April 29, 2013 – “Vidalia, LA to Vicksburg, MS”

The short trip from Alexandria was uneventful, and we arrived at Riverview RV Park on the banks of the Mississippi River in Vidalia, LA about 1:30 pm. The park is on the river side of the levee, and two years ago was under about 4 foot of water. With all the rain between St. Louis and Chicago, it is only a matter of time before the water levels raise here. From our rig, we had an excellent view of the “Mighty Mississippi” and watched the Riverboat Pilots push barges in both directions day and night. (As usual, click on any image to enlarge or any underlined to expand the topic.)

The following morning, due to rain being predicted for Wednesday, we decided to travel back westward about 10 miles to the Frogmore Plantation. For us, this was a different look at plantation life, and I think more accurately depicts what actual life in the mid 1800’s was really like.

This was indeed a tough life, and nothing was wasted, at to which this sign can attest.

Slaves worked from “see to can’t”, and had to live on very modest rations handed out weekly.

As many as 8 – 10 slaves would be housed in this simple two room structure, raised off of the ground to increase the air flow and stay cooler during the hot, humid summers. It also served them well as springtime rains would often cause flooding of this cotton plantation located in the Mississippi Delta.

Pictured below, the kitchen in the foreground, consisting of an oven and stew pot, with two hole restroom and cotton in the background.

Most of the barns were destroyed by Union soldiers during the Civil War, but this one is the original dating back to the early 1800’s.

Ginning cotton prior to the invention of the gin was a laborious task. Only one pound of cotton per day could be de-seeded by a single slave. This was the first steam powered cotton gin in the South, and was delivered in its first year of production after the patent was granted to Munger in 1884.

Rain was predicted for Wednesday, which it did, but subsided by around noon, so CC and I set out to see one of the many Antebellum Homes across the river on the higher grounds of Natchez, MS. Which one to visit was quickly decided when we discovered most charged $12 per person for a tour. However the Melrose is operated by the National Park Service, and since we purchased a yearly pass, it was a no brainer.

Lavish is just one way to describe Melrose. The National Park Service allows pictures but NO FLASH. I think they purposely keep the house dark with only minimal lighting, to prevent pictures from being taken. Of the few that were decent, this one of the dining room illustrates their way of living in the 1850’s. The most fascinating fact about Melrose is ALL the furniture is original, not reproductions or period pieces.

The parlor, or living room was equally opulent, with 24 karat gold leaf window cornices.

The children’s bedroom was nothing like I had growing up. How about you?

This estate had 25 slaves that lived at Melrose, and their accommodations were dramatically different than those of Frogmore Plantation, and actually had plaster walls, solid floors, glass windows and operational doors. Life as a slave at Melrose was much different than at Frogmore.

We discovered Natchez to be one of those “Diamonds in the Rough”, that we are constantly searching. One could easily spend a week or two here as there is so much to see. Click here to see more images of this historic town.

Thursday we visited the world renowned Delta Music Museum located in the bustling metropolis of Ferriday, LA. Their “claim to fame” is being the birthplace of cousins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Mickey Gilley and Jimmy Swaggart; as well as notable broadcaster and journalist Howard K. Smith and finally, Ann Boyar Warner, wife of Hollywood movie mogul Jack L. Warner.

After a brief introduction about the museum, one of the volunteers directs you to a small theatre to view a short documentary on all of the 20 inductees. Most are one hit wonders, but they all have their roots along the banks of the Mississippi from Vicksburg to New Orleans. All but one were present when they were inducted into this homegrown small town replication of the Stars on Hollywood Boulevard. Care to guess which one missed this prolific event? If you guessed Jerry Lee Lewis, you win the prize. But really, in his defense, he’s a busy man, as just last November, at the spry age of 77, got married for the seventh time! Triple sevens; hallelujah!!! Bet there was a “Whole Lotta Shakin’Goin’ on”…….........And just maybe, at his age, experienced “Great Balls of Fire!”

