Thurs. Mar. 31st Robertsdale Alabama

Join us as we travel North America in our Holiday Rambler Vacationer, 

 since August 2006

161 miles today about three hours

today's journey

       We were on the road shortly after 9:00 am today and its bright, sunny and warm. On to I-12 then I-10 heading east. We went from Louisiana to Mississippi and stopped at the visitor centre to stretch our legs and enjoy this beautiful southern style mansion and a free coffee.

Mississippi

Welcome Centre

reception area

       Back onto I-10 a nice drive thru green wooded areas and not too much traffic. Next we crossed another state line into Alabama, once again stopping at the visitor centre for Alabama information as we will be here for two weeks.

nice drive

       We did stop at the Flying J for fuel, its been a while $3.43 a gallon or .90 cents a liter still a better price than back in Canada. While here we were going to make lunch, but right next door was Wendy's so we checked out the .99 cent value menu and had  a double burger, chicken burger, med fries and medium drink for less than $5.00 for the two of us, a nice change.

       One thing that becomes apparent driving thru the southern states here is all the swamp land. The highway just keeps going right along crossing rivers, swamps, and large bodies of water. A bridge, a causeway whatever it takes the scenery is constantly changing. Then going thru Mobile Alabama some interesting buildings on the skyline, a cruise ship at the waterfront, even a battleship there to tour. And we are driving along a bridge then down thru a long tunnel, interesting for sure.

Alabama

Mobile Alabama

cruise ship

Battleship

Tunnel

Tunnel

causeway

       Early afternoon we pulled into Wilderness RV park (Robertsdale Alabama) our home for the next week, just a few miles from the Florida State line. We got a nice sunny pull thru sight and set up so that we could open our awning and relax in the shade, it was close to 90F. Read our books for a while, chat with an interesting neighbour, Mark, then fired up the barbie for some pork chops, potato salad and corn on the cob for supper.

Wilderness

our site

yummy

       After supper back outside to enjoy the warm evening and Mark reappeared to chat and invite us to see an amazing drum solo by the band Rush on the huge 60 inch tv and impressive sound system he has in the rear part of his toy hauler trailer.

Mark

Mark's trailer

drum solo

       Well thats it for another interesting day seeing new sights and meeting interesting (to say the least) new people, too much fun.

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Wed. Mar.30th 2011 Satellite Dish Resolved

Join us as we travel North America in our Holiday Rambler Vacationer, 

 since August 2006

       Overnight and this morning we had a heavy rain, and boy did it rain! The pounding on the roof was so loud I had to turn down my hearing aides. The tv lost its signal and we cold not see out the windows, just like going thru a car wash only we are in our house.

raining

wow

       We have not had a long heavy rain like that for a long time, I think probably last fall on Oct. 26th near Indianapolis Indiana and were were driving thru it! Eventually the rain stopped and I went to the store for a few items, checking out the flooded campsites in the resort.

pretty wet

       Now into town 5 minutes away, the sun is shining and it's a beautiful day! Love the old service station in the picture below Abita Garage is still in operation.

Abita Garage

       Well got the shopping done and back home Suzie sorted the laundry and I sat by the laundry room outside enjoying my book while the machines did their magic. We are on the road in the morning to Roberstdale Alabama. Now the laundry done and we had some sunshine to dry out our awnings and mat  so I put these things away and puttered around tidying up a few things enjoying the warm afternoon.

      Our neighbour Tex and his wife were gone  most of the day but when they came home he returned our Church and Church book "rving in Mexico" and told us that his satellite tv is now working. We had it set up right, what he did was call customer service and they did a software update and bingo the tv is now working with all his channels. But in the process we did get to meet our neighbors, tackle a problem, enjoy a beverage or two and learn that if the satellite looks like its set up right it probably is, call customer service for technical support. Our dish sets up so easy now with the large dish and we only use it for morning news and after dark to fall asleep by.

       Today flew by and next thing we know its time for supper so tonight we decided on a very tasty Garlic Shrimp pasta, let's eat some of the tasty shrimp we have in our freezer. Now we can read a bit more, a bit of computing then the tv sleeping pill.

garlic shrimp pasta

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Tues. Mar. 29th 2011 Satellite Dish Frustration

Join us as we travel North America in our Holiday Rambler Vacationer, 

 since August 2006

       I must have been tired and needed the sleep, I slept in this morning until 6:15 am, but the sunrise has not happened yet so all is good. I still got the computing done, coffee fix and walkabouts, then in to the store for a few groceries.

nature trail

Abita Market

fresh vegetables

       Back home to putter around a bit, I made some potato salad, read a while, then our neighbor Tex decided to try his luck at setting up his Dish Network high definition satellite dish again. We tried, we adjusted and adjusted more, even got another neighbor Don involved as well, but finally after a few hours and still no luck, a light rain started and it was time for supper anyway, so we packed it in again. It worked in Texas why not here? I think a phone call to technical support tomorrow is in order. But we did have fun in the process attempting to solve this puzzle.

