Another dream becoming a reality. This is the beginning of a six month journey Rick and I have started in our home on wheels that will take us west as we explore America. We will be "land yachting" with another couple who will meet up with us in Terrell, Texas. So with our new 40 foot Itasca Meridian "playhouse" on wheels and our new Santa Fe SUV in tow, we headed for lands beyond.
Stopping for some diesel fuel, I tried to use a 6 foot tall squeegee designed for semi-trucks to clean our front windshield. Did I mention Love Bugs (also known as March Flies) and road tripping in high bug season? These little things plastered our windshield with their presence. But, a little persistence and I got our picture window clear once again.
Around 3:00 p.m. we stopped at the Gulf Pines KOA campground in Milton, Florida. Setting up "glamp" (camp on steroids), we watched a thunder boomer roll in and then disappear.
The campground had some really cool rental pedal bikes that looked like race cars.
The next morning greeted us with temperatures around 75F (24C), damp air and fog. Rick was diligently watching the weather and was concerned about an approaching frontal system traveling west to east. We were headed into tornado and hail prone areas at this time of year. So this was a major concern as we roll ahead.
I have to say that our timing was excellent for viewing wildflowers along the interstates and roadways. These Crimson Clovers grew in healthy batches along the highway making it such a colorful drive.
Another seven hours on the road and another 450 miles later, we settled into a gorgeous campground called Lincoln Parrish Park located in Ruston, Louisiana. For only $25.00/night we had a 65x35 foot paved pad with 50amp service, water and sewer hookup plus plenty of room to set up chairs, tables and let out our big awning. And the scenery! This place spoiled us with such affordability and grand landscaping along with a tranquility you only find being out in the woods, which were lush with pine and maple. The park was large with a beach and huge lake. There were not a lot of campsites and they could only be rented on a "first come, first serve" basis. So we got really lucky finding this place and getting such a lovely site.
Each campsite offered individual fire pits, which we will learn aren't found often in a campground. So on our first night we made our first meal on our portable induction stove that we set up on the picnic table. After a filling dinner, Rick and I sat around our own fire pit that we loaded with various pieces of wood from the forest. Temperatures dropped as the sun disappeared making the night air very cool in the low 40'sF. As we sat snuggled up and cozy against the fire's warmth, the sunset gave us the perfect masterpiece to end such a perfect day.
The next morning we woke up to a beautiful day and we decided to hop in our SUV and explore our immediate surroundings. This is when we saw the flowers and colorful landscaping around the park such as these pink azaleas and yellow daffodils.
The reason was two-fold for choosing Ruston, Louisiana as a stop over on our 6 month long itinerary. First, Ruston was an easy ride to Terrell, Texas, which was the rendezvous point with our traveling companions who were coming from Indiana. Secondly, Ruston is near West Monroe, Louisiana which is Duck Dynasty (television series) headquarters. So we made it a point to go and explore West Monroe and see what there was to see in Ouachita Parish (counties are known as Parishes in Louisiana).
The next day we bought some pine logs for our fire pit. Then we vegged all day in comfortable temperatures ranging in the low 70F (21C). That night we had another amazing sunset.
Another seven hours on the road and another 450 miles later, we settled into a gorgeous campground called Lincoln Parrish Park located in Ruston, Louisiana. For only $25.00/night we had a 65x35 foot paved pad with 50amp service, water and sewer hookup plus plenty of room to set up chairs, tables and let out our big awning. And the scenery! This place spoiled us with such affordability and grand landscaping along with a tranquility you only find being out in the woods, which were lush with pine and maple. The park was large with a beach and huge lake. There were not a lot of campsites and they could only be rented on a "first come, first serve" basis. So we got really lucky finding this place and getting such a lovely site.
The next morning we woke up to a beautiful day and we decided to hop in our SUV and explore our immediate surroundings. This is when we saw the flowers and colorful landscaping around the park such as these pink azaleas and yellow daffodils.
The reason was two-fold for choosing Ruston, Louisiana as a stop over on our 6 month long itinerary. First, Ruston was an easy ride to Terrell, Texas, which was the rendezvous point with our traveling companions who were coming from Indiana. Secondly, Ruston is near West Monroe, Louisiana which is Duck Dynasty (television series) headquarters. So we made it a point to go and explore West Monroe and see what there was to see in Ouachita Parish (counties are known as Parishes in Louisiana).
We located the Duck Commander headquarters and had to have our pictures taken with the famous sign seen in so many Duck Dynasty episodes.
The newest Duck Commander rig...
...and the original Duck Commander rig.
John Luke and Willie's Ice Cabin, newly opened in May, 2015, offered shaved ice treats with
a gourmet blending of syrup toppings.
Willie Robertson, CEO of the Duck Dynasty corporation, opened up his own restaurant and we had to give it a whirl for lunch. The menu features a mix of home cooked selections, apparently various family members chose to add. We had a 30 minute wait on a weekday to get in. During the wait, we browsed the gift shop connected to the restaurant. Once we were seated, I chose frog legs and Miss Kay's (the matriarch of the Robertson family) homemade Mac & Cheese. The frog legs were good (my first time ever eating frog legs) while the Mac & Cheese was lackluster and a bit tasteless (in my humble opinion).
