It's Day 247...it's also January 8th, 2020 And we are in Galveston Texas

It's Day 247...it's also January 8th, 2020 And we are in Galveston Texas

So first up.....Our lucky streak for finding the great weather.....was about to take a hit......and pulling into Galveston....we didn't even know it! More on that in a bit.....

Pulling out of Del Rio early.....I had decided we would head east......There was that massive stretch of Texas between us and the Gulf of Mexico. Surely the weather around the gulf would be awesome.....and I'd already read of boondocking opportunities in the area.....some tell of actual beaches that you can drive out on....and camp alongside the ocean....we had to look into that.

We knew we had a few miles to cover.....around 400 of them..........but man.....I'd never been in a place......where you can drive for what seems like forever.....and still be in same state. I mean....in Washington....3 or 4 hours in any direction and your in a different state....or Canada.....or...the Pacific Ocean. Same applies to Oregon for the most part. And California......well....it'll take ya a bit to cover the 800 or so miles from top to bottom......but at the same time....you can leave California's coast most anywhere and drive east for 3 or 4 hours east....and poof.....different state! Anyways....point is....Texas.....is big.....and I knew that.....I had just never driven it. Experienced it live......but we have now!

The arid landscape stretched out, once again..... before us, dotted with those mesquite trees.... As we drove, all the little towns like Brackettville, Hondo, Pleasanton, , Gonzales, Hallettsville, Webster, Hitchcock .....one by one....they popped up on the Horizon.....rolled passed.....then faded into the distance behind us.....each time....I'd wonder what life out there is like....quiet....for sure....but what else must the day hold for these folks.

The scenery shifted from rugged hills to rolling plains, with pastures and cattle grazing under the Texan sky.....I thought back to that drive into Del Rio when I'd pictured those wagon trains...and pioneers......but here.....amidst a gazillion acres of ranchland....it felt more like the whispers of the cowboy days.....in the air. We'd make a quick stop in a place called Floresville for fuel....and some shuteye.....Continuing east the next day....And as this morning warmed up....before we knew it...Houston.....was on the horizon. We actually pulled off I-10.....found some shade on a church parking lot....some lunch....and some planning. With the massive skyline of Houston in front of us.....I most definitely did not want to accidentally end up dealing with anymore of those two million residents.....or the traffic that would come with em....we'd have to have a plan....to skirt the massiveness of it all......keep to the edges.....but get to Galveston.

Turns out....had a couple different options.....not sure if I chose the right one or not......what I do know is the one I chose landed us on the Westpark Tollway. The toll road promised to provide a less congested...and more direct route to where we wanted to be.....I was a bit curious as to how Texas....or Houston.....had decided that five dollars and 77 cents was the exact amount I would need to pay for this convenience. Apparently....it had something to do with the number of axles on our set up....and how long we would actually travel on the 20 some mile stretch of road. Another plus......that 5 bucks and 77 cents took us past multiple exits that read "Nasa".....and quick flashback to the movie....Apollo 13.....Tom Hanks....in the role of Jim Lovell..... uttered those famous words....."Houston....we have a problem" And already.....some more learning to do! What all does Nasa do.....down here in Texas.

Oh....and that reminds me.....remember that "One more Click" thing. After wrapping up the episode on our last night in Del Rio....I was reading a little more about the Falcon Reservior.....when I came across another story.....another incident on Falcon Lake....but this....was about a different Falcon Lake. A lake in Manitoba Canada....an area of Canada just above North Dakota, and Minnesota... in the US.

The story begins.....On May 20, 1967, When a man named Stefan Michalak... ...he goes by Steven....claimed he encountered a UFO while exploring near Falcon Lake.

The incident would go on to become the most documented....and investigated UFO sighting in the history of North America.....even bigger.....than Roswell. Government agencies in both the US and Canada would investigate....agencies that included the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Canadian Air Force, and the United States Air Force.

For me....this story...and the historical facts around it would become a story about much more than an alleged UFO siting in the Canadian Wilderness....it is documented that well over 1000 UFO sitings are reported each year in Canada....so Stevens.....could have simply been just one of those.....so why did his story reach such national....and international acclaim....and interest.

