The Atchafalaya Swamp: Up Close and Personal

Two mornings in a row we had sunshine; however by noon the sun was covered by clouds.   We drove into Lafayette looking for antiques.  We found an antique mall that was supposed to be open at 10:00 a.m.  It was 10:00 but the mall was not open.  We went to the Lafayette Visitor's Center for info about other antique places.  They did not know of another and told us that the owner of that mall opens whenever they feel like it.  This is a good example of the laid back attitude of some Louisiana natives.  We went back to camp to relax until our 3:00 p.m. Swamp tour.

This is McGee's Landing where the tour began.  I was able to get a picture of the back of the restaurant as we were pulling out.

The Atchafalaya Princess

We enjoyed the tour.  It lasted about 1 1/2 hours and we heard a little history of the basin and how it has changed since the levee and dam system has become a part of the Mississippi River.  We saw several different kinds of birds and an Opossum.  It was nice change to see a living opossum instead of road kill.  The captain of the boat tried very hard to find alligators but the cool temperature and overcast day was not to the liking of the alligators who live in the Atchafalaya Basin.  A airboat tour came by and they found a nest of baby alligators and showed us where he had found them.  Can you find the babies in this underbrush?

We actually did see the baby alligators among this brush.

The brush we in which we found the babies is just beyond the airboat.

Redwood cypress in the basin.

There were houseboats and floating houses all along the basin area we were in.  It would be good fishing and hunting out here.

This is the restaurant we ate supper in.  The men all had some kind of fish or seafood.  Peggy and I had a cheeseburger and fries.  It was very good...not your usual MacDonald hamburger.  It was seasoned like the typical Cajun meat.  We both had room for dessert.  Peggy had bread pudding and I had a layered chocolate/vanilla cake...also delicious.  It began to mist as we were headed back to the camp.  I hope the rain holds off because tomorrow is the golf cart Mardi Gras parade.  I am looking forward to that.

Alligators and The Creole Nature Trail

Do you see these shadows?
Shadows mean sunshine and that is what we had ALL day!
We decided to drive the Creole Nature Trail.  It is about 100 miles long and  is one of the oldest scenic byways in America.  The drive takes you through marshes, prairie, and along the Gulf of Mexico.

We crossed canals, bayoues, and lakes using bridges, a drawbridge, and a ferry.

We hiked broadwalk, paved, and grassy trails, drove gravel and

Paved roads.

The most exciting thing we saw was over 30 alligators.  We saw most of them as we were driving the Pintail Drive and Broadwalk.  Because it was such a sunny day, the alligators were enjoying laying in the sun.   Most of them were in the water and were small but there were a few larger ones on the banks.  In fact, on the Wetlands Walkway, one was in the grass along the walkway.  It was on my side of the trail, laying in the grass, about two feet from the trail.  I nearly jumped out of my skin and my reaction caused Carol's heart to beat rapidly.  After watching them from the safety of our track, I didn't expect to see one so up close and personal.

A good deal of the drive goes through a couple of national wildlife sanctuaries.  We saw flamingoes, pelicans, egrets, white and blue herons, and ducks of many, many different kinds.  As we drove by the Gulf of Mexico, we saw houses, hospitals, fire stations, etc. on tall support beams.  We talked to a man from Lake Charles.  He told us that when Hurricane Ike came through in 2006' everything in this area was under 15 of water.  A lot of the buildings have been rebuilt after that date.  There are new, more stringent building codes that require the support beams be dug at least 15 below ground and lift the structure 15 feet above.  They are able to park their cars under their houses.

Laundry and Shopping Louisiana Style

It was a cool, rainy night.  It was still misting when Sandy and I walked at 7:00.  We decided to stay around the campsite and wait out the rain.  I decided to do laundry.  That means packing up and going to the laundry in the camp.  It took me nearly three hours but we will be clean for awhile.  It didn't take that long because we had a lot of laundry; rather because the dryers took so long to dry things.

After I got the laundry done, Ericka stopped by the camper to see if I would like to do some shopping in Layafette.  I never pass up a chance to shop but because she does not drive and I won't drive down here and in unknown city traffic;  Carol graciously agreed to drive us.  He really didn't mind.  He likes to shop and when he gets tired of that he sits and people watches.

We were looking for a specifics mall.  It took us two exits and a call to Peggy to find it.  I had forgotten to bring my  IPad so I called Peggy for her to get us the directions.  We really saw the city of Layafette but finally found the mall.  It is larger than anything we have in Decatur or Springfield.  

We left the campground at 1:00 and got back at 5:00.  

We are settled in for the evening.  The weather forecast promises it will be dryer but cooler for the next couple of days so I think we will do some more sightseeing tomorrow.  It is supposed to get down to freezing tonight so we have turned on the heat for the first time.    After talking to Kara yesterday, I know we will still be warmer than Decatur.

