Bar Scene

Click on photos to enlarge.

Saturday morning the day promised to be cool and damp with the temperature never reaching above 60°F/16°C and the humidity never reaching below 97%. This isn't our first winter. We dressed appropriate for a day we planned to spend in the wind, riding the Santa's Helpers toy drive poker run out of beautiful Aransas Pass, Texas.

On our way to the event, we collected our traveling companion, Nurse Jo, who abandoned her title of "back rest" in favor of "back warmer" which suited me just fine, given the conditions.

Into the mouth of the Hawk we rode, accompanied by our Indian companions, Cool Arrow and Reacharound who were headed for a bead pulling contest on the west end of town. Our roads diverged as we crossed the harbor and set our wheels on the Nueces Bay Causeway. Arriving at the Aransas Pass Moose Lodge, we said your howdies, shook some hands, hugged some necks and admired the new paint on Bob's trike

The second Saturday in December is entirely likely to be cold and wet; dabblers tend to stay at home with their bikes safe from the great outdoors. Motorcycles were heavily outnumbered by cars and I thought one of our trio might draw the high poker hand, this year, if only by default.

There were a few other riders out there and, for a short time, they bottle necked at the ever-popular Blue Marlin Saloon on Corpus Christi's "North Beach".



Since we were not really in need of anything cold to drink, we exchanged pleasantries and made our way back outside. We'd seen this Harley earlier, in Port Aransas, and Jo got off to the riders unusual helmet. That must be why we overlooked the unusual handlebars. As we were admiring them Jo asks me if I feel "intimidated". What is it with chicks, anyhow?

I suppose I could have told her that I modeled for the things but experience has taught that such claims usually result in derisive laughter. The world has changed considerably since those days when we bought "titty grips" to replace the stock items.



My taste runs more to the bars on this sharp 750 Shadow.

From thence (thence?) we made our way back across the bays to the City of Ingleside. About three years ago, my band participated in a fund raiser/poker run, there, at the Buckhorn Saloon. The rider turn out was fantastic and the number of musicians who pitched in and the quality of their performances is remembered vividly by those who attended. This time out, it was considerably quieter.

There were about ten Harley-Davidson motorcycles parked on the street and a nearly equal number of riders shooting pool inside. Our stop here was brief and as we departed the pool shooters invited the lovely Nurse Jo to stay and socialize, a bit. Bikers are a friendly bunch. She graciously declined, perhaps bedazzled by my stylish bumblebee jacket and tan Frogg Toggs, a bold fashion statement midst a sea of leather jackets and chaps.



We returned to the lodge where I had the high poker hand for just about as long as it takes to tell about it. The music was good and the company was good but soon enough it was time to begin our return trek.

A lot of the flavor of the event was lost, in my estimation, when it moved from its ten-year home at the biker bar, to the lodge. The few bikes that were ridden were squeezed out of the, otherwise, spacious parking lots.

Next year I may just mail a donation.

Parading Around

Sunday, December 6, Jill, Nurse Jo and I putted on over to Texas A&M, Corpus Christi where the 25th annual "Toys for Tots" parade formed up. The parade is "old home day" and we get the chance to visit with folks, some of whom we haven't seen since the previous December.
The weather was cool and damp, not as good as last year, but a whole lot better than some previous years.

We parked our bikes and commenced to people and scooter watch. We spotted this Suzuki parked near some Winger friends. I like the looks of it but the last time I threw my leg over a sport bike both legs cramped, immediately; I'll stick to just looking.

While I invited my passenger, some folks just went ahead and purchased one (not that there's anything wrong with that).

One thing you can count on in this part of the world is the presence, rain or shine, hot or cold, of the Christian Motorcycle Association. They brought hot coffee and hot chocolate out in this very cool truck, this year.

There was the usual variety of bikes, of course, but I think I may have seen more new Harley-Davidsons, this year, as well as more Gold Wings.

At or about 11:00 am the lead bike moved off and we motored around Corpus Christi Bay.



An old concrete plant turned concert venue is the toy drop-off point, also the point to drink beer (or CMA coffee) and eat barbecued brisket while listening to live music and admiring the graceful strides of fine biker women.

It's good to see the little ones at this kind of event where they are exposed to the very best of the sub-culture. Not till after we got home did I see the way the banner in the background showed up over the lad’s head. It says it all.

The early afternoon wore on and we decided that, while we had liked listening to the band, the auctioneer wasn’t moving us, so we moved ourselves. Consensus was that a ride around the bay would have more therapeutic value than returning home the way we came.

To ride around the bay, one must cross the ferry at Port Aransas. As the ferry left the landing an empty oil tanker, the Overseas Beryl, was making her way up the ship channel, bound for open water.
When a ship is moving her bow forms a wave called, appropriately enough, a bow wave. Dolphins often swim in these bow waves and we spotted several doing just that.



The lettering on her stern indicates she is registered in the Marshall Islands.



The sight of the dolphins in the ship channel inspired us to make a stop at the Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Center, in Port Aransas.
During migration season, bird watchers (“birders”) from all over the world come to our area of the state.

This Tri-color Heron moved aside for us to climb the observation tower.



This reserve shelters various coastal and migratory birds, wrens, sparrows and finches as well as nutria and alligator.



Jill is a knowledgeable birder and she and Nurse Jo enjoyed spotting and identifying the birds.



I took a turn at the telescope and spotted a crane. It was way over at one of the construction yards where drilling platforms are built.

Directly, the call of the wild was replaced by the call of coffee and we answered it in a leisurely fashion. It was that kind of day.