I started at the beginning.....with Steven......he was a Polish Immigrant that had found his way from his homeland.....a war battered Poland after WW2.....and after having served honorably in his countries military...he would migrate with his wife....to Canada.....and attempt to build a new life. He would begin work as an industrial mechanic in a cement plant.....and along the way Steven would also take up geology and become an amateur rockhound.....one of his favorite pastimes would become exploring the Canadian Wilderness....reveling in the beauty of nature.....and in search of, and studying the areas rock formations and mineral deposits. The area around Falcon lake was a particular favorite of his....there are even reports of Steven filing mineral claims in the area....and developing a particular passion around prospecting.

Life was good. Steven and his wife had loved their 20 years in their new home....Canada. And they were now also enjoying life with their young son.

And then....May 20th 1967. The plan....nothing out of the ordinary for Steven.....he had a long weekend in store so what better way to spend it than exploring his beloved Canadian Wilderness....and that favorite.....the mountains around Falcon Lake.

And.....I'll let Steven Tell ya....what unfolded.....what happened on theat Spring day.......from an episode of Unsolved Mysteries.....Steven tells of the event that would change his life....forever....

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And within days.....investigations would converge on the reported site. Countless Photo's would be taken, measurements, Witness statements....soil and rock samples......radiation readings....and voracious media coverage.

And here we are 52 years later. And while in every singe report....or document read relating to Stevens siting....lots of speculation....but no .... conclusion. And that other thing.....that this story became about.....for me....

The need for humans.....to pick a side. And then stay there....seemingly unwilling....to even consider alternatives.....once we've made up our mind.

In Stevens case....the two sides are as they most always are....when it comes to witnessing something that clearly must be other worldly.....or made up.

On one side....rampant speculation....beyond the wildest of imagination. Folks observing the facts....as they understand them....and theorizing a series of events that range from very near what Steven reported......surely and encounter with an alien life form......all the way over to.....Well....of course.....the two craft Steven encountered were experimental military craft being tested by the US Government. Perhaps .... even in collaboration with the Canadian government....and of course.....they'll never talk....or lend any credence to Stevens accounting. A government will never tell it's secrets.

And on the other side....well it's hoax. Silly. A made up series of events....a site....and scene created....evidence planted....and a well thought out tall tale to be told....one for the history books. .....A story to be told in perpetuity.....

There never seems to be much of a middle ground for us humans. But there is middle in this story.....Steven.....and his family. A seemingly simple guy....a hardworking husband....and Father. A man that would tell his story to the world....and then nearly instantly regret it. Steven would later write that his greatest wish is that he had just kept his mouth shut.....told no one of what had happened to him.....he hated...that his young son was bullied in school...taunted by the other pre-teens ..... and calling his dad crazy. Steven hated....the relentless pursuit of the media. And he no doubt hated....that he would spend the rest of his life....battling unexplained medical issues.....and the reoccurring burn scars......and no doubt....the emotional scars.

Steven passed away in 1988 at the age of 74. So will he be remembered as the guy that had and incredible....nearly unbelievable experience in the Canadian Wilderness in early spring of 1967. Or a guy that cooked up a story that captivated millions....for decades. I'm not sure......but I think....that we're supposed to pick a side.

A bit of Stevens story.....along with other random thoughts were quickly cleared from my head as we Arrived in Galveston. It felt like a breath of fresh air......salty air.....ocean air..... the sound of waves..........and the sun setting over the Gulf.....was the perfect end to the days drive.

But first up......a couple lessons around showing up unannounced in Galveston....in January. If your in some 50 or so feet of vehicle.....your going to find yourself in some tricky spots.....especially near the water. Galveston......and it's 50 thousand residents.....can feel very small neighborhood like. Narrow two lane roads take you through the quaint....and eclectic communities. But narrow two lane roads....in a 32 foot RV....and another 18 or so feet of tow dolly and car behind you.....can feel pretty cramped. I'd quickly learned that my first mistake was googling Walmart. I'd learned in the past several months that Walmart allows overnight RV parking.....the plan was to hit the Walmart ..... crash there for the night and pick an RV park the following day for the remainder of our stay. Looked like plenty of RV parks in the area....and since we are here in the off season....shouldn't be a problem......However.....pulling on to the Walmart Parking lot we were immediately met with plenty of signs telling us.....No over night parking allowed! Apparently.....the Walmart rules...are different.....here in Galveston. Next up.....asked the lady in my phone to call the nearest RV park.....The nice lady at the KOA answered......and quickly reported.....sorry....we're all full up.

