Ep. 122: Padre Island National Seashore | Texas RV travel camping

We share all sorts of sights and sounds around Padre Island and its namesake National Seashore in this episode, including camping at Padre Balli County Park and boondocking right on the sand at North Beach, which should be a bucket list camping experience for any beach lover or surf fisherman. We also go kayaking on Laguna Madre at Bird Island Basin, and visit the bayside city of Corpus Christi, and Port Aransas on adjacent Mustang Island, where they're still recovering from Hurricane Harvey's landfall two years later. But we start off with an interview with the king and queen of Texas camping, Tom & Stacie Langland from @RVTexasYall.
Filmed: October 5-13, 2019
FOR MORE INFORMATION
* RV Texas Y'all / rvtexasyall
* Padre Balli County Park www.nuecesbeachparks.com/padr...
* Padre Island National Seashore www.nps.gov/pais
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ABOUT US
Welcome to Grand Adventure, a KZbin channel that focuses on RV-centric outdoor activities including not only of course camping, but also mountain biking, hiking, kayaking, skiing and more, always filmed in stunning 4K.
We're based in Salt Lake City, Utah, and invite you to come along as we travel all around the western U.S. My wife Patricia and I, and dog Zoe are avid boondockers, so you'll seldom find us in RV parks or even dry campgrounds. Instead, we're usually camped in some of the most remote and beautiful spots that you could ever pull a travel trailer into. And unlike most other RV channels on KZbin, we're not RV dealers or full-timers -- we're "long-timers" who tend to hit the road for weeks or months at a time, while maintaining a sticks-and-bricks home in Utah.
We'll provide beautiful travel videos, as well as some tips and insight on trip planning, and equipping and maintaining your RV to make your next adventure a grand one indeed! So, subscribe to make sure that you catch every episode, and remember...life is nothing but a Grand Adventure!
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#RV #travel #Texas #camping #padreisland #nationalpark #boondocking #beachcamping #beach

[@weswalker1208]

I know you've heard me chime in several times. I was born on Ocean Drive and live most of my 57 years here in Corpus. I live in Flour Bluff not more than 10 or 15 minutes from Bob Hall Pier. I'm telling you you have a future with your cinematography and the research on the areas that you travel because you nailed it. You could actually do Chamber of Commerce videos. People I have to tell you he captured North Padre Island 100%. With his experience he put his trailer on the whites and nestled in the edge on the white sand dunes the dark sand is where the tide comes up. That placement kept him safe take note. There is a beautiful constant White Noise Day and Night of the surf and just a short distance away is the calm Serenity of the Laguna Madre he referred to as the intercostal. Which is a far cry from the choppy Seas and it's Lake like serenity. He did touch on fishing then that is gigantic here. The Laguna Madre and the National Seashore is a migration route for many species of fish as well as Birds. Regarded as some of the best in the world for both. I am a subscriber to the Texas y'all I believe it is KZbin channel. They are fascinated with history and I believe that inspired this video research. All I have to say it is 1 a remarkable job capturing the charm of Corpus Christi Texas nearby Padre Island National Seashore. It could not have been done better. Cheers

[@GrandAdventure]

Holy *^&%, Wes...my word, thank you so much from the bottom of our hearts! When we go somewhere we try to get a feel on the vibe of the place, and try to share that as best we can with our cameras. We're so grateful that you think that we accomplished this. Your comment truly means the world to us.

[@weswalker1208]

@@GrandAdventure I reached out I really love to have met you all and when I found out another group that I subscribed to was there it kills me that I did not get to meet everybody. Maybe next time around. I can tell you it gave me more appreciation for the work that you do. By the way I have one of those phones you recommended LOL

[@GrandAdventure]

@@weswalker1208 we know, and we're truly disappointed that it didn't work out as we truly love to meet our Grand Adventurers while out on the road. Next time for certain, and we're thrilled that Visible is working out for you the way that it is for us. Two episodes from now we'll be showcasing the Rockport area, also in your neighborhood.

[@weswalker1208]

@@GrandAdventure I am a appreciative fan of your Channel and I will be making an announcement on this video because of the ringing endorsement you gave our community.. I'm going to announce a street side driveway parking overnight free water and rinse your rig dump your black water. I believe Streetside I could accommodate up to about 40 ft reasonably level residential street for One Night of over nights free parking 4 the upcoming winter season particularly KZbinrs.

[@GrandAdventure]

@@weswalker1208 wow! Very generous, Wes! I'm sure that our viewers will appreciate that, and we truly appreciate our viewers. Thank you so much, Wes.

[@zolaburgess8344]

Lived in Corpus Christi for 2 1/2 years, as my Dad had shore duty in the Navy. Spent many weekends on the beach of Padre Island. Memories being so special~ Plan to visit someday~ Thanks for this video~

[@GrandAdventure]

Thanks for sharing your story, Zola! It's definitely worthy of a return.

[@cwsmith7366]

Couple of things I would like to mention regarding visiting gulf beaches. Number one, if you do some gulf beach boondocking, best not to go during full or new moons as the tides are always more extreme during those times, although bigger swell conditions are also a major factor. Number two, even if you never drove in water, be sure to THOROUGHLY rinse the undercarriage of your vehicle(s) with fresh water and even better, buy a couple of large cans of WD-40 or similar water displacement formulas and spray down everything except rubber components, if possible.

[@GrandAdventure]

Excellent advice CW. We enjoyed both a full moon *and* bigger swells! LOL The very first thing we did when we left was hit the self-serve car wash on the mainland end of the JFK Causeway (first exit) to thoroughly hose down both the truck and trailer.

[@josephpessotti3876]

Best video of Padre Island area.

[@GrandAdventure]

Thank you Joseph!

[@pennysaufley8974]

You captured my two favorite coastal birds: the sandpipers and the pelicans! Those little feet going ding ding ding ding ding. And those massive wings gliding along, looking like B52s! Or teradactyls! There's a military fam camp in Corpus Cristi that we are hoping to stay at; will let you know how it is!

[@GrandAdventure]

We'd love to hear, Penny - thank you!

