3rd update Rick and Reyna Roadtrip 2011 -- May 23 - May 31

Hi Friends,
We're in Atlanta area now enjoying the use of a friend's home at Lake Lanier.  He couldn't spend the entire weekend here, but we could and maybe tomorrow too as well to catch up on the blog and on email and on various duties that occasionally call - but I am getting harder of hearing it seems.

June 19 Sunday – Happy Father’s Day

We’re in Atlanta now or to be more precise at Lake Lanier about an hour northeast of Atlanta at weekend getaway home of my Army friend, Ken Beringer (and his wife Natalie).  Ken and Natalie had Father’s Day obligations so have left Reyna and I to ourselves to enjoy the Lake and rest up.  You wouldn’t think that traveling would require resting up, but we’ve been moving pretty constantly, so some catch up time down time for a day or so here will be nice.  Will see if I can get this blog up-to-date today and tomorrow.  We are dealing with one little issue here in this lovely home on the Lake – the power is out after thunderstorm yesterday afternoon – so unless it comes back on, I’ll only be able to write until the battery on the laptop dies.  Oh well … my last post had us leaving Dallas.  Only we didn’t.  (Power came back on at about 8 this morning, so ice didn't melt, beer stayed cool, and the a/c is working.)

May 23, Monday

Somewhere along the line over the weekend as we drove around, the radio started working again.  Maybe because I had jiggled wires as I was searching for a fuse in the radio that we thought might be out.  I found the fuse but couldn’t figure out how to get it out, and in the process I must have “fixed” the radio.  Clever me.  Anyhow, we packed up the bug started out of Dallas (actually Mansfield, which suburb to SW of Dallas proper) about 10 as thunderstorms and tornadoes threatened to the west and north of Dallas.  We are heading southeast toward the Lousiana border, so I figure this is not an issue for us.  However, I was somewhat incorrect in that we encountered a rain storm that got pretty heavy before we had gone 5 miles on our way from Reyna’s cousin to the highway and the next thing I knew the headlights were out again.  Blankety – blank.  So, we headed over to the mechanic (in Grand Prairie about 20 minutes to north and east of Mansfield) who had fixed the lights through what turned into a downpour, albeit without thunder and lightning for excitement.  Turns out the mechanic is closed Monday, so we decided to check into a motel for overnight rather than burden Reyna’s cousin with a return visit.  On the way to motel I noticed that my feet were in a puddle of water (I was wearing sandals).  We discovered that the driver side of the VW is somewhat lest than watertight, and I had about a half inch of water sloshing around my feet – we had gone through some deep “puddles”, so we pulled over and bailed it out and soaked it up with our towels.  Naturally, my How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive- A Manual of Step by Step Procedures for the Compleat Idiot  was on the floor under driver seat where it would be handy when necessary, so it was completely soaked through along with my Wolfsburg West parts catalog.  Found a convenient motel in Grand Prairie, and after we checked into the motel, we set up the motel’s hair dryer to blow on the 2 books the rest of the day and all night and they were saved, but are still a bit damp a month later. 

Drying out the Idiot's guide

 The motel (below) did have a pool so we were able to swim a bit, but otherwise just stuck for a day. There were also 3 restaurants -- Mexican, Chinese and Steakhouse right next door, so that was convenient.

