Juneteenth Road Trip

 I considered the Texas and North Carolina coast for this trip.  I wanted to see an Astros game as well as the Juneteenth mural in Galveston, so I opted for Texas.  I've been to the Texas coast several times, so I knew what to expect.  Hard brown sand near the water with parking on the beach itself and opaque water with a brownish tint but better and more consistent surf than the Florida Gulf.  If you leave early enough, yes it's possible to make it to Crystal Beach, near Galveston and take a dip before sunset in just one day.

I opted to drive to Beaumont, about an hour from the beach on Friday.  Not a bad call but I was a little disappointed to find that the downtown area was pretty much dead.  Surprising for a town of that size.  I did get a decent Cajun dinner at a restaurant across the street from my motel, which was dirt cheap and was up before the sun the next morning.  

I arrived in Galveston around 8:30 and stayed in the surf until almost noon.  From there, it was about an hour to Houston for a 3:15 game.  I've now been to half of the MLB parks for either a game or a stadium tour.  Who knows?  Maybe I will eventually hit all 30.  With the possible exception of Detroit and both in Chicago, I've now been to all of the ones within driving distance of Birmingham.  Minute Maid Park wasn't among my favorites.  I'm not a fan of indoor baseball because it has a sterile feel to it.  That said, when it's 93 degrees outside with a heat index over 100, I was glad that the roof was closed, and it was a comfortable 73 degrees inside.  It was still scorching hot at 6PM when the game was over.  Astros lost 10-3 but the game was competitive until the 9th inning and I enjoyed talking to the guy sitting next to me. 

I stayed in Crystal Beach the next 2 nights.  Full beach day on Sunday and a dip on Monday morning before a smooth ride back to Alabama.  

Final thought:

Enjoyed this trip but it's not one that I will look back on with unforgettable memories.  It may have been a mistake to get out of my routine after a possible breakthrough on the medical front with the new brand of Apple Cider Vinegar.  I hoped to limit my use of caffeine but when driving 9 hours, I kinda had to use energy drinks.  No use trying to quit again when I have another trip coming up the following weekend.  

The demographics of Texas are changing fast.  I predict that it will be competitive in 2024 and it could be blue in 2028 unless the Hispanic votes shifts.  If that happens, it will be almost mathematically impossible for the Republicans to win at the national level and the Democrats will double down on failed policies.