Reader's Digest Scenic Drives Archives - Page 2 of 9

Day 107 – New Mexico’s Scenic South Part 2

Day 107 of a Year Long Road Trip Along America’s Scenic Byways

In yesterday’s post I left out some interesting sights by mistake or they were at least interesting sights to me after driving hours at a time. Little things go a long way. The highway paralleled a train track. As I passed by the trains, I noticed most of the cars were tagged, I believe that is the new word for graffiti. I thought to myself, why wouldn’t the train company clean those cars, but then, it made it kind of interesting to look at all the cars as I passed the graffiti like art work.

A few minutes later I passed a poor man on a bicycle loaded downs with bags, on the handles, in the back, everywhere. He was going about three miles per hour. I think that is about as slow as a bicycle can go without tilting over. I hope he didn’t have to ride far on the side of the highway as vehicles sped by him and dogs chased him!

ON THE ROAD AGAIN!

Day 106 – New Mexico’s Scenic South

Day 106 of a Year Long Road Trip Along America’s Scenic Byways

Outside of a few Valentine’s Day wishes from some friends and family, today was rather uneventful. I spent the morning traveling from Alpine to Las Cruces, New Mexico. This was a time when I wished I had my Z4! An open road, a posted speed limit of 80, and I’m putting along at 75, OUCH! I could go 80, but VANilla gets a little noisy with vibrating action. I have to put the volume on my iPod on high just to hear it.

Mesilla, New Mexico

Tim suggested I visit Mesilla, just on the outskirts of Las Cruces, so Petey and I took a short walk around the town square. The smell of authentic Mexican food permeated the air from the famous restaurant, La Posta. My stomach grumbled, “stop in for cheese enchiladas”. My brain thought my stomach might be a little too sensitive for them, and it prevailed.

One of the buildings on the square, now a gift shop, used to be the county courthouse, jail, and school. It was here that Billy the Kid was tried and sentenced to hang on April 13, 1881. He was taken back to the courthouse in Lincoln where he escaped and later met his death at the hands of one of Dona Ana’s sheriffs, Pat Garrett.

After our brief visit to Mesilla, Petey and I hopped back in VANilla and headed north toward Ruidoso. We tried to make a stop at the Organ Mountain Recreation Area to see Dripping Springs Natural Area named for a cliffside that seeps water, but we were not successful in finding it. We found an area called Aguirre Springs in the vicinity, but it seemed confusing, so we carried on. I have been fighting either horrific allergies from the West Texas dust or a slight head cold, so that may have added to the complications and my lackadaisical attitude toward finding the area.

White Sands Missile Range

Our drive took us past White Sand Missile Range. A Nike Hercules Missile display towered beside the road as we climbed the pass. The Nike Hercules Missile stands 41 feet tall and is 31.5 inches in diameter. The missile weighs over 10,000 pounds and can reach speeds in excess of 2,500 miles per hour. It can travel 75 miles and reach an altitude of almost 30 miles high. The missile was tested at the White Sand Missile Range from 1955 through 1967 and was tasked with shooting down enemy aircraft and ballistic missiles. When the Nike Zeus system was designed, the Hercules missiles were used as targets!

Lincoln National Forest

After a brief stop at the missile display, Petey and I ventured to Lincoln National Forest in hopes to hike. First, we stopped at the Tunnel Vista for a view of the mountains and the desert basin. We spent most of our time here dealing with an owner who was oblivious to her off leash dog. Normally, it wouldn’t bother me, but Petey takes a little time to warm up to other canines. I politely warned the woman who corralled Rosie only to let her slip away a few minutes later. Thankfully, she decided to get up from her nap on the overlook ledge, collect Rosie, and continue on her journey. I’m not sure I’d choose to nap between a ledge and a winding highway while letting my dog run loose!

It seemed as though most of the Lincoln National Forest entrances around Cloudcroft were closed and the only one that was open was for cross-country ski trails which wasn’t too enticing to a Texan in tennis shoes. We just wound through the mountainous forest and pulled in for an early evening at the Wal-Mart in Ruidoso Downs. I’d have to categorize today as a “do-over”: a lot of driving and no hikes. Tomorrow is another day. ETB

Map of My Road Trip Across the USA

For a summary about my road trip across the USA, click HERE. For the interactive map, see the below link.

map of road trip along scenic byways across the USA — Interactive Link to Map

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Day 105 – Big Bend and Beyond Part 3

Day 105 of a Year Long Road Trip Along America’s Scenic Byways

I heard the bakery next to the hotel in Lajitas baked great pastries, so I tried stopping in before heading west along the US/Mexico border. Unfortunately they were closed, but the hotel was nice enough to let me snag a cup of coffee from the lobby.

