The outlandish outline in the distance really piqued our interest. What building could possibly create that peculiar profile here on the Texas coast? It was quite clear from our South Padre Island viewpoint eight miles away. A drilling rig? An oil refinery? The hideout of a James Bond villain?
As it turned out, it was closer to the latter. Having driven over to investigate, the signage that greeted us was positively jaw-dropping. “Gateway to Mars” it proclaimed in 10ft-tall letters. We had discovered Elon Musk’s Starbase.
To our amazement, passers-by could walk right up to this much-heralded space programme funded by the richest man on earth. The 100-acre, $20bn complex, with its colossal Starship rocket system, is located inside Boca Chica State Park, and Boca Chica Boulevard runs right through it. From Boca Chica Beach, we stood on the dunes and marveled at the awe-inspiring development. Although off-limits during launch days, we arrived during a quiet week and were able to get a full close-up of this mind-boggling monument to private enterprise, headlined by Musk’s intention to take humanity to Mars.
Read more: The best US National Parks to visit
Our Boca Chica jaunt capped a week’s bliss on South Padre Island, where we had dropped anchor in month nine of our grand, year-on-the-road RV adventure. It provided a beatific bolthole to slow down on our hectic cross-country trail, thanks to fabulous fresh seafood, wide open beaches and spectacular nightly sunsets.
We relished the dockside delights of Mahi Nic, the tropical ambience of Viva SPI, with its mix of island flavours and Latin-inspired dishes, and the cosy Meatball Café, where the authentic Italian cuisine featured sensational sea scallops, while Josephine’s Kitchen served up fabulous breakfast fare.
But it was time to begin the three-month trundle back to Florida. At 28,000 miles – and counting – we had chalked up an epic trail across the not-so-wild West but there was still more to discover as we pointed our 36ft Winnebago eastwards. There was much more of Texas to see, plus Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama before we reached home again.
In truth, we hadn’t been as enthused about this leg of the journey after the epic scenery of
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at The Independent Travel…