May 24 Tuesday

Was at the mechanics a bit before 8 and mechanic was there and opened up the shop for me.   We decided that the rain probably shorted out something.  It could have been the wave over the hood of the VW from going through some of the “puddles” that did it.  Also learned that there are 2 separate fuses for the 2 headlights, but that one of the fuses was missing and the 2 circuits were wired to one fuse.  They are 8 amp circuits and in the course of “repairing” the electric with Virgil back at Ft Davis I had replaced some incorrect fuses with the correct fuses.  Well my replacement of a 25 amp fuse (only supposed to be 8s and 16s in the bug) that was in the double circuit with an 8 amp fuse was not a good move for the double circuit – until the mechanic showed me, I didn’t realize they were wired together.  I had noticed that one of the fuses was missing, but since everything was working without it I hadn’t wondered how that could be.   Now I know.  The mechanic put a 16 amp fuse in and the headlights came on and stayed on.  Now, if we can just keep the car out of the rain until we can find and eliminate the short … meanwhile, I have plenty of fuses.  (More later on how keeping the car out of the rain worked out.)  Oh, and I forgot to mention in last blog that the mechanic also discovered that our right rear coil spring shock had broken.  We never noticed it, but seems to me we heard a thump somewhere.  The coil spring shocks were newly installed before we left home, so about 3000 miles and kabang.  They come in pairs, so installed one and had an extra.

The silver lining out of this little delay was that it gave us the time to meet up with one of my son’s Army buddies (they were in the Rangers together as enlisted guys over 10 years ago as time flies for them too) who went back in the Army after getting degree and then through OCS to become officer.  He is in the Texas Army National Guard and currently stationed in Dallas.  It turns out his Guard base is in Grand Prairie directly across the street from the mechanics, so we knew just where to go to meet up with Captain Jeremy Wilson, which was quite convenient for a place the size of Dallas area.  Jeremy is HQ Company commander, so he supervises all the IT personnel providing/supporting IT at multiple locations.  He’s been in about 10 years now and thinking about getting out versus staying for retirement that takes 20 years of active duty.  Rank is slow to come by as slots in the Guard are limited and he’s looking at a deployment to either Iraq or Afghanistan for 13 month tour within the next 6 months or so (I forgot which he told me but I think it’s Afghanistan).  My sense by the end of our lunch together was that he’ll most likely stay in, but at same time he is seeking career opportunities out of the Army, so he could leave if he finds a good one.  He wants to stay in Austin area where he was originally stationed and where his wife owns her business as a hair dresser and his kids are in school.  But for now, he’s a reverse weekend warrior with 5 weekdays at the Army in Dallas and then home for the weekend.



Captain Jeremy Wilson





Headed out of Dallas around 2 I suppose SE on US 287 toward the Louisiana Texas border at the Gulf of Mexico – Beaumont / Port Arthur, TX.  Nice green, rolling hilly country through a bunch of dry counties I learned when I looked for some beer.    US287 is mostly a 2 lane highway and wasn’t too much other traffic, so we liked it just fine. 

US 287 en route to Beaumont TX from Dallas

US 287 en route to Beaumont TX from Dallas - with blurry flowers



some not quite so blurred flowers along the highway



Dollar General stores are truly everywhere.  I had no idea.  Every little town has one and some have more than one.

Got to Port Arthur area after dark (good thing our headlights are working) and found a small motel to stay in and a block away was a taco stand, so we were set for that night.

Nice young man who made us some excellent soft tacos - al pastor, carnitas, pollo, asada and more.

May 25 Wednesday

Turns out that last night we were in Groves TX a little east of Port Arthur.  The main street in picture below kind of quiet for my 0700 walk.  The yellow building barely visible on the left in the middle is the taco stand. 

One in every town



Nice flowers even along the above strip of highway in town



Found our way onto the correct highway and on toward Port Arthur.  It was interesting driving along the highway when all of a sudden there was a ship’s superstructure crossing the road thanks to wonder of the Intracoastal Waterway.  I’d heard of this but not thought much of it or seen it, but it’s quite the construction/engineering feat across the Gulf.



Chemical tanker in Intracoastal Waterway.  Notice the people walking along the levee above the canal.



Shrimp boats docked in the foreground and 2 steamships coming along the Intracoastal.

After wandering around the port area of Port Arthur for awhile (where we never did find our way on to the road to go down to see the TX side of the Sabine Pass), we got on the bridge and causeway over to Lousiana.

