After three days and numerous attempts ... unable to upload photos ( due to widespread flooding in Texas, and resultant fiber optic cable damage, etc. ). Will post text, and try to upload photos at later date.
Sunday ; Turkey Creek SKP RV Village
Mostly sunny and mild.
We had a slightly slow, lazy day. After a late, slow start, we worked ... yes, AGAIN ... on the camper water pump replacement "endless project". Today I replaced the section of flexible hose that was swollen, likely from freezing while we were in Churchill, and the camper was sitting unattended in Thompson for five days in cold weather. < sigh > Once again, I'm hopeful that is the end of the water pump replacement "endless project". Time will tell. Wish me luck !
This afternoon we went for a long, slow walk all around the RV park, up and down each row, enjoying the pleasant fall weather, hoping that some sunshine and exercise would improve our health. My cold is almost over, but Joanne's is not, she's still quite ill. Late this afternoon we went to the park's weekly ice cream social, which was poorly attended, but we sat at a table with two other couples and chatted with them for four hours. One of the couples are new lot owners at Kofa Ko-op, our winter home park in Yuma, Arizona, so we will be seeing them there later this winter.
Monday ; Branson, Missouri to Little Rock, Arkansas
Both of us were in very poor spirits today.
Today started out partially cloudy and mild in Branson, it began to rain as we drove across Northern Arkansas, and by the time we stopped for the night at Little Rock, it was raining heavily. This might be the leading edge of what was Hurricane Patricia.
Before leaving Turkey Creek SKP RV Village we refilled with freshwater and dumped our waste holding tanks. We headed south out of Branson on Hwy. 65 and soon we were crossing from Missouri into Arkansas. We stopped at Harrison to shop at
Wal-Mart, then had lunch in Wal-Mart's parking lot. We drove across the street for more shopping at Dollar Tree, then across the street again for more shopping at Home Depot. Which explains why we did not travel as many miles today as usual.
I couldn't help noticing, as we shopped, that Northern Arkansas did not seem to be ...
< ahem > ... heavily populated by rocket scientists. And ... as we drove today through the very lovely Ozarks, I actually found a radio station playing ... banjo music. At this point I would normally insert laughter, but ... I don't want to get shot !
< stifling laughter >
Travelling south on Hwy. 65 through rural Arkansas was scenic, with the lovely fall colours of the Ozark Mountains. When we reached Conway we turned east on Interstate 40 until we reached Little Rock at dusk. We were going to stay at the
Wal-Mart at Conroy but their parking lot was posted "no overnight parking", a rarity at Wal-Marts. At Little Rock we found our way to Cracker Barrel, a restaurant chain that welcomes RV'ers to park overnight. I believe the implication is ... have dinner in our restaurant then feel free to park overnight in our parking lot. I understand and appreciate that, and that is what we have done in the past the few times we have boondocked at a Cracker Barrel. BUT ... tonight we had Manitoba Pickerel that had been thawed since yesterday and needed to be cooked tonight. AND ... was it ever good ! ! !
Thank you very much, Cracker Barrel. We owe you one !
Tuesday ; Little Rock, Arkansas to Alexandria, Louisiana
Cloudy, mild, steady light rain until mid-afternoon, then intermittent light rain.
Cracker Barrel was a great place to boondock overnight. No tractor/trailer truck noise. No rednecks racing their cars and/or diesel pickups across the parking lot. No trains. No Confederate flags flying ! ! !
We drove across Little Rock, first on Interstate 40, then Interstate 30, then Interstate 530 heading south out of Little Rock. We turned onto Hwy. 167 and followed that for the rest of the day, until getting onto Interstate 49 to enter Alexandria, Louisiana.
We stopped at an independent service station near Sheridan, Arkansas to refill with diesel and freshwater. We stopped at a small rest area to have lunch. After lunch we crossed from Arkansas into Louisiana. All the way across Arkansas, and now into Louisiana, Joanne has been wanting to have barbecue or catfish for supper. Remember ... down here "barbecue" is a "type of food" noun. But we did not see any catfish restaurants, and the few barbecue places we saw were not all that appealing.
Shortly before reaching Alexandria was the Choctaw Pines Casino. Great ! Casinos are usually a great place to boondock overnight, and usually a great place to have a reasonably priced buffet meal. And we haven't passed many casinos on this trip. We pulled into the casino, parked, and went inside to check it out, leaving Bo in the cab of the truck until we decided whether we were eating in the casino or in the camper. OH ! Tuesday is Senior's Night ! Two For One Senior's Buffet ! WOO-HOO ! We went to the casino player's club, got registered ... WOO-HOO ... $15 each in free play ... then headed back to the truck to put Bo in the camper and get me a sweater. As we exited the casino we heard a page ... "BLAH BLAH BLAH black Dodge Ram 3500 with a camper on it BLAH BLAH BLAH".