       After all that fun we getting hungry, so cooked up some of our sausage in a jar with sauerkraut on a bun and my homemade potato salad for a  tasty meal.

tasty supper.

       After this the rains began, lightning, thunder and heavy rain most of the night. We checked the local tv channels and no tornado warnings for our parish (county) so all looks good for the night here. Another exciting day in Louisiana.

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Mon. Mar. 28th 2011 Abita Springs LA

Join us as we travel North America in our Holiday Rambler Vacationer,

 since August 2006

       Happy Monday

       Yes it is once again the sun is shinning it's warm and the beginning of a brand new week. We sure could get used to this weather year round. Nothing too exciting today puttering about walkabouts the resort, I even helped our neighbor Tex attempt to set up his satellite dish, for a couple of hours until he gave up. We chatted with a few neighbors as well as reading our books in the shade.

       We have a favourite Restaurant that we have been to a few times, the Bonefish Grill. The first time was in Myrtle Beach SC, Lafayette La, and the one here in Covington. This is a chain of restaurants but not like any I have seen before. The atmosphere is clean,very nice but casual, at first we wondered as the wait staff wore these impressive white jackets. Now that we have had our 4th visit, the second one here in Covington we can honestly say the the service and the food is consistently excellent and reasonable. Once we had decided to stop in Abita Springs (2 months ago) on our tour we were waiting for a special occasion to go here for supper. No occasions were happening so we created one "Happy Monday".

the Bonefish Grill

       Well for this we got dressed up, clean shorts and cool shirts and headed out for the 10 minute drive shortly after 4 pm for an early supper.

Coconut shrimp appetizer

       We started with a fresh baked bread, olive oil and a spices for dipping then the tasty coconut shrimp. Suzie ordered the jumbo sea scallops and shrimp with garlic whipped potatoes, beans and sausage .

Sea Scallops and Shrimp

       For me it was the Bang Bang Tacos, soft tacos with their signature bang bang shrimp, tomato, lettuce, sour cream and fries very tasty.

Bang Bang Tacos

       Now we did have enough to eat but, relaxing for a bit and after and espresso we decided to share a strawberry shortcake, guaranteed to have no calories by or friendly waiter(haha).

Strawberry shortcake

       After this fantastic dinner its now time to return home a short walkabout, read a bit then we are done for the night.

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Sun. Mar. 27th 2011, Green Achers

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since August 2006

       Sunday is a day of rest right? Well we have been taken it pretty easy but thought maybe another day or two of taking it easy is on the agenda. After all we are at home, the weather is great so why not. Morning coffees, computing, walkabouts the resort, watching the ducks and listening to the birds and chatting with some fellow campers.

       Do you remember the Green Truck and trailer rv from last week. I'll show you the picture again.

ltlgrntruck

       Well I walked by again this morning and the owners Bob and Jan were outside with their granddaughter from Michigan who was spending a week here with them. Admiring their truck we were chatting as they told me a bit of the history of this vehicle, gave me a tour inside, showed a photo album of pictures and even some magazine articles that featured their truck. They have been rving fulltime in this for the last 4 years and just love it. It gets them out there meeting people and is a great conversation piece. They did the whole conversion them selves and the interesting story of the 1965 White 3000 cabover (told by the truck itself) is here.

       They found the 1946 Trailmobile trailer in Jan 2006 and began the conversion shortly after this. And again an interesting story about told by the trailer here . They had started the Blog but have gotten lazy (as Bob said), Jan just said they just don't have time to keep it up. I will keep checking to see if they get back into it. I got the name wrong the first time, it is really Green Achers due to all the aches and pains Bob got doing the makeover. Now for a link to some pictures of renovation just click here

Green Achers

       This is one of the great things about our lifestyle, its not just the places that we travel to and sightsee, the people you meet along the way can make a very interesting trip as well. After all for us its always about the trip not just the destination, maybe because the destination keeps changing.

       After this interesting chat and tour of their house we puttered around for a while and sat in the shade with and occasional light breeze. It was 95f (37c) and very humid just perfect for relaxing with a good book. (love this weather!) It was so hot and humid inside our coach (88f, 31c) that we actually turned on the air conditioner, very humid inside. First the front one then the rear one just to exercise them both.

       Then a I fired up the barbie to grill a half of a chicken for supper with a rice pilaf and a tossed salad.

yummy chicken

       Read a bit more and some TV, where did the day go??