Back along the Intracoastal except on other side and we’ve caught up with the ship in earlier pics.  Notice how high it is which makes sense as it is chemical tanker coming into port.

we were to see a lot of this style of construction along the Gulf

The bridge over Sabine that goes from TX to LA

As we leave TX, I wish to make my appreciation of TX local beers, Lone Star and Shiner Bock, known.  They were least expensive in the stores and I especially came to like Shiner Bock after initially going with Lone Star.

We crossed the Sabine River into Louisiana and started along the Gulf of Mexico on LA highway 82, which is right alongside the Gulf. 

View to Gulf coming down LA side of the bridge

There were lots of places with beach access.  Water is warm, but turbid brown and not too inviting.

this place was for sale – directly across highway from the “beach”

heading east along LA 82

looking west along Gulf on LA hwy 82

We had to get on a Ferry across Calcasieu Lake outlet to Cameron.  The Ferry is operated by Lousiana Department of Transportation and costs $1.00 but was free going East as we were. 

Ferry Acadia

We learned that the lady deckhand on the ferry used to work for Matson Line in office job in Los Angeles.  Another person who doesn't miss LA at all.  Why would she with a job like this?  She recommended GG Café in Cameron for lunch.  Good tip.

Laughing Gull.  First time I’d seen one, but they are ubiquitous along the Gulf Coast as we came to see at many beaches.

Building with Welcome to Cameron

Don’t think twice or you’ll miss the time of your life. I like the list of Great Things to see in Cameron.  Note that the elevation here is 4 feet.

GG Café

We took a side trip into the Refuge

Fishermen

Dried up in this part of the Refuge



I think these guys were hoping to net blue crabs or maybe shrimp



Found the only tree for miles around to take a nap in the shade

Highway 82 turns north away from the Gulf after passing by the Rockefeller Refuge.  We started thinking about a place to camp for the night and called the Lake Fausse Pointe State Park campground.  This park is on Lake Fausse Pointe which is adjacent to the Atchafalya River.  The Park told us they were closed temporarily due to flood watch.  The Mississippi was cresting over in New Orleans area about this time.  They referred us to a brand new state park, Palmetto Island, that not even on the map yet and just a few miles from where we were. 

Spanish Moss – now we’re in the South

Sand boxes are provided as place to pitch your tent

The sand box for a tent site was interesting and new to us.  We pitched our tent on it and used our ensolite mats to sleep on rather than blow up the air mattress.  Turns out all those divots in the sand do not go away when you lie down on them and we had a lumpy night.  We thought the camping price a bit high at $32 as we did not need the electrical or RV water hookup they provide.  But, unlike CA where the price is just about as high for a campsite with no electricity in our fine State parks, Florida provides showers at no extra charge – whereas CA parks nick you for a fistful of quarters.  Not only that, but Florida air conditions the shower and toilet facilities!!  I did find this amazing and no doubt a bit costly for the operating budget.  But since most of the “campers” are in RVs with a/c, I suppose it makes a kind of sense.  The camp is for nature trails and canoeing and kayaking as there are a couple of lakes and ponds and miles of canals.  It was actually still under construction with about half the sites ready.

Now that we were in LA, we wanted to find crabs and shrimp and oysters and stuff for dinner, so left the campground to drive about 10 miles or so down to Intracoastal City right on the Gulf at end of LA 333.  Bad timing as it was about 6 and all the markets and stands were closed.   Bummer. 

May 26 Thursday

Having learned from our poor timing on local fish purchasing yesterday, we stopped at first place we saw the next morning (it was actually a bit after noon, but it was feeling like morning since we had just left the campground a half hour or so ago) and got 6 live crabs and a pound of shrimp and some Louisiana Fish Boil spice, so we were ready for tonight. 

We continued on LA690 and 330 east to US90 where we headed south and got off after a few miles to visit Avery Island, home of Tabasco Sauce. 