HUH ? Why would they be paging us ? I turned back towards the casino door and there was a security guard there. I identified myself as the owner of the black Dodge Ram 3500 with the camper on it. He advised me that we couldn't leave our vehicle with the dog in it unattended. Okay ... no problem. We're just returning to the truck now to put him inside the camper. "No, no ... you're not listening, sir ! You can't leave the dog in an unattended vehicle !" Okay ... no problem. I handed him both of our casino player's cards, issued about two minutes prior, wished him a "good night", and ... we left !
We were a bit annoyed, and a bit disappointed. Not that the rule about leaving dogs in unattended vehicles didn't make sense, but that they were unable to use common sense in its application. It was a cool, rainy evening, and Bo was going to be in the camper ... where we live ! ! ! We weren't going to leave a dog in a locked car on a hot day ! Oh, well ... easy come, easy go. Choctaw Pines Casino has survived so far without any of my money in their pocket, and so it shall remain !
BUT ... by now ... half an hour or so after we stopped at the casino, it was dark. And we don't like driving in the dark. Especially into a large, unfamiliar city. We drove towards Alexandria and as we reached the city we got onto Interstate 49. Joanne's road atlas said there was a Wal-Mart near exit 83. We found exit 83 easily enough. And without too much difficulty we found the Wal-Mart. AND ... < sputter > ... across the street was Outlaw's Catfish House. WOO-HOO !
Our catfish supper was VERY good ! And very inexpensive ! Two catfish dinners cost less than one buffet dinner at the casino. Ya win some, ya lose some !
attach pic 1562
Wednesday ; Alexandria to Breaux Bridge, Louisiana
HOO-EEE ... now that was some good crawfish étoufée !
Sunny and very warm, temperature 83º
F. / 28º
C., but humidity about 70% !
This morning before leaving the Wal-Mart parking lot we pulled over to the Murphy's USA Fuel Bar and refilled with diesel and freshwater. We continued heading south on Interstate 49. Approaching an exit we saw a sign directing to Chicot State Park and Louisiana State Arboretum. On impulse we decided to go check them out. They were less than half an hour or so off the Interstate, down beautiful country "back roads".
We spent a few hours in Chicot State Park. It's a lovely, very large park with campgrounds, picnic areas, rental cabins, a playground, and of course ... a bayou ! AND ... the Louisiana State Arboretum is within the state park. First we dumped our waste holding tanks at one of the campground's sani-dump stations. Then we parked at a picnic area, went for a leisurely walk, played Bo-gility on the playground equipment, and did some hide and seek obedience. We drove over to the bayou and walked out onto a long fishing pier. Not of all us walked all the way out onto the fishing pier. Halfway down the pier, Bo looked down between the boards, saw water, and refused to walk any further. HA HA HA ! He waited for us there, and was eager to return to land when we returned from the end of the pier. HA HA HA ... a BO NO GO fishing pier ! We drove around viewing the rental cabins, then over to the Arboretum. We parked and had lunch in the parking lot before going inside. We viewed the exhibits, then went for a hike down two of the interpretive trails. Who knew there were so many types of oak trees ?
When we left the park we decided we may as well keep driving down the country back roads until we reached the small city of Ville Platte. First stop there was the Chamber of Commerce Visitor Information Centre where we were surprised to find that we were in a French speaking area of Louisiana. We got ( too much ) tourist information, then drove to a local meat market / butcher shop to browse. WHEW ! Hold me back !
On the way back to Interstate 49 there was a large, dead, wild cat on the side of the road. I stopped to take a look. I think it was a lynx. We returned to Interstate 49 and continued south into Lafayette. Once we arrived there we found our way to a Cajun restaurant that had interesting advertising billboards along the Interstate. However ... once inside we took a look at their menu and decided not to stay. We decided to drive ten miles or so east to Breaux Bridge, where we knew we would be happy to eat at Poché
's Meat Market & Restaurant. We had been there before about ten years ago.
Poché's is a very simple place. A butcher shop with a small diner. BUT ...
< salivating > ... ! All of their meats and many of their restaurant specialties are available in their frozen foods cooler. WHEW ! Hold me back ! ! ! For supper, Joanne had chicken and sausage gumbo. I had crawfish étoufée. CHALICE ... it was good ! That's a slightly blasphemous French expression ... pronounced "KAW LISS", spoken slowly, kind of dragged out. HA HA HA !