Big Bend Ranch State Park

Our first stop along the Rio Grande River was at the abandoned Contrabando Movie Set in Big Bend Ranch State Park. Just like Big Bend National Park, Big Bend Ranch State Park is enormous. It stretches nearly 40 miles on both sides of 170, known to the locals as the “River Road”.

The set was constructed in 1985 for the western comedy “Uphill All The Way” starring Roy Clark, Mel Tillis, and Burl Ives. Since that time, six other movies have been filmed here: Rio Diablo, Gambler V: Playing for Keeps, Streets of Laredo, My Maria (1996 Music Video of the Year), Dead Man’s Walk, and The Journeyman.

The set was situated between the road and the Rio Grande River. Across the river is Mexico. I found myself tentatively walking up to each building hoping I didn’t run across a drug operation or something. I kept telling myself, don’t be so ridiculous, no one would operate 30 yards from the road, but that’s what the media does to people. It instills fear when it reports tourists killed by drug cartels in the mountains surrounding the border. Thankfully, I only stumbled upon a few empty beer cans.

Hoodoos in Big Bend Ranch State Park

Petey and I continued on to Hoodoos or Balancing Rock, another stop in the Big Bend Ranch State Park. On the way we passed a rest area complete with picnic tables shaded by teepees. I thought it was funny, so I took a picture. I don’t have any details on Hoodoos other than it was interesting looking and it also rested on the US/Mexico border.

Armed with my bear mace (like that will protect me from a Mexican druglord) I walked up to the vista and then down along the trail to the river while Petey slowly

followed. I think his hip was bothering him, thus he lacked enthusiasm. We also climbed over a few rocks in hopes of capturing some unique pictures, but instead I managed to slip, fall on my camera, and get a few lackluster photos. That wasn’t a very exciting moment of my day.

Fort Leaton State Historic Site

After our brief stop at Hoodoos, we kept heading west toward Presidio and made a stop at Fort Leaton State Historic Site. In 1773, the Spanish garrison at Presidio Del Norte (present day Ojinaga, Mexico) established El Fortin De San Jose to protect farmers in the vicinity. The post was later abandoned.

Around 1810, Ben Leaton purchased extensive property in the area and by 1848 the community became known as Fort Leaton. Ben Leaton was a ruthless trader and as such earned nicknames such as scalp-hunter, desperado, and un mal hombre (a bad man).

IMG_6184 I wonder what this person thinks

While visiting the fort, I noticed a car in the parking lot with a giant political slur taped across its back window along with American flags pasted on every window on the vehicle. For some reason, the sight just made me giggle, so I took a picture. By no means am I trying to portray any political opinions in this post.

I think I found the image funny because there is no way I would spend my time or money to express my political views on my car or at my house like this individual did. I think it invites conflict, and I’m not interested in getting my car or house egged. Though I suspect the centerpiece creates quite a bit of conversation too. There was no mistaking what this individual believed!

Shafter Ghost Town

Petey and I pressed on to Presidio and turned north toward Shafter, a ghost town, but once dubbed “the richest acre in Texas” due to the millions of dollars of silver extracted from its mines. Veins of the precious metal still run through the surrounding hills. On the way to Shafter we spotted a few pronghorn and even caught a glimpse of “Lincoln’s profile” on a nearby mountain. A sign pointed to the mountain, otherwise I wouldn’t have noticed it.

Marfa, Texas

We stopped briefly in Marfa to snap a quick photo of the courthouse. I planned on returning to Marfa later in the evening to view the Marfa lights, but after I researched the mystery surrounding the lights, it sounded to me like they are reflections from car headlights and campfires. It wasn’t intriguing enough for me to make the forty mile round trip from Alpine where I had a place to stay, thanks to my friend Molly.

Alpine, Texas

She put me in touch with her ex-husband Tim, who I had only met once, since I can only keep up with Molly about every three years or so. He just rented a house in Alpine one week ago! It was basically a historic adobe house with two small bedrooms, a bath, and a kitchen.

Unfortunately, Alpine, along with the rest of the country suffered a hard freeze last week and the pipes burst. Tim only lives here part-time and was able to fix about half the pipes before having to leave for work in Pecos this evening, so I met him in the late afternoon so he could show me the ropes.

He also gave me a quick tour of Alpine. He pointed out the coffee shop, local book store, the University, and a few restaurants including Reata. Really, the same Reata (upscale southwestern cuisine) that is in Fort Worth, Texas!!! I couldn’t believe it.