[@michaelfitzgerald434]

Hot? We Texans are sharing, caring people Marc! Hope you enjoyed every degree!! Seriously, welcome to Texas where it does get a bit warmish!!!!!

[@GrandAdventure]

Michael, the hospitality of your fellow Texans was very much appreciated and enjoyed! We have a few more Texas episodes in coming weeks, but we're anxious to return as there's so much more for us to see and enjoy.

[@spellmadam2947]

Thanks for the introduction to RV Texas Y'all. We had never heard of them before. Also great Padre Island coverage. Thanks. We need to tender that way in the future.

[@GrandAdventure]

Tom & Stacie @RVTexasYall are wonderful folks, thanks for checking them out!

[@littledove1292]

i love padre island n corpus very friendly areas n partys hell ya

[@laughingram7287]

Excellent! One of my favorite videos! Just chalk full of cool stuff!! Thanks for putting out all these videos.

[@GrandAdventure]

And thank you as always for your supportive comment, Laughing Ram!

[@merlin1477024]

You'll like Rockport. Great video subjects there along the docks. Thanks, Marc!

[@GrandAdventure]

We did, and there are! (Our reality is now a few weeks ahead of our KZbin video schedule.) Mrs. GA particularly loved the Rockport area.

[@lornadeboer7346]

You do such a great job of videoing! I love watching your shows

[@GrandAdventure]

Thanks so much, Lorna! We love having you along for the ride!

[@kitten103083]

Great video. !!!’ I am going this weekend. I can’t wait!

[@GrandAdventure]

Thanks, and have fun!

[@Kaiakka]

As you promised, this episode is spectacular! I love camping on Padre Island Seashore beaches, unfortunately I no longer live close, but I hope to return again! I’m happy the temperature dropped enough for you to enjoy dry camping on the beach! Enjoy the fresh shrimp!

[@GrandAdventure]

We have so much, Kaiakka 2020! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

[@ivettecaraballo4826]

Thanks Marc! I’ve shared it with our kids and putting it on our list! 👍

[@GrandAdventure]

It's a rare opportunity to boondock right on the sand. It doesn't get any better than that for oceanfront camping.

[@livinlargeinalittlerv9102]

Beautiful video Marc!!! Welcome to the Lone Star. Howdy RV Texas Ya'll.

[@GrandAdventure]

Thank you Livin Large! We've thoroughly enjoyed our time in the Lone Star State. More Texas episodes to come.

[@DanyRivard]

Magnifique boondocking !!!

[@GrandAdventure]

Merci! Mrs. GA wants to comment: Bonjour Dany, vous devez sortir du Quebec! c'est magnifique

[@lindarainey5759]

Love Tom and Stacey!

[@GrandAdventure]

So do we!

[@BenNstyle]

Marc, another epic video full of awesome content!

[@GrandAdventure]

Thanks so much as always, Ben!

[@johnelliott8971]

Outstanding video Marc!

[@GrandAdventure]

Glad you liked it, John! Did we do well showing your home? We couldn't remember, is it in Port Aransas or Aransas Pass? We're in Rockport in the video in 2 weeks.

[@johnelliott8971]

@@GrandAdventure Corpus Christi/Padre Island is home, and you did an excellent job showing the area. 👍

[@littledove1292]

i loved n flour bluff went to padre island every day loved it

[@curthiggins8792]

Hi Marc, I am not a “shore” person but you managed to elicit an appreciation for the natural beauty! Nicely done! I admire your “grit” awaiting high tide during the night...I would not have slept at all!

[@GrandAdventure]

Thank you Curt! Honestly, I slept right through it and didn't realize how high the tide had come in until I awoke in the morning and took a look. I knew that if it reached the trailer it would be at most an inch deep as it would barely reach, and that seemed to be the case.

[@marcomorissette7940]

Thanks for the greats videos!!👍🇨🇦

[@GrandAdventure]

Thank you Marco!

[@helenmallazzo7094]

Awesome !!!

[@GrandAdventure]

Thank you so much Helen!

[@nlh5992]

So sad about the couple that was killed in that area Take care in your travels

[@abrahanrodriguez9003]

What couple?

[@cheriwaller7598]

That was cool you ran into RV Texas Y'all! I They have good content as well. This was a neat video!!! We love watching your stuff. Keep up the good work!

[@GrandAdventure]

Thank you Cheri! This was a planned connection with Tom & Stacie, we've known them both electronically for the past few years and when we realized that we'd be within a few hours' drive of one another on this trip, we made plans to connect. They're great folks.

[@petraolsen2397]

Terrific video loved the beach camping wow loved the portable fire pit. Big shout out to Tom and Stacie, Grammy K and of course the "Starr" of the show Looking forward to the next video Marc

[@GrandAdventure]

Thanks so much, Petra!

[@williamkeil8414]

Outstanding video as usual, well done.

[@GrandAdventure]

And a wonderful and welcome comment as usual, William -- thank you!

[@pismodoug1321]

I was satisfied with your intro! lol you really seemed to enjoy yourself with this adventure. Awesome video Thank You

[@GrandAdventure]

Thank you so much, Doug!

[@LewPatton]

Glad you are liking my state! I really like your videos!

[@GrandAdventure]

Thank you, Lew! Texas has been very welcoming for us, with much to see and enjoy.

[@pilotdiana]

Wes Walker says it perfectly. You did an excellent job of videoing Padre Island. I live just one hour away and your video makes me want to start my class C engine and go.

[@GrandAdventure]

The weekend's just around the corner, Diana! And with the current cooler weather now's the perfect time. Do it!

[@joeltemplin3570]

Another excellent grand adventure...you do a great job of describing in both words and super video. I might have trouble sleeping worrying about a higher tide what with water splashing at the trailer wheels though.

[@GrandAdventure]

It's all part of life being nothing but a Grand Adventure! As Nike says, sometimes....just do it!

[@maggiemay97]

Sadly this area was devastated by the tropical storms and hurricane that came through here during the summer of 2020. The “T” of Bob Hall Pier collapsed and a lot of the rest of the pier was seriously damaged.

[@GrandAdventure]

So we heard, Maggie. 😢 We wish the entire region a speedy and thorough recovery.

