BBB Day 7

March 2
Hiked 3 miles

What a day! It was VERY cold but beautifully sunny (hope I can stop saying the “very cold” soon). We headed out on the Creole Nature Trail about 8:30. First was a short ferry ride, for which my Senior Citizen received a free ride (vs. the $1 charge!).

We took the 1.5 mile Wetland Walkway and did little else but freeze (note the clothing):



But redemption: four Roseate Spoonbills flew overhead, enticing us further:



There are these small pitch outs (for anglers and hunters) and trails for birders along this 100 or so mile route. We skipped the next walking trail (man, it was cold) and continued north through the bayous around Calcasieu (pronounced Kal Ka Chew) Lake. When we headed east to start the next part of the loop, we were stopped and crawled along Highway 10 for an hour (an accident or something on our route). It was tense and we almost turned around and headed west to Texas, but, frankly, we couldn’t! So onward.

And guess what? Sandhill Cranes in a field (thought they were sheep):

Our persistence totally paid off. At the Cameron Prairie National Wildlife Refuge’s Visitors Center, we saw funny diving Moorhens:




…a Red-eared Turtle (too elusive for a picture), and a new bird to us, an Anhinga:



There were Roseate Spoonbills, more Moorhens, Ibises and Coots in the back boardwalk. Things were definitely looking up. The attendant told us to expect alligators at our next stop.

So off to the Pintail Wildlife Drive (a three mile drive with a 1/2 mile boardwalk trail). Wow again. We saw three kinds of Geese (we think Snow, Ross and White-fronted) and probably a Little Blue Heron (in the foreground):



…many more Coots (here hanging out with an Ibis):



…which was one of many Glossy Ibis (a new bird to us):



…and a beautiful Northern Shoveler (beautiful colouring):



Here’s another new bird (a Black-necked Stilt in the water and in flight):





and yet another unknown (and as yet unidentified) bird we saw:



Then “Gator Girl” (fully wrapped up in hand-made headband and mitts):



…spotted these guys (and a third, but sadly he was belly-up, so we presume dead):





We left this drive with a special sighting of a Great and Snowy Egret together:



Sorry to bore you with all the bird chatter and pictures, but it was an amazing day.

We have ended up back in our Internment Camp RV park for another night, so new new view from my chair, but here’s the sunrise and sunset from our campsite (not so bad!):

:

BBB Day 6

 

March 1

Biked and Hiked 4 miles

 

What a great Louisiana day! It was a sunny and early start with promises of 70 degree weather!

We left the lovely park and headed for the Tabasco Factory in Avery Island. We were so early leaving that we got there six minutes before opening, and they wouldn’t let us in! Yikes. It’s the private domain of the McIlhenny family. In fact, while we were waiting, we met a guy who’s great grandmother was “an Avery” (he acted like we should know the name!), a family member some how, who lived on this island.

In we went to the store and sampled a lot of Tabascos (gifts for some of you!) and Tabasco ice cream, chili and pop. And this was before 9:30.

We decided to also visit the Jungle Gardens of Avery Island. These were established by the son of the Tabasco founding McIlhenny.

We decided to ride our bikes around the three-mile garden. There were Live Oaks lining the path:

…stands of bamboo:

 

 

…algae-covered turtles:

 

…Camellias and Azaleas in bloom alongside dripping Spanish Moss:

 

 

…a Buddha (gifted to McIlhenny, but stolen from China):

…Palm gardens:

…and the piece de resistance, a refuge for Great and Snow Egrets (and some Ibis and Moorhens). We figure we saw close to 1,000 birds building nests on the man-made platforms and in the trees. Today, it seemed that males were bringing sticks to impress the females. It was amazing:

 

Today was also the gravesite burial for the Tabasco CEO, who died recently at 68 (flags were at half mast). We saw a military honour guard in the area that is private to the McIlhenny family.

We had lunch there then headed to the Intracoastal road (82) west to Cameron.