It was so nice of Tim to hand over the keys to his home. I failed to snap his picture before he left, but he is a New Hampshire boy turned Texan, donning a Cowboy hat and boots and loving the Big Bend area. Had I followed Molly’s instructions and called him on Saturday instead of Sunday, I could have been at a giant ranch party in Terlingua Saturday night!

That’s OK. I enjoyed my meal in Lajitas. I am bummed that I missed the Cookie Chilloff though. It is a spoof on the World Championship Chili Cookoff held every November in Terlingua. Per Reader’s Digest, I knew the Chilloff was held in early February, but I didn’t see any signs for it when I drove through town. Consequently, I thought I must have missed it. Tim informed me it was today! Oh well, my waistline doesn’t need any cookies or ice cream anyway. Petey and I relaxed for the evening in Alpine and prepared to leave Texas behind us in route to New Mexico tomorrow.

On a different note, my dad told me the WJ McDonald Observatory near Fort Davis is really neat. Visitors can peer through the only world-class telescope in America available to the public. Unfortunately, the light shows are Friday, Saturday, and Tuesday night, so I couldn’t make it. I will have to go back. I just wanted to mention it in case any of my readers plan on visiting Big Bend soon. ETB

Map of My Road Trip Across the USA

For a summary about my road trip across the USA, click HERE. For the interactive map, see the below link.

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Day 103 – Big Bend and Beyond

Day 103 of a Year Long Road Trip Along America’s Scenic Byways

Today was absolutely magnificent. Fort Davis and Big Bend exceeded every one of my expectations. My friends can attest, that this is a very rare occasion. I suppose it helped that I arrived with unusually low ones, due to a friend’s description of her trip. Additionally, the southwestern, desert-like landscape in other areas has never been that appealing to me, thus I didn’t expect the Big Bend area to be any different. Perhaps it’s just because I’m proud to be a Texan, and any Texas landscape will do despite the appearance!

Fort Davis National Historic Site

I took away one important piece of information from my conversation with the “full-timer” yesterday. Big Bend National Park doesn’t allow dogs on the trails, but he was uncertain about Fort Davis. This tidbit was enough to make me stop at the Fort Davis National Historic Site just to see if pets were allowed.

Most forts I’ve been to don’t allow dogs, so I figured it would be a long shot, but since “full-timer” didn’t recall seeing it posted I clung to hope. Surprisingly, Petey was allowed on the trails and in all areas of the fort except inside the buildings. We enjoyed an outstanding visit and I’m certain Petey enjoyed a walk that wasn’t restricted to the parking lot.

The original fort was established on the eastern side of the Davis Mountains in 1854 and named after Secretary of War Jefferson Davis. From 1854 to 1861 troops of the Eighth Infantry led by Lt. Col. Washington Seawell protected emigrants, freighters, mail coaches, and travelers on the San Antonio-El Paso Road from attacking Comanches, Kiowas, and Apaches.

Upon the outbreak of the Civil War and Texas’s secession from the Union, the federal government evacuated the fort. The fort was briefly occupied by Confederate soldiers before Union forces took possession in 1862. Thereafter, the Union troops abandoned the post and the fort lay deserted for the next five years.

Few of the structures remained in 1867 when the Ninth U.S. Calvary reoccupied Fort Davis. From 1869 through the 1880s, several new buildings were constructed, and the fort became a mainstay to over 400 soldiers. The soldiers continued providing safeguards to travelers along the dangerous San Antonio – El Paso Road and finally forced the Apaches and their leader Victorio into Mexico where they were killed by Mexican military. The end of the Indian Wars in West Texas combined with the army’s effort to consolidate its forces, left Fort Davis abandoned for the final time.

Today, visitors can see ruins of the first fort and restored buildings of the second fort. The combination of the two forts is quite intriguing. The new houses align to magnetic north, while the old foundation outlines align to true north. A good view of this is on the interpretive nature trail which travels into the mountains above the fort.

The weathered rocks towering over Fort Davis are lava flow known as rhyolite porphyry from 25-65 million years ago. The reddish stone used in the construction of the buildings was quarried from the Davis Mountains.

view of fort davis national historic site from above

Ranch Home Historic Site

After an awesome tour of Fort Davis and a beautiful hike in the mountains above, Petey and I continued toward Big Bend National Park. On the way, we stopped at a few historical markers. The first was the site of a ranch home owned by Manuel Musquiz, a pioneer who settled in the area in 1854.