[@lorih379]

You should be getting some relief now. In Texas we love our cold fronts!

[@GrandAdventure]

We're now in SE NM heading towards home, Lori. We'll be in Cortez, CO tomorrow night and we'll have to winterize Sunday morning before we leave camp to finish our journey. Lots more Texas video content to come, however!

[@jimmybutler3728]

Nice to see some enjoying their lifes in this time in USA without worrying what is next...

[@GrandAdventure]

pics.me.me/thumb_what-me-worry-kids-these-days-don%E2%80%99t-remember-the-original-62024491.png

[@yeshuaischrist9951]

Wow, be careful.❤🙏

[@jesib7526]

Very enjoyable video Marc! This made me really miss the beach!!! The beach has been on the back burner but .. now....:)

[@GrandAdventure]

Do it, Jesi! Our nation is so wonderfully diverse, there's no reason to not fire up that RV and enjoy its diversity. There's also some wonderful oceanfront camping along the Pacific Coast; some of our favorites have been in Washington kzbin.info/www/bejne/gIHMdGN4mNp5m9U and NorCal kzbin.info/www/bejne/qaClnaaOnc6Nf6s . We haven't yet made it back to the East Coast, but two out of three ain't bad.

[@DrJohn493]

...and you want to go back to the cold and snow and ice and tire chains and shoveling snow after this!? Sheeesh! ;-) It's okay to give in to the snowbird migration urge.

[@GrandAdventure]

LOL! Skiing is still our first love, John. Probably will be until I can't walk any more and they chain me to a bed in a nursing home.

[@DrJohn493]

@@GrandAdventure That's what Delta Airlines is for. But I understand. We tried skiing years ago and learned quickly why hot tubs are popular at ski resorts.

[@GrandAdventure]

@@DrJohn493 LOL! We've got a hot tub when we get home. 😎 Personally I skied 105 days last year, eclipsing my previous record by four days; it's hard to do that from afar. When we lived in Florida my best season was 30 days. I've been skiing since age 4, and with the exception of that Florida stint always lived within driving distance. My father was in the ski industry, and I spent 10 years as a ski patroller. The passion is just in my blood. Now we're living within 20 minutes of four of the top resorts in the world, including my beloved Alta, and it's hard to let go of that.

[@DrJohn493]

Grand Adventure well, I tried. Be safe on the slopes ⛷!

[@JoeDaniels1]

Another great video Marc. Been following Tom and Stacy of RV Texas Yall almost as long as I've been following you. And BTW Tom is a great BBQ'er.

[@GrandAdventure]

So we've heard...so why didn't we avail ourselves of his expertise? Dumb, dumb, dumb!

[@JoeDaniels1]

@@GrandAdventure Live and learn... maybe next time.

[@christineryan7522]

Beautiful video! We are making our way to Texas now on our way to Arizona. You are tempting us to check out the coast. We are also anxious to learn about your security cameras too. Thank you SO MUCH for all your hard work creating and editing!

[@GrandAdventure]

Thank you, Christine! This one was about a 30-hour edit, not to mention the filming and all of the other aspects of putting out a weekly video. We're grateful that you appreciate what we put into these. You really do need to check the Texas Coast and Big Bend on your way through the state (Big Bend is covered in Episodes 119 & 120). And we're just putting the finishing touches on the security camera video edit for next Wednesday.

[@ExtremeRVing]

Good stuff, guys!! I remember chatting with you on that day you were on the beach with the tide coming in late that night. LOL! And GREAT comment about the drone, we get a LOT of that, but that's why Ron has trained professionally to follow the FAA rules & regs

[@GrandAdventure]

Exactly. We figured that we'd head off those naysayer comments before they started flooding in. Only the FAA has the authority to regulate airspace, whereas other entities can only regulate what takes place on their land. This is the case with the NPS, State Parks that restrict drone use, etc. It's the same reason that, say, a National Park can't keep someone from flying their Cessna overhead. For example we're presently staying at a NM State Park. I couldn't find anything about whether or not they restrict drone use in NM State Parks as many states do, but just to be safe I actually drove outside the boundary of the State Park yesterday to take off and land, yet I was able to legally film the lake and the campground.

[@thomasdipaolo2349]

Appreciate another informative video. Look fwd to security cam video. Thanks

[@GrandAdventure]

Thank you Thomas!

[@emmanuelking9988]

Great video production 👌

[@GrandAdventure]

Thank you Emmanuel!

[@ivettecaraballo4826]

Thank you for suggesting this episode Marc! Hubby and I watching it and we're putting this place on our list for the near future! Looking forward to boon-docking on the beach or very near the beach. Not during mid summer though! Lol! We live in Texas and we know how hot it can get. ☀️☀️☀️😁

[@GrandAdventure]

And that was in October! We had to wait for the cold front to come through to move from the air conditioning, but it was worth every moment that we waited. It's a spectacular experience that every RV camper should have.

[@ivettecaraballo4826]

@@GrandAdventure yes, we have some long summers here. We survived the Arctic blast that went through here last week and in my 35+ years that we’ve lived here never have I wished it was summer! Lol 😆 We’re originally from up north but not used to the extreme cold weather anymore. And now onto watching some more of your videos 😊 We love Canyon Lake and hoping to check out Crane Mills Park someday 👍

[@GrandAdventure]

@@ivettecaraballo4826 Thank you! I know that during the 8 years that we lived in Florida, our blood certainly thinned quite a bit even though we are both originally from a very cold climate.

[@bruceh3786]

I enjoyed the video. It shows a lot different camping than what I normally do. I hope you find some more great spots on your return to Utah and get to catch some of the fall colors. Today is a travel day for me after 10 days of enjoying the beautiful fall colors of the eastern AZ high country.

[@GrandAdventure]

We hope so too, Bruce! And thank you. Fortunately, the current winter weather system and this weekend's are both diving down the Front Range to our northeast...but barely. Where's your next stop?

[@bruceh3786]

@@GrandAdventure I am about 20 miles west of the Springerville, AZ (US 60 & AZ 260) area right now and will be heading to the Phoenix Valley. What route are you taking back to Utah to avoid the weather?