This area is called “The Louisiana Outback” for a good reason. You drive along swamps, lagoons, canals and lakes with “camps” scattered around (Camp David, Piscatory Place and A Cajun Hi Rise were the best names). These camps (like cottages or hunting and fishing camps) and houses are on the ground, on cinder blocks, on 4-foot stilts or 8 to 10-foot stilts.

Not to mention the dead alligator and Wild Hog on the side of the road.

Despite the raised homes, there was also the devastation (empty foundations, chimneys, staircases, graveyards without churches) from Hurricanes Rita and Ike. Churches (paid for by the congregations) and School Offices-and schools, we think-built by FEMA. Most people are living in trailers on their land (apparently few can afford to re-build to code) or in new, mostly pre-fab houses. It’s quite a thing to see.

We’re at the Jetty RV Park in Cameron (literally on the jetty with birds, a beach and off-shore oil rigs in the background and ships moving in and out taking supplies, we think, to the rigs):

 

Here’s the view from my chair (note the barbed wire, either to keep us in or the cows that surround us out; but that IS the Gulf!):

BBB Day 5

 

February 28
No hiking or biking

Another chilly but bright start to the day. We're getting up surprisingly early to get a great start on our days.

We headed to Natchez to cross the Mississippi and take Louisiana Route 15 south along the levees as suggested by our friend at Jeff Busby. Here are some things we saw on our route:

• a BEAR sign on the highway (rarely seen).
• Laundry and Chinese Restaurant sharing a building in Port Gibson (historical stereotypes all at once)
• Magnolias and Azaleas in bloom
• "Pumping to Please and Soul Food" (both kinds of gas station?)
• Another Red-headed Woodpecker
• Sign for Sister Katherine, Palm Reader (does "Sister" have more credibility?)
• "Miss and Lou" inmates in green and white-striped pants doing highway maintenance

• a lunching hawk

• GIANT cornfields (corporation owned)
• Oil drills
• Thrashers
• Small graveyards with above ground graves

• "Jesus is Lord in Lettsworth (only there?)
• "Not Your Mama's Cafe: Bait, Tackle, Ammo and Tavern"
• A sign for Wild Hog Removal (then a truck driving by with a Wild Hog carcass)
• Rice fields and Crawfish fields (we learned what they were later)
• Sugar Cane fields

• Discount Firearms and Training (LESS training?)

Now we're at the Abbeville RV (City) Park and it's great. Only $20 with all amenities including Don, the Camp Host, a lovely Louisianan (?) who made us feel welcome and another Wisconsinite (I'm making these names up) who spends six months here with his wife who has Alzheimer's. What a lovely man.

Hey, we were outside for a while, so....

Here’s the view from my chair:

BBB Day 4

February 27

Hiking and walking, not sure how much!

An early morning departure on a chilly but very bright day. We stopped at the Cypress and Tupelo Swamp and hiked the trail. The trees are amazing and we saw our second ever Red-headed Woodpecker:

 

 

 

We got to Vicksburg around 11 and saw the mighty Mississippi for the first time this trip:

 

After lunch, we spent more than three hours touring the Vicksburg National Military Park. It’s on the site of the battle for Vicksburg, which controlled the Mississippi and all supplies to both Confederate and Union soldiers. After a bloody battle, the South surrendered. The Park is partially a historical display of the battles as well as the glory of the states, generals and soldiers involved.

There are magnificent tributes to the states:

 

 

…many leaders, especially this guy who looks like Billy Connolly (whom I met, in L.A. with Alana and Heather!):

 

The cemetery holds 13,000 Union dead (the Confederates are at another cemetery in town). Some graves are unmarked, and some feature the greatest names:

 

There was also the preserved USS Cairo, sunk then recovered from the Yazoo (yep, “up the”) River:

 

It was beautiful and poignant and a great stop for Civil War buffs like us.

 

We picked up really good Mississippi BBQ at Goldie’s and enjoyed good food and TV to end our visit here.

 

Here’s the view of our campsite (it WAS mid 60’s but no sitting outside yet). Our first Mockingbirds sat in that tree and woke us this morning!)

