Christmas Tree Lot in Portland, Texas (Nov,, 18 - Dec. 19th), 2011

The Staff

Darlene's Work-Station

 

Bring on The Trees

Beautiful Oregon Christmas Trees

We arrived at the very well known Christmas Tree Lot over the years at Hwy. 181 and Wildcat Drive  in Portland, TX.on Friday the 18th. We started  out with a grass lot next to the Community Bank in a strip mall plaza.  We had to first get everything out of storage and start setting up the lot with fencing, tent, covered storage area, the tree racks, the pay shack and of course the giant inflatable Santa Claus.  Electrical, water, christmas lights, lighting all had to be set up. The much needed work to the pre-preparation of the Christmas Tree Lot.  We worked for the next few days and it looked pretty good.  The 159 trees came in on the 22nd for us to unload (we hired some local helpers as well).    We sold 5  trees the first day we opened which was the day before Thanksgiving.  Surprisingly, we sold 10 trees on Thanksgiving and then the rush hit us on the weekend.   We sold 71 trees (beat last year's record) and with some local helpers unloaded another 325 trees Saturday night at 10:00 p.m. which took us to 1:00 a.m.  We were beat and dragging by Monday but the fun was just beginning to start.  Another load of trees (200) was coming in on Dec. 5th and we would have our supply of Christmas Trees to sell for the rest of the Holiday Season.

Sam Houston Jones State Park, Lake Charles, LA (Nov 11 - 13th), 2011

Sam Houston Jones S.P.

Area Locals

Sam Houston Jones S.P. is located just a little north of Lake Charles is another great Louisiana State Park.  With water, Electric, laundry facilities, and nice restrooms and free internet Wi-Fi. who could complain.  Walked through the trails along the swamps and cypress trees.  Alligator sign were prevalent as in most of their gulf parks.  Again they were booked for the weekend  but they had an older part where we camped.  Still  heading towards Texas once leaving here.

Lake Fausse Point State Park, St. Martinville, LA (Nov 10th), 2011

Capital of Louisiana

Tabasco Pepper Sauce Plant

Our destination was Avery Island, Home of the Tabasco Pepper Sauce Plant.  On our way we passed the Capital of Louisiana in Baton Rouge.  We were given a video tour, the history and a glimpse of the Tabasco Pepper Sauce small plant where they processed and packaged the pepper sauce and of course we ended in their country store where we could sample and purchase anything you can imagine with Tabasco stamped on it.  It was free so we cannot complain.  You could smell the pepper sauce when you got out of your vehicle.  You can imagine the peppers needed to be grown which start from seeds in January and transplanted to the fields in April.  By August, the peppers reach just the right color of red and are hand picked.  They are mashed in the factory with salt from Avery Island.  It is then aged in white oak barrels (yes some come from Jack Daniels Distillery) for 3 years.  After that the mash is mixed with special vinegar, stirred for a month, strained and poured into slim bottles.  They have many varieties, sauces -- and even Tabasco Ice Cream which was great.  Since it closes at 5:00 p.m. (7 days per week), but no operations Fri. thru Sun. we headed back east to camp overnight at Lake Fausse Point State Park which was a pretty decent park.  Onward we go to check in on other Louisiana State Park and getting us closer to the State ofTexas.

Meaher State Park, Spanish Fort, AL (Nov. 1st - 3rd), 2011

A-board USS Alabama

Camp-site Sunset

Our First Cotton-Field

As we adventured though the back-roads of Alabama we ended up at Meaher State Park just east of Mobile, AL. It was a very nice park with full hook-ups on Mobile Bay with some great sunset views. Highlights of our stay included a nice Bass Pro Outdoor World Store, a nighttime ferry ride from Fort Morgan to Dauphin Island just to make a driving loop tour short, seen our first cotton-field in season, ending with a tour of the Battleship USS Alabama located in Mobile (commissioned August, 1942) and the Submarine USS Drum (SS-228) (commissioned November, 1941).  Both were located in the USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park and is dedicated to honor all the Alabama Veterans who have participated in all conflicts of the U.S. Armed Services.  There was also an Aircraft Pavilion with some  older and newer aircrafts to see and learn about as well.  A very interesting and worth-while tour to be walking throughout the battleship, through the submarine, and the Memorial Park.  What a nice way to end our stay there in Alabama.

Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park, AL (Oct. 30 - 31st), 2011

Few Craft Cabins

John Wesley Hall's Grist-Mill

Stone Furnaces

Picnic Area in The Campground

Campsite View

As we head on down the road we stop in for a few nights at Tannehill Ironworks State Park in McCalla, AL. which is southeast of Birmingham. This was a busy park due to Halloween festivities on Saturday.  Thankfully, we arrived on Sunday. The campers really go all out decorating for Halloween here for prizes and the kids of course. This is a very historical park with a cotton gin, pioneer farm, Alabama's Steel and Iron museum is located here,  even had some early settlers homes and a working gristmill.  However,  it's masterpiece was the iron and steel massive stone furnaces used during the Civil War.  There were also many craft cabins that opened only on weekends (called Trade Days) with various crafts people working and selling their goods.  Lots of hiking trails retracing historic roadways made it a very nice park indeed.  As Halloween fell on a Monday night, it was quiet and peaceful because all the little goblins went back to their caves.

Sea Breeze RV Park, Portland, Texas (Nov. 17- 18th), 2011

Sea Breeze RV Park View

Our Tree Boss- Woody Miller

Set-Up waiting on The Trees

 Since we had to report to the Christmas Tree Lot at 8:00 a.m. on Friday the 18th, so we decided to camp locally and scope out the area, you know, the grocery store, the tree lot where we would be camping, the laundry mat and the surrounding stores/restaurants.  We stayed at a very nice RV park called Sea Breeze which we were not accustomed to such luxuries, such as pool, hot tub and full hook-ups.  They also had a club house, pool table, library, horseshoes and clean restrooms and showers and free internet.  We had to get our last hair cuts because we knew we wouldn't have the time during our Christmas Tree lot sales.  We were to work 7 days per week from 9:00 a.m. through 9 p.m. which does not leave much time for personal items like food shopping, laundry, post office etc.  It was on Jordan Lake and even had a small Gull Island.  The fishing pier extended onto Nueces Bay and they too had birdwatching.  We usually don't stay at these types of parks because they are a bit pricey, but it was only for one night and we stayed for the convenience because we normally are not too early morning people.  So we stayed the night and mentally prepared ourselves for the long tree set up/sales for the next month.  We were ready.  Bring the trees!!!!!  Last year they sold over 600 trees not like our 400 + trees that we sold in 2010 in Palm Spring, CA.  Were we up to the challenge?
We shall see!!!!!

Goose Island State Park, Rockport, TX (Nov 16 - 17th), 2011

Camp-site Sunset

Goose Island S.P. Camp-site

We ended up with the last available camp-site right on the Aransas Bay of Texas.  We were kind of on a peninsula between the St. Charles Bay and the Aransas Bay.  Everyone had their fishing poles mounted right in their front yards.  Very nice park and they were redoing more bay front sites for the future.  Bathrooms were very nice with showers and electric / water was available at the site.  They also had a Wooded area where you could camp within the trees.  Bird watching is very popular down here at many of the parks.  There was a very large fishing pier and they rented canoes/kayaks.  We were there only one night, but we would return someday.  We had to get to our destination of Portland, Texas so this was just a pass through.

