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Texas
| Trips | Drives
Route 77: “The
Padre Road”
Victoria,
Texas to the Rio Grande Valley
Seven Bridges, Five Rivers, Two Creeks and
One Interesting Drive
By Ken
Rudine |
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Sign in Riviera
If the road had colors, they would be turquoise and terra cotta
Photo courtesy Ken
Rudine, March 2008
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Editor’s
Note:
Ken
“Mr. Third Coast” Rudine spends his year alternating between
Houston and Port
Aransas and is as familiar with highway 77 as most people are
with their route to work.
While photographing the unusual drawbridge at Rio
Hondo, Texas, it occurred to Ken that due to modern construction,
the bridges along route 77 are now seamlessly incorporated into the
highway infrastructure. To add to his
already extensive coverage of Coastal
and South Texas on Texas
Escapes, Ken made a point of stopping at each river (and notable
creek) between Brownsville
and Victoria.
Inspired by the “Mother Road” of Route
66, Ken has designated this portion of Highway 77 “The Padre Road.”
Pulling on and off the high-speed highway and finding snake-free vantage
points isn’t the easiest way to spend a trip, so our thanks go out
to Ken for sharing what we ourselves have missed. Without the attention
to detail, the trip might just be considered “water under the bridge(s).”
The photos provided are a sampling of what might be encountered between
Victoria
and Brownsville,
and the trip is not meant to be a step-by-step itinerary. Clicking
on the links of the towns in the article will provide a more in-depth
look at the towns along the route. - Editor |
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Highway 77
Crossing the Red
River north of Gainesville,
Texas, Highway 77 arrives 565 miles later at the State Travel
Information station in Harlingen;
a building that sits in the shade of the six flags that have flown
over Texas.
The first 360 miles of Highway 77 from crossing the Red River north
of Gainesville
to Victoria
is much like any other road in Texas.
But leaving Victoria
en route to the Rio Grande Valley, the landscape becomes distinctly
coastal for the remaining 230 miles.
The portion of Route 77 I call “The Padre Road” is the last 80 miles
and if one looks closely enough, there are glimpses of every era in
Texas history, from the original Spanish land grants to the present. |
The Familiar
Six Flags of Texas
Photo courtesy Ken
Rudine, March 2008 |
The
Towns
Taking the drive down Route 77 from North to South, you will encounter
the following towns:
Victoria*,
McFaddin,
Refugio*, Woodsboro,
Sinton*, Odem,
Robstown, Driscoll,
Bishop, Kingsville*,
Ricardo, Riviera,
Sarita, Raymondville*,
Harlingen
Continue the drive to the Mexican border and visit:
Combes, LaFeria,
San Benito,
Rancho Viejo,
Olmito and Brownsville*
* Asterisks denote county seats |
Victoria County
Courthouse in Victoria.
TE photo |
A Green Jay
Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge,
East of Harlingen
Photo
courtesy Ken
Rudine, December 2007 |
The
Rivers
If one begins from Victoria,
the seven rivers and creeks crossed by The Padre Road would be the
Guadalupe River, the San Antonio River, Coleto Creek, the Mission
River, the Aransas River, the Nueces River and finally Los Olmos Creek.
If one begins at Robstown,
only Los Olmos creek, a few miles south of the starting point will
be crossed. The other six creek and five rivers are more frequently-spaced
between Victoria
and the highway turnoff for Corpus
Christi. That trip in itself would provide ample adventure for
another memorable Sunday drive.
If the trip is extended from Houston,
then three more rivers would be added to the itinerary. These would
be the Brazos at Richmond,
the San Bernard near Kendleton and the Colorado at Wharton.
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The Guadalupe
River
Photo courtesy Ken
Rudine, March 2008 |
Coleto
Creek
Photo courtesy Ken
Rudine, March 2008 |
The San Antonio
River
Photo courtesy Ken
Rudine, March 2008 |
Mission River
Photo courtesy Ken
Rudine, March 2008 |
The Aransas River
Photo courtesy Ken
Rudine, March 2008 |
The Nueces River
Photo courtesy Ken
Rudine, March 2008 |
Los Olmos Creek
Photo
courtesy Ken
Rudine, March 2008 |
One of the timeless
fruit stands (northbound) on Route 77
Photo courtesy Ken
Rudine |
The palm-lined
southern section of Route 77
Photo courtesy Ken
Rudine |
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