Talk about exotic tropical trips.

Hi there fellow Pirates - Bob Pflanz here.

I don't go to those romantic exotic places that some of you go when you travel. I often go to the wrong side of the tracks and see the urban sprawl. It wasn't intentional, it just happens. When I go to the mountains, I see abandoned mines and sludge ponds. When traveling to the ocean, I see soap suds and dead critters. This year for something different, I went to southern Texas in the summertime. Here is what I wrote on my blog:

How hot is it in southern Texas in August? I'm glad you asked.
I just returned from the Rio Grande valley in southern Texas (Down near Brownsville). I had been told that the heat down there is different because it's a “dry” heat – they LIED!

It's so hot the bees sweat.
It's so hot the armadillos are packing their bags and moving north.
It's so hot the surviving cows give powdered milk.

It's HOT! But there is a nice sweltering moist breeze from the ocean that forces you inside most of the day. It's a nice place to visit (in the winter). There are a lot of Winter Texans (who aren't there right now) who know better than to visit in the summertime. You live and you hopefully learn. Without air conditioning, it would really be uncomfortable. As we were returning north we passed just east of Dallas where it was the 13th day in a row over 100 degrees. Our car thermometer hit pockets of heat in certain areas that topped 107 degrees. It was good to get home to our comfortable 95 degrees.

It's so hot the trees are looking for shade.

Hang in there and really appreciate fall.