PINS trip

Tomin

Member
Yes, it always a crap shoot. I have been where the entire run was hard pack and a Camry could have gone down and back and then I have been times where I was worried we wouldn't have the fuel to return because the sand was so deep and soft we were getting 4-6 mpg's trugging along.




Keep your GMRS radio with you and tuned to the NOAA channel. For the most part you should have a pretty good idea of what to expect within the following 72 hours. Tides are relatively low for the most part, moving 1.3-1.7 feet at most. I've never had a run in with anyone in all of my years running PINS or even lately doing the Matagorda run but rest assured that I always take along a fix or two for those "what if" moments.

A few of us will be there Nov. 30 through Dec. 2, feel free to tag along. Like @perterra said, it's not really worth the trip if you don't overnight at least for one night.


I always carry extra fuel. My rig doesn’t get good fuel mileage on city streets let alone off pavement. Soft sand really eats up fuel. But that’s all part of the planing. It’s a long way down and then back. Everything can change in a hurry. Extra food water fuel. Never hurts to have extra. Weather can be checked before you head out. So can high and low tide times. But as said weather can affect the tides. In all reality I have never had a problem, beach wise. But you have to remain alert. Things change with tides and the beach can get skinny’s day/or soft. In the Summer seaweed can hide hazzards. Can’t wait till next week to get back down there. Always an adventure it seem and that’s why I travel.
 

zoomad75

K5 Camper guy
It’s good to be square. Is pic in sig yours? I have been looking for one with camper back for long while. The only one around here isn’t for sale, I’ve tried HaHa. I built mine to use. No mall crawl.

Yep that's my ride. I looked for a couple of years before I found mine. Most I did find were attached to crusty beasts where the owner was unwilling to separate. I managed to get lucky and find one where the owner was willing to split.

Mine was built to use too. Not to much beach to cruise around here though. Yours looks like a good setup for sure. Keep at it.
 

Tex68w

Beach Bum
Less than two weeks out guys. Shoot me a PM with your info if you think you will be down there. We will be running the FRS/GMRS so I'll be sure to scan those frequencies while we are down there.
 

Martinjmpr

Wiffleball Batter
We are at Goose Island SP. cold and rainy here now but we are cozy in the camper.

(This photo is actually from last night in Brownfield where the overnight low was a chilly 28f.)

5f408c23edb9911cafe52bbd1ba0590d.jpg



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Tomin

Member
I finaly made it back from work in Louisiana late last night. Of course I have another job that came up. So I won’t be headed to PINS till Thursday morning. Low tide is at 754 so morning should be nice.

Tex68w will have to see what next week brings. Let you know if I make it there again weekend after this one.

Martinjmpr the weather looks like it will be improving rest of week. Hope you are able to get out and enjoy your time down here.
 

Tomin

Member
Well I'm back a day early. While cell doesn’t work too often. Inreach does unfortunatly and I had to return for work.

Was interesting trip for sure. Left Thursday morning was a bit overcast but I knew it would be. Get to beach around 9, you know it’s going to be a good time when park has their “High Tides No Beach Camping” sign out. North East wind blowing so no surprise with the tide. Not very many people out, beach was not bad till mile 20. That’s when things get fun or interesting. HaHa. Never can figure that one out. Low tide was at high tide lines. So beach gets real skinny and soft. Old truck got a workout dragging trailer through the soft stuff. As the tide started coming back up the beach gets smaller and you have to know where to call it quits.
701FF319-4AFC-4C08-8C3A-ABA965A47A33.jpeg


This was another real narrow spot that goes on for a 1/4 mile or so and I decided it was time to relax. This is at mile 36. There is a nice high spot to pull off in here. Set up camp and proceeded to cook thanksgiving meal for myself. Turkey and Andouille sausage jambalaya.
47DEA1A7-D541-437C-8E6C-6F8A540253AF.jpeg

Not good with portions. HaHa. Kinda overdid it. Note to self. Go solo you have to do the dishes too. HaHa. Anyhow sit back start fire and relax with a adult drinks. Good night.

Next morning wind had slowed and moved on around to the north west. Beach at low tide was way better this morning.
A61083AD-53EB-410D-A300-133376373F4A.jpeg

Don’t know why picture blurry? It clear on phone. Anyhow dark stripe on right side is the log in earlier picture. Hope you get idea of how much lower water is.

Packed up and headed on down to usual camping spot. Easy drive and made it with little effort. Set up camp again and relaxed good stuff.

Saturday get message need to head back. Beautiful morning and day. Tide was super low. Beach was wide and hard packed. It was so low I could see more of the wreck of the Nicaragua then I have seen in a long time.