Alright....I thought. Gotta get out of this Walmart parking lot....semi's were pulling in and out for loading and unloading....and things....were getting cramped.....I was quickly understanding why....Walmart didn't space hogging RV's to camp out here...... Oh...and sidenote.....how many Walmart parking lots have you been on.....from which you can see the ocean?? You can here.....makes sense I guess.....I mean....we are on an island.

So we'd wander around this island for a few minutes...when I found it. A wide open parking lot. The parking lot of a resteraunt....a beautiful spot....A super huge resteraunt....right on the beach....even outdoor seating on huge deck facing the ocean. Looked like a great spot for a resteraunt.....so why had this one closed down I wondered. Clearly....from the looks of the building....and the parking lot....hadn't been any customers around here in a while. Good for us I thought.....way better than spending the night on a Walmart parking lot.

Found a spot in the back corner of the lot....leveled up a bit.....quick walk with Dougie.....and it was time to open the windows....enjoy those ocean breezes.....and start reading....

First....I asked the internet.....Tell me about Galveston....

And after a quick read about what was becoming pretty routine in this part of the country.....native American inhabitants of the area.....and discovery by spain.....but....some things were shifting here......I read of the Karankawa and Akokisa Indian tribes.....names of native American tribes I'd not read of before. And discovery.....well the dates are beginning to dig deeper into history. As early as the 1500's Spanish explorers would begin sailing into....and exploring the island. Evidence of shipwrecks in the area can still be explored today.

The island was named "San Louis" by French explorer La Salle in 1686... but would later be renamed "Galveston" in honor of Bernardo de Gálvez, the Spanish governor of Louisiana. It would be that governor who would go on to order the first survey of the Texas Gulf Coast in 1786.

The city was officially founded in 1836....and.....it even briefly served as the capital of the Republic of Texas.

In the mid-19th century, Galveston emerged as an international city with bustling trade and immigration....and it quickly became one of the nation's busiest ports and the world's leading port for cotton exports......and in the process....would grow to become the largest city in Texas.....and second only to Ellis Island when it came to immigration to the US.

And still today...The Port of Galveston remains a significant port for cruise ships and cargo.

I'd also learn......Galveston is particularly known for Juneteenth because it was the site where General Gordon Granger of the Union Army arrived on June 19, 1865, to issue General Order No. 3, which announced the emancipation of enslaved people in Texas.

This was two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed by President Abraham Lincoln.

The news of freedom spread quickly, and celebrations began almost immediately, marking the end of slavery in the United States.

So if your like me.....that begged the question....why so long. The president had signed the emancipation proclamation two and a half years prior......why would it take so much time.....to get around to making Texas....free of slavery?

Well first....Lack of Union Troops.....Texas had fought for the conferacy during the civil war.....so The Union Army didn't have a strong presence in Texas until well after the end of the war.

Without Union troops to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation, the order couldn't be effectively implemented

Communication Challenges: The slow spread of information in the 1860s meant that news of the Emancipation Proclamation took time to reach remote areas like Texas.

But perhaps even a bit more sinister.....Deliberate Withholding..... Some historians believe that slave owners in Texas deliberately withheld the information to maintain their labor force and economic benefits of it.

And why Galveston

First.....Strategic Importance: By the end of the Civil War, Galveston was a significant port city and a hub of activity. Union forces needed to ensure that the message reached a central location where it could be quickly disseminated.

And there needed to be a strong Presence of Union Troops: General Gordon Granger and his troops were stationed in Galveston, making it a logical place to issue the order and enforce it.

And finally.... as As a major port city, Galveston....was a communication hub.....it had the infrastructure to spread the news more effectively to the surrounding areas.

Man.....and all of a sudden.....I'd done it again. Within just a couple hours.....I had absorbed another few hundred years of history.....while sitting on a 27 mile long island....just a mile or so off the coast of Texas.

And it's not just about Juneteenth when it comes to Galveston. This place is home to a long list of Texas Firsts....

The Galveston County Daily news is the longest continuing published newspaper

The city is also home to the First Post Office, The First Black High School, and The First Opera House.......Galviston....for a time....would also be known as the Wall Street of the South.....and home to more US millionaires per capita than any other US city of the time.

Oh.....and NASA.....in Texas. Ya....it's a thing....and a pretty big....thing. Specifically...the LBJ Space Center just outside Houston...the space center was Established in 1961, initially called the Manned Spacecraft Center....but was renamed in 1973 in honor of President Lyndon B Johnson.

