A popular saying here in Texas is if you don't like the weather, wait 5 minutes because it'll change. The same can be said about the type of terrain. Texans are fortunate enough to have a variety of options when deciding on outdoor adventure. You can float down the rivers of central Texas, you can camp in the piney woods of east Texas, white water raft in Big Bend and you can enjoy the sand and surf of the Gulf Coast. After tramping all over Texas, we decided it was time to take a trip down to the coast and do a little exploring.

As the old boy scout motto goes, "be prepared" and we take that to heart here at Texas Avid Outdoors. Our destination for this trip was Padre Island National Seashore (PINS). Since we had never taken any groups down to this area and there was some concern about non-4x4 vehicles ability to go past the 5 mile mark, we thought that a scouting mission might be in order. So myself, Dan and John loaded up for a one day trip down to see what were were getting in to. Let's just say that we were glad that we made that trip. After a customary stop at Whataburger to start the trip we made our way down to Corpus Christi with our Engel fridge full of yummy goodness and our gear packed for a nice overnight camp on the beach. Our intent was to spend the evening watching the waves crash into the beach, relax and do a little scouting the next day before driving back home that afternoon. We arrived at PINS with about 4 hours of daylight left and after paying our way in, made our way to the visitors center to obtain any information that we could get. It was only after talking to one of the Park Rangers on duty that we learned we wouldn't even be able to sleep on the beach. We learned that a tropical depression over the Yucatan was affecting sea levels here. The night previous campers had been evacuated off of the beach as the tide rose and continued to rise into the dunes. Luckily no one was injured but that meant that we weren't going to be camping on the beach. When we asked about any other campsites, we were met with a smile and wry, "Good luck!" After a quick trip into Corpus to top off the gas tank, we decided to take a trip down Malaquite beach to see how far we could go. At the 5 mile mark on Malaquite is a sign that warns you not to go on if you are not in a 4x4 vehicle. One of the main reasons for taking this trip was to see if that was true. However, due to the very high tide the night before, the beach sand was still very packed and thus it felt like we were on a slightly undulating paved road; in other words, nice and smooth. As we drove down the beach we couldn't help but noticed the amount of detritus left behind by the tides. It really drove home the point that our oceans are filled with trash just waiting for a beach to wash up on. 

Once we reached mile 30 we decided to head back and get camp set. However, we did stop long enough on the beach to have a nice dinner and wave watching before moving on. Most of the displaced beach combers had relocated to the other campsites such as Malaquite Campground, North and South Beach and Bird Island Basin, so as you can guess, our pickings were pretty slim. It basically came down to gravel at Bird Island Basin or site at Malaquite that was half asphalt and half sand. We decided on Malaquite, paid our $8 (glad we had a place to rest our head) and proceeded to set up our camp in the fading light, finishing by flashlight. After getting our tents set we decided on a little exploring, so we headed down to the beach at Malaquite campground only to see the water rising slowly with every crashing wave. Some tents still on the beach were already in danger of being swamped again.  It was an awesome sight! We stayed up for a bit longer until our long day began to wear on us so we turned in for the night. 


We woke the next morning to sea gulls overhead, the sound of waves, and the morning sounds of people clamoring around their campsites. We rubbed the sleep from our eyes and walked down to the beach to see the damage of the night before. Surprisingly, quite a few people decided to camp down on the beach despite the rangers warnings and we saw at least 3 or 4 tents that had been flooded. The tide had receded and folks were wringing out their gear as we made our way back to the truck to pack up and head home. It's a this point that I have to tell you about a great little restaurant in Corpus. It bears mentioning because before we broke camp we had to decide; do we make the breakfast we brought or find breakfast on the way home. Due in part to the long previous day before, it was unanimous, pack it up and find something to eat. Find something we did! My relatives have a nice little restaurant in Corpus called Chachos Tacos. My friends, let me tell you, if you ever find yourself down in Corpus and are looking for some of the best food in town, you have to stop in and give them a try. Hands down some of the very best tortillas I have ever eaten (sorry mom!), great prices and great food. Tell them we sent you! So after filling our stomachs, we headed home, very glad we had made that trip and ready for our return trip just a few weeks later.