Abandoned due to Indian raids, the deserted buildings served as a ranger station intermittently during late 1880’s while the country defended itself against Indians and bandits. While at this spot, I happened upon a herd of approximately thirty elk. One big male with at least 14 points was definitely a trophy for hunters. Knowing most of my hunting friends put in for tags in Montana, I was surprised to see elk here.

elk on the way to Big Bend National Park

Los Caballos

Our next roadside stop was at Los Caballos where rocks in the Ouachita Fold Belt uplifted approximately 275 million years ago. The folding is shown by the whitish rocks known as caballos. The Ouachita Fold is similar in age to the uplift that formed the Appalachians.

Big Bend National Park

We finally reached Big Bend National Park, entering through the Persimmon Gap entrance. Cacti peppered the rocky plains surrounded by the Chisos Mountains and the Boquillas Canyon. The views were astounding. I was in awe of the grandeur and beauty of Big Bend. I pulled off the road countless times to snap photos before arriving at Rio Grande Village to camp for the night.

As I rounded the camp grounds to choose a spot, I passed by a coyote. I decided to tell the Ranger, who basically smiled and laughed saying, “They’re everywhere”. Hmmm, I didn’t want them to eat Petey, so we took cover in VANilla for a bit.

coyote at Rio Grand Village in Big Bend National Park

I found another camper with a dog and asked what they planned to do with their dog since the rules say dogs can’t be left unattended or in a vehicle. They seemed to think vehicle living was safe as it wasn’t hot. Shortly thereafter, the volunteer hosts came by in their golf cart. They confirmed Petey would be fine in VANilla and suggested I explore the nearby interpretive nature trail.

As it was nearing dusk, I asked, “Is it it safe given we are in mountain lion and bear territory?”

The hosts assured me. “The mountain lions are in Chiso Basin, not in Rio Grande Village, and near sunset is the best time to go.”

view from trail at rio grande village in big bend national park

Oh were they right! I made it just in time to see the Boquillas Canyon cliffs turn crimson in the sunset. In addition, the wetlands and river views were mystical. The landscape offered an array of colors: yellow grasslands, green trees, dark grey and red mountains. What a treat! Too bad Petey couldn’t join me! ETB

Map of My Road Trip Across the USA

For a summary about my road trip across the USA, click HERE. For the interactive map, see the below link.

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Day 101 – Texas Hill Country Part 3

Day 101 of a Year Long Road Trip Along America’s Scenic Byways

I could have rocked a baby to sleep last night from the wind blowing against VANilla. The intensity seemed to increase hourly. By morning, snow was blowing sideways, virtually never hitting the ground. Petey wouldn’t even get out of VANilla to water a tree, and being on steroids, he generally wakes me to go out in the morning! Per my previous post, I decided to google BBQ and homemade donuts in Fredericksburg. I didn’t find the place from my childhood memories, but I did go to Fredericksburg Bakery, established in 1917, and famous for its Sweet German Pretzel made of twisted apple turnover dough with praline filling.

sweet german pretzel from Fredericksburg Bakery

Stepping out of the blistering wind into the warm bakery was a delight! Three local “oldtimers” sat around a table commenting that they could just stay there all day. With a view of Main Street and the weather treacherous, I couldn’t help interjecting that their stay might get interesting. Yes they agreed and felt the snow was coming down harder. I left with a hot cup of coffee and a tasty, yet messy pretzel and then headed through the Texas hill country toward Kerrville.

Getting to Camp Mystic

As a child, from the ages 8-12, I attended Camp Mystic in Hunt, Texas, nearby Kerrville. I decided to swing by my old, summer stomping grounds. Given we always took a six hour bus ride to camp, and I was only 12, I really had no idea where it was. I just knew we passed by a few other camps and turned left into the entrance. I typed the address posted on Mystic’s website into Gina the GPS and followed the directions.

Gina projected I would arrive at Mystic in just 18 minutes from Kerrville. That just didn’t seem right to me. The only time young campers got to go to Kerrville was usually for an illness that Mystic’s infirmary couldn’t handle. I went into town when I broke my tooth while eating spaghetti, and it certainly seemed like it took longer than 18 minutes to get to the dentist. Oh, and yes I know it’s hard to believe I broke it on noodles, but I had witnesses when I bit down on an unexpected hard thing in my pasta…my tooth.

Since the trip to Kerrville wasn’t usually for something good, the camp counselors would do something nice for us in town. The treat was generally anything we wanted at Sonic. The older kids recommended the Limeade. I passed the Sonic, drove 18 minutes, where Gina chimed that my destination was “approaching on RIGHT”.

Nope, the GPS was NOT accurate. I drove a few miles further along the river beneath pecan trees where I found The Store (more on The Store later). I knew I was getting close. Continuing past Camp Rio Vista, Camp La Junta, and others, I finally arrived at Mystic on the LEFT. That’s more like it!

