This is our first official day at Bentsen Palm Resort RV Park, and the weather is cooperating beautifully, with highs in the mid-80s and lows in the high 60s.  We’re almost back to a normal routine with coffee, email, and the news and weather first thing in the morning.  We went to the clubhouse at 9:00 AM for coffee and pastries (too many points for those of us on Weight Watchers).  The crowd was pretty sparse but some 40 RVs are expected in today.  We kind of like it quiet, but it’s fun when all the spaces are full, too.

Kay made a short trip to the grocery store and ran the car through an automatic carwash to remove most of the towing grease, grind, and dirt.  Though not totally clean, it sure looked better!

We got to exchange roles today, and welcome new arrivals, particularly those parking in Circle 3.  Otherwise, it was a pretty calm day.

After “palapa time” and dinner, we played card bingo, and I won the very first round—a total of $1.90, whereupon Kay immediately “borrowed” $0.40.  Consequently, I brought home less money than I took!

With today being a long travel day—in fact, it’s the last leg of our trip south for the winter—we awoke early and made preparations to leave. Now that were in the traveling groove again, it was quick work, and we left shortly after 6:00 AM, in the darkness of early morning (the photo shows our site in daylight). We drove southwest to Freeport, then west to Bay City, and further west to Victoria. We then drove south to Riviera, just below Kingsville, then west to Falfurrias (this rural highway takes us by hundreds of sandhill cranes feeding in the rangeland), south to Edinburg, and then to Bentsen Palm Village RV resort in Mission, Texas, our winter destination; we arrived shortly before 3:00 PM.

We checked in, drove to our site, and began the process of setting up. It takes a little longer to set up when you’re going to spend 3 months at the same location, making it as much like home as possible.  We unhooked the tow bar from the car and stowed it, unloaded the bicycles, and unhooked the bicycle carrier from the car, stowing it as well. We laid out the patio rug, the outdoor reclining chairs, gas grill, and assorted outdoor tables, and we even put the satellite dish, the Tailgater, on the roof and out of the way.  This was all needed for great outdoor living, and all the time old friends and acquaintances, mostly from Canada, would stop by to welcome us "home". We were essentially finished setting up by 4:00 PM, happy hour time at our Circle 3 palapa. Bentsen Palm Village RV Resort was designed very well, with 6 circles of RV sites, and sites on the outer edges as well.  We are part of Circle 3, in site 310, and residents of our circle gather at 4 PM each afternoon for happy hour and conversation. We really get to know folks this way, and it’s almost like extended family.

After happy hour, Kay and I immediately headed for the hot tub to get rid of aches and pains from traveling all day—ahhh…

Needless to say, we spent a quiet evening in the air-conditioned motorhome.  Tomorrow will bring another fun-filled day!