Camping - yeah.

Our youngest started college this year so I thought it would be a great rite of passage (towards the empty nest years) to make a trip, just the husband and I ... okay, and the dog ... for a campout at the beach.  Yes, a cruise would have been better.  My husband is pretty sure he doesn't like cruises. I thought campout at the National Seashore (Corpus) because I know he likes that and I was hoping for fun for both of us. We started trying to put together a few days back on September. Rain has been a thing for Texas this year so finding clear weather days has been on my front burner.
Finally,  a clear calendar and clear skies came together.

I got busy pre cooking enough food for four full days out in the middle of nowhere. And you was I excited about having everything perfect in the food and beverage department.

L packed up the car and off we went.

What a surprise it was to find the water up so close to the dunes! Normally there is enough room for four "lanes" and plenty of beach before the water laps at the sand. Normally tents and fire pits dot the beach as close to the dunes as these tire marks are. The Padre Island National Seashore is a beautiful 60 mile stretch of undeveloped shoreline and is an absolute treasure. This picture was taken just after high tide, around 3:00 local. We drove in about 5 miles and began to set up out camp.

Pitching the tent was a real trick. An ice chest was used to weight the thing down and two cots, complete with foam toppers, held down the sides. So far, so good.  I'd say the temperature was perfect - in the mid sixties. The winds however seemed to be hurricane force.

I dug the pit while L began to dismantle the shipping pallet that we brought in for fire wood. The misgivings about staying for several days had already found a perch, but I was still excited about trying out my latest plan for reheating the precooked meals. Last campout the foil packets were over salted with sand ... like the YETI tumblers were this time ... already! And they hadn't even been taken out of the car! (Yes, the front doors remained shut after we arrived!)

The first night wasn't fun. Max was already in the tent with his tail tucked between his legs. He barely stirred when I came in rubbing my socked feet together to knock off sand which had found its way inside my Keens. I tied a scarf over my face and melted into the foam mattress pad pulling the covers up high and tucking them tightly as I could around my body. I was cold, but figured I'd warm up if I just laid still. My husband was trying to get the door flap zipper closed when it broke.  I started wondering what damage we might sustain if a tent pole snapped. He invited me to snuggle in with him for warmth but I declined - I was in full "what if mode".  What if mode as in ... what if the cot breaks with us both on it. After a few minutes he suggested that we sleep in the car. Which we did. Two adults up front with the seats reclined in to the backseat where my dog, who was losing confidence in us, sprawled out.  He was pretty tired but still felt the need to check on me by licking my face or ears every few minutes.  Eventually we slept.  Max needed out every couple hours for fresh air or to exercise the bladder of a ninety year old man I am uncertain. It was a difficult night. Early the next morning my husband suggested that we break camp. Yes.

This one watched us "pack up".

That tent was shredded during the night.

Winds!  A rookie error not to play attention to that element during the planning stages!

Max - excited about the road trip

less excited about the destination

a major contributor to window fog and general car funk

happy to be headed away (dog hair and sand everywhere)!

A bright side was yummy meals already to be reheated safe and sand free back in my frig!

I was so happy to be back home!