 

BBB Day 3

February 26
Hike 1.5 miles

A chilly start to the day and a little misty. Then a downpour to clear the salt and dirt from the MoHo. But it was sunny and beautiful by 9:00.

I really drove today: 65 miles and 1 1/2 hours:



We passed the devastation of the 2011 tornado we noticed last year:



Then we saw our first Dogwoods in bloom (we had seen a Redbud in bloom in Tupelo). The further southwest we travel, the closer we get to spring!

I drove again and actually parked AND drove on to the levelling blocks. I AM WOMAN!

We got to the Jeff Busby, also free and pretty, campground and decided it was time for a walk. So off we went in winter clothes:





Loved this burled tree:



Here’s a little story about buying wine. We love Walmart wine. It’s cheap ($3.00) and pretty good. But not always available. We couldn’t buy it in Ohio because it was Sunday. Counties near the Interstate in Kentucky are mostly dry, so no luck (at least we KNEW that from last year). Then, in Tennessee, Walmarts only sell beer. In desperation, we spent $7.00 a bottle (horrors) in a liquor store in Tupelo, Mississippi. We have resolved to stock up, maybe in Louisiana. I know you all wanted to know this.

This was a good day.

But still no chair. So here’s the view of our campsite:

BBB Day 2

February 25
Still no hiking or biking!

Brrr…sunny but very cold (28 degrees-yes, we’re Fahrenheit now!).

An interesting juxtaposition of religion and arms: The Solid Rock Church with a GIANT statue of Jesus across the road from a GIANT Gun Show sign (near Lebanon) a few miles from a GIANT mosque.

We hit Kentucky at 9:00. The Welcome Center would be a great overnight spot for any RVers heading south. We saw our first Robins of the year here. Then, our first daffodils north of Louisville.

And last night’s Oscar theme continued as we passed the sign for the turn off to Lincoln’s birthplace.

More signs of spring: the Harley dealer had his bikes outside, and they were golfing on Kenny Perry’s course in Franklin!

Into Tennessee and a sign for “Nervous Charlie’s Beer and Fireworks” (a bad combination).
It was now 58 degrees AND we saw our first biker!

We decided to head across Tennessee and Mississippi via the Natchez Trace. Last year, we drove the other way a month later, and it was very different. Today, it was a little drab, but peaceful after the Interstates.

We saw the Double Arch Bridge:



and a War of 1812 Memorial signpost (NO, not still!).

Then (drum roll) I DROVE THE MOHO FOR THE FIRST TIME!

Okay, it was only 12 miles, but I did have to stop for six Wild Turkeys (the birds) and four deer. David’s never had to do that!

We got to the Meriwether Lewis free and beautiful campground and were the only ones there. Lovely.

No “chair” yet (too cold), but here ‘s a view of our campsite:

Big Bend Bound (BBB) Day 1

February 24, 2013
No hiking, biking or anything besides driving!

Finally! We leave winter behind (or so we hope) and head south.

We actually leave early (7:30) and beat all expected bad weather. Though there are a few light flurries up to Cambridge, the sun came out by noon and it was clear sailing.

We saw oil drills in Ridgetown and wind turbines in Tilbury: are we in Texas already?

We hit the border in Detroit by 2:22, and, despite serious checking of vehicles, we were across in 15 minutes.

Some interesting observations on our way through Michigan and Ohio:

• “Beef Jerky-We are not a Gas Station” (how can they be sure?)
• Ohio, the new Mecca for American Muslims? (“Love Your Muslim Neighbors”, “meccabg.com”, huge mosques
• 1st dead deer in Bowling Green
• Findlay, Ohio, “Flag City, USA” (but we saw only one)

We got a phone card and MIFI and a chicken at WalMart and stopped at the Super 8 in Vandalia. We drank beer, ate the chicken and watched the Oscars. A great start!

This was a Detroit Sandwich kind of 24 hours. I watched Dreamgirls Saturday night, and it featured burned out Detroit, remnants of which we saw today. THEN Jennifer Hudson sang her big song from Dreamgirls on the Oscars! Wow.

No pictures and no chair views yet.