[@rexcarlson3464]

Hi Mark haven't seen ya for a season or two. Thought I'd say howdy.Looks like your living the dream 🚴

[@GrandAdventure]

Hey Rex! We've gotta make some turns this season.

[@MiguelGarcia-eg2mz]

I have to say that is how I found it about your channel through Tom and Stacy can't wait till i can meet them and your self when we me and my wife start our journey o Rving.

[@GrandAdventure]

We look forward to seeing you on the road, Miguel! So happy that you found our channel.

[@JantzRoadTrippin]

Amazing video we just started full time, and our channel, learning a lot watching all the you tubers out there, definitely on my bucket list to visit. Thanks for sharing ❤

[@GrandAdventure]

Thank you so much! We'll definitely check your channel out.

[@JantzRoadTrippin]

@@GrandAdventure thank you so much for subscribing, maybe we could meet up sometime, I am curious how you also love the togo? We are thinking of going that route, bare with us on learning on how to do videos, we have no idea and Are learning by watching over 10 couples on you tube and we are addicted to watching everyone and everyone is so different and its great to learn from all of you. We have absolutely no experience in cameras ir gear. We want to head to texas this winter.

[@GrandAdventure]

@@JantzRoadTrippin learning is part of the fun of the adventure! You'll find your niche and slide right into it. We don't use togo, however, we're using a cheap phone on Visible to serve as a hotspot.

[@littledove1292]

i love n lived corpus flour bluff close to padre island n rockport great places

[@jeandecker4073]

Wonderful video

[@GrandAdventure]

And a wonderful comment. Thank you Jean!

[@WhoaNellieRVAdventures]

I've been researching the area as we'll be going through there in December. According to @Wes Walker you nailed the area. I'm not surprised. Marc, I aspire to capture the beauty of an area as well as you do. Hi @RV Texas Ya'll! Fun to see you here on Marc's channel. ~Lucy

[@GrandAdventure]

We loved hosting @RVTexasYall, Lucy! And thank you as always. Honestly, if you're heading through that area don't miss the opportunity to camp on North Beach in PINS or, if you don't need the cell service, even more so on South Beach. It's a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

[@WhoaNellieRVAdventures]

@@GrandAdventure Thank You Marc!

[@ruthruiz1552]

Very good video.

[@GrandAdventure]

Thank you Ruth!

[@Tony13754]

Camping on the beach , Camp Fire at Night, Bottle of Wine & Friends . . . Nothing better in life . . .

[@GrandAdventure]

Indeed. Plus Siouxsie & The Banshees playing on the stereo. 😎

[@dennisholmgren9302]

Since this time, Padre Balli has opened up a brand new section. The sites are 50 amp with full hookups. Its a great campground.

[@GrandAdventure]

That may have already been in place while we were there, it sounds like the newer section where RV Texas Y'all was situated with their class A in this video, filmed from the drone. Those were indeed nice sites, but they wouldn't allow a 30-amp rig like ours in that section. We tried.

[@marianfrances4959]

my adult son (and travel companion) said, 'that's it! we're staying on the beach!'

[@mikewilson9349]

My wife and I have lived full time Roadtrek for 5 years. I have never used my black or gray water tanks yet. I plug in when I have power, which is rare, but that's it. You don't need hookups.

[@GrandAdventure]

We just wanted the A/C while at Padre Island as it was HTH until that cold front pushed through. Back in our home territory of the Rockies we're never in a campground.

[@tick_magnetedschaper5611]

For $25/night that's not bad. Thanks for a nice video.

[@GrandAdventure]

And you can save $25 as it's $150/week. As we were waiting for the promised change in the weather we opted to instead pay day-by-day, and ended up spending a week anyway doing so. (doh!) What's crazy, though, is that the spots that @RVTexasYall had to occupy only add a sewer hookup and upgrade the electric from 30A to 50A, yet they double the price to $50/night. They won't allow a 50A rig to occupy a 30A spot, even with an adapter.

[@danielquinn153]

Excellent Job Your Videos are on the money. Your by yourself self ? the wife is camera shy. LOL. Drive safe happy trails. Dan

[@GrandAdventure]

Thank you Dan, and same to you! Yep, Mrs. GA refuses to be on camera.

[@rambling_rob7035]

Great job, Marc. What a campsite there on the beach! I bet you gained 5 pounds in the rig with sand. 😁

[@GrandAdventure]

Ha! Rob, we're still finding sand.

[@lostways8196]

def more than 5 lbs lol

[@markreynolds9570]

Marc, have you boondocked below sea level yet? What's the highest elevation you've boondocked at? Great video again. Thanks

[@GrandAdventure]

We haven't, Mark, for the time we visited Death Valley kzbin.info/www/bejne/f6LTd2yVhdaro9E we stayed in Pahrump. We've been boondocking at 11,000 feet, so we've still got a pretty good spread. 😁 Thanks again!

[@komerwest5872]

No paved lot for me. Beach Camping is the best way to do the island

[@GrandAdventure]

We agree.

[@WaveTX]

Hi Marc, Your Grand Adventure videos are truly inspiring. So much so, that my wife and I bought a Travel Trailer (Toy Hauler) last week. Our plan is to take a 6 week trip next year through Utah and Colorado. But before then, we have a few beginner trips planned. If I may, I'd like to get more information on your battery system. Since the used Travel Trailer we bought needs a new battery, we thought it would be a good idea to upgrade. I like the double 6-volt golf cart battery idea. Is that still working well for you? Where is a good place to begin research? Thanks for all you do. :)

[@GrandAdventure]

Congrats on your new purchase, Shannon! And we're sure that you had lots of inspiration besides us, but we sincerely appreciate your comments. Yes, we're still on two wet-cell 6V GC-2 batteries. If you're a Costco member (or have a friend who is) you can get them rather inexpensively there, $85-90 each. With our solar production and our energy consumption we'd love to add two more, but that will require some modification to our battery tray and it's more of a "want" than a "need." Lithium iron phosphate (LiFePo) would be wonderful, but they're still out of our price range. As for research, start with FB groups. Also seek out any user forums for your brand of RV, or general sites like iRV2.com. Read, read, read! And ask questions when you need to. We're more than happy to help, but there are others with far more specialized in-depth knowledge and experience out there. The best advice I can give is, relax and have fun!