After supper we drove back to Lafayette, in the dark, about ten miles, only to discover that the shopping malls in Lafayette do not allow overnight parking. < quietly
mumbling > HOSTIE ! Another blasphemous French expression, usually mumbled softly, more or less pronounced "awSTEE". HA HA HA ! We drove back to Breaux Bridge on the Interstate, and parked overnight in a Wal-Mart parking lot.
attach pics 1563, 1565, 1575, 1577, 1578
Thursday ; Breaux Bridge to Abbeville to Lake Fausse Pointe State Park, Louisiana
Sunny, very warm, humid.
We had a slightly unproductive, slightly disappointing day. As a result, Joanne is feeling very "down in the dumps" tonight. We explored today. We didn't travel many miles. Nevertheless the miles we did travel today were tiring. South Louisiana, south of Lafayette, south of Interstate 10, is filled with a myriad of back country roads. Navigation is difficult. Maps are confusing. It's akin to travelling in Mexico, except when we stop to ask directions, it's in English.
This morning we went into Wal-Mart to buy a few items. Before leaving the Wal-Mart parking lot we trimmed Bo's claws using the dog nail clippers we had just bought. They were terrible ! We returned them for a refund. We pulled over to the Murphy USA Fuel Bar and refilled with freshwater before leaving Wal-Mart.
We drove west on I-10 back to Lafayette then headed south through Lafayette. The traffic was congested, and it took us about an hour to get across Lafayette. That included a brief stop to buy batteries at Walgreens and a loaf of ( overpriced ) bread at Panera Bread. Once through Lafayette we headed south to Abbeville where we wanted to see an RV park that we have heard much about over the years, and a Cajun Cultural Centre. We found the RV Park, and have no idea why it gets such "rave reviews". We failed to find the Cajun Cultural Centre. Heading out of Abbeville, we stopped at a tiny diner to buy "the best po'boys in Abbeville", so their sign said. And the shrimp po'boy
I had was indeed good ! Joanne ordered a pork chop sandwich, mostly to find out what the hell is a pork chop sandwich ? Well ... take one good sized pork chop, coat it thickly in seasoned batter ( the same batter used on chicken, shrimp, onion rings, and everything else ), deep fry it until well done, and slap it between two slices of toast slathered with mayonnaise. HA HA HA ... I thought it looked pretty appealing. Too bad
I can't eat pork. It's 9:30 PM and Joanne is lying in bed with an upset stomach. And she skipped supper because of the upset stomach. I, on the other hand, ate the fried chicken that I ordered on impulse as we waited for our lunch to be prepared. MMMMM ... good fried chicken. Good shrimp po'boy ! I can't vouch for the pork chop sandwich. HA HA HA !
And you wonder why Louisiana girls have booty ? HA HA HA < SNORT > HA HA !
From Abbeville we found our way to New Iberia. We were looking for a locally renowned bakery. We failed to find it ! From New Iberia we drove and drove and drove around a maze of back roads, including about ten miles along the top of a levee, until we reached Lake Fausse Pointe State Park. And then the disappointments really began ! The state park is ... a swamp ! Well ... DUH ... it is Louisiana ! We were at a state park near New Orleans in 2004 that also was a swamp. However ... due to the recent heavy rains, Lake Fausse Pointe State Park is really a swamp ! The roads and the paved campsites are all surrounded by ... water ! The price of a campsite is too high, in our opinion. The Interpretive Centre has been closed for over a year. The hiking trails are all flooded. The mosquitoes are HUGE ! By the time we realized all that, it was dusk, and too late to bail out and find our way to somewhere else. And ... < sputter > ... the straw that broke Joanne's back, so to speak, was ... she left her bottle of laundry detergent in the laundromat at Turkey Creek RV Village in Branson, Missouri. She discovered that when she went to do laundry, since there was nothing much else to do here !
She went to sleep early, without supper. I downloaded and processed photos from the last few days. I wish I could be as helpful to her as she is to me when I'm depressed.
attach pic 1579
Friday ; Lake Fausse State Park to Lafayette to Opelousas, Louisiana
Mostly sunny, very warm. Late in the evening it began to rain lightly.
Today was a better day than yesterday, so Joanne's low spirits improved throughout the day.
This morning we refilled with freshwater at our campsite then dumped our waste holding tanks at the state park's sani-dump station before exploring the state park by road. After leaving the state park about 1 PM we drove along ( and briefly on ) an Atchafalaya Swamp levée heading north. We turned west at the village of Catahoula on Hwy. 96 and drove back to Hwy. 90, then headed north back into Lafayette. And yes, yes ... there actually was a Leopard Dog lying on a porch in Catahoula !
Once back in Lafayette we found our way to the Acadian Cultural Center where we spent the rest of the afternoon in their museum learning ( again / more ) about the history of the Acadians / Cajuns. I always have and continue to think that's an embarrassing part of Canadian history.