Back at our campsite, we took walks in the woods along some easy, marked trails in the campground then strolled around the lake.
The rest of the gorgeous day was spent relaxing.
The Conover camp motto:
We put a new log in our fire pit and warmed to the cozy flames as the temperature dipped into the low 40F (4C). I tried a product called Funky Colored Flames that came in a box. Inside the box were three foil pouches that could be tossed directly onto the fire (suggested use of all three packages for maximum effect). Instead of a colorful leaping show of flames (which is what I expected) it was more like a small glow every once in a while at the bottom of the fire. However, the colors of Aqua blue, pink, purple and yellow were still fun and pretty to watch for and we stayed around the fire until the log burned down to its last ember.
In the following days, we made a visit to the Bonnie and Clyde Ambush Museum in Gibsland., Louisiana The museum building sits on the exact historical location of Rosa's Cafe, aka Ma Canfield's Cafe, where Bonnie and Clyde dined for the last time.
In the following days, we made a visit to the Bonnie and Clyde Ambush Museum in Gibsland., Louisiana The museum building sits on the exact historical location of Rosa's Cafe, aka Ma Canfield's Cafe, where Bonnie and Clyde dined for the last time.
The museum was started by the son of Texas Ranger Ted Hinton. Mr. Hinton was one of six in a posse who, at the time of the ambush on May 23, 1934, ended the lives of two famous young American outlaws, Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow.
Known as the "death car", this 1934 Ford Model 40 was the getaway vehicle of Bonnie and Clyde and became riddled with holes following the ambush.
The backseat area was outfitted with a small arsenal and a selection of multiple license plates which were rotated on the back of the car often to escape the law.
In the day, Bonnie and Clyde gained almost celebrity status and notoriety for their carefree youth and daring during a time when Americans faced depression and yearned for escapism. For movie buffs: Bonnie and Clyde's story was romanticized in 1967 by Hollywood in a film starring Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway.
After roaming the museum, we left and drove our car about eight miles south to the landmark where the actual ambush took place. A stone monument stood on the spot.
After we arrived back at camp, we enjoyed the beauty surrounding our campsite.
On another day, we drove to Monroe and toured the Biedenharn Museum and Gardens. Joe Biedenharn was the first bottler of Coca Cola in the USA in 1894. We toured his home, which was built in 1914, and the gardens, the Coke museum and a Bible museum. It was such a diverse, eclectic and interesting conglomeration of beautiful things.
The Bible museum displayed a serious collection ranging from rare and historically important Bibles including an original 1611 King James Bible, art Bibles and a page from the 1454-55 Gutenberg Bible.
Here's a bit of Coke trivia: the original name of Coca Cola was French Wine Coca and it was sold as a medicine containing alcohol and the drug cocaine. The name Coca Cola came about by combining the word Coca, for the Coca leaves originally used, with the word Cola from the Cola nut that was the replacement.
Anyone know what invention you are looking at in the photo below? The white top on the can allowed astronauts to drink Coca Cola in space in zero gravity.
On our last day in Louisiana, we drove over to Monroe again. There, Rick and I went exploring and found the Chennault Aviation and Military Museum. Admission was free and the museum was attended by volunteer guides, many of whom are veterans experienced with weaponry, artifacts, and historical knowledge. We were very fortunate to have Kaye as our escort through the amazing collection of Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard uniforms, photographs, text and artifacts from World War I through the Wars on Terrorism. The entire museum is dedicated to General Chennault and his Flying Tigers along with many other Louisianans whose sacrifices made them true heroes.
I learned so much from this tour, such as the significance of this pilot's jacket. The notice on the back is a message in Mandarin called a "blood chit". It addresses to any civilians who may come across an armed services member (such as shot down pilots) in times of trouble that the bearer is friendly and requests assistance.
This museum was a wonderful way to spend a few hours and was so educational.
Another thing I learned was that a Monroe aerial crop dusting service known as Huff Daland's began in 1924 to help combat the boll weevil, a devastating insect that was ruining the cotton crops. This small Monroe company developed into one of the largest and most respected United States airlines of today, Delta Airlines. Headquarters eventually moved from Monroe to Atlanta, Georgia in the 1940's.
On April 11th, Rick and I pulled up camp and set out for Texas to meet up with our traveling companions. Our time in Louisiana was so much fun but our big adventure was only beginning. I invite you to follow along as we continue west with our next stop in the big state of Texas.
As a small token of gratitude for the large dedication of life and time all service men and women gave and give, I would like to devote this post to all these heroes...and one in particular who made a very important part of my life more memorable with his kindness: MSGT John L. Gunther who served in the US Air Force during Vietnam. He was a good man.
Continue the adventure with us...click on this link: Texas - One BIG Place (Part 1)
Continue the adventure with us...click on this link: Texas - One BIG Place (Part 1)
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