[@gavinstreetie1473]

Definitely one for the bucket list , can’t really believe how close to the water you were I would imagine a close eye on the weather is needed ? But well worth the effort The beach seams to go on forever how long is it ? On a different note the Texas accent sounds great Wow the fishing looks crazy what are they bringing in ? Also first I heard the term “diesel pusher “ that’s great I’m trying to convert everyone at work Thanks Marc another great instalment!

[@GrandAdventure]

Thanks Gavin as always! You definitely need to keep an eye on the tides, weather, etc when camping on the sand, but that just adds another dimension. Not sure what they were fishing for in the surf, but on the bay side it's all about redfish.

[@GoingPlacesOne]

Awesome vid! Do you have your part 107?

[@billpattillo9597]

Hey! That was my boat at the ramp!

[@GrandAdventure]

Really? No kidding!

[@billpattillo9597]

@@GrandAdventure took me a while to remember what I was doing there that day. Thanks for the video. We are thinking about getting our first RV!

[@GrandAdventure]

@@billpattillo9597 if we can help in any way with your decisions, just let us know. We're former boaters (sailors, on the Florida Gulf Coast) and when we got landlocked in Utah we had to figure something else. For us, an RV is just a land yacht. The systems are nearly identical, it just has wheels instead of a keel.

[@ericmoore6934]

Great kayaking video. I noticed you had your spray skirt on, there must of been quite a bit of waves. You looked pretty wet. We've considered coming to North Padre Island going to the beach, however its never has worked out. That is about the closest beach to my neck of the woods, but I think Los Angeles might be a little closer. We got our 2nd snow storm yesterday in Colorado Springs, got about 8 inches. It snowed down in Trinidad and Raton, NM, but I doubt it made it to south west NM where you're at. More snow is on the way for next week. I suppose you are headed back to Utah now ?

[@GrandAdventure]

Eric, I pretty much always paddle with a spray skirt to keep my lap dry from paddle drips, even with drip rings. Waves were negligible on Laguna Madre. We saw the snow in the Springs on TV! We're in Roswell, NM presently which is actually east-southeast NM, and that storm thankfully stayed just to our northeast. We love snow, but I'm not anxious to tow in it. Yes, we're presently working our way back towards home.

[@ericmoore6934]

oops, you're right, Roswell is in the southeast part of the state. I got my directions messed up, must of been thinking about Elephant Butte for some reason.

[@carjack69]

We always watch your videos..a little question,there any restriction for the time you can running the generator or is free,,we don’t have solar power and we want try boondocking for maybe three days.

[@GrandAdventure]

Thanks for sticking with us @carjack69! On Padre Island National Seashore there are no generator time restrictions, because it's not a campground. Nobody could ever hear your generator anyway with the surf pounding. Have fun, it's a wonderful experience! Just watch those tides -- get as close to the dunes as you can, and know your tide tables.

[@gorrdd]

I look forward to it Marc... Are you still in Carlsbad, NM? It looks like some serious snow is headed in your direction over the next week... dipping down into northeastern NM and northwestern Texas. Gord

[@GrandAdventure]

Yep, although we moved last night to near Roswell. It looks some well below-normal temperatures beginning tomorrow with the passage of a cold front, but we're just looking at sunny and dry along our route as that system seems to be dropping down along the Front Range of the Rockies and thereby passing to our north and east. We'll be traveling from SE NM to NW NM as we work our way back towards Utah.

[@gorrdd]

@@GrandAdventure Gotcha... Sounds like a good plan. There does appear to be a clear opening up into Utah for a while. Gord

[@margiebehan8194]

Great video. We were there about a month ago. No phone signal about 5 miles down beach. Did you have any issues with a signal?

[@GrandAdventure]

Thanks Margie! We didn't have any issues with cell, but because we had to work from the RV that's why we opted for North Beach over South Beach. We preferred South Beach and in fact, when the cold front came through we first drove down South Beach for a few miles trying to find a usable signal. It was weak and at times non-existent, so that at point we turned around and resigned ourselves to North Beach. It's a bit busier up there but as you could see, we had no regrets.

[@johannadelbusto7987]

Just stumbled on the channel... great job! enjoyed your adventure. Hoping to make it to Padre to camp, wondering what campground you stayed in , just in case we decide to retreat from the wind 😊 Thank you!

[@GrandAdventure]

Hey Johanna! That was Padre Balli County Park.

[@johannadelbusto7987]

@@GrandAdventure Marc thank you, you know I've always been here, didn't just stumble upon the channel.... always appreciate your insights. Much love my friend 🙏💕

[@GrandAdventure]

@@johannadelbusto7987 oh, I knew. ;)

[@carjack69]

Beutyful video i have a question..is more safe North beach than South Beach? Which one the sand is more packed and more wide area for boondocking?

[@GrandAdventure]

Thank you! North Beach and South Beach have nearly identical sand conditions and width, and both felt safe while we were there.

[@lemaitrethemonk]

Is there a proper way to predict high tide? Thank you for creating the video.

[@GrandAdventure]

You're most welcome, Emanuel. Sure, there's a method to prediction. First consult a tide table to see predicted normal high/low tides and their times: tides4fishing.com/us/texas/bob-hall-pier-corpus-christi#_tides Then, consult the local marine forecast for the effect of wind and weather on the predicted normal tides: www.weather.gov/crp/marine

[@timebanditrvtravels3449]

happy dog

[@GrandAdventure]

Indeed.

[@gorrdd]

Wow... what great comments. Yes, I too loved the video capture of this area. Marc, you also really nailed the sunsets here in Texas. That warm yellow orange glow that sometimes turns to red against the beautiful deep blue to fading blue sky... so beautiful and inviting. Marc, what percentage of time do you estimate takes up your days RV touring and YouTubing, according the following categories? 1. Daily necessary routines... 2. Video set up and filming... 3. Post processing production... 4. Travel between locations... 5. Actual relaxation outside work... I think viewers would like to know how much time and work you put into this. Gord

[@GrandAdventure]

Gord, I'm not sure you really want to know. Editing alone takes about 1 hour per 1 minute of produced video. So yes, this is about a 30-hour edit. Filming, I can't really count that as we're doing that as we go about our daily business. Travel? Sometimes 10 hours in a day. Relaxation? What's that?