(Click on underlined to listen to two of his top hits)

Friday morning we drove the Natchez Trace Parkway from Natchez to just outside Jackson, MS. The drive was relaxing; very little traffic and no commercial trucks as they are not allowed on the Trace. It’s only a two lane road with no paved shoulders, but the short 90 mile drive took us nearly 3 hours to complete.

We had reports from others that there were “numerous” places along the Trace to pull over and explore the area. We did see numerous ones, albeit NOT for a 43 foot coach with toad. In the first 90 miles on the Trace there are only about 3 or 4 large enough to accommodate our rig.

We exited the Trace just west of Jackson, where we back-tracked on I-20 West for 15 miles to Edwards, MS. Here CC found Askews Landing Campground on our “go to” travel website, where we were graciously greeted and escorted to our site. CC and I both commented about how friendly people in the South are to everyone. After our last couple of weeks of travel, I wonder how different our country would be today if the Confederates had won the war. From our experience, I can only assume that it would be like it is here today, live and let live; you do your thing and I’ll do mine and afterward we can have a cold one (or two).

The view as we exit our “home” is extremely spacious, and the grounds are grassy and well manicured. This land is still owned by the same family that owned it before the Civil War, the Askew’s, and Dan and Edna take great pride in ownership, and it shows

.

In fact, right across from the office, is this historical marker.

Painted on the side of the pavilion is this mural depicting the Battle at Askew’sFerry, about a half mile west of the campground, where Dan’s great-great grandfather operated a ferry crossing the Big Black River.

On Saturday morning, after coffee and our usual WDYWTDT, I logged onto www.tripadvisor.com and searched for things to do in Vicksburg, 15 miles west of the campground. Numerous things caught my eye, but after watching all those barges down river in Vidalia, the Lower Mississippi River Museum in Vicksburg stuck out like a sore thumb. They had onsite one of the largest tugs on the river, AND it was open to tour. And it gets better………..for FREE. Hallelujah; today is my lucky day. I may just have to buy a Powerball ticket as well.

Whew……..!!!!! What a week. I think we may need to slow down a little, as we’re just not used to this much excitement. We had only planned on being here until Monday, but have decided to stay for a couple of days. From here, we’ll move to Meridian, MS, and make our way to the Birmingham area by the weekend to visit friends and former neighbors, Patrick and Jennifer. For now, that’s about it. Thanks for stopping by and catching up on our dull lifestyle. Until next time, take care and stay well…………………..

April 21, 2013 – “Alexandria, LA”

I will post a short one while we have a good internet connection today. We left Jasper last Monday, missed a turn, and ended up on a road with a sign that read, “Bridge ahead 28,000 pound limit”. That damned Murphy again? So, what’s a guy to do? Pull over on a two lane road with no shoulders, unhook the Equinox, and turn this rig around. It took some doing, but we got it done. What really aggravates me is the Rand McNally for RV’s navigational device was routing us that way, and it is supposed to route us around bridges we are too heavy for and around underpasses we are too tall for. (Click on any image to enlarge.)

We eventually made it to LA Hwy 8, which runs from the border with TX, through Leesville, LA (Ft. Polk), up to Alexandria, so I’m thinking we’ve got it made. Not so fast. This highway is nothing more than a rough two lane logging road with no shoulders. Did I mention it was rough? If I didn’t, it was. Luckily the only traffic we encountered was from oncoming logging trucks….loaded. Most were driving like a bat out of hell with their pants on fire. Yep, Murphy is still with us. It was only 120 miles from Jasper to Alexandria, but it felt like so much more.

We arrived at Alexandria RV Park, which we found on our numero uno website, www.rvparkreviews.com. It only had one review, but we took the chance, and once we arrived, were glad we did.

The following day CC got caught up on laundry, while I tried unsuccessfully to connect to the wi-fi available here. They only have 10 campsites, and their router is about 75 yards away, so all I could manage to pick up was a very weak signal. I finally gave up, and decided a trip to Best Buy for a wi-fi amplifier was in order.

