"What bring you to Kingsville?" asks the librarian politely as we move-in with computer in hand for some early morning reading, research and internet connectivity. Truthfully, after crossing the border we had no idea chich way to head... and happened upon Rt. 77 north because an attendant at the gas station suggested we might camp at the pull-off "there beyond Raymondville." So, we did (along with a couple of semi-tractor-trailers. Kingsville was the next town of any size sufficent enought to have a public library...
Once inside, we fanned out. I headed immediately to the Texas secition, picking up the latest copy of PEOPLE with Michele Obama on the cover as I passed the magazine racks (I had eyed it at the supermarket earlier; I've an Obama groupie for sure!) We emerged a couple hours later: Will's IPOD filled with the latest sports codcasts; Dave caught up on local and national news; Kim with a jump-start on schoolwork; and me armed with information on South Texas. I suggest touring the King Ranch (the largest ranch in the WORLD - bigger than Rhode Island - which happends to be right here!) and we snag the last 4 seats on the noon tour with "Dusk" as our guide. Impressed by the story of Richard King, the orphaned, 1st generation Irish immegrant founder, the sheer vastness of the place, and its interesting legacy (creating the first new breed of cattle in North America the GRETRUDIS; starting cattle drives to gain a better price for herds at further markets; to becoming a multi-national corporation... Here's Kim at the ranch, sharpening a pretend knife!)
Picnicing after the tour, we meet a couple on a motorcycle who are surprised to hear we've spent 4 months in Mexico. Security concerns keep the majority of sun-worshipping northerners at Texas' souther border, but no further. We tell them that our experiences in Mexico were 100% positive, but there is a lot of military present and we were very conscious of our surroundings at all times; never driving after dark and avoiding any potentially troublesome situations (something college students on Spring Break might not do; thus the STate Department warning for them all to stay home!)
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