F71DB1B4-B637-4562-BE96-887ED638C472.jpeg

Usual just see the main piece.

Anyhow. Saturday was the best day of the weekend By far. Sad I had to leave. Even passed a Subaru Forester and a Honda that looked like it at 46 mile. Never used 4 wheel or locked the rear axle, it was like pavement.

Hope to make it back down there next weekend and meet up with some of you folks.
 

gentimmy

Active member
Well I'm back a day early. While cell doesn’t work too often. Inreach does unfortunatly and I had to return for work.

Was interesting trip for sure. Left Thursday morning was a bit overcast but I knew it would be. Get to beach around 9, you know it’s going to be a good time when park has their “High Tides No Beach Camping” sign out. North East wind blowing so no surprise with the tide. Not very many people out, beach was not bad till mile 20. That’s when things get fun or interesting. HaHa. Never can figure that one out. Low tide was at high tide lines. So beach gets real skinny and soft. Old truck got a workout dragging trailer through the soft stuff. As the tide started coming back up the beach gets smaller and you have to know where to call it quits.
View attachment 485700


This was another real narrow spot that goes on for a 1/4 mile or so and I decided it was time to relax. This is at mile 36. There is a nice high spot to pull off in here. Set up camp and proceeded to cook thanksgiving meal for myself. Turkey and Andouille sausage jambalaya.
View attachment 485701

Not good with portions. HaHa. Kinda overdid it. Note to self. Go solo you have to do the dishes too. HaHa. Anyhow sit back start fire and relax with a adult drinks. Good night.

Next morning wind had slowed and moved on around to the north west. Beach at low tide was way better this morning.
View attachment 485705

Don’t know why picture blurry? It clear on phone. Anyhow dark stripe on right side is the log in earlier picture. Hope you get idea of how much lower water is.

Packed up and headed on down to usual camping spot. Easy drive and made it with little effort. Set up camp again and relaxed good stuff.

Saturday get message need to head back. Beautiful morning and day. Tide was super low. Beach was wide and hard packed. It was so low I could see more of the wreck of the Nicaragua then I have seen in a long time.

View attachment 485710

Usual just see the main piece.

Anyhow. Saturday was the best day of the weekend By far. Sad I had to leave. Even passed a Subaru Forester and a Honda that looked like it at 46 mile. Never used 4 wheel or locked the rear axle, it was like pavement.

Hope to make it back down there next weekend and meet up with some of you folks.

Next weekend should be a good time, hope you can make it!
 

Tomin

Member
Had a great time meeting a few folks for here this past weekend. It was beatutiful weather for first week of December. I was to lazy to take pictures but the others took some great ones. Hope they post up some.
 

gentimmy

Active member
Had a great time meeting a few folks for here this past weekend. It was beatutiful weather for first week of December. I was to lazy to take pictures but the others took some great ones. Hope they post up some.

Tom, it was awesome meeting you dude. You’re a legend! I’m gonna let Lee post up his report when he’s back from wherever he was headed and add my input and pics.
 

Tex68w

Beach Bum
I’ll do a write-up when I return from Montana. A great time was had by everyone. Tom certainly attained Legend status, but more on that later.

It’s flippin’ -6F here in Big Sky tonight, miserable compared to the 70F at night we had on the beach not four days ago.
 

Tex68w

Beach Bum
The trip was a success, overall lol. Myself and the crew from Dallas were behind schedule (as expected) on our arrival but Tom aka @Tomin was gracious enough to sit back for two hours and wait for us at the entrance to the beach, much patience in this one lol. We rolled out and started our way down the beach well after dark in search of the Yarborough Pass entrance where we had planned to setup camp for the night. Yarborough Pass remains closed to through traffic due to the damage caused by Harvey, but we walked back there a ways and it appears that they are making headway on repairing the road and hopefully it'll be back open sometime in the spring.

Unfortunately I did not get any pics from the first night, but the combination of the ESE winds and the frontal system made for a rather tight beach even at low tide, at times we barely had the width of vehicle between the lapping waves and the dunes, it was sporty. Hilarity ensued and many drinks were had around the fire on that first night and someone (Scott) reportedly even did a back flip of sorts (unintentionally) attempting to get into the FWC for the night lol.

