Los Ebanos Ferry to Hebbonville
March 13, 2008We woke to roosters crowing and a vehicle pulling in. It stopped at the gate and the tan lab ran over to greet its tires. The uniformed man got out and walked around the ferry compound until another officer came with the key to unlock the gate. Within a half hour four cars were in line and several were parked dropping off pedestrians.
After paying our fifty cents per person we stepped aboard the first ferry across the Rio Grande River into Mexico. A woman was carrying two large bags filled with items from the US and we helped her carry them onto the boat. The ferry carries three vehicles and walkers. There is a thick rope across the river with pulleys and the men pull the ferry across. The Mexican town of Gastavo Diaz Ordaz is a short mile and a half up the road; taxies wait to bring people into town for $6. We walked up and down the rough sidewalk between the river and the Mexican gate; took pictures of the cable, the ferry and the river. We watched as a man swam across the river pulling a small round tube filled with three people; they got out on the US side and walked into the reeds. They must not have proper papers, but no one seemed to care. We got back on the ferry to return to the US. Will helped pull the ferry across the Rio Grande River. Back on US soil we took out our passports and walked up to the gate. The attendant came out and told us to come around to the right side; she ran our passports through the machine and we were once again legal in the US.
Next fall we want to take the sports car for a road trip to Gastavo Diaz Ordaz.
Back on US83 we are moving west along a four lane divided road. Blackbirds fly in flocks looking like swarms of bugs. In Rio Grande City we got a wifi hit so Kathy updated the blog while Will did a few projects. He attached our new second house battery, put up the hat rack in the back and did some other stuff. Three hours later we are off again.
We turned north on route 649 and soon found ourselves in rolling hills climbing into the hill country of Texas. The bright green of the mesquite trees stretched out in every direction for miles beyond the ribbon of two-laner we traveled. Fenced in on both sides we were channeled to travel on. It is rare that there are areas of TX that are not fenced. Here’s an idea for someone traveling the roads of TX: take pictures of the gates; call your coffee table book, Vanity Gates…. we’ll take royalties for the idea.
Right at the corner of routes 649 and 16 is Rudy’s Roadhouse where they sell hot food, groceries and drinks. Inside is store out front and on the side is a big dining room with a bar. A head of an elk sits tall with his cowboy hat on. The couple lives there and said business was very slow today. Usually they get truckers, border patrol and bikers to stop for lunch. Today we were the only ones there except for the two police cars out front.
We popped into a picnic area on route 16 and enjoyed tacos and played some Dragonology. Will made a new chair cover while Kathy read a magazine. (Thanks Mary! I see lots of new recipes to try and ones to send along to others. And I learned to wipe your garlic or onion smelling fingers on stainless steel faucet to get the smell off. Somebody let me know if it works.) Leaving the area we stopped to help a couple who had a flat tire; they had someone coming with a spare and we left them with some cold water.
Lots of Caracaras soaring, sitting on fence posts, flapping down the highway looking for roadkill and strutting around. In Hebbonville Kathy went into the Catholic Church which looked much like an old mission to admire the glass windows, say a few prayers for family and friends, and light a candle for loved ones smiling down at us.
We found a nice roadside picnic area for the night and started our walking regiment once again. We did fifteen minutes around and around moving those hip joints and leg muscles after months of non-exercise! Felt good.
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