Joe Alexander – Page 15 – DREAM BIG. BELIEVE IN YOUR DREAMS. DO THE WORK.

Beach life at South Padre Island, Texas

The beach was filled with families on a hazy, cloudy weekday afternoon in June. - photo by Joe Alexander — The beach was filled with families on a hazy, cloudy weekday afternoon in June. – photo by Joe Alexander

South Padre Island is a barrier island on Texas’ lower coast of the Gulf of Mexico.

The gulf side of the island is lined with hotels and condos that face the wide beach and the waves.

Beach flowers at South Padre Island, Texas

Beach flowers at South Padre Island. - photo by Joe Alexander — Beach flowers at South Padre Island. – photo by Joe Alexander

The dunes on the gulf side of South Padre Island are covered with the usual dark green beach vegetation. In late June, there are purple and white flowers to liven things up.

Pelicans at South Padre Island, Texas

Coming in for a landing. Brown pelicans are common at South Padre Island, Texas. - photo by Joe Alexander — Coming in for a landing. Brown pelicans are common at South Padre Island, Texas. – photo by Joe Alexander

Brown pelicans are found all along Texas’ lower coast of the Gulf of Mexico.

You can see them at South Padre Island flying over the water or perched on poles in the Laguna Madre.

Brown pelicans are common at South Padre Island, Texas. - photo by Joe Alexander — South Padre Island pelicans

View of Queen Isabella Causeway from Port Isabel, Texas

View of the Queen Isabella Causeway looking toward South Padre Island from the area near the Port Isabel Lighthouse on a cloudy morning in June. - photo by Joe Alexander — View of the Queen Isabella Causeway looking toward South Padre Island from the area near the Port Isabel Lighthouse on a cloudy morning in June. – photo by Joe Alexander

The Queen Isabella Causeway crosses the Laguna Madre from Port Isabel to South Padre Island along Texas’ lower coast of the Gulf of Mexico.

Texas Highway 100 East runs through Port Isabel to the Causeway and becomes Padre Boulevard on South Padre Island.

Queen Isabella Causeway near the Port Isabel Lighthouse. - photo by Joe Alexander — Queen Isabella Causeway

Scottsdale’s Museum of the West

Just a block away from the main strip of restaurants, bars and shops in Old Town Scottsdale, Arizona, is Scottsdale’s Museum of the West. A few statues outside of the museum will give you just a taste of what awaits inside.

Official website: scottsdalemuseumwest.org

Story on the museum: thetravellingfool.com

Scottsdale’s Museum of the West. — Scottsdale’s Museum of the West

Picacho Peak State Park in Arizona

Picacho Peak and saguaro cactus after the sun came out. - photo by Joe Alexander — Picacho Peak and saguaro cactus after the sun came out. – photo by Joe Alexander

Picacho Peak is about 45 miles north of Tucson, and you can see it from a long way off as you drive down Interstate 10.

I headed to Picacho Peak State Park on my first morning in Arizona.

At first, I didn’t think I would get any good photos of the peak because it was a rainy, cloudy morning.

After I spent a little time rolling down a backroad alongside the park, the sun broke through just in time.

Official site: azstateparks.com/picacho

Picacho Peak State Park in Arizona. - photo by Joe Alexander — Picacho Peak – Arizona

Sonoran Desert in southern Arizona

An old saguaro cactus in the Sonoran Desert near Tucson, Arizona. - photo by Joe Alexander — An old saguaro cactus in the Sonoran Desert near Tucson, Arizona. – photo by Joe Alexander

The desert area south of Phoenix is best known for the saguaro cactus. The Sonoran Desert has lots more, with a variety of plant and animal life and large sandstone formations.

I was passing through on a day when the weather alternated between rain, clouds and sunshine.