Camp Mystic

I rang the buzzer, introduced myself to the woman’s voice blaring through the speaker, and she let me through the gates. Petey, VANilla, and I took a short tour past Senior Hill, across the Guadalupe River, and to the old cabins I bunked in: Twins II, Chatterbox, Jumble House, and Bug House. We passed by the commissary, the dining hall, and the deck tennis courts.

Deck tennis was one of my all-time favorite activities and Mystic is the only place where I have ever seen it played. It is played on what looks like a grass volleyball court, and the rules are virtually the same as volleyball except a rubber ring replaces the ball and teammates catch and spike the ring versus setting and spiking the ball.

Not far from deck tennis, is the building that hosted movie night, dance and drama productions, but more importantly the stage where each camper finds out if she will be a Tonk or a Kiowa. My sister Christian had been to camp the year before me, and she was a Kiowa whose tribe colors were blue (my favorite color) and white. My other sister Liz and I were in our first year.

The youngest campers went first. I got Tonk. I was SO upset! Red was my second favorite color, and I certainly didn’t want to be the only Tonk in the family. Much to my relief, Liz drew Tonk too! I think almost all my nieces ended up being Tonks as well. I wonder if Christian is upset she is the only Kiowa.

Much of camp was similar to the way it used to be, but there were a few changes too. I didn’t see the gum tree, a tree by the dining hall where campers stuck their gum before entering for their meal. I’m guessing that is no longer allowed! Though I suspect the “Chicken Letter” is still required to get lunch on Sunday. This ensured that all parents got a weekly letter!

The Guadalupe River was beautiful. I couldn’t believe it. It was aqua color!?! I remembered it as green with moss, water moccasins, and snapping turtles. I took “Free Swim” as an activity and refused to get in the river, as I was terrified of it. The only thing that got me into the water was the strong desire to sign up for canoeing. Campers weren’t allowed to take canoeing unless they had completed intermediate swimming for which there is basically a tryout.

guadelupe river in the texas hill country

Everyone has to swim from the shore to the floating raft and back under a certain time. Of course, being the smallest kid in my class through the eighth grade, I was not a good swimmer and only qualified for advanced beginner!?! Ugh, I had swimming as an activity all summer and still no canoeing! I did get into canoeing once, but only because a counselor knew me from home and let me in the class without the proper credentials.

I could tell a few more traumatic stories, like getting stung by the wasps, but for every crazy story, there were several more good ones like being Tonk Junior Assistant, cooking Smores, and playing countless sports which I loved! Heavily involved in hunter/jumpers by the time I turned thirteen, I had to give up camp along with soccer, softball, and basketball at an early age. I’m certain teenage campers, that lived on Senior Hill would have completely different memories than me.

I really would have liked to walk everywhere, just like I used to, but it was truly bitter cold. So cold in fact, that the sliding door handle jammed and the lock froze as I let Petey out of VANilla. Consequently, I couldn’t get the door closed! After working on the door for a few minutes with the camp foreman’s help, we walked about 200 hundred yards and simply returned to VANilla. I was nervous the locks would freeze again and didn’t want to be locked out of VANilla.

The Store

I was so eager to see Camp Mystic that I skipped The Store, so I backtracked to see if The Store still sold beef jerky. Big, pepper covered pieces used to hang by strings from the ceiling and posts. Tradition was to pick out a few pieces before heading home at the end of camp. Now the pieces are smaller and sit in an open plastic container. Still not sanitary, but I bought a piece anyway. It was rather dry and leathery, but a little gnawing released the same good flavor.

Garner State Park

Petey and I continued through the Texas hill country to Lost Maples State Natural Area and to Garner State Park, but skipped hiking. The sky crystal clear, the sun shining, and VANilla toasty warm made it seem like a walk would be nice…right up until I opened the door. Instead we stopped for roadside photos: a fence covered in boots, some longhorns, a windmill, and some deer. We even stopped at a historical marker which ended up being old graves, but I didn’t see any headstones.

boots on a fence in the Texas Hill Country

I did, however, see at least 100 deer today. More than the previous 100 days of my trip. About 75 of them were right at the entrance of Garner State Park. They simply sat in the trees as I drove by, but as soon as I stopped and reversed to shoot a photo, they scattered behind the bushes.

deer at Garner State Park in the Texas hill country

Utopia, Texas

The Reader’s Digest Drive suggested stops in Utopia and Bandera before reaching San Antonio. I think the suggestions were made because there aren’t any other towns in the Texas hill country between Garner State Park and San Antonio! Utopia consisted of a general store, a few antique shops, a few churches, and perhaps a restaurant. Behind its historic Methodist Church in a pecan grove, the town has held outdoor dinners since the 1890s.

