Saturday, November 28, 2015

Surfside, Texas Beach Camping, Bird Watching, Bike Tour

Bikes, photography and bird watching, not just a bike geek.
When I got an opportunity to check out some of the awesome birding opportunities available in south Texas I grabbed my pack kit and pedaled Southwest...

Yep, that's right into the wind as currents more than typically blow from the Gulf with such vigor that often times it is nearly impossible to enjoy riding a bike, thank goodness for drop bars.  However my fifty mile route to Surfside fortunately winds its' way through the 44,414 acre Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge, part of the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail which not only offers awesome birding opportunities but provides some much welcomed wind breaks as the road winds through and along the fresh water slough and salt marshes.

Whether it be dumb luck, good timing or the good graces of the bike gods the winds have turned in my favor providing not only a potential tail wind but cooler temperatures as well.  Because my rides are planned around my work schedule and the fact that wind is a factor for bike travel time I have found a nice reference for estimating my travel routes with a wind map providing current wind conditions throughout the United States.

Picture of Touring Bike with racks and panniers
I prefer having my pack kit ready to roll out when opportunity presents itself.