We awoke to rapidly improving conditions as some made breakfast before we broke camp and continued south for the remaining 45 miles of beach front property that lie ahead.

wa4kPQZ.jpg

mYBl8kL.jpg

tfBqGsT.jpg

Re01SSc.jpg

Y3a4DOp.jpg



There were three dogs on this trip (all Labs), one of which is the 141 lb Labrador monster known as Kratos belonging to Caesar aka @wakoshaman. Tim aka @gentimmy brought his dog Missi, who was by far the spunkiest of the group always enticing the others to follow along in her mischief. Champ (Chases's dog) could always be found up and stirring in camp long before anyone else, the early bird gets the worm, and Kratos, well Kratos shakes the ground when he walks, most likely towards you in search of food lol.

dbPycWr.jpg


A quick morning dip with Champ.

dD2z275.jpg

nIfx26r.jpg



UZ74YlH.jpg


Missi

hoBZJm2.jpg


Kratos


We had no real agenda in regards to the second day other than to make it to the end at the Port Mansfield Pass, Mile Marker 60. Along the way we stopped to check out the back side of the barrier island from atop the dunes where we encountered a curious Javelina or two. We also made a pit stop at the Turtle Shack where Taylor decided to have a go at Sand Boarding (well sorta, more like sand Tupperware sliding lol). The Turtle crew aren't there in the winter months, but they are fun to chat with if you're there during the summer months.


zyKW7xs.jpg

affXNZZ.jpg

2f1HCsA.jpg

9P2ITfw.jpg

4LPrTKm.jpg

JXpamRn.jpg

iN2hSzl.jpg

gZOFcvY.jpg

ZT7DBk2.jpg

YANXYpg.jpg
 

Tex68w

Beach Bum
On our way down the beach we encountered this impressive foreign Mercedes Atego. Myself and Scott having done quite a bit of travel abroad couldn't resist the urge to stop and investigate further. It turns out that the couple was from Switzerland (Ulf and Berna) and they were on their way south into Mexico and onto South America, the beach layover was their last stop in the U.S. before crossing the border into Mexico the next day. Their rig was impressive as are their rock climbing focused travels, be sure to check out their blog at https://www.rouletout.ch.

sgPwMgQ.jpg



Some in the group were very keen on getting some fishing in at the jetties after setting up camp for night two, while others preferred to hang around and catch a nap or a buzz lol.

Q7ad9Av.jpg

sFfHvPu.jpg

rriwnfn.jpg

8KbxbkM.jpg



I had begrudgingly purchased a Tembo Tusk Skottle prior to the trip from Dave at AdventureUp Overland in Rosenberg (check him out for your FWC, AT Trailers/Campers, 23Zero, SnoMaster, Tembo Tusk, and ITW Trailer needs at https://www.adventureupoverland.com). Much to my surprise the Skottle was a hit and everyone proceeded to use it to cook their dinner, I think it was a good purchase after all. From fajitas to brats, veggies and steaks, it cooked everyones food with ease and with relatively little to no cleanup, I look forward to using it again on my next adventure.

66Kqd7T.jpg

1nf7DGt.jpg

FhOvbY9.jpg



Camp was setup for the second night at Tom's favorite spot and many a beverage were consumed following dinner. The fire roared into the night as a cheerful Chase made certain that it continued to burn while we all sat around getting drunker as we lied to one another and enjoyed some classic tunes played by yours truly.

D4XO9Tw.jpg

g5G2N4J.jpg

Qb895m6.jpg



We awoke to a nearly 80F day to return home. The beach was wide at high tide and nicely compacted for a smooth and rather high speed return up the beach. We all said our goodbyes as we staggered our departures from the gulf front property we had called home for the weekend.

zBzzlB8.jpg

dcXjPHz.jpg

viMpaXr.jpg

91x3ZDq.jpg

pPG9NwL.jpg

HMU5gcv.jpg



Most of us were strangers when we started this adventure, but I am confident in saying that we are all now friends after having spent a few days of mischief on the edge of the world together. We had quite the range of rigs and setups/approaches to how we camp/travel/overland, but at the end of the day we all came away with interest, appreciation, and envy for each others vehicles in one way or another. I look forward to our next Expedition Portal Forum outing together and I hope that we can entice some others to join us and grow the group in the future travels wherever they may be.

g66mWaU.jpg


Left to right: Taylor, Tom aka @Tomin, Lee (myself) aka @Tex68w, Caesar aka @wakoshaman, Tim aka @gentimmy, Scott, and Chase aka @ChaseHignighy.
 
Last edited:

gentimmy

Active member
It was great meeting you, Scott, and @Tomin . Y'alls presence and experience made the PINS trip that much more enjoyable knowing that we were in good hands.

Looking forward to the next trip.... @wakoshaman and I are talking about Devils River or Big Bend for February already.
 

Tex68w

Beach Bum
The Devils is a good trip but definetely a kayaking trip moreso than Overlanding. I’ve done the Devils but it’s been nearly 10 years ago. I’m game for either so y’all let me know when you put something together.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
185,539
Messages
2,875,662
Members
224,922
Latest member
Randy Towles
Top