Bandera, Texas

In Bandera, Petey and I took a quick walk around the Courthouse just to stretch our legs, and then we stopped at the Frontier Times Museum. The museum was built in 1933 to house historian J. Marvin Hunter’s western collection. Hunter founded “Frontier Times”, a magazine recognizing history, border tragedy, and pioneer achievement. He finished construction of the museum by selling his books.

bandera county courthouse in the texas hill country

Today a variety of relics are on display at the museum: an old dental chair, World Champion saddles, paintings, old bottle cappers, aged pianos, and even an old switch board. The curator of the museum was from Ohio, which kind of surprised me. I only stopped briefly as Petey was in VANilla and the museum was small, but I had to make something out of this rotten day!

old dental chair at frontier times museum

old bottle capper at frontier times museum

Boerne, Texas

Around 3 o’clock, we headed toward Boerne to stay the night with my Aunt Mellie, Uncle Gary, and Chato. We had a lovely visit and dined on scrumptious shrimp scampi. Their home in the Texas hill country has a wonderful view of the sunrise and deer regularly visit their yard. It was so nice to see them and catch up on family news. Tomorrow is a day of travel to the Big Bend Area. ETB

Map of My Road Trip Across the USA

For a summary about my road trip across the USA, click HERE. For the interactive map, see the below link.

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Day 99 – Texas Hill Country

Day 99 of a Year Long Road Trip Along America’s Scenic Byways

After a month break at home, from Christmas to the Super Bowl, I’m back on the road again. Going to the Super Bowl on Sunday made for an exciting and very long day. Knowing how I started out the last 99 days, jetlagged and exhausted from leaving right after a trip to Africa, I settled for a late morning start. While I took the morning to tie up loose ends, I feel better prepared for this leg of the journey. VANilla is packed more appropriately.

I added and deleted some items, but overall, I’m carrying less with me now. I think the hardest items to pack are clothing. This fall when I left, it was so hot in Texas, I could hardly force myself to pack long pants, sweaters, and jackets and frankly I didn’t have much to choose from for 70 days! This February, Dallas has been brutally cold. I’m quite certain the whole world knows this with the Super Bowl coverage or should I say debacle leading up to game day. Anyway, despite knowing I’d be on the road for the next 8 months, and thus during the entire summer, I think I packed lots of heavy clothes.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN!

Day 98 – East Texas Ramble Part 2

Day 98 of a Year Long Road Trip Along America’s Scenic Byways

San Augustine Campground

I set my alarm last night to get up and watch the solar eclipse, but it was too cloudy. Oh well, in another lifetime I guess! This morning the dogs and I took the trail from the San Augustine Campground. The campground is operated by the City for either short-term or long-term residents. As a result, the restrooms may have been the best of any campgrounds I’ve been to so far.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN!

Day 97 – East Texas Ramble

Day 97 of a Year Long Road Trip Along America’s Scenic Byways

With my belly full from two cinnamon rolls and a cup of coffee and VANilla decorated with Mardi Gras beads, compliments of Pat and Gerald, I ventured southwest to Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge, a little over an hour outside of Houston in East Texas.

Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge

I talked my Uncle Casey into joining me literally in the middle of nowhere. If I hadn’t been meeting him, I probably would have turned around. I arrived at the east entrance of the Refuge at the same time Casey arrived at the west, 6.5 miles apart. We spent the morning walking around a pond and driving 15 miles of gravel roads looking at a variety of birds.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN!

Day 96 – Louisiana Bayou Byways Part 2

Day 96 of a Year Long Road Trip Along America’s Scenic Byways

Louisiana Bayou Byways

The dogs and I spent the morning walking the trails and geocaching in Lake Fausse Pointe State Park where we camped last night off the Louisiana Bayou Byway. We completed two loop trails for a total of 2.35 miles through the woods. In the process we found five caches! One trail, Cardinal Run, was aptly named. Cardinals were everywhere! Too bad I was only carrying my point and shoot camera…close up shots eluded me. Upon returning to VANilla, I was able to grab the zoom lens and snap a few good shots of a great blue heron.

lake fausse point state park on lousiana bayou byway

blue heron at lake fausse point state park

cardinal at lake fausse point state park

Henderson, Louisiana

After a lovely, though slightly nippy morning outside, we took the levee road north to Henderson, our next stop on the Louisiana Bayou Byway, where jet boat tours of Atchafalaya Basin leave from McGee’s Landing. I pulled off at Pat’s Restaurant to look at a map and get my bearings when a former client Max called. This area of Louisiana used to be her stomping grounds. She knew exactly where I was, told me to have lunch at Pat’s, check out the dance hall at Whiskey River Landing, and go on the swamp tour.

pats fishermans wharf off Louisiana Bayou Byway

Whiskey River Landing

The crawfish etouffee at Pat’s was excellent. The Cowboys were playing at the same time the Saints were playing, so I settled for Saints football over lunch. I returned south about a mile and turned on a gravel road cut over the levee to find Whiskey River Landing on the other side. I would have never known it was there!