Opelousas, Louisiana

We woke up to another overcast sky.  It was warm sleeping.  We slept with our bedroom windows open.  Our outside thermometer registered 55.  We took local county roads to Opelousas.  The tourist center was located in Le Vieux Village.  The village is a collection of buildings from Opelousas and the parish it is in.   None of the buildings were open.  The city is Louisiana's third oldest city founded about 1720.  For a year during the Civil War, it was the state capital because union forces occupied Baton Rouge.  Jim Bowie lived here and it is the "Zydeco Capital of the World."

As we were walking around the village, we thought this stop might be a bust.  The last stop in the village was Louisiana Orphan Train Museum.  We had read a brochure on it and wanted to find out more about it and we are glad we did.   The museum collects and preserves items that tell the history of three trains that came from New York City in 1907 to Louisiana with "orphans" being placed in the homes of Catholic families.  There were many such trains carrying orphans to states and territories in the U.S. between 1854 and 1929.  During these years over 9,000 came to Illinois.

This is the building that contains the museum.

These are volunteers that work in the museum.  Each one has a relative who rode the train and they told their family member's story.  It made the kids who rode the train come alive.  The man's father was three and a half when he was put on the train.   A note was attached to his clothes containing his name, birthday, and mother's name.  That is the age of Keegan!  It was a 6-7 day ride with stops beginning in New Orleans and ending on Opelousas.  What that little guy must have thought.  The volunteers each shared that their family member never talked about the fact that they rode the train.  They usually found out about this history from a parent or grandparent married to the orphan.

The younger lady shared that when her grandmother died, she found an old trunk that contained her grandmother's clothes she had worn and the number that had been pinned to her clothes.  The family that picked her up had the matching number.  The older lady's mother had ridden the train.  It was very interesting and moving to hear their family member's story.   The museum contained then and now pictures, clothes, and other items telling the stories of  over 160 of the children who rode one of the trains.  The kids ranged in age from newborn to seven years old.  As far as they know, there is one survivor left from the Louisiana trains.

Carol said that it was sad for these kids to leave their parents, never to see them again or know anything about them except a name; but most of them had a much better future and life.  Along with the sadness the mothers must have felt, they had a hope for the kids.

It began to rain as we were at the museum and we drove back to camp in the rain.  We all went to supper at Giovani's,  an Italian restaurant we ate at last year...yum, yum!  We all ate much, much too much.  When will we learn!

Taking Care of Business

Today was a day to get some necessary things done.  It didn't rain and the temperature was in the 60's so it was a good day to be out and about.

Number One Business for Today

This is the plate and ball that attaches to the tongue of our camper.

One end of the Sway Control Bar attaches to this and the other end attaches to a ball on the hitch of our truck.  The instructions for usage of the bar say "Do not back up with the sway bar in place."

This is what happens to the plate and ball when you disregard the instructions and back up.  In our defense, we were in a very tight gas station and desperately needed gas so we backed.  We were able to get gas so that was a good thing.  The other good thing was when we were able to find a replacement plate, it was free because it had been taken off another camper.  Thanks, Southern RV in Layafette, Louisiana.  Carol, Don, and Bill were able to make the change, so we are set to go when we leave here in two weeks.

Number Two Business

Pick up a few things from Walmart.

Mission Accomplished!

We ended our day of business by picking up fresh cracklins for snacking.  Sandy loves cracklins as much as Carol.  Here she is waiting patiently for her share.

We may not like it to rain while we are camping here but the ducks that live here like the extra water.  These visited the drive across from our site.  They are enjoying the worms that get caught in the puddles.

The rains are suppose to hold off until Wednesday so tomorrow we will get out and may actually see some things.  What we see is still to be determined.

Sunday Weather Report: Rain

We woke up about 4:30 to the sound of rain beating against the camper.  It was a preview of what was to come. Sandy and I walked at 7:00 and it wasn't raining but it began to sprinkle before we got back.  Then the rain set in for the morning.   The rain came in periods of heavy rain and then slack off but still rain.  Sandy spent most of the morning hiding under the table.  She doesn't like storms.  You can see the fear in her eye!

Carol and I spent the morning reading and listening to a radio station playing Cajun music.  The announcer said that there had been some wind damage in Lafayette at Cajunfield where some of the Mardi Gras activities are held.  We didn't feel any wind here, only rain.  It finally stopped raining by noon.  We got out of the camper to walk Sandy and had lots of rain puddles to avoid, some of which we had to walk through.  We didn't have any plans for the day.  We wanted to stay out of the truck and just relax, so the rain came at a good time for us.

This puddle covers the whole driveway just on the other side pad where we are camped.  The grassy areas are just as wet so to avoid walking in the water is nearly impossible in some places.  Our camping buddies told us that last week the weather was perfect.  Other than rain the temperatures are great. According to my thermometer it got up to 70!  Some of those same camping buddies even suggested that we were the cause of the rain!  

Just like Illinois, the winter down here has had it's extreme cold spells.  The palm trees here at Cajun Palms show the effects of that cold.  The ranger at the Mississippi park we camped in said that they had nearly two weeks of ice which is unheard of  around there.  Spring will arrive everywhere and we will have stories about the winter of 2013-2014!

