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April 19, 2005
The Weekend
This past weekend we had a bit of a dilemma. Sara wanted to go to the beach, while I had a hankering to tour some large petro-chemical plants. However, we both agreed that we wanted the to option of driving our rental car straight into a large body of water if we so chose. Normally the above is a kind of hard to reconcile to-do list, but this is Texas baby! Where everything is possible!
We stopped by Dunkin' Donuts for some iced coffee then jumped on Rt. 288 headed south. Soon enough, were were driving through lovely burgs like Clute, TX: Population 3,100 people & 11 huge chemcial operations (perhaps you've heard of their Mosquito Festival?) We did some sightseeing around Clute and its neighbor Freeport, TX for as long as we could hold our breathe. Then, convienently, we drove another half mile down the road from the plants and arrived at Bryan Beach State Park.
We were thinking the same thing that you probably are, just how safe is it to go swimming less than a mile from 11 aging chemical operations? Well, judging from the number of people fishing it can't be that bad. Plus, when you went in the water the burning sensation only took 5 or 10 minutes to get use to.
So at that point we had toured the plants and been to the beach, but how about that option to drive the car right into the water? Well, luckly folks in Texas either really, really, really like there cars or really, really, really dislike the idea of walking to the beach from a parking lot. Take a look:
OK, so the police in the above picture are driving out to make these people get there cars off the beach and give them a ticket and a fine or something right? No, they were actually patroling and giving tickets to anyone they saw WALKING down the beach.
Here's another:
You have to give these folks credit though, there's no need to bring an umbrella with you when you can sit comfortably in the shade of your Ford F-350.
Posted by stan at April 19, 2005 11:23 AM
Comments
Why is this unusual to you? Driving down the beach in Daytona, FL is what Daytona Beach is all about... So, it's not a novel concept.
Posted by: X at April 20, 2005 01:02 PM
I find is unusual primarily because every other beach I've ever been to in my entire life strictly and explicitly forbade driving the ol' Pontiac right into the water, yet at the two beaches I've been to since moving to Texas it seems the norm.
Secondarily, I find it at least a bit curious that people go to the beach, presumably at least in part to enjoy nature with the sun and the surf and the sand and all, yet do so without venturing more than 6 feet away from their Chevy. There seems to be a condradiction there, no?
Posted by: stan at April 20, 2005 03:12 PM