[@gorrdd]

@@GrandAdventure Marc, I was wondering if that was the case. That's considerably more work than what I was estimating. No doubt you enjoy it to some degree but the commitment to get it out while moving into the next project must be a lot of pressure. This is clearly a full-time/overtime job. Thanks for sharing. Again, great videography. You have the eye to capture the mood on the fly. A real artistic gift. Gord

[@GrandAdventure]

@@gorrdd you're far too kind. It's truly a labor of love -- we love doing it, so it's not so bad. Thankfully none of our regulars seem to mind that we like to make a buck or two out of it as well, for it's enormous amount of work. But when you figure out what we're earning per hour it's truly a pittance. So it can't be about the money, it's got to be a love for the lifestyle. And we have that love.

[@gorrdd]

@@GrandAdventure Indeed Marc... Nevertheless, at around a half million subscribers plus, the numbers do add up allowing for all sorts of upgrades and changes. As more and more people start using KZbin for checking out vacation and travel spots, the number of subscribers will definitely increase. It's much more than just RV'rs... See if you can link up with some national travel agencies. Gord

[@GrandAdventure]

@@gorrdd we plan to leverage Grand Adventure in every way that makes sense. But we're not about making connections for the sake of connections...it has to make sense for our viewers. We've cast Grand Adventure as adventure travel, but every time we make a video that's not RV-centric our views for those videos positively tank. So we understand our niche and try to speak to it. Now that we've achieved what we perceive as critical mass, we're going to try to leverage our audience with local chambers of commerce, state travel agencies, etc. beginning next season. No one want to deal with you when you have 2,000 subs, but now that we're pushing 30K subs the landscape is a bit different. We're used to the process from other online properties that we've run in the ski industry over the past couple of decades, but the RV travel industry seems a bit behind the times by comparison.

[@NOmadnesslife]

@ 1:42 I noticed a Cedar Creek Camper like the missing RV couple had in Texas. What is the date you shot this footage? Have you contacted the Kleburg Sherrif?

[@GrandAdventure]

Thanks, and you're correct. Yesterday, when we first learned of this we contacted the Kleberg County Sheriff's Office and spoke with Chief Deputy Jaime Garza, offering all of the raw video footage we shot while we were on Padre Island if they thought it could help. We were in the Padre Balli County Park campground from the afternoon of the 5th through mid-day on the 11th, then we moved about 10 miles south to North Beach until late afternoon on the 13th. Deputy Garza indicated that they'd get back to us later this week.

[@user-fh1mf1gd1t]

Grand Adventure I’d like to speak with you if able. Could you please email me at gballar213 at gmail?

[@janina8559]

Y’all be safe a Rv couple has been reported missing from Padre Island and a cpl shallow graves were found. Don’t know if You are still there!✌️❤️🤗

[@GrandAdventure]

Thank you Janina! We're now outside the area but we were there at the same time that couple went missing. In fact that their trailer in the background at 1:42 in this video.

[@janina8559]

Grand Adventure thats what scared me at first because the couple was around the same age and I had to go and look at Ur vehicle to make sure it wasn’t U! I take a look. Did U tell the cops to look at video cus ya never kno!

[@janina8559]

Grand Adventure I jus looked thats so scary I will be watchin U guys tonite !

[@GrandAdventure]

@@janina8559 we called Chief Deputy Jaime Garza with the Kleberg County Sheriff's Office on Monday to offer all of our raw footage if he thought it might help. He was grateful and they're supposed to get back to us this week.

[@turnbullstravels735]

Grand Adventure so sad. 😢

[@Tony13754]

GOTTA HAVE THE DUNES 👍 That's why I didn't like the California Coast so much, Beautiful . . . but no Dunes.That's why I think the Long Island, New York Shoreline is nicer than California. But now Texas ? WOW !!! So Beautiful ! Texas, large state with almost everything; Desert, Hills, Forrest, Open Plains and OMG! a Beautiful Shoreline. Should'a moved down there 30 years ago as I wanted. Day late / Dollar short ☹️ Thank You Marc for your beautiful Video. You do make an excellent Video production of the places you visit. Their "Department of Tourism" should pay you !!!!!! as well as KZbin ! 👍 You must be anal with your craft or just a Creative Italian like me . . . LMAO Thanks again for another great Video and MUST visit Padre Island

[@GrandAdventure]

Or both, goombah? 😁 Dunes are wonderful, we agree, and decades ago I bicycle toured from Orient Point across Shelter Island to Montauk, camped in Montauk and then reversed the route the following day, so I can certainly appreciate the maritime beauty of eastern Long Island. But where on the California coast did you visit? We found the mountains and cliffs leading down to the water's edge along the Northern California coast to be absolutely stunning, with the waters punctuated by vertical rock islands the way that they are. Different than dunes, to be sure, but nevertheless remarkably beautiful in their own way. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qaClnaaOnc6Nf6s And on that Texas list, you overlooked the unexpected 8,000 foot-plus mountains (Guadalupe, Davis, Chisos) of West Texas. It's easy to overlook that Texas does indeed have legitimate mountains within its borders.

[@Tony13754]

@@GrandAdventure I was in L.A. Southern Cali, but YES when you travel North to Northern California the terrain along the Ocean is Very Majestic and Beautiful. I just wasn't to impressed with Huntington and Newport Beach's. LaGuna Beach was amazing though. P.S. thanks for the link

[@Tony13754]

@@GrandAdventure I Capesh ! 👍 My Paesan 😋

[@christinebrigham4732]

Do you need to do anything to the RV and car after staying on the beach such as a car wash to get rid of the salt?

[@GrandAdventure]

It's recommended to spray everything down to get the salt spray off, and you'll want to anyway. When we left North Padre Island we stopped at a self-serve car wash right on the mainland side of the bridge.