Tour is disappointing as does not go inside the factory – it’s 5 minutes of guide explaining the visits you already looked at while waiting for the tour to start and then a 15 minute video which also played on a loop as you waited in the visitor room. I’d already seen a National Geographic or Food Channel Show or something about the factory, so we didn’t stay for the entire “tour”.  We also gave a miss to the Jungle Garden which is adjacent to the factory and allows visits for a fee.  We were headed to Grand Isle on the Gulf and had crabs and shrimp to cook, so we got back on US 90 to a town called Gibson and then onto LA182 to Houma and then across LA24 to Larose where LA306 / 1 goes south to Grand Isle at the end of the road.

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Gateway to the Gulf -- Toll bridge that doesn't accept cash.  You have to find a store in one of the towns along the way to sell you the ticket which has your car license attached to it, so they don't send you a ticket later.

Bridge and Causeway to Grand Isle

 

Our tent camp alone among 50 RVs at Grand Isle State Park on Thursday before Memorial Day weekend.  We were lucky to get in for one night, which is all we wanted any way.

Another air conditioned bathroom facility

Forgot to take any pictures of the crabs and shrimp after we boiled them up, as we devoured them too quickly.  Definitely fresh.  Really enjoyed it.

I did take a nice sunrise walk before we checked out on Friday.

May 27 Friday



Sunrise at Grand Isle.  Dunes with oat grass in foreground are protected by boardwalk access to the beach.



beautiful beach



except for this detail

View of campground at Grand Isle.  Construction going on in foreground and area we camped in is in the background.

Pelicans in flight at end of Grand Isle

Came across a bunch of hermit crabs as I walked around the end of Grand Isle.  Most preferred this style shell.

But a few of the hermit crabs like this model.

 On the way north from Grand Isle, we spotted this cemetery.  I had never thought of the challenges of burying folks where sea level is 0 - 4'.  Looks like some folks came up with a solution.

 

Hurricanes won’t wash these away.

As we turn away from the Gulf, I note that nowhere along the LA coast that we saw is there any obvious evidence of the BP oil spill disaster.  Well, that’s not quite true.  There are quite a few billboards inviting people that are not happy with BP compensation to contact the advertising attorney.  And I saw a few signs with bitter expressions of how BP had ruined them, but the beaches seem clean and the water seems clean and the seafood was great.  Missed the pics (neither the first nor the last that I shoulda coulda) and didn't turn around to get them.  Y’all come visit.

From Grand Isle we came up Hwy 1 / Hwy 308 to Thibodaux and then cut northeast towards New Orleans on state highway 20 and then turned northwest on scenic highway 18 along west side of Mississipi.

The Mississipi River is behind the bank on the right and probably 10' or so over the road level.

Plantation is barely visible at end of the Alley.  We were late in the day here and did not go inside.

The River from the levee across from Oak Alley plantation.  Looks to me like the River level is above the road level, but perspective is not so easy to compare.

As we were driving north on LA 18 , we stopped where a bridge for LA 70 crossed the Mississipi to get our bearings.  We were planning to go further north and take a ferry across the Mississippi.  However, while we were stopped a fellow in a pickup truck asked if we wanted a watermelon.  He was selling them for $1.00 each.  Couldn’t resist.  He also advised that the ferries weren’t running because the river was cresting – duh!  So, we took the bridge over the river and then on to Reyna’s cousins in Kenner just west of New Orleans off of I10.

Looking south towards New Orleans from bridge over Mississippi River

Turning south on the east side of the River we drove along county road 3125 which paralleled the levee where we came to the Bonnet Carre Spillway.  The Spillway was built about 12 miles upstream from New Orleans, so the Mississippi can overflow through the Spillway directly out to Lake Pontchartrain instead of via downtown New Orleans.  You can see in the pics below that the river is at about 21’ pouring into the spillway which I was told was at 17’.  Ordinarily the area that is flooded is open space for recreation, but not now.

