Savannah Bound - Alabama Turn-around

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There is always a mix of excitement, anticipation and even a little dread as we get ready to set out on our next adventure. Our last trip was no different, or so it seemed.



Our niece, Holly, had been planning her Savannah wedding for over a year. March 28th had been set and all plans were being finalized. Since we had spent some time with Holly and Dan (her fiancé) last summer we were getting very excited to see them again and to share in their excitement and happiness of marriage. And of course, Savannah, Tybee Island, and Hilton Head are all favorite camp bases that we enjoy on the east coast.



Our particular challenge this trip was the fact that Jeffrey’s birthday was just a few days after the wedding, and of course, we could never miss his birthday - we had not in 35 years, and this would be no different.



We had visited with Jeffrey to make sure he understood that we would attend Holly and Dan’s wedding, but that we would be home in time to celebrate his birthday with him and his friends. He was looking forward to joining in the wedding party via FaceTime. We had actually worked out for Molly, the administrator at the Nova Centre, to have a pizza party on his actual birthday (April 2) and we would join him at work on Friday, April 3 for cupcakes and drinks at work. Everything was set - arrangements made for pizza and party favors and for Grandma Fern to arrive from Altus on that Friday for the work party.



Monday, March 9, 2020



Although we were scheduled to leave Oklahoma City on the 10th of March, I always get anxious so I persuaded Cynde that we should actually leave on Monday afternoon, after my doctor’s appointment and our couple’s massage. I even dangled camping at WinStar Casino and of course she could not resist that! So, by four o’clock we were loaded and heading south on I-35 to Exit 2.



Our first night on the road is always one of anticipation - will the leveling jacks go down, will the slides open, and sometimes more importantly, do we have cable! This time I was more concerned with the hot water heater. It is a constant hot heater and it has to be de-calcified at least once per year. I had neglected this task until a couple of days before we hit the road. Although I had finished the process (or the computer had completed it), I still had to get the water into the system and get the heat to come on. To my dismay, the heater would not “fire up” so ran the de-calcification program again, confident that would resolve the issue.



Since that would require a few hours, we decided to head over to the casino to try our luck and find something to eat. To be such a large casino complex, there were few food choices so Cynde checked out Trip Advisor for the best dinner in Gainesville and found a great little family restaurant. After I had about a 150% return on my gambling investment, and Cynde had about a 65% loss, we decided it was best to head to Gainesville. We only had twenty minutes to get there before they closed, and since it was a Monday night, I figured they would actually close on time. As we arrived the last customers were leaving, but we were greeted warmly and shown to a table. We ordered quickly and ate without lingering.



When we got back to the coach, my mission was to ensure we had hot water before Cynde discovered that we didn’t. I was successful - the water heater was working just as it was designed. First crisis diverted!



Tuesday, March 10, 2020



First night on the road was a freebie - not on my schedule. I take great pain in pre-planning our trip - all our routes and all of our stops. Cynde plans out the dining options and points of interest. Our first stop when we head south east is usually Shreveport - of course it is because the greatest breakfast place in the south is located here and has been for over fifty years - Struan’s Good Eats. If anyone thinks Paula Dean likes butter (and she does), you have to go to Struan’s. Homemade biscuits with home fries and an omelet big enough for four. Of course, you can’t overlook the waffles with fresh strawberries and whipped cream. On top of everything – a dollop of butter! I bet by now it appears that we are actually searching for food on our trips rather than seeing the sights. Maybe just a little, but what is a great road trip without the local food?









Wednesday, March 11, 2020



On Wednesday, our route proceeded to Vidalia, Louisiana which is situated on the western bank of the Mississippi River. We actually camp on the water side of the levee in a great campground where the boats chug past all night. This time of the year, the river can sometimes be at or near flood stage and upon arrival, we were casually informed that the river had breached the levee, but most of the campground was still above water and there was no expectation that the river would continue to rise. Of course, that gave us great comfort - it was not ‘expected’ to continue to rise. They also advised to just stay away from the pooled water since there are all kinds of river critters in the water! That was certainly enough to keep me away! Needless to say, I slept with one foot hanging out the front door just hoping the cold water would wake me up before it floated Stormy (and us) down the river to arrive in New Orleans via a new route.



Confident in our safety, we headed into Natchez, possibly one of the most historic towns along the Mississippi, for sightseeing and dinner. One of the last battles of the Civil War has in this area for control of all river commerce, and subsequently all trade from Mississippi and Louisiana north along the river as far as Minnesota.



Natchez was prized by the Union since control of this port assured control of commerce along the river. By cutting off commerce (cotton, sugar cane, rice) the south would be crippled and much more likely to lay down their arms.