JSC has been pivotal in NASA's human space exploration efforts, from the Gemini, Apollo, and Skylab projects to the Space Shuttle and International Space Station Programs.

It's also home to the famous Mission Control Center, which has managed every American human space mission since Gemini IV

All of this....in a facility that spans over 1600 acres....and employs nearly 11 thousand people!

It was time for a break......a walk.....and some dinner. Returning from the walk....and starting dinner....I flipped on the television for a quick bit of local news.......

Now remember earlier....when I said we were on a bit of a lucky streak.....when it comes to the weather.......well....our arrival in Galveston would bring an end to all that......our new talent.....it seems.....was showing up in the right place.....but at the wrong time......

Here's what I caught the end of as I flipped on the television.....

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And just like that.....our plans had changed. Seems our wanderings had landed us on this gulf island just 24 hours before the arrival of what would develop into a significant weather event…at least that is what the evening news was calling it. While extremely uncommon for this time of year, the entire Houston area was expected to experience Flash Flooding, 70mph winds, Thunder Storms, hail activity…and oh yea…even the occasional tornado! As I watched the news the area of influence continuously grew. Everywhere I looked on a map was being engulfed. And within minutes....our plan to explore and enjoy Galveston…and then a run up to the Dallas/Ft. Worth for a visit with friends.... suddenly got scrapped. All I could think was.....drive.

That last walk this evening with Dougie felt a bit different.......we studied those clouds.....and the winds....coming in off those gulf waters. Wondering.....just how far out there that storm was........That storm that would reach the shores where we are standing sometime tomorrow afternoon.

It's not even Hurricane season......but with the television still on.....listening for weather updates in the background.......I'd do some reading of another notable event in Galvestons history. The Great Galveston Hurricane

in the early evening hours of September 8th....1900......A devastating Category 4 hurricane.....would blow across Galveston....and make landfall in Texas...

With winds reaching 145 mph......and a storm surge of 8 to 15 feet....the damage.....and loss of life.....would be catastrophic.

This event....would claim 12000 Texans lives......6000 of which.....were right here in Galveston.....and leave another 10,000 Texans homeless. And this nameless Hurricane (they didn't name them back then) is documented as the deadliest natural disaster in U.S. history, That storm...would forever change Galveston. The city would never regain it's status as the largest city in Texas.......but determined Galvestonians would rebuild their city....starting with a seawall that would protect future generations from what they had just experienced. They would continue on.....this time....building the barrier island mecca it is today......attracting over 6 million visitors each year to this historic piece of Texas.

It's pretty nutty......how perspectives can shift....pretty fast. Just a few hours ago I had driven into Galveston thinking.....this place is Awesome.....who wouldn't wanna live here.....I mean....it's beautiful.....a little crowded yea....but there's the ocean....and who doesn't love the ocean.

But just a couple hours later......I was introduced.....to an Extreme Weather Event......a term you don't hear much....in Washington State.....Fact is....I don't think I've ever.....in my adult life.....lived in place.....where an unexpected weather event...can kill you. And a little more reading would tell me ....that Galveston has experienced several significant hurricanes since 1900,.....some pretty major events in 1961 and again.....in 1983....

Pulling out of town......and back across that causeway at around 5 am the following morning......had a quick flashback to another random piece of info I'd read the night before.......that just some 6000 years ago.....we wouldn't have needed a causeway......or a bridge....to make this trek.....because Galveston....wasn't an island......Texas.....was just bigger.....by about the size of...well...Galveston. But around 5000 years ago.....a bunch of geological...and oceanic stuff would happen.....creating this channel we're crossing.....and leaving us....Galveston. And at the same time......I just kept thinking.....The last place your going to catch us.....during a significant weather event.....70 mph winds......and tornadoes......is in a big metal box......on a beach,

So Thankfully.....our big metal box is on wheels......and we're outta here.

But don't worry Galveston.....we'll be back. ...and we still think....your pretty awesome.....We'll just be sure to check the weather before our next drop in next time.

But for now.....it's drive......north? then east? Then north again........not exactly sure.....we'll keep looking over our shoulder at that sever weather event..... and decide as we go......I was already wondering......what was out there.......where we would sleep tonight.....

And what are we gonna learn there?