Mississippi River is behind the structure and is spilling through the spillway into the foreground of the picture



Look closelhy and you can see the Mississippi River at 21’ as it flows through the Spillway



The Mississippi River side of the Spillway



Express route for Mississippi to Lake Ponchartrain

 Arrived in Kenner LA a suburb about 20 minutes west of New Orleans off of I-10 (the same I-10 that has one end in Santa Monica, CA) where we stayed with Reyna’s cousin, Doris, and her husband Kenny.  We immediately sat down to dinner of crabs and shrimp and oysters.  Did you know you can get oysters in ½ gallon quantities and more?  Already shucked at that, so it’s a lot of oysters.  Not being an oyster lover I did not grab them by the handful, but that did not stop everybody else.  Reyna was in HEAVEN.  It was too gross for a picture. :)

May 28 Saturday

Was up early (as usual) and set out to explore the neighborhood before it warmed up.  Kenny and Doris live alongside one of New Orleans area many canals and it was being upgraded to raise the levees and strengthen them before June 1 official commencement of hurricane season.  The construction crews had been working 24/7, with the only concession to the residents being no pile driving on the night shift.  It’s pretty impressive.  Maybe this time the contractors actually put in pilings the promised length and depth?  Or is it just another Corps of Engineer boon-doggle.  Our tax dollars at work below.

backyards of houses backing up to canal and levee – this is the old wall – new wall is taller

I think there are 6 cranes in this pic.  Good work if you can get it.



new taller wall on the right



looking the opposite direction out to Lake Ponchartrain with new, taller wall on the left

As I came back into the neighborhood after leaving the canal and seeing what was out to the east a bit (another canal), one of the neighbors was out front of his house waxing his Corvette.  I stopped to admire it, but the cars in the garage were even better.  1957 Chevrolet Bel Air that had been restored and the other is I think a 1966 Chevelle Super Sport that is next up for the owner.  I was 10 in 1957 and our neighbor across the street on Federal Avenue in West LA had a convertible.  Some things you never forget.

I didn’t even take a picture of the ‘Vette, which is his wife's car anyway I learned.  The guy with the time to do this is 26 year vet of NO police department.

I digress here to mention a Louisana phenomenon -- drive through Daiquiri places.  I don't seem to have a picture of one, but we did stop or pass through a couple of them.  What a concept.

By the way, remember my broken speedometer/odometer?  Well I had Steve and Nadine send me my old speedo head that was working when I took it out except you couldn’t use it because the glass/plastic face was screwed up and you couldn't see the mileage or the speed or the level of the gas gauge -- but was otherwise perfect working condition.  I took the replacement head out of the VW (remembering to mark the 5 wires so I would know where to put them back – just like the Idiot’s guide says to do) and took the gas gauge out of it and put it in my old speedo head from whence it came.  Then, with the help of Kenny who figured out how to get the glass off my old speedo head, I managed to use same technique to get the glass off the newer speedo head and replaced the glass on my old head, so you could actually read the speed and the mileage.  I put the whole unit back in and hooked up 4 of the 5 wires.  I couldn’t find the 5^th wire and it was right in front of me – it only had about an inch of play to where it had to plug in, but I couldn’t see it.  Kenny spotted it and we plugged it in and I connected the cable up and took it for a little test drive and the speedo and odometer and everything worked and is still working.  Reyna considered this a miracle.  Me too.

That afternoon Reyna and I went into New Orleans to the French Quarter and made it all the way across the street from the parking lot behind the Westin to the first restaurant we saw, Felipes Taqueria, where we ensconced ourselves at the bar and had some food.  The Champions League soccer final between Manchester United and FC Barcelona was just starting, so we stayed and watched about half the game.  Then we explored a couple of blocks and headed back to cousin’s for dinner.  Our timing was good as a neighbor had boiled up a mess (that’s a lot) of crawfish and brought some over.  We were happy to enjoy those little guys.

Downtown New Orleans with Superdome on right

Felipe’s with soccer game on TV -- who said you couldn't have fun in New Orleans?

Some street in French Quarter

Crawfish fresh from the boil

Kenny showing his form.  This man has technique and stamina!  