From there we drove through rush hour traffic to ... wait for it ... Poupart's Bakery ! WOO-HOO ! ! ! We bought some muffins, a loaf of sourdough bread, and ... since it was near closing time, they had an "end of day special". Their last two rum cakes ... buy one get one free ! So ... WOO-HOO ... we are now the proud owners of two ... count 'em, two ... Poupart Bakery rum cakes. HA HA HA ! Did you have any doubt ?
Some BC salmon, some Manitoba pickerel, some of my sister's baking, and now two rum cakes ... and our freezer is full ! Yeah, but ... if a hurricane hits Louisiana now ... we won't starve ! HA HA HA < SNORT > HA HA ! Again ... did you have any doubt ?
We left the truck and camper parked beside the bakery and walked two doors down to Chris's Po'Boys Restaurant. Joanne wanted a muffuletta sandwich for supper. And .. she had one ! Although ... it was quite a challenge for her to finish it. And since it had multiple types of pork meats in it, I couldn't help. Not that I had much room left after having a bowl of shrimp and crab gumbo, and a barbecued beef po'boy. MAN ... that was the best shrimp and crab gumbo I've ever had ! < whispering > And the only ! HA HA HA !
We drove through Lafayette and out to the south on Hwy. 90 about eighteen miles to Opelousas where we boondocked for the night in a Wal-Mart parking lot.
attach pics 1582, 1583, 1586, 1588, 1590
Saturday ; Hallowe'en ; Opelousas to Eunice, Louisiana
HMMM ... should we go to see Meat Loaf at a local casino or Rendez-Vous Des Cajuns live radio and TV show at the historic Liberty Theater in Eunice ? HA HA HA !
Today was cloudy and chilly with heavy rain all day. That ruined Hallowe'en for children, and resulted in abysmal attendance at tonight's Rendez-Vous Des Cajuns.
This morning as we were getting ourselves ready we watched a stray black cat dumpster diving beside the Wal-Mart. Poor little kitty ! Being a stray black cat on Hallowe'en is a dangerous thing in some neighbourhoods, and ... < ahem > ... this was one of them ! Before leaving the Wal-Mart parking lot we refilled with diesel and freshwater at Murphy's USA Fuel Bar. We found our way to the Opelousas Tourist Center and adjacent Le Vieux Village, French for The Old Village. We viewed some Cajun music history exhibits inside the Opelousas Tourist Center, and then spent a brief period of time when it wasn't raining walking quickly around Le Vieux Village, a collection of old buildings representing a typical Cajun / southern Louisiana village of the late 1800's.
We drove about 50 km. / 30 miles or so west on Hwy. 190 to the town of Eunice. We had another amazing Cajun meal for lunch, this time at Ronnie's Cajun Café
( man, these "accent aigue" are SO hard to insert in my online blog ) where we each had one of the daily specials, known locally as "lunch plates". Joanne had baked ham ( on rice, of course ) with green bean casserole and "mac & peas" ... which wasn't very good. Maybe "mac & peas" are an acquired taste ? I had "sticky chicken" ... on rice ... with green bean casserole and sweet yam casserole ... mashed yams with pecans, seasoned with lots of brown sugar and cinnamon ( I think ).
After lunch we drove "downtown" and parked at the municipal building ( housing city hall, police station, court, etc. ), and walked across the street to the Acadian Prairie Cultural Center to attend the regular weekly Saturday afternoon 3 PM Cajun music exhibition, a 45 minute performance by local musicians. This week it was a four piece band called Bubba Hebert & The New Morse Playboys. HMPH ... audience of eight, thanks to the rain ! At 4 PM, in the kitchen, local chef Jordy Carrier had prepared a large pot of traditional chicken and smoked sausage gumbo and was serving it ... to the eight audience members and four band members.
We walked next door to the historic Liberty Theater and purchased two tickets for tonight's Rendez-Vous Des Cajuns, a weekly live broadcast radio and TV show., then went back to the camper to rest for awhile and wait for the 6 PM show. Tonight's performers were JoJo Reed & The Happy Hill Zydeco Band. < sigh > And again, thanks to the heavy rain, the audience was about twenty people, in a theater designed to seat at least a few hundred. Nevertheless, it was a great hour and a half of zydeco music. We were seated near the wife of tonight's guest MC, an elderly local musician. She chatted with us before and after the show. Interesting lessons on local French language peculiarities.
After the Rendez-Vous Des Cajuns we drove to the nearby Wal-Mart in Eunice to have a late, light supper and boondock overnight.
We are currently ( 9:30 PM ) listening to K-BON 101.1 FM on the radio in the camper. The weather report has just advised that the current humidity is 97% ! Yes, yes, I did notice that it was a bit humid ! HA HA HA !
DSK
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