The Cajun music and dancing didn’t start until 4 on Sundays, so I drove a half mile further down the levee to McGee’s to check on the swamp tours. I just missed the one o’clock tour and no one was signed up for the three o’clock tour, so it wasn’t going to launch unless I paid the price of five people. I decided to listen to the Cajun band and walk the dogs around instead.

airboats at mcgees landing off louisiana bayou byway

Grove, Texas

These were our last stops on the Louisiana Bayou Byway before the dogs and I arrived to our home state, Texas. Max’s parents, Pat and Gerald, put us up for the night in Groves, Texas. Pat is a big football fan, so we enjoyed an evening of chatting and Sunday night football. Pat and Gerald have been married over fifty years, have four children, seven grandchildren, one great grandchild, and a boxer named Harley. ETB

Map of My Road Trip Across the USA

For a summary about my road trip across the USA, click HERE. For the interactive map, see the below link.

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Day 95 – Louisiana Bayou Byways

Day 95 of a Year Long Road Trip Along America’s Scenic Byways

Louisiana Bayou Byways

I awoke to another cold, rainy day in Louisiana. I had hoped to take an airboat tour, but with a high of 45 forecasted, I couldn’t imagine that zipping across the swamp in the rain would be much fun. Not to mention, the main attraction, alligators, hibernate in the cold weather. I opted for a slow start to the morning and enjoyed a bowl of oatmeal and a hot cup of coffee at IHOP.

Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve, Barataria Region

After a few more circles around town, I finally found the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve, Barataria Region. The Reader’s Digest book failed to mention the preserve includes six, separate park locations. No wonder my GPS wasn’t taking me to the section I wanted to visit. In addition, the roads were under construction which resulted in further detours around Louisiana.

Alas, I arrived ready to walk the dogs in the rain. Unfortunately, for safety reasons, the dogs were not allowed to tour the boardwalks with me. The boardwalks wrap through swamp land past pines, cypress, palms, and sugar cane. If the sun were out and the temperature were above 50, I might have spotted a resident alligator with her babies, but instead I gazed skyward to watch a variety of chirping birds flitting from tree to tree. I even heard a woodpecker, but I couldn’t find it!

Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve, Barataria Region in Louisiana

Louisiana Marine Fisheries and Museum

Since the dogs really hadn’t enjoyed a good walk for almost 24 hours, I followed the ranger’s instructions and proceeded to a park located aside Louisiana’s intracoastal waterway. The area stunk of fish, so we stayed only long enough to see if a cache was hidden nearby.

Fortunately, an ammo can was hidden about half a mile down the road behind the Louisiana Marine Fisheries and Museum. At first glance, I was hesitant to get out of VANilla. The weathered museum’s front lawn showcased two beat up fishing boats. Rusted cars and run down homes lined the opposite side of the street.

According to the cache description, the museum curator was aware the cache was hidden on the premises, so I quickly ducked behind the building and briskly strode toward the water’s edge to find the cache hidden underneath yet another boat situated in the yard.

While there, I took a minute to glance in the museum window. I was startled to see a well kept display of fishing memorabilia. A sign posted on the locked door requested any interested parties to knock on the double doors at the adjacent building. I gave it some thought, but the property looked deserted this early Saturday morning, so I moved on.

Oaklawn Manor

We drove west, close to 100 miles, looking for the O aklawn Manor, once part of a 12,000 acre sugar plantation. We found an old home very close to Gina’s directions, but it wasn’t called Oaklawn Manor. A few hundred yards away, smoke billowed into the air releasing an odor that I couldn’t decide if it was fragrant or foul. I suppose since I chose odor over aroma, I’m leaning toward foul.

Franklin, Louisiana

Upon returning to the main two-lane, pot-holed road strewn with shredded sugarcane dropped from the trucks transporting the stalks, I realized the smoke was coming from a cane mill. In fact, sugarcane fields surrounded me. I continued on a few more miles and arrived in a lovely historic town, Franklin, Louisiana. It was like it popped out of thin air…another time warp for me. The rough roads and messy cropland transformed into a historic square lined with attractive buildings.