Armed with the information that we had learned from our last trip and a few more friends and family we made our way back to PINS. This time we broke into two groups. One was to leave early and secure a campsite while the second followed that afternoon after they had gotten off of work. Ken and I rolled in to camp late that evening eager to be off the road and ready to start our weekend. We backed into our slot, I set up my tent and within 20 minutes we were both snoozing away. 

Since Dan and John and the boys arrived early the previous day, they had some time to explore prior to us getting there. Now Nathan was the first junior member of TAO and he made us proud again. He earned his Padres Island National Seashore Junior Ranger badge! Each national park has a junior ranger program that allows kids (and adults) to earn their ranger badge by learning about that park, doing activities and completing a workbook to earn the badge, but only after taking the oath and affirming to do the right thing! One of the activities for this badge was to help clean up the beach, so off to South Beach they went. Of course everyone got in on the action and spent some time picking up plastic bottles, trash and assorted other items. Leaving a place cleaner than we found it is a strong belief we all have at TAO. After completing all tasks, Nathan was awarded his 7th Junior Ranger badge! Congratulations Nathan, great job! As the afternoon rolled on Dan, John and boys decided to do a little fishing. While they didn't catch much, it was still a great time. So this point catches us up.

Saturday was a new morning and we woke to a beautiful day. This trip was a bit bigger than the last. Dan brought his son Nathan and John brought Jared. Then there was Ken and I. Lastly, later that day my brother Paul (Hip) and his son Sebastian was set to join us. First order of the day? Make breakfast! While we have lots of options for breakfast, there is one that we love that is simple and easy! First you toast some bagels, slather them liberally with cream cheese and then top them with jiggy ham. Jiggy ham you say? What's that? Well for us it's Boar's Head Maple Glazed ham. For you it could be your favorite ham or whatever else you choose to top it with. We love them and it's a great, light way to start the day. Now that everyone was fed, we had a chance to catch up as the breakfast dishes were cleaned up. This is one of the things that I love about our trips; our ability to enjoy each others company. 

With the dishes done, it was time for a swim! While initially I had planned on relaxing instead of  swimming, the draw of the ocean couldn't be avoided. So I strapped on a GoPro and we heading into the surf for some excellent waves that were perfect for body surfing. While I did take a tumble or two in the surf, I had a blast! After swallowing entirely too much seawater, we made our way back to camp to change into dry clothes and make our way to the visitor center to meet Paul and Sebastian. It was there that we got to do something I truly enjoy. We inducted Jared as our second Junior Texas Avid Outdoors member! We have established a list of criteria and tasks to be completed to become a Jr. TAO member and Jared did each one happily. I fell that it is our duty to expose people to the outdoors, kids especially. This is a core belief of Texas Avid Outdoors and one we take seriously. With all of the pomp and circumstance that we could muster done and our thirst quenched with some ice cold Gatorade from the gift shop, we headed back to camp to settle in for some dinner and dominos! 

Dinner was a simple affair. Grilled pork chops with a honey mustard glaze, baked potatoes with the trimmings and green beans. Once everyone had their dinner we sat around discussing the day and the night fishing that the guys had planned. Myself and Ken stayed back at camp while the rest of the crew went off to try their luck with the rod and reel. Needless to say it was a pretty poor night for them! Luckily, it was much easier to catch some z's than it was to catch fish!

Sunday morning was pretty typical of what a travel home day had become for us. Get up and start packing your gear for the long ride home.  We already knew that we weren't going to be cooking breakfast that morning! Once everything was packed it was time to hit Chachos Tacos again. They didn't disappoint. As usual, the food, service, and company was great and we left there very satisfied! After saying our goodbyes, with full bellies and hours of driving yet to complete, we hit the road. Another successful TAO trip was in the books. Most importantly, though, everyone had a great time. I would definitely recommend Padre Island National Seashore. There is plenty to do, the water is great, and you are bound to enjoy yourself. Texas has such a vast wealth of beautiful places for you to explore. From the Piney Woods of East Texas to the rugged beauty of the Chihuahuan Desert of the Big Bend; from north to south, there are so many places to discover. Don't settle for your backyard. Make Texas your front yard. As always, Live Life Outside! Till next time, get outside!