  

We Are Here!

It was cool sleeping last night.  Cool means into the 40's!  We did turn on the heat.  Sandy and I walked the campground and down the road a short way.  It was nice walking with tall trees to look at instead of the neighborhood in which we normally walk.  We pulled out of the campground at 8:00.   Most of I-55S has been smooth...until we hit Brookhaven and then it got rough.  Fortunately, it only lasted 40 miles or so until we got into Louisiana.

 We stopped in at the Louisiana Welcome Center.  Carol had on his Air Force ball cap and the cap always seems to find another Air Force veteran.  Today was no exception.  This man had been in the Air Force during the Korean War but had been a SAC man like Carol.  Carol is a man of few words which was fine because this man was a man of many.  He told him about everywhere he had been and more.  He was very nice but we really wanted to get back on the road.  Cajun Palms was calling to us.

We arrived at Cajun Palms about 1:30.  We are in site 286, Don and Peggy are in #287 and Bill and Ericka in #288.  After setting up we all sat outside so the dogs could get reacquainted.  Jessie, Nicki and Sandy decided to tolerate each other instead of being best friends.

For supper we went to a restaurant named McGee's Landing. It is located outside of town, across a levy, overlooking Henderson Swamp.  Carol had Fried alligator and I had chicken!  It had a wonderful Cajun/swamp atmosphere and a three-piece band played Cajun music and even sang some of the songs in French, of course.  A few couples danced,  they make it look so easy.  I guess if you were born down here, you would naturally dance.  I love to watch them dance.  Now we are back in our camper just relaxing.  I think we will stay close to the site tomorrow and relax.

Another picture of a bridge across the Mississippi River.

This one is located in Baton Rouge.

This is where we had supper.

The guys may take a swamp tour from here.

Southward Bound

We pulled out of the driveway at 6:30 a.m. And this is what we saw as we headed east toward MTZ.  When we turned south on 121 we felt the winds blowing from the west, hitting the side of the camper and truck.  For two and a half hours Carol drove with both hands on the wheel at 55 MPH fighting to keep us on the road.   At that point we were afraid this would be how our day would go but fortunately by the time we had reached Mt. Vernon, the winds had settled down and Carol could drive faster and more relaxed.

This is the bridge on I-57 that crosses the Mississippi River.  Missouri is on the other side.  We stopped at Boomland for gas and lunch.  Gas was $3.05 per gallon!

The Mississippi River

We had talked about taking Highway 61 to Vicksburg but by the time we got to Memphis it was nearly 2:00 and felt it would be at least 6:00 before we got there.  We decided I-55 would be a quicker way to go.  We may come back that way on 61.  As we traveled south, the temperature rose to 62 degrees.  It was sunny so after the winds subsided, it was a great day to travel.

Our camping spot at Holmes County State Park in Mississippi.  The campground is small (maybe 30 sites but the sites have concrete pads, water and electric.  Price for senior adults is $13.00 per night.  What a bargain!  We are about 50 miles north of Jackson, MS.  Tomorrow we will be at Cajun Palms for two weeks.

Weather Delay

Our tentative plans were for us to leave for Louisiana this morning but instead we stayed here one more day to allow the forecast of rain and strong storms to pass.  The weatherman has been accurate lately but he missed today.  We had one quick moving storm about 4:30 p.m. containing high winds and threat of tornadoes.  Within an hour it had passed.  We used the day to finish packing, do laundry, etc.    Tomorrow the forecast calls for sunny and breezy so we are hooked up and plan to get on the road early.  Our reservations begin Saturday so we will not be making any planned stops (and hopefully no unplanned ones either).

I love winter.  I will take winter over summer any day.  I really don't mind the cold and snow.  I love it even more now that I am retired and can just stay in and enjoy watching it snow.  I don't have to drive it in because Carol is a great snow driver so I leave the driving to him.  What a winter this has been!  We have had three snows of 8+ inches.  Normally one snow that large MIGHT occur.  I don't think the ground has been clear completely of snow since the second snow the first of January.  On top of that the temperatures have been unseasonably cold...actual temperatures of 10 below zero several mornings with a wind chill of 25 below.  Schools have been closed because of the temperatures.  On top of the snow, Monday we had an ice storm.  For the last two weeks, we have not known for sure if we would even go to Louisiana but yesterday we dug our camper out of the snow and ice and decided after the storms and winds subside we will leave tomorrow.  After all of this:  I still love winter!

I am posting a few winter pictures to make this memorable winter more visual.  This might be the last snow we see until next winter.

Carol hard at work with snow removal.

Reminders of the ice storm.

Our next door neighbor, Bert, lost several limbs from a tree.  Sandy checks it out.  Carol snow plowed the path so Sandy can get her daily treats from Bert.

The birds aren't taking baths now.

A garden gnome up to his nose in snow.

Didn't I say that I love winter!