Avery Island, Louisiana

After mostly busts since yesterday morning and with the sun slowly poking through the clouds, I decided to continue through town and drive an additional 40 miles to Avery Island, Louisiana. I knew about the Island as it is the home to T abasco! The island includes the factory, a gift shop, pepper fields, a salt mine, oil wells, and the Jungle Gardens.

Edmund McIlhenny cultivated pepper plants and created a pepper sauce, Tabasco, shortly after the Civil War. After tinkering with his sauce and storing it in perfume bottles for his friends to taste, McIlhenny patented his recipe and sold his first bottle of Tabasco in 1868. He went on to sell over 600 more that year.

How to Make Tabasco

Today, Tabasco produces over 700,000 bottles daily! Tabasco’s pepper plants are grown on Avery Island and in Central and South America. The peppers are harvested only when they turn a distinct red. The pepper pickers are given a baton rouge painted the color red that the peppers should match. All Tabasco peppers must be ground and mashed with Avery Island salt the same day they are picked. This process takes place on both Avery Island and in Central and South America.

The mash is aged for three years in white oak barrels whose lids are drilled with holes and packed with salt. The barrels are purchased from bourbon distilleries and cleaned of any alcohol prior to use. The fermenting process only takes place on Avery Island. After three years, the mash is mixed with a premium vinegar, stirred for 28 days, strained, and bottled.

When the barrels are rendered useless, the wood is chopped up and sold as wood chips in the gift shop. The bulk leftover from the straining process is bagged and sold as seasoning for seafood boils, and the remaining seeds leftover from the straining process are sold to a company in Michigan that extracts the oils for an ingredient used in Bengay, Icy Hot, and Colgate. Almost nothing goes unused! New pepper plants are grown from the strongest seedlings of existing plants.

tabasco company on avery island, louisiana

oak barrel at tabasco on avery island, louisiana

Jungle Gardens

Edmund McIlhenny’s son (E.A.), a naturalist and explorer, cultivated Jungle Gardens which include both native and exotic plants. Four miles of roads and trails wind past lagoons, palms, cypress, azaleas, camellias, wisteria, bamboo and more. Though obviously most flowering plants weren’t in bloom, just being able to walk uninterrupted for an hour in the sun without retracing any steps was a joy and worth the $8 I spent.

E.A. McIlhenny helped save the Snowy Egret from extinction by establishing a colony on the island. Now 20,000 egrets nest on special platforms in a pond nicknamed “Bird City”. During my visit, I only saw one egret, and it was in a lagoon on the opposite of the garden! After our visit to the island, we zigzagged northeast along some back roads to Lake Fausse Pointe State Park to camp for the evening. ETB

Map of My Road Trip Across the USA

For a summary about my road trip across the USA, click HERE. For the interactive map, see the below link.

Day 107 of a Year Long Road Trip Along America’s Scenic Byways

Day 106 of a Year Long Road Trip Along America’s Scenic Byways

Mesilla, New Mexico

White Sands Missile Range

Lincoln National Forest

Map of My Road Trip Across the USA

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Day 105 of a Year Long Road Trip Along America’s Scenic Byways

Big Bend Ranch State Park

Hoodoos in Big Bend Ranch State Park

Fort Leaton State Historic Site

Shafter Ghost Town

Marfa, Texas

Alpine, Texas

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Day 103 of a Year Long Road Trip Along America’s Scenic Byways

Fort Davis National Historic Site

Ranch Home Historic Site

Los Caballos

Big Bend National Park

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Day 101 of a Year Long Road Trip Along America’s Scenic Byways

Getting to Camp Mystic

Camp Mystic

The Store

Garner State Park

Utopia, Texas

Bandera, Texas

Boerne, Texas

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Day 99 of a Year Long Road Trip Along America’s Scenic Byways

Day 98 of a Year Long Road Trip Along America’s Scenic Byways

San Augustine Campground

Day 97 of a Year Long Road Trip Along America’s Scenic Byways

Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge

Day 96 of a Year Long Road Trip Along America’s Scenic Byways

Louisiana Bayou Byways

Henderson, Louisiana

Whiskey River Landing

Grove, Texas

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Day 95 of a Year Long Road Trip Along America’s Scenic Byways

Louisiana Bayou Byways

Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve, Barataria Region

Louisiana Marine Fisheries and Museum

Oaklawn Manor

Franklin, Louisiana

Avery Island, Louisiana

How to Make Tabasco

Jungle Gardens

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