Check out our videos on Padre Island National Seashore


Padre Island National Seashore - coming soon
Driving the Beach  - coming soon
Playing in the Surf  - coming soon

Recently I had the opportunity to take a trip with my family to the beautiful Pacific Northwest and more specifically, Seattle and Mt. Rainier National Park. Growing up a country boy on a Texas ranch, I had no idea what a true mountain was. How many times have you heard someone from Texas mention a mountain? Normally we talk about big hills! Luckily as I have traveled, I have had the opportunity to see more than one. However, for all the mountains I have seen, Mt. Rainier takes the prize! We'll get to that in a bit but first I want to talk a little about Seattle and Washington state itself.

As I mentioned before, I grew up pretty isolated out in the Hill Country. While i didn't personally see much outside our ranch growing up, I was very fortunate to have access to a pretty impressive set of National Geographic magazines. By thumbing through those pages, I got to see what the world looked like outside our front gates. Many times I spend my time in a saddle riding fence line, or some other mundane task, day dreaming about the outback of Australia, the deep dark jungles of Africa or the splendor of the Grand Canyon.  My unique upbringing fed my wanderlust as I got older. Having grown up in the outdoors and always wanting to see more has led me to truly appreciate what the world has to offer. While home will always be Texas, I am happiest when I am exploring. Which brings me to Washington state. First let me say this; from my week long experience, I am happy to declare that rarely have I been to a more beautiful country (Texas being the main exception). I was constantly drawn to the trees, green spaces and of course, the bodies of water. If you can appreciate the wonder that nature has to offer, then let me offer my heartfelt recommendation to visit Seattle and the surrounding areas. 

Seattle itself is a wonderful city. While the reason why escapes me, I had Seattle on my list of places to visit since an early age. Now having been there, I can say that it did not disappoint. For me, Seattle is an intoxicating blend of modern city balanced with the nostalgia of a bygone era. Walking the stalls of Pike Market gave me the feeling of ancient routine. So many people had walked these same steps and sampled these same foods, you couldn't help but be caught up in the moment. Speaking of foods, the fruits and vegetables were amazing and bursting with flavor. I tasted cherries that were familiar and foreign at the same time. Familiar in that I knew them to be cherries, yet foreign in that I had never tasted cherries so alive with flavor! The seafood was no different. I have had great seafood in San Francisco, Greece and even on our Texas Gulf Shore, but I was blown away by the variety in both flavor and abundance.  A trip to Seattle without a stop at the Pike Market is a trip wasted. We of course did the touristy things; the Space Needle, the Fremont Troll, the Aquarium and the Seattle Great Wheel, as well as a harbour cruise. All where wonderful and memorable. This was our first trip with our son, so it was very special to share it with him. However, as an avid outdoorsman, *pardon the pun, one semi-touristy place did stand out to me and that was the flagship REI store. This place was amazing! I think it might be worth a post of it's own so for now I will say this; WOW!!! It has it's own Ranger Station! It's own climbing wall and it's own mountain bike track!!! Yeah, I think it's worth it's own post so stay tuned for that. So now lets move on to more a natural mindset. Cool mountain breezes flowing through the open windows of your rented mini-van...yup, on to Mt. Rainier!

Mt. Rainier dominates the skyline. Sure, the Olympic Mountain Range can be seen in the skyline as well,  but everyone's attention seems to be drawn to Mt. Rainier. Even when apologizing for the weather you might hear, "It's a little overcast today. Sorry you can't get a good view of Rainier." Perhaps it is so prominent because of it's sheer size and beauty. Perhaps it's just because everyone who comes to Seattle asks about it. Either way, I am so glad to have been able to make the day trip to the National Park. It's a really easy day trip, especially if you don't do what I did and just google map Mt. Rainier National Park and ignore your wife when she tries to explain that we're going down the wrong road. Now of course you can do what I did and say "Honey, google maps say to go this way." All that will get you though is a smirk from your wife and an icy stare from your mother in law, when you do in fact go into the backwoods entrance instead of the main entrance and end up in a isolated campground down 20 miles of dusty gravel roads. I sure hope the rental company got all of the dust off before the next rental. After realizing *admitting my mistake, we took the trip around to the more common entrance.  Now while it is true that we like to say that everything is bigger in Texas, that's not always true. Especially when it comes to mountains and trees! We drove into the park and were immediately hit with the beauty and peacefulness that only true wilderness can evoke. We were also hit with a traffic jam. Yup, let that sink in. A traffic jam.  The park roads were evidently being resurfaced so we had to wait while 70+ cars passed us going in the opposite direction before being able to proceed into the park. Finally we pulled into the Longmire area of the park. After a quick bathroom break we started exploring. Gus, my son, thoroughly enjoyed being outdoors after so many hours sitting in the van. We took plenty of time to stretch our legs and peruse the gift shop and historical markers before loading back up and driving on up to Paradise. Literally, Paradise.  The Paradise Visitor Center and surround area is about as picturesque as you can imagine it to be. The views were amazing! We could see snow on the peaks around us and we had a clear view to the peak of Rainier. Trails ventured off from the area to what I am sure equally picturesque vistas. Unfortunately, because of my earlier misstep, we just didn't have the time to really explore as it had already been a long day of car seat riding for little Gus. So down the mountain we went, winding down through the huge trees, over bridges that spanned river beds still flowing with water from snow run off. We stopped for pictures and for one last look around before heading back to Seattle. 