Reyna did not do all the damage.  Little pile in front was mine.  Larger pile to right was Kenny's even though he had a late start and the pile on the left was combo of Reyna and her cousins.

May 29 Sunday

Reyna and I took a drive along Lake Ponchartrain and stopped at several New Orleans parks along the way.  We decided not to drive the causeway across the lake some 30 miles.  It’s shown as a scenic drive on our map, but a straight line highway across a lake didn’t seem like it was going to be all that scenic.  We could see the water from where we were.  I took a lot of pictures of the Lake, but could not capture the color change where it was quite brown from the Mississippi water flowing into it from the Bonnet Carre Spillway.  The fishing reports figured that fishing was ruined as the brown water and change in salinity would chase the speckled trout away and would probably not be back for this year’s season.

Just at the southern end of the causeway across Lake Ponchartrain.  Do you suppose these home owners were unhappy when the business tower went up next door?

Maybe you can see the brown streak from the Mississipi spill over into Lake Ponchartrain.  I don't think I got any picture that gave the contrast its due -- like the mixing at Manaus, Brazil of the Amazon and the Rio Negro.



HAPPY HAPPY SIGHT



May 30 Monday Memorial Day

Did I mention that Kenny is a butcher?  We went to the market where he works first thing on Monday morning to pickup marked down meats, but there wasn’t much selection for barbecue planned over at cousin Suyapa’s house that afternoon. Nevetheless, we found a few things including boudain, which turns out to be sausage with rice for part of the filling.  We went over to Suyapa’s at one and Kenny started grilling.  He made hamburgers using his mama’s special recipe, which I thought were great, but they turned out to be only appetizers.  Then, he started the boudain and served bites of it as it was finished.  And then it was some steaks and then it was some marinated pork strips and then I lost track and at some point I just fell asleep.  I do not recall any salad.  Sorry I did not take pictures to do Kenny’s effort justice, but I did enjoy myself. 

May 31 Tuesdsay

While I had thought we would leave New Orleans today, even though we hadn’t made it out to hear any music (Reyna says her cousins were willing to take me the past few nights, but I kept falling asleep.  I don’t quite believe that, but nevertheless, we had not yet been on Bourbon Streetor anywhere else.) it turned out that Reyna had another cousin in the area that insisted we visit, so we drove over to the West Side (of the River) to Harvey and spent the evening with cousin Elizabeth and her husband Rolando. 

Bought gas at this station at lowest price of the trip and I doubt we’ll see this again.

After dinner, Elizabeth was kind enough to chauffeur us over to Bourbon Street, where we walked about 4 blocks of it before spotting the Funky Pirate Bar with Big Al Carson and the Blues Masters.  The Funky Pirate is “famed” for inventing the Hand Grenade.  Not as “famed” as Pat O’Brien’s “Hurricane” though.  We passed on Pat’s.  It had been 30 years since my one and only prior visit to Bourbon Street, so my memory could be hazy for multiple reasons, but I was surprised by how many hostess bars and clubs were on Bourbon Street now.  I don’t remember any before although I’m sure they were there, but there are plenty now.  Also, there’s not much blues or traditional New Orleans Jazz on Bourbon Street

now as it caters to younger and more plentiful tourists who seem to prefer rock and country.  However, Big Al is a throwback and a tradition, so I felt much better after a couple scotches and a couple of sets.  We closed the bar if you can believe that, but it was only 1 in the morning and not 4.  Business a bit slow on the day after Memorial Day.  I forgot to take my camera.  Below are links to some Big Al videos.  Hope you might take time to enjoy some of them. 

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFarY7HGtds  Take Your Drunken Ass Home

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NF15iHcQV-Y&feature=related  I Got  High

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oT6S1BXBnQ&feature=related  Nursery Rhymes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1mLjgQx5W4&feature=list_related&playnext=1&list=AVGxdCwVVULXdODndUOvd4t4ZIe75alJ91  A compilation of a dozen or so songs all at one YouTube site.

More later.