I had originally planned on spending a couple more days at Big Bend, however I woke up in the morning to discover my check engine light on, and I didn’t want to risk getting stranded so I headed to the closest dealership, which was in San Antonio. The dealership provided me a 2013 Porsche Boxster, and I was more excited to drive a mid-engine rear-wheel drive Porsche than to have a convertible. When it comes to sports cars, I prefer my cars to include roofs! That said, it was nice to have given the hot muggy Texas weather. So I took off, driving my loaner down to Padre Island, the longest stretch of undeveloped barrier island in the world. And after I ran out of pavement, I continued to drive on the sandy coastline along the Gulf of Mexico. It felt weird, something out of a commercial, to be driving a Porsche convertible along the sandy beach, and having bodies of water on both sides of me - the Laguna Madre and the Gulf of Mexico. I never saw a sea turtle, nor did I spot any Spanish shipwrecks.
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I had originally planned on spending a couple more days at Big Bend, however I woke up in the morning to discover my check engine light on, and I didn’t want to risk getting stranded so I headed to the closest dealership, which was in San Antonio.

The dealership provided me a 2013 Porsche Boxster, and I was more excited to drive a mid-engine rear-wheel drive Porsche than to have a convertible. When it comes to sports cars, I prefer my cars to include roofs! That said, it was nice to have given the hot muggy Texas weather.

So I took off, driving my loaner down to Padre Island, the longest stretch of undeveloped barrier island in the world. And after I ran out of pavement, I continued to drive on the sandy coastline along the Gulf of Mexico.

It felt weird, something out of a commercial, to be driving a Porsche convertible along the sandy beach, and having bodies of water on both sides of me - the Laguna Madre and the Gulf of Mexico.

I never saw a sea turtle, nor did I spot any Spanish shipwrecks.

Camping at Big Bend

I camped out at Big Bend along the Rio Grande River… Mexico was 400 yards from my tent. And around 3am, immigrants were crossing the river and they ran through my campground!

Admittedly, I was a bit scared, but Border Patrol said this happens every night.

The Rio Grande River requires irrigation, making it an easy river to cross.

There I was driving though the backroads of New Mexico and over the hill comes a surprise… a law enforcement officer who knew how to operate his red and blue lights. So I immediately pulled over just as he passed me, and I waited for him to turn his vehicle around and find a parking spot to my rear. I hadn’t shaved in a while, and I’ve yet to get a haircut on this adventure, so I’m sure I looked out of place considering the environment. He asked me where I was headed… and I said I’m not sure, wherever the roads take me. He asked what I did for work, and I said I’m not sure how to answer that, and he just shook his head and asked how could I afford this car. The only thing I asked him was for a break, as I was simply trying to find a campground before nigh. I sat waiting in the car and he finally gets out of his car, and I could see his paper binder with my ticket in it, so I was immediately bummed out. He proceeded to strike up some small talk conversation before handing me the ticket and letting me know it was simply a written warning and he was indeed giving me a break. Two thumbs up for New Mexico Law Enforcement!
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There I was driving though the backroads of New Mexico and over the hill comes a surprise… a law enforcement officer who knew how to operate his red and blue lights. So I immediately pulled over just as he passed me, and I waited for him to turn his vehicle around and find a parking spot to my rear.

I hadn’t shaved in a while, and I’ve yet to get a haircut on this adventure, so I’m sure I looked out of place considering the environment.

He asked me where I was headed… and I said I’m not sure, wherever the roads take me. He asked what I did for work, and I said I’m not sure how to answer that, and he just shook his head and asked how could I afford this car.

The only thing I asked him was for a break, as I was simply trying to find a campground before nigh.

I sat waiting in the car and he finally gets out of his car, and I could see his paper binder with my ticket in it, so I was immediately bummed out.

He proceeded to strike up some small talk conversation before handing me the ticket and letting me know it was simply a written warning and he was indeed giving me a break.

Two thumbs up for New Mexico Law Enforcement!