The Life of Brad

Made it to the USA via Reynosa, MX to Mission/McAllen, TX which was not the recommended way, but I took a chance and it was easy. In this part of the trip I visited friends in Corpus Christie, Austin and a sailboat I bought and lost last year in Galveston. I enjoyed Texas as expected.

Day 1-2 (500km) Cadereyta, Mexico to Corpus Christi. Everyone said "only go to the Columbia Bridge" at Laredo to cross in to the US, but then I realised those people haven't been to the other options which they said were very dangerous. I took the patrolled and road toll highway to Reynosa and crossed at Anzaldus which was very easy especially when you have a bike and bypass the entire 150 car line up and not a person honked or anything. I wasn't stopping in 30+ deg heat.

Side Story: Arrived at Banjercito office to cancel my bike permit, they said it was out front, I went out, continued on asking everyone on the way and they said "keep going". I paid exact change for the 27 pesos bridge fee (Only on the Mexican side of course) then proceeded looking for the permit office until I saw speed signs in miles when I knew I missed it, damn! The Mexican and US border were a breeze even though I had stressed so much to ensure I had all the right documents printed and ready to show. No one asked a thing. Once in the US, no one knew about the Mexican permit office but said I could take the return to Mexico and come back no problem. For $400 usd deposit and ensuring I was in good standing with the Mexican government I decided to return and found the office right outside Banjercito this time using my Spanish, not English. It looks like a fast food drive thru. weird. The girl was surprised I wanted to cancel a permit that had only a few days left on it, "Yes I want to cancel" and boom $400 USD back to my original credit card payment from 2022. The only crap part was OF COURSE I had to pay the bridge toll again...OH Mexico how you left such a bad taste in my mouth. No idea when I will return...

Once on to the FREE super highway system of the USA I was so relaxed and excited to see Chris and John good friends from Calgary that I had not seen in some years. Overall with border and ride to Corpus Christi it was a 7 hour day on the bike and a big milestone in the trip back home.

I-69 from McAllan area to Hwy 285, C0/1R8T3V6-7 lots of agriculture. 285 to hwy 77, C1R7T2V6. Then hwy 77 all the way to Corpus Christi C1/2R7/8T3/4V6/7 some traffic through the cities on the way.

Here we go. Good weather!

"Welcome to Toll Highway"

A little industrial on the way to border

Straight, straight, straight

One of nicest Mexican hwys

Already felt a bit like USA

Ok, still Mexico

Oh yeah, still Mexico for sure!

Excuse me...

I'm in

Decided to record my explosion of joy and relief!

Texas!

Straight and Concrete with rows of outlet stores

Saw quite a few cops on hwys

Can't keep Red Tx quiet

Monster inspection station
about 50 miles from the border

Straight good road

A curve!

This hwy needs more lanes??

Oil Texas

Quaint Corpus Christi

Quite pleased with the day

Staying with long time friends John and Chris
who had been in Texas for quite some time now

Selena monument

Nice little walk around town

Aircraft Carrier!

Day 3-4 (350km) Austin. Made my way back and up to see a friend Jer and go to the Comedy Mother Ship on famous 6 st. Was great to be there with a local tour guide. Beautiful and cutting edge with traditional touches. A good spot that had become more expensive as all of California and other states migrate to the Texas Capitol. Thanks Jer!

Mostly straight shots of highway seeing little bits of Texas cutting through basically the centre between Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and Austin there was lots of open space in between them.

Corpus Christi hwy 181 to hwy 123 C2R8T2V7 then Hwy 123 to Seguin C2R7T3V6.

Seguin to San Marcos C2R7T5V6.

Side Story: Bought $15 tickets to the open mic at Joe Rogan's the Comedy Mothership which was awesome including a guest drop in from Ari Matti and a whole lot of comics ranging from the first hour of open mic 5 minute sets who were very good to the Mothership staff and after that Pro comics. 4 hours of comedy joy! Super Side Story: For the show you must have your phone locked in a bag and during the show when the guy beside me left he took my phone bag by mistake which I noticed and ran out of the show to get it back!

Awesome bridge heading out of Corpus

I just love naval ships

Gulf Coast

Into the wide open

Three lane country highway...wow

Gonna miss the Watermelon Jubilee

Crazy guy in company vehicle

Some of the least good road in Texas

Big boy trucks

Used to go to Kyle, SK
when I was a young boy

Developing mecca concrete jungle

lots of construction

Welcoming homeless people

Never tire of "Gun shop" next to "Pawn shop"

A snack in 36 deg C

Is this a sign "Road Closed"

Will this be my type of town?

$5 Lemonade...Might not be
my kinda town...haha

Jer and his van. Mobile hotel! And to think I
just saw him in Playa 10 days ago!

Awesome Thai

Austin city centre

Texas Capitol

Driverless Waymo's

Riding around in the short van

Get yourself some BBQ, Rudy's is actually at
a gas station.

White bread? $50 USD for all this

Easy clean up yet I felt like
a pig...

Hand washer

The modified short van

Bustling city of Austin

Colorado River

Careful peeing in the bush, took
a while to remove these stickies

Flat tire needing repair

Barton Springs

A classic of Austin

Lettuce burger for $16usd

Home of Stevie Ray Von

Selfie biker chicks

Great show last night, of course
no phones allowed.

It was a solid 20+ km ride.

Ass was sore for days after

Texas University of Austin

Street people going digital!

More driverless taxis

Waiting for the famous bats flying out...
We waited an hour then gave up as we needed
showers at Barton Springs before it closed!

Day 5 (350km) Galveston. Back to the Texas coast where I had been in 2018 to sail to Mexico. Another hot day around 34 C, but a great ride getting out to the coast to see some refineries and coastal homes/cabins on stilts. Met up with Mike and his PDQ 36 which I bought last year and he reneged on the deal weeks later. Happy that buy didn't go through after looking at his boat. As well I had a few drinks and watched the Oilers win game 1 of Cup in overtime at Stuttgart Tavern. Stayed at Lotus House which was one of those totally remotely run places (except for thank god the house keeper who let me in). I didn't like that and all the rules. Jack's for dinner was ok. Good to be back and good to only stay a night as there was a long road still ahead of me.

Took hwy 71 to Columbus to Hwy 90, C1/2R8T3V5-6. Then down Hwy 90 to Hwy 1875, C1/2R7T3V5/6. Hwy 1875 for 10 miles C4R8T2V7 then Hwy 36 to 35 C1/2R7T2V5/6.

Finally 35 to Surfside C2R7T4V6 and Surfside to Galveston C1R7T2V8