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Sat. Mar. 26th 2011, Abita Springs LA

Join us as we travel North America in our Holiday Rambler Vacationer, 

 since August 2006

       Saturday morning and again bright sunny and warm. Not much on the agenda today, this is our house and we do not need to do something everyday. A few walkabouts, putter around a bit, chat with a few Rver's and some research on the computer. By early afternoon it was 94f (35c)  with a nice breeze, great for sitting in the shade with a book, so we did that. Even gave myself a haircut with Suzie's help for the final trimming.

      Around 4 pm Emile and Monique dropped by for a final happy hour as they are leaving in the morning for Styx River Resort in Alabama for a week, we may see them there, in about three weeks.

       After this, its time for supper, so 10 minutes in the pressure cooker with some country style pork ribs, and finish then on the barbie with a nice tasty, sticky sauce, served with creamy mashed potatoes, sauerkraut for me, peas for suzie and garlic bread.

       Well there ya go a lazy day at our house, not sure where the time went but it was nice and the weather amazing. Yes we do love this lifestyle, does it get any better? I can't imagine how!

       Thanks for stopping by for a visit, you are welcome anytime.

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Fri. Mar. 25th, 2011 Gretna Louisiana

Join us as we travel North America in our Holiday Rambler Vacationer, 

 since August 2006

       Another one of these great warm days, starting with coffee, computing and a walkabout the resort.

rays of sun on the pond

       Today we are taking a trip across Lake Ponchartrain Causeway to New Orleans and the free ferry across the Mississippi River to Historic Algiers LA then a drive along the river to Historic Gretna LA. This causeway is the 7th longest in the world at 23.87 miles long. Once across the lake we drove past the Louisiana Superdome into downtown, and the ferry dock to Algiers. It was about an 8 minute ride and a free boat ride on the Mississippi.

       Once here we made our way to Gretna. This west bank of the Mississippi was settled in the 1800's by a largely German population and remained that way until the bridge was built across the Mississippi in the 1950's.

       Downtown historic Gretna is a small town feeling with some beautiful buildings, a nice Visitor centre, St. Josephs Catholic Church and German American Culture Centre, which we toured, quite interesting.

St. Joseph's Church

       We stopped at the Common Grounds Cafe for lunch and were pleasantly surprised by the good service, huge portions , excellent food and VERY reasonable prices. A tossed salad we shared and a cup of very tasty seafood gumbo, I had two huge catfish fillets, and fried potatoes, Suzie a bbq'd chicken breast on a bun w/potatoes, more food than we could possibly eat all for under twenty dollars including a beverage. Its nice to enjoy some local businesses, their flair and flavours and feel like we are not paying thru the nose.

Common Grounds Coffee House

       After this another walkabout town and thru the cemetery a few blocks uptown. Very interesting, as usual the cemeteries are all above ground, different shapes and sizes, essentially small tombs. Which I think kinda has and eerie sound to it.

one of many Tomb's

       After an interesting day here we got an I-90 and took the toll bridge back to New Orleans, ($1.00 toll), made our way thru the city and the causeway back to the North Shore, Abita Springs and home once again.

       Now we have a bit of time to relax outside with our books in the shade, a nice gentle breeze and temperature about 87f (32c). No supper to make and enough daylight to sit outside until almost 7:30pm gotta love it!

Lots more of Fridays Pictures

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Thurs.Mar. 24th 2011 Abita Springs LA

Join us as we travel North America in our Holiday Rambler Vacationer,

 since August 2006

       Thursday morning bright and early as usual its 72f (22c) at 6:30 am. Coffees, computing and a walkabout the resort, chat with a few new people and just generally enjoy the weather and fresh air. I spotted this custom RV below converted from an old tractor trailer, they labelled it Green Acres. Notice the large slide out patio at the entrance and the rear has a ramp to allow them to put their motorcycle inside. An eye catching rig for sure.

Green Acres

       Puttering around for a bit more of the morning, a bite to eat then we made a trip to Walmart to check out the Tracfone that Emile and Monique had told us about, they have been using if for two years now.  Well we bought one , could not turn down a deal like this. The phone, case, two chargers (one for the car) and headset $9.95 no contract. You add minutes, pay as you go and this phone adds double the minutes that we purchase. It is only good to use in the USA but seeing as we spend 6 months a year here it will work out quite well and save us a lot of money every month. And we can call Canada (and over 100 countries to) as a local call and supposed to be able to set up a local Canadian phone number for family and friends to access us with. We have to wait 48hours to activate those features. For very little money we can try this out.

Tracfone

       Back home from Walmart we sat in the shade and I setup the phone and read for a bit. Then took a stroll to visit our friends for a happy (social) hour and back home to fire up the barbie and Fry Daddy to satisfy our craving for wings, fries, veggies and dip.

Wings and fries

       Read a bit more and a smidgeon of tv then the day is done. Time to rest up for and new experience tomorrow.

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