Traveling West on US83
March 20, 2007
Zoom, zoom, zoom. That is what we woke up to. We hit the McDonald’s in Rio Grande City for coffee and drove on to Roma. Traffic was heavy; this is the only road along that runs east/west this far south. The good news: it is a four-lane road with a turn lane in the center. Town to town is connected with homes and small family businesses. Roma is a developing town with a historic district that is being reconstructed. Hollywood has even used this historic town for movies. Marlen Brando as Emiliaro Zapata stood on the balcony and said, “be quiet, I am on my honeymoon.” in the movie Zapata. We looked over the bluff and saw the Great Kisskadee in a tree, ducks in the Rio Grande and a crested caracara flying. We walked to the World Birding Center visitor center, newly opened in December. This is one of nine World Birding Center locations and Roma is number one and is the gateway to this wildlife viewing opportunity.
Out of the back room of the visitor center came Jan Mondel, a volunteer we had met several years ago at Laguna Atascosa. We chatted a bit catching up. She got the keys to the museum that is not open often and showed us around. It is in an old building where they are storing lots of artifacts and items found in the old buildings around town in hopes of one day setting up a real museum. Plans are to set it up in the old hospital building. We met Ranger Smokey who runs the birding center for Fish &Wildlife. He is looking for volunteers. They have a partnership with Texas state parks for volunteers to park at Falcon Dam State Park with free hook-up.
Salineno is also on the list for birders. Pat and Gale DeWind from an M state have a little piece of land right down at the Rio Grande River where they have fed birds for many years. We were first here in February 22, 2003 and saw our first green jay. Near their motor home they set up 20 or folding chairs and people walk in, sit and watch. Today we saw a few Altama and one Audubon orioles. There were other birds at the many feeders: sparrow, long billed thrush, green jay, cardinal, doves, golden fronted woodpecker, buff bellied hummingbird….
The International Falcon Dam is 150 feet above the Rio Grande River creating a huge lake for both sides to enjoy. We drove to the half way spot, parked the van between the US and Mexico for a photo opt and turned around. We were able to use our Texas State Park pass to get into Falcon Dam State Park located on the largest reservoir in Texas. We took the opportunity to take hot showers and then made some dinner, which we enjoyed at the picnic pavilion down by the boat ramp. From there we drove along the lake through small towns. The wildflowers have started blooming along the roadway: bluebonnets, orange daisy, lilac flax and flowers showing yellow and white. Our night spot was the picnic area just west of Urebeno where we munched an apple and watched West Wing.
Zoom, zoom, zoom. That is what we woke up to. We hit the McDonald’s in Rio Grande City for coffee and drove on to Roma. Traffic was heavy; this is the only road along that runs east/west this far south. The good news: it is a four-lane road with a turn lane in the center. Town to town is connected with homes and small family businesses. Roma is a developing town with a historic district that is being reconstructed. Hollywood has even used this historic town for movies. Marlen Brando as Emiliaro Zapata stood on the balcony and said, “be quiet, I am on my honeymoon.” in the movie Zapata. We looked over the bluff and saw the Great Kisskadee in a tree, ducks in the Rio Grande and a crested caracara flying. We walked to the World Birding Center visitor center, newly opened in December. This is one of nine World Birding Center locations and Roma is number one and is the gateway to this wildlife viewing opportunity.
Out of the back room of the visitor center came Jan Mondel, a volunteer we had met several years ago at Laguna Atascosa. We chatted a bit catching up. She got the keys to the museum that is not open often and showed us around. It is in an old building where they are storing lots of artifacts and items found in the old buildings around town in hopes of one day setting up a real museum. Plans are to set it up in the old hospital building. We met Ranger Smokey who runs the birding center for Fish &Wildlife. He is looking for volunteers. They have a partnership with Texas state parks for volunteers to park at Falcon Dam State Park with free hook-up.Salineno is also on the list for birders. Pat and Gale DeWind from an M state have a little piece of land right down at the Rio Grande River where they have fed birds for many years. We were first here in February 22, 2003 and saw our first green jay. Near their motor home they set up 20 or folding chairs and people walk in, sit and watch. Today we saw a few Altama and one Audubon orioles. There were other birds at the many feeders: sparrow, long billed thrush, green jay, cardinal, doves, golden fronted woodpecker, buff bellied hummingbird….
The International Falcon Dam is 150 feet above the Rio Grande River creating a huge lake for both sides to enjoy. We drove to the half way spot, parked the van between the US and Mexico for a photo opt and turned around. We were able to use our Texas State Park pass to get into Falcon Dam State Park located on the largest reservoir in Texas. We took the opportunity to take hot showers and then made some dinner, which we enjoyed at the picnic pavilion down by the boat ramp. From there we drove along the lake through small towns. The wildflowers have started blooming along the roadway: bluebonnets, orange daisy, lilac flax and flowers showing yellow and white. Our night spot was the picnic area just west of Urebeno where we munched an apple and watched West Wing.
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