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RV Resort, RV Friends and RV Repairs


January 1-31, 2018 —The best word to describe January was COLD. We spent the entire month in the Rio Grande Valley in tropical south Texas hoping to escape the miserable winter weather but no such luck. The first few days of the month and several in middle January were below freezing at night and barely above that during the day. Highly unusual in a location this far south among the palm trees and citrus groves.

On January 1 we drove 25 miles from Mission, TX to Victoria Palms RV Resort in Donna, TX and remained there for the month. It was our first privately owned park/resort experience and certainly not a usual type of stay for us. The resort had a special one month rate of $299 (regular $800) so we took advantage of that reasonable price. It was a well-maintained beautiful resort with a gated entrance, cable TV, WiFi (not race-car fast, but we were able to stream Netflix), pool, activities, etc.

Mile Driven – RV

1
Miles Driven – Car

During the month we took several day trips including one to South Padre Island and two to the Mexican border town of Nuevo Progreso. We visited with friends, played pool, ping pong, and cards, raced our radio controlled truck and relaxed.

Also during the month were RV repairs, maintenance and upgrades which were nice to complete but as all RV owners are well aware of there is always something to fix.

It was a nice break to stay in one location for an entire month but as the month came to a close we were ready to get moving again.

Our parking spot for the month.

Our outdoor patio.

Evening walk through the palm trees.

Loved looking up at the palm trees. This was the view from outside our RV.

Hildago, TX is the Killer Bee Capital of the US as the town is where the bees first crossed the border and entered the country. The town honored that distinction by building a $20,000 killer bee statue. 

Cougar warning sign in the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge in Los Fresnos, TX. It didn’t deter us from hiking the trails nor did we see one.

Fungus on a tree in the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge in Los Fresnos, TX.

We looked and looked for ocelots but didn’t see any at the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge in Los Fresnos, TX. Like a typical cat it is most active at night.

South Padre Island name sculpted in the sand.

Amazing sand castle on South Padre Island. It was built in 2013 and is the largest outdoor one in the US. A true work of art. 

Port Isabel Lighthouse in Port Isabel, TX was built in 1852 to guide ships through the Brazos Santiago Pass. Today it is used in the summer months as a backdrop to project family friendly movies on. 

A Winter Texan work truck. Golf carts are everywhere in the Rio Grande Valley.

Roses blooming in January. Sure is better to look at than snow banks!

Winter Texan humor.

Laundromat at Victoria Palms Resort. Interesting that they take credit cards as well as quarters.

Winter storm emergency food kit. The store shelves were bare from people stocking up with an approaching winter storm that brought record setting cold temperatures to the Rio Grande Valley. 

Nice having propane delivered right to our door. Andy was doing a brisk business with the record cold snap during the month.

Love this cactus!

Frost damage. Many plants and trees were damaged from the cold.

Fresh fruit picked from trees in the resort. This is a ruby red grapefruit.

RV repair day. 

Homemade pizza made in the RV. Yum yum!

We took full advantage of being able to receive packages at the resort. UPS delivered right to our site. 

Entrance to the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show Grounds in Mercedes, TX.

The half way point on the International Bridge over the Rio Grande River that serves as the border between Mexico and the US.

Rio Grande River.  Left side is Mexico, right is US.

Welcome sign upon entering Nuevo Progreso, Mexico.

Downtown Nuevo Progreso, Mexico.

Shopping Center in Nuevo Progreso, Mexico.

A few of the many dental clinics in Nuevo Progreso, Mexico.

A “blinged out” elephant along the highway in the Rio Grande Valley.