entrance says "Home of the World Record Encampment" I had no idea what that meant at the time. I envisioned a humongous camp out with people as far as you could see. Not so. It turns out that since 2000, hang glider enthusiasts come from all over the world to Zapata to ride the tremendous lift and set distance records. Cumulous forms before dawn and by the time the desert heats up there are streets of lift for hundreds of miles. Hang gliding for hundreds of miles YOWZA! Impressive.
We navigated our way past the next aerostat site and approached Harlingen. This part of Texas is subtropical. Much of your citrus fruit comes from here. Yes, Florida and California are better known citrus producers. At any rate, there had been a LOT of rain on Texas early this summer and the Rio Grande was pretty darn full. So full in fact that the levee around Harlingen was in full flood. I had to check the chart several times to be sure I had not wandered too far South, but no, just a levee on the north side of Harlingen.
Finally we skirted Harlingen and saw Port Isabell. Gateway airport to South Padre Island and all the hotels etc. Post Isabell was to be another gas and go.
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