Now that we have a better internet connection, thanks to the amplifier, CC spent most of Wednesday planning our next few stops in route to Birmingham. With that bit of research completed, it was now time for “Happy Hour”.

Thursday we planned a visit to the Kent Plantation House, which is central Louisiana's oldest standing structure and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. It is a representation of plantation life between 1795 and 1855. The main structure was erected in 1800. The Creole house and restored period outbuildings are now used as a showcase for tourists.

For more images of the Kent Plantation House, click here.

Tomorrow we move a short 90 miles east to Natchez, MS. We plan on a little sightseeing and a trip up the Natchez Trace Parkway later in the week. That’s about it for now, until next time, take care and stay well. Thanks for stopping by and catching up on this couple of gypsies.

March 29 - April 4, 2011 "Louisiana"

Where is the calendar? Without it, I have no idea of where we have been, OR, where we are going, OR what day it is. We left League City, TX, in route to Lake Charles, LA, where we stayed at Sam Houston Jones State Park, just north of Lake Charles. A very nice park, we can highly recommend; the sites are large, and the area is beautiful.  http://www.crt.state.la.us/parks/iShjones.aspx (Click on the images to enlarge)

At the top of the list, on things to do, was finding the best Cajun food in town. We asked around, and hands down, all agreed, Steamboat Bill’s on Lakeshore Drive; it did not disappoint!

We both opted for the gumbo; CC had piquant and I chose chicken and sausage. After 4 months of Mexican food, my taste buds were kicking up their heels with a new culinary sensation. Mmmmm Good. I think CC enjoyed it as well; she might not be so bold as to publicly admit it, being the Hispanic connoisseur that she is.  http://www.steamboatbills.com/

We tried or luck at the local casinos, Isle of Capri and L’Auberge, and had mixed results. Win a little, lose a little; kind of like kissing your sister. Oh well, at least we didn’t break the bank; ours OR theirs. Now it was time for a walk along the lake, as they have a very nice paved walk on the NE side, adjacent to the downtown area. It was an overcast day, in the mid 70’s, as we strolled along watching the ducks swim and children feeding oyster crackers to the hundreds of hungry pigeons.

Travel Day. On to Breaux Bridge, LA, where we wanted to stay at Poche’s, but ended up at Cajun Palms RV Resort, which is actually nearby in Henderson, LA. Cajun Palms is a new park, maybe 2 or 3 years old, and is already expanding to double its size. It’s a little on the pricey side, but so many amenities; we didn’t have time to take advantage of all of them, because we had sightseeing on our agenda. Check out Cajun Palms here: http://www.cajunpalms.com/default.aspx

We have so much to see in so little time, we had better get off our lazy butts and hit the road. We drove the 10 miles or so to Breaux Bridge, parked and walked around the historic district. The adjacent cemetery was CC’s first sight of above ground burial tombs. I must admit, two dimensional pictures are no match for being there in person.

Eastward to Lafayette, to find a place for lunch. Almost miraculously, as we were driving northbound on University Blvd, I noticed a full parking lot at a little out of the way place named Country Cuisine. Over the years we have rarely been disappointed when using this method of choosing a better than average eating establishment. As we entered, it became increasingly apparent to me that we were the only albino-like people there. No problemo. We stumbled around for a few minutes, do we sit down, wait for a table, go to the counter and order; just what is the protocol here?

Finally, the lady behind the counter asked, “Would you like to order?” 

“Yes, I’ll have the crawfish etouffee and she’ll have the catfish.” 

As we sat down, the other diners appeared to be having a party, and sure enough, Country Cuisine was having their twenty-fifth anniversary party with family and close friends. It looks like we crashed their party. Oh well, the food was fantastic, and as we exited spoke with one of the owners, who was very friendly, asking us where we were from, as he could tell we were “not from around here”. Go figure.

OK, now onto some sightseeing, as we maneuver southward to St. Martinville, in search of the Longfellow – Evangeline Plantation. As we drove up, I had a visual image of “Tara” (Gone with the Wind), and this was not what I expected; a true working small plantation of only about 700 acres.