Galveston Island State Park,, Texas (Nov. 13 - 16th), 2011

Houston Rocket Park

Beach Bum Buddy

We made it to Texas!!!!  Just barely.  We stopped for a bite to eat and sure enough our Motorhome would not start.  Mike checked, tested and played with a few things and our insurance company even sent out a truck to give us a jump. But after a couple of hours it just started and we decided to keep heading to Galveston Island S.P. our next overnight park.  We even had to get our vehicles on a ferry to get to Galveston Island.  Even though we were supposed to turn off the engine, we didn't dared to -- didn't know if it would start again and we didn't want to chance it.  Got to the park and when we turned the motorhome off, it would not start again.  The Galveston Island S.P. Ranger's office had a couple of business cards for mobile RV repair people and we called one of them who couldn't get out until Wednesday.  It was Monday. This park with it's many paddling and walking trails was right on the gulf and the weather was beautiful (80's) with a balmy breeze. Buddy was back in beach heaven. So we decided to make the best of it and we went to visit the Houston Space Center Rocket Park which was very interesting with a lot of Apollo space history.  We ate in Galveston at "The Gem of Mexican Restaurants" called El Gusto.  It was a very authentic looking restaurant and the food was great!!!  The Mobile RV man came out and found the ignition switch needing replacement and after about 2 hours, we were back on the road heading on down to Goose Island State Park in Rockport, Texas.

Tickfaw State Park, LA (Nov. 6th - 9th), 2011

Jackson Square

Tickfaw State Park

Enjoying Hurricanes at Pat O'Briens

Cathedral-Basilica of St. Louis

Tickfaw State Park is 32 miles east of Baton Rouge and it contains four ecosystems on more than a mile of boardwalks through the park.  Walking along these boardwalks we experienced a cypress/tupelo swamp, a bottomland hardwood forest, a mixed pine/hardwood forest and the Tickfaw River which Mike decided to kayak on (without Buddy).  It did not look like a swimable river so that is why Buddy stayed at camp.  We experienced an antique/craft fair in the nearby town of Ponchatoula and another day we decided to visit New Orleans which was under an hour away.

New Orleans is still a busy town even on a Tuesday.  From the horse/carriage rides touring the city to good old Bourbon Street.  We had dinner at the historic Pat O'Brien's and we just had to try their famous Hurricane drink (originated in 1940) that contained four shots of liquor and comes in a glass shaped like a hurricane lamp.  It was tasty and refreshing.  Pat O'Briens Bar was built in 1791 and became the first Spanish Theatre in the United States.  The theme there today is "Have Fun" and we did as we drank and savored their great food.  We walked along Bourbon Street and took pictures and took a peak inside the Cathedral-Basilica of St. Louis which was just beautiful overlooking Jackson Square.  We walked through the French Quarter and along the Riverfront (Missississip River) which was pretty nice.  That concludes our one day visit and we returned back to camp.

Shephard's State Park, MS (Nov 4th - 6th), 2011

Mike repairs/cleans out duckhouse

Gulfport Lighthouse

Shephard's State Park Campsite

Travelling along the Gulf Coast through Mississippi, we stopped and wanted to check-out our first Mississppi State Park. Shephard's State Park was along the way near Gautier, MS.  The sites were ok; however, the bathroom was very old and there were no park or trail maps available.  We were on the border of another swamp/lagoon but our sites were wooded and individual.  Water and electric were provided.  We only stayed over the weekend because many of the parks in these southern states are booked on weekends and so we had make an reservations on line just to get in somewhere.  We did notice as we traveled along the Gulf Coast how deserted it was and how many parcels of properties are For Sale.  Obviously, the hurricanes have taken there toll.

Cloudland Canyon State Park, Rising Fawn, GA (Oct 27 - Oct 29), 2011

Daniel Creek

Cloudland Canyon

90 ft. Falls

Break Area

Canyon Floor

1200 Steps for this photo!!

Stone fence photo taken under that boulder!!

After the motor home repairs were done in Chattanooga, Tennessee we changed our direction to westward and drove a short distance to the north-west corner in the State of Georgia. We ended up licking are wounds at Cloudland Canyon State Park one of the most scenic parks in the state and also recommended by a fellow camper we met in 2010. By the late afternoon we had time to walk along and enjoy the overlook trail and see the beautiful canyon views with the colorful fall colors on this western edge of Lookout Mountain range.  The next day was rainy off and on and cool.  However, we did luck out on our departure day for sunshine so we were able to take the 2 mile Waterfalls Trail with over 1200 steps, at 40-degree slope down the canyon to the waterfalls -- Their park map says they have 2 waterfalls, { Mike photographed more than 6 different size waterfalls}. The scenic trails were spendid!!!  The waterfalls magnificent!!!  We really enjoyed this park and the work-out for our short 2 day stay. Westward we go, over to Scotsboro, Alabama where we had to stop in at the "Unclaimed Luggage Center"       { Lost Treasures from Around the World }. Darlene looking for summer clothes only to find a big winter selection was out!! and Mike finding what he needed !     