It is so easy to get caught up in the day to day of our normal lives. Work life, home life, kids activities and our daily routine.  It is harder to break out of that routine to do something out of the ordinary. We are so blessed to live in a country with so many natural areas for us to visit and to take advantage of. It is my distinct belief that it is VITAL to occasionally unplug and explore the bounty of nature. It is our responsibility to expose our children to the wonder of nature and foster their curiosity, not matter what age. Take that time. Do these things. #LiveLifeOutside

After Christmas we had the opportunity to spend 6 days at Big Bend National Park, camping, cooking, hiking, backpacking, overlanding, driving some dirt roads and sightseeing. This was a trip two years in the making with some of our past trips being warm-ups for Big Bend. Two of our regulars unfortunately couldn't make it, but we were able to bring along Dan's son for his first trip of this kind.

We experienced something really cool while we were at Big Bend. Literally. A cold front blew in from the East and caused a thermal inversion (warm air on top of cold air) and ice fog. This caused the desert below the Chisos Basin to be much colder. At 18 degrees in the basin, we can only image that the desert below was much colder.  Checkout our video below to see ice fog rolling into the basin.

Each trip we take typically means new experiences and new lessons learned.  This trip was no difference. It's important to remember that just when you think you've got it down pat, you'll get a surprise thrown at you! For us, we learned about cooking in much colder weather than we are used to. Like previous trips, we also gained valuable experience with our personal gear. For me personally, every trip I take out with my own personal gear helps me to refine my gear list for future trips. This trip was our first major use of solar power and that in itself was a learning experience!

As we complete our inventory of pictures and videos, we will share with you what we experienced. As we do, we will share the stories that go along with those pictures and videos. Big Bend National Park surpassed our expectations and left us wanting more. We at Texas Avid Outdoors completely recommend you spend some (lots) of time exploring this beautiful place!

Checkout these videos related to our Big Bend Trip

Big Bend Ice Fog and Thermal Inversion

Big Bend Starry Night Time Lapse

Big Bend Moon Set Time-lapse

Big Bend Hiking - coming soon!

Big Bend Off Roading -  coming soon!

The Texas Avid Outdoors crew and guests spend 3 days and 2 nights on the Colorado River, canoeing, camping, swimming and fishing!

After Christmas, the TAO group packed up and headed to Seminole Canyon State Park in Comstock, TX. We'd never backpacked in a winter, desert environment before and wanted to have some experience before our big backing trip to Big Bend in December.

Frank,  Kathryn, John and Raymond are back catching perch at Mansfield Dam at Fritz Hughes Park in Lakeway, TX

Photo recap of our June 2013 TAO trip to Caprock Canyons State Park in the Texas Panhandle. Download your directions or take a printed map, you won't get much cell service on the drive there.

Another winter trip is under our belt, with night time temperatures reaching into the high 20s. Activities included canoeing, fishing, hiking and making spruce tea. Don't forget that the raccoons here love bacon!

Dan, his son, Ken and his family spend the day at Pedernales Falls State Park, hiking, fishing, rock climbing and swimming.

Dan, his son and Paul spent the afternoon fishing at the City Channel in Texas City, Texas.