[@TheMcMillanExpress]

Oh..... What a nice t-shirt Marc😁. Is that an Unhitchedusa.com shirt? Looks great on you 😉. Hello RvTexas Ya'll 🤗

[@christinamcmillan6814]

Another fantastic video that will inspire a camping trip for us! Thanks, Marc!!

[@GrandAdventure]

@@christinamcmillan6814 and The McMillan Express, thanks so much...and yes, it is! Great quality shirt, too, if anyone wants one visit their link above.

[@MindyDanforth]

Was this filmed before or after the hurricane? I’m wondering how much has been rebuilt. We are planning to go there next month

[@GrandAdventure]

Mindy, this was filmed one year after the hurricane.

[@SevenBears1]

You've given me an idea.. Use a drone to spot fish in the surf.. Yes that might work..

[@GrandAdventure]

We think it would!

[@juliadawnyel3648]

This is why I moved here 22 years ago

[@GrandAdventure]

Very understandable, Julia -- you live in a beautiful area.

[@rosm6621]

Knowing you were just in the San Padre island area, any chance you unknowingly caught on your videos something that could help the Kleberg County Sheriff with the story about the RVing couple from New Hampshire who went missing mid Oct down there and whose bodies may have just been found in the sand dune area known as "The Bowl" by locals about 3 miles south of your campground?

[@GrandAdventure]

Ros, that couple's trailer does indeed appear in our video in the background. Yesterday, when we first heard of this we contacted the Kleberg County Sheriff's Office and spoke with Chief Deputy Jaime Garza, offering all of the raw video footage we shot while we were on Padre Island if they thought it could help. We were in the Padre Balli County Park campground from the afternoon of the 5th through mid-day on the 11th, then we moved about 10 miles south to North Beach until late afternoon on the 13th. Deputy Garza indicated that they'd get back to us later this week.

[@scott0551]

@grand adventure What is the RV you launched your kayak from, near Laguna Madre?

[@GrandAdventure]

We have no clue, Scott. That was just a random camper at Bird Island Basin Campground.

[@marianfrances4959]

Oh u big tease!!!

[@GrandAdventure]

Gotta build anticipation. :D

[@sunnycharacter]

If you had a preference for location, proximity to finding a place to water fill and dump black, finding seashells, packed sand for boondocking, etc., would you prefer Padre Island or Port Aransas to boondock with a large Class C?

[@GrandAdventure]

The driving on sand is definitely easier at Port A, Lori! However, for natural scenic beauty I would definitely give the nod to Padre Island National Seashore.

[@sunnycharacter]

@@GrandAdventure Whatever is safer really, and I suppose if we see other rvs our size and check the rides we are good to go, thanks. I was just watching Life with Paul & Lorena, and they are really loving Brazoria as well.

[@GrandAdventure]

@@sunnycharacter one big difference with Brazoria is that it's more on a bay than the open Gulf.

[@sunnycharacter]

@@GrandAdventure Oh, but it is still saltwater correct? Seashells and fishing?

[@GrandAdventure]

@@sunnycharacter yes it is.

[@weswalker1208]

In appreciation of this video and the love of the National seashore I live 10 to 15 minutes from Bob Hall featured many times in this video. If you are a KZbinr I will offer to Van life and rvers 40 feet or less a dark hours halfway house. After the experience of North Beach by the way as he described there is two North beaches one where the.camping is the the locals are not familiar with the term. North beach is where the lexington is...That said if you need a place to rinse your rig take on some water bump black. Water.... Dark Hours meaning literally after the sun goes down and be out byi daylight. Have to keep peace with the neighbors. I don't plan to keep books first come first serve. Overnight Max. More details depending on how many responses I get from this video and how many KZbin actually delivers to me. There is a Walmart within 3 Mi fit is RV friendly. And Cracker Barrel with more than normal parking about 20 minutes away. If nothing else dump a tank fill the tank.. I will figure out how to get personal details to you via Facebook or messenger

[@GrandAdventure]

Wes, you rock! On behalf of all Grand Adventurers, thank you.

[@weswalker1208]

@@GrandAdventure i think i cleaned up typos

[@ronaldbeach8724]

Is your truck 4 wheel drive

[@GrandAdventure]

Yes it is.

[@Christopher-fp2ks]

it's far right top corner Chevy truck and trailer

[@melaniemoore3748]

What minute and second in the video?

[@Christopher-fp2ks]

at time stamp 10,29 on ur video u have the picture of the butler s truck and rv in it

[@GrandAdventure]

Also at 1:42. What's even crazier is that we had a brief conversation with the suspect who's now in custody in Mexico, and whose campsite was only a few hundred yards from our boondocking site in the video on the beach.

[@Christopher-fp2ks]

what did he say to you about why he n her was there, but I really hope you told the cops u seen them before they hurt those people

[@GrandAdventure]

@@Christopher-fp2ks we spoke to him back on October 5, at which time there was nothing about him to file a complaint about. We simply commented on his Utah license plates and asked how the tide had been behaving with his campsite. We were actually in touch with authorities throughout their investigation.

[@notfornuttinschaumburg5671]

I don’t think the park people are going to care about where you depart the drone from. The intent is to keep the level of drone annoyance to a dull roar. If you fly one over the White House but depart from miles away they’re still gonna get pissed. Be careful.

[@GrandAdventure]

Pissed is one thing, legal is another. Only the FAA has the authority to regulate airspace. It's no different than if a Cessna flew over the park.