General Burnside Island State Park, Burnside, KY (Oct. 18th - 27th) 2011

Choo Choo Gardens and Fountains

Up at "The Dome"

Mill Springs Grist Mill

Natural Arch Scenic Area

General Burnside Golf Course Campgrd. View

Dunlap Coke Ovens

Traveling  through Ohio we stopped at Van Buren State Park, north of Findlay, Ohio (not one of their best parks) still undeveloped  and more of a equestrian camp then anything.  Then we proceeded  onto the back roads into northern Kentucky. We stayed a couple of days at  Kincaid State Park near Falmouth, KY. Had no chance to play golf  at this State Park golf course because we encountered  off and on rain, cold dreary weather from Michigan. This small lake and pool campground was on top of a hill ridge line with some sites level and some not. So continuing our way down US 27, we arrived at the well laid out General Burnside Island State Park in southern Kentucky with an 18 hole golf course .  We were lucky to get in on a cancelled site due to the big planned Halloween weekend there.   We handed out more candy there than we did in our 20 years in Pinckney & Clarkston, Michigan homes all together.  We visited Mill Springs Grist Mill .[missed it operating again] in Mill Springs, KY and the U.S. Natural Arch Scenic Area  south of Burnside, KY.  We took the hike back to the  50 x 90 foot arch formed by the erosion of wind, water, and ice that cut away the soft sandstone and left a hard rock cap that arches across the sky.  We had a very pretty day to visit this arch and enjoyed many of the area's Fall colors.  While the motor home was in the recommended repair shop for a bad AC compressor on Monday, Mike and Jason really enjoyed playing on  the beautiful 18 hole golf course at the General Burnside Island State Park [ which was very very nice]. Heading towards our next destination in northern Georgia, we stopped in and had a picnic lunch at the Dunlap Coke Ovens of Tennessee {deep in history} park located on the western-side in the town of Dunlap, TN.  Our motor home started acting up on us again;  thankfully on a short part of the expressway and eventually dying against a guard rail and on hill at that. That was scary on this busy expressway with  the drivers nowadays especially the speedy Truckers!!  Had to call our road service and after about 3 or 4 hours of  what went wrong, removing the training wheels off the back, and the fact the drive shaft needed to be disconnected so they could tow the RV to the nearest service center our Nationwide Insurance company set up for us.. Here we come Lee Smith in Chattanooga, Tennessee.  Thankfully, they had a place for us to plug in and we spent the next day and a half  waiting for them to service us.  So we did our chores and ate at the highly recommended Bea's Country Kitchen where the good is served in country style (reminded us of Frankenmuth, MI which served their famous chicken dinners in the same fashion).  We also had a change to visit the historical site of the Chattanooga Choo Choo (yes there is a real choo choo as the sound goes).  This was where the first railroad passengers trip originated out of Cincinnati, OH down to Chattanooga, TN back in 1880 in which started the railroad industry. So they say!!  It is now a restored structure for all to enjoy.  The cable/train cars  are in the center with gardens and fountains  throughout the area, surrounded by many hotels, little shops, bars and restaurants.  You can even rent the train cars to stay in or ride the trolley.  The architecture and history are tastefully displayed along with the Grand Dome which was the most attractive design feature of its time in 1909.  The Dome was the lobby for the Chattanooga Choo Choo station and where visitors can relive the golden era of the railroads.  When we returned our motor home was fixed and ready to go only to find out it was caused by a pinched wire when the AC compressor was incorrectly installed by the Truck Doctor of Science Hill, TN.  The headache's begin (being billed to correct the first problem) and it was time to head a short-way to our next destination, the Cloudland Canyon State Park in the northwest corner of Georgia.