There is an amazing National Park here that includes a battle ground, original structures from the era, and an amazing Civil War Cemetery.



Thursday, March 12, 2020



Obviously, we did not float away during the night and even found a great little pastry and coffee shop in Natchez before we hit the road to New Orleans.



From Natchez to New Orleans is not a long drive, so we took our time, planning to arrive before the evening traffic hit. Our route took us along the west and south side of Lake Pontchartrain before dipping along I-10 into the downtown area of New Orleans.



We camp at the French Quarter RV Park which is just beside the interstate and only about three blocks from the French Quarter. Although the neighborhood surrounding the campground is somewhat questionable, the campground is surrounded by a very tall cement wall with razor wire and a secure gate maned by a security guard after normal hours. There is a nice pool with hot tub within an enclosed plaza.



Directly south of the campground is the historic St. Louis Cemetery #2. Another block away is the St. Louis Cemetery #1, the most famous of the three St. Louis Cemeteries. All three are owned by the Catholic Church and the families who have burial rights within the cemetery. Interestingly, Nicholas Cage owns a very ornate pyramid shaped tomb in St. Louis #1. It is said that when he went bankrupt, he placed many valuables (and maybe some cash) inside his tomb where the taxing authorities were prohibited from accessing.



We arrived in New Orleans before three and were settled in by four. At five, we were ready to head down to the Quarter for dinner. Our favorite restaurant in New Orleans is The Oceana Grill on Conti at Bourbon Street. It is in a very old building with most seating on the second and third floor. We found this great little place last year and it quickly became a favorite. We usually have an appetizer sampler of Crawfish Étouffée, Gumbo, and Red Beans and Rice, then add Crab Cakes and maybe a salad. Round it out with a Chablis for Cynde and a Cabernet for me and we are set!



After dinner we headed toward Duvall Street to take a look at the river, and to search out a really good Praline, New Orleans style of course. There were not a lot of people out and about, but there was a wedding party that marched festively down Conti toward the old church along the way and eventually to the Marriott for their reception in the plaza.



We strolled around and looked into a few shops but didn’t hang out very long. One our way back to the camp, we did walk along Bourbon Street for a couple of blocks, but seems like, as we get older, we just don’t care much about that atmosphere. There is just too much craziness, regardless of the number of people.



Friday, March 13, 2020



No one can ever visit The Big Easy without heading to the Café Du Monde for beignets. The Café is an open-air area with small café tables just large enough for two. Eventually, someone will come to take your order – just don’t get too anxious since these folks are on southern time and if it appears that they are doing you a great favor by taking your order, just remember where you are. It is embarrassing, but we did each have an order of beignets and a coffee. They were wonderful!



We headed up Duvall and dunked into several shops and spied Central Grocery and Deli where we had determined that we would indulge in a Muffuletta for an early lunch. Since we still had powdered sugar on our faces, we knew it was too early for that famous New Orleans sandwich, so we elected to continue walking up Duvall to the open-air market.



This is a market with probably 200 vendors spread along a block and a half. These vendors have just about anything you could imagine. Most were just setting up their wares, so we moved along quickly, not looking for anything in particular. I am always on the lookout for leather bracelets and I spied a guy who was setting up his tables, but already had a huge number of bracelets out for display.



The fellow who had the bracelets was still unloading merch from his car. He was very outgoing and somewhat boisterous. He was a true salesman. As soon as we began looking, he began his sales pitch. He was very inquisitive and shared of his life experiences like we were all best friends. He relayed what I would definitely call a colorful life. He told about living for years in the islands and the many different girlfriends and boats and jobs that he had. Again, he was very colorful. If we happened to find a bracelet that we found interesting, he quickly moved to put it on a leg (Cynde) or an arm (me). He was a close talker, very close. Even after we elected to each buy a bracelet, we found it difficult to pull ourselves away from his booth. When someone else came up to look at his wares, he quickly included us in the story he began to relay to the new customer. He and I became brothers (in his story) as he relayed (or created) great adventures that we had in the islands. Finally, Cynde was able to pull away which gave me the opportunity to give chase and flee this oddly interesting man. He was a true “carney” – he had the look, the salesmanship, and yes, the ability to spew bullshit!



We headed back to camp for a quick rest before we needed to leave for a tour in the Garden District. We had scheduled to join a group walking tour of the historic homes of this area of New Orleans. This the area where Ann Rice lived during the time that she wrote the Vampire Chronicles, Susan Bullock was her neighbor just across the way, and John Goodman was close enough to borrow a cup of sugar when needed.



After our tour, we decided to energize ourselves by visiting an old historic ice cream shop that Cynde had discovered and was located just on the west side of the Garden District. It was known for developing unique flavors if ice cream and sherbet and had been a local favorite for years.

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