Every year in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, the region is flooded with Winter Texans. A Winter Texan is the local term for visitors from northern states who travel South for the Winter season. They generally start arriving around September or October, depending on when the cold starts to set in. Winter Texans then stay until Spring and head back home. The whole reason for the annual trip is to escape the harsh cold of the northern states. The Rio Grande Valley used to be called the Magic Valley because local farmers could grow pretty much anything throughout the entire year due to its tropical climate. Our winters in the RGV rarely have freezing temperatures for more a couple of nights at a time. This is Fall weather for Winter Texans.
The signal for Winter Texans to start heading South is generally when the frosts start to set in. This week, we are expecting temps to dip into freezing in the evenings. The Exodus has started. Today, I went shopping at one of the local grocery stores. There were an extraordinary number of grey-haired locals shopping for groceries. Some are even sporting t-shirts and caps with the names of RGV businesses and towns. They are getting ready to go to Texas, Florida, and New Mexico.
It's interesting to see Winter Texans before their departure. You always wonder from where they originate. I know now that some originate from Rice Lake, Wisconsin and the surrounding area. Something that I failed to consider for my return to the RGV is that there may not be a U-Haul trailer available to rent, having all been rented by our annual visitors. Buen viaje!
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