[@notfornuttinschaumburg5671]

@@GrandAdventure Understood. Having flown helicopters professionally for 35 years I get that, however, the very last thing you need is to have the feds eyeballing you when you're using the drone "for the furtherance of a business", which is fine if you're Part 107 compliant. I'm assuming here that you are because you understand the airspace issues. The point I was making is that the intent of the rules set forth by the NPS, (or whomever), are there to keep the area clear of noise as people probably don't want noise from someone's drone overhead while they're enjoying the view, (think annoying generators), as well as the impact on wildlife. Where you depart from is a bit of dodge or rationalization to justify doing it, (and, as the guidance from NPS' site says, pretty much incorrect). As far as the Cessna goes, there is a 2000' altitude limit over national parks, (with some tweaking depending on the park, I'm sure), and Padre is no different. What I am ultimately trying to communicate to you is that you expose yourself to some bureaucracy on some level which is rarely a good thing. There's another YT'r that talked about the fines for filming in parks without permits that run, if I remember correctly, around $600. That's per shoot. That's park rules. The FAA, technically, has no jurisdiction or ability to fine you unless you have a certificate. If I do something wrong with my drone, they can come after my license and fine me.You don't have a certificate, do you?. From the Padre Island website: "Launching, landing OR OPERATING an unmanned aircraft from, over or on lands and waters administered by the National Park Service within the boundaries of Padre Island National Seashore is prohibited except as approved in writing by the Superintendent." And the rational behind it: "The Superintendent has determined that unmanaged or unrestricted recreational use of UAs within Padre Island National Seashore will conflict with, or impact, a variety of park uses including visitor experience of unimpaired view, the disturbance, displacement or harassment of park wildlife to include threatened and endangered species, present potential for impacts or damage to sensitive coastal areas, creation of public safety hazards per operation near roadways or large aggregations of visitors, and visual or aural impacts to wilderness character and values within the park.Padre Island N.S. is situated along the Central Flyway;Padre Island is a globally important area for over 380 migratory, overwintering, and resident bird species (nearly half of all bird species documented in North America). Thirteen of these species are considered species of concern, threatened, or endangered (i.e. Piping Plover, Interior Least Tern and Peregrine Falcon)." Just trying to keep your tit out of the ringer, so to speak. You won't hear more from me again.

[@GrandAdventure]

@@notfornuttinschaumburg5671 I actually hope we do hear from you again. You've added some thought-provoking commentary, and that is always welcome.

[@littledove1292]

its beautifull there

[@Christopher-fp2ks]

so they had a car there?

[@GrandAdventure]

Yep.

[@debbietaylor8091]

Is there a trick to driving on the Beach?

[@GrandAdventure]

In this case, no, not at all. Usually in deeper sand 4WD is a must, and airing down your tires 50% gains an enormous amount of traction. Neither was required in this case, however.

[@papajeff5486]

I live in Portland, on Corpus Cristi Bay. The beach is hard sand, drivable. If there are tricks to driving and camping on the beach, these you might consider: 1. Try to stay above the high tide marks. When RVing on the beach, always stay out of the water. 2. Always park your RV well above the high tide marks, several feet is much better than a few inches. 3. Always watch the weather and the tides. Between your RV, tow vehicle and nature, nature wins. There’s an old saying that is ABSOLUTE: “Never turn your back on the ocean.” Very serious, driving, camping, fishing and swimming, “Never turn your back on the ocean”. 4. Try to get out at low tide, especially in bad weather. 5. Always “Leave no trace”. Just a few things to consider...Texas

[@timebanditrvtravels3449]

leave a foot print for us to fallow

[@GrandAdventure]

With those tides, they'll be gone in an hour. 😅

[@hectorcervantes5260]

I did not Know is illegal to drive a drone in national parks

[@GrandAdventure]

The US National Park Service has a blanket drone ban in place on any land it manages.

[@Christopher-fp2ks]

at time of 1809 is the girl with the butler s truck

[@GrandAdventure]

If so that would be the coincidence of the century, for that shot was about 45 minutes away from camp in Corpus.

[@Christopher-fp2ks]

at time stamp 18:09 shows Adam and his girlfriend with the butler s truck, he told the news reporter he didn't know the butler s but yet had the truck n cats n another girl in the video of urs, hope you can show the cops the video god bless

[@GrandAdventure]

@@Christopher-fp2ks that's highly unlikely. That shot was taken in downtown Corpus Christi which is about 45 minutes away. Additionally, that shot was taken on either October 5 or October 6th and the Butlers were seen in the campground after that time, before they moved to the beach on October 15th.

[@endlessmilesrider6756]

PLEASE message me via North Padre Islanders on Facebook. I believe that YOU have important raw video footage that contains info related to the Butler’s. The Butler’s trailer looks like a match in 1:40 of this video. If you have other footage over other time periods like drone fly over, you may have footage where they camped at MM263!

[@GrandAdventure]

Will do momentarily.

[@GrandAdventure]

Just joined the group, can't post until approved.

[@LoadedUpandTraveling]

Did you see the news about the RV full time couple that was recently killed near there? I hope you weren't there the same days.

[@GrandAdventure]

Crazy but we were. Yesterday, when we first heard of this we contacted the Kleberg County Sheriff's Office and spoke with Chief Deputy Jaime Garza, offering all of the raw video footage we shot while we were on Padre Island if they thought it could help. We were in the Padre Balli County Park campground from the afternoon of the 5th through mid-day on the 11th, then we moved about 10 miles south to North Beach until late afternoon on the 13th. Deputy Garza indicated that they'd get back to us later this week.

[@LoadedUpandTraveling]

Grand Adventure wow! In your video around the middle you passed a truck and trailer that looked similar and I had to pause it and zoom in. It wasn't them though. So sad.

[@GrandAdventure]

@@LoadedUpandTraveling I'm nearly certain that's their trailer visible in the background at 1:42 camped adjacent to us. That was I believe on the 6th. Their truck isn't there, however, and we never interacted with those folks while we were there.

[@LoadedUpandTraveling]

Wow!! I see it. Yes that has to be their rig. It is just terrible that this happened. I've never camped let alone camp on a beach. Is it hard to get used to the silence of being all by yourself?

[@lostways8196]

No drones but we can go do donuts in our ford rapters for hours on end right on the edge of the water. lol thats fuckin stupid...

[@GrandAdventure]

It sure seems silly to us to apply a blanket rule to all lands managed by the NPS. In a place like Arches or Zion it makes sense; in the millions of acres of Lake Powell NRA, it makes zero sense.

[@deleenc5203]

Funny people who watch their sugar, carbs, and wheat are thin and healthy..... shocking...

[@GrandAdventure]

I hope that you don't mean us! My four main food groups are fat, sugar, caffeine and alcohol. I've got the worst diet in the world.