For generations, a blend of history and legend has drawn visitors to this meeting place of incredible natural beauty and unique historical background. In legend--the area was the meeting place of the ill-fated lovers, Evangeline and Gabriel. In history--it was the meeting place of exiled French aristocrats fleeing the French Revolution, and of Acadians of Nova Scotia seeking refuge after the British expulsion. It was also the meeting place of wealthy New Orleanians escaping the oppressive heat and epidemics of the city. In nature--it is the meeting place of the swamp and the prairie.

At Longfellow-Evangeline State Historic Site, visitors are introduced to the diverse cultural interplay among the French-speaking peoples along the famed Bayou Teche. Many visitors may be familiar with the 1755 expulsion of the Acadians from Nova Scotia, and their arrival in Louisiana, as portrayed in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's 1847 epic poem "Evangeline." In Louisiana, the story is also known through the poem's local counterpart, Acadian Reminiscences: The True Story of Evangeline, written by Judge Felix Voorhies in 1907.

An Acadian Cabin vividly illustrates how different the lives of the Acadians and Creoles were. Prior to the arrival of the Acadians, or Cajuns, in 1764, the Bayou Teche area had already begun to be settled by the French. Many of these settlers were descendants of the first wave of French settlers in Louisiana. They are sometimes called "Creoles," meaning native, since they were born in colonial Louisiana.

Travel day has us moving on to “The Big Easy”, where we stayed at the Bayou Segnette State Park, just south of New Orleans. Usually travel days are uneventful, and that is the way we like them, however this was NOT one of those days. As we later learned, the Huey P. Long Bridge, is the most hated bridge in the area, with 9 foot lanes and NO shoulder on either side of the 2 lanes. Our rig is 8’-4”, so that leaves about 4” on each side for clearance, and traveling 45 mph, doesn’t leave much room for error. Just about the time CC shot out of her seat, I heard “massive scraping” on the passenger side, followed quickly by the tightening of my sphincter. As I looked into the driver’s side mirror, there were 2 cars beside me, and the bridge wall a mere 4 inches from the passenger side. As I slowed, and let the 2 cars beside me escape by getting around, I moved to the center, and continued across the bridge right down the middle of the road, blocking any and all vehicles from getting around me. I was not looking forward to stopping and discovering the damage that in my mind,  just had to be horrific.

We arrived at Bayou Segnette, and the first order of business was to survey the damage; OMG, only a relatively small area on the front quarter panel behind the front wheel. Thank you Guardian Angel! The rest of the check in and set up process went without a hitch, although I was definitely ready for my “customary travel day” martini after we got completely set up. I think CC also enjoyed her “Double Margarita”.

No visit to “Nawlins” would be complete with a visit to the French Quarter and the Café Du Monde for beignets. Since it was early, we started with beignets and café au lait.

The art vendors were just getting set up as we arrived, so we walked around the town square, admiring their artistic wares. Only once did this dreadlock wearing female yell at me, “No pictures!” Like what the hell is her problem?  The only reason I wanted a picture was to show the setting, not her ugly mug or her artwork. (She only painted in one color; black) Now when did that become art? Oh well, on to another part of the French Quarter.

After walking around for almost two hours, both of us had worked up quite a thirst, so it was off to Bourbon Street. CC wanted a hurricane at Pat O’Brien’s, just because that is the “touristy” thing to do. I, however, being the one of us that always acts in a responsible and mature manner, agreed to something a little less “intoxicating”, especially since it wasn’t yet noon, and on a Sunday morning at that!

After re-reading this I’m thinking we need to slow down a bit. After all, we are retired and don’t need to try and cram in everything in only one week. After being at one place all winter, we are still trying to re-adjust to “Travel Mode”. With that said, tomorrow is travel day, on to Gulfport, MS, a distance of 103 miles, where we will be staying at the Southern Oaks RV Park. Until next time, take care and stay well……