Leaving Orlando was bittersweet as we had had such a good time, particularly with my niece Renee and her family. But we were excited to get on the road again; and we were excited to see how we would plan our southern route to see what we wanted to see and arrive in Murrieta, California, north of San Diego, to once again see our new twins, Polly and Chris' Jones new sons Jack and Justin, by the end of January We have been tapped, and are thrilled to comply, to provide some baby sitting after Polly goes back to work as a high school social studies teacher in mid-January. So we are taking a little more studied approach to our itinerary construction just now.
MILEAGE:
Buster: SORRY, no mileage report; I forgot to write down the mileage in Memphis!
State count 28: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Louisana, Mississippi.
Wednesday, December 16
We got things put together early this day, and motored across Orlando to Freightliner. They did the electrical work on Buster, and also did a factory recall related to the power steering. But it took the better part of 4 or 5 hours, and we didn't drive away until about 2:30 pm. I didn't want to get too far away from a city, because I had Christmas mailing and still a little shopping to do, so we identified Prairie Preserve State Park just south of Gainesville. It was the first of a number of bargain camping sites coming in at less than $20 per night.
Thursday, December 17
I had a little more shopping to do at Best Buy, Barnes and Noble, Target, etc., and we identified all of them quite close together in south Gainesville. So we unhooked, and Gary just hung out in Buster in the Best Buy parking lot while Liz and I did our errands. I wrapped a few gifts in the motorhome, and then tracked down both a packing and shipping store and a post office, but it took the better part of the day to accomplish all this. By the time we left in mid-afternoon, we only had time to make it to east Tallahassee. We had been there before.
Friday, December 18 Julie's 60th birthday
We wanted to get a good jump on the day and make some progress along our route. We found a Wal-Mart for some furnace filters that Buster needed, and I had a chance to address some more Christmas cards while Gary shopped. Then we found the post office and nearly caused apoplexy of the last minute mailers when we drove by the drop box and had to stop so I could get out and walk around the front of Buster to mail the cards: Gary in his driver's seat was too high to reach the slot!
Then we proceeded along the Forgotten Coast as that stretch of the gulf coast is known along the Florida panhandle. We passed Carabelle Beach where we had stayed in early November when we were trying to outrun Hurricane Ida. We had read that this section of the gulf coast experiences 320 days of sunshine a year; oddly enough, both days we were there .... November 8 and December 18 .... were overcast. Mostly we were constantly aware of the vast amounts of available beach front property, and that you could probably obtain it for a pretty price, but that most likely you would be foolish to do so because of the hurricane threat! This time instead of turning north at Panama City we went ahead and parked in Panama City Beach. We wanted to stop a little early, so that Gary could scout out a nice place for a birthday dinner. He did a great job!
We ended up at the Salt Water Grill. Gary let Liz and I out and told us he'd join us in 10 minutes (last minute birthday card shopping, but at least he made it!) We were told by the hostess that it would be a 45-60 minute wait, but that she could seat us immediately at the piano bar. We actually sat in chairs and ate on a little ledge along the curved part of the grand piano. The Piano Man was pretty good .... he did a very nice selection of seasonal and other numbers, and even though we were sitting RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIM, it was never uncomfortably loud. Gary tipped him and asked him to play Billy Joel's Piano Man, and he really did quite a nice job. The food was exceptional: I had grouper with a delicious crab preparation on top, and Gary had red snapper with a soft shell crab topping. Liz had lobster bisque and some pasta, and hers was delicious as well. The restaurant was like a supper club with relaxed lighting and Christmas decorations, and all in all it was very pleasant. I really enjoyed it. Here we are in front of the piano, and then later in Buster with the lemon birthday cake Liz and Gary made for me. It couldn't have been better.
Saturday, December 19
So my 61st year began the next morning, as we continued driving toward New Orleans. We could not figure out, though, what was going on with all the many very high rise buildings in Panama City. It looked like major hotel room and condo development, and yet it all seemed so deserted. We never figured it out. We drove on through Ft. Walton Beach and Destin, and Pensacola, and then on to New Orleans. We found a good RV camping site (much closer to downtown than our other big cities have been .... but then New Orleans isn't really that big a city) along a marina at Lake Ponchartrain, and it was an easy drive into the city. We (miraculously) found a parking place in the French Quarter and set out to explore. Driving in there was still LOTS of evidence of destruction from Katrina, and all states of rehab: partially redone, beautifully cleaned up, or not even started yet. I'm so disappointed I forgot my camera this evening, and can't really share some of the images. The next day, when I had it, I kind of forgot that photos of this might be interesting .... sorry!
Anyway, we parked and started poking around. Liz and I were in a souvenir shop with masks and things, and when we came out, Gary called us over to the jewelry shop he was looking in. He had picked out some absolutely stunning earrings (18 k gold petal shape with tiny diamonds set in across the surface), and I thought maybe I was going to see a surprise birthday present! But his good judgment prevailed (they were a little pricey). They were eye-catching though! We wandered over to Bourbon Street and realized it is way more than PG-13!! After about a block and a half, I said to Gary .... "We need to get off of this street .... it is NOT for children!" So we headed a block or two over to Royal Street, and Gary recognized Brennan's as a restaurant he'd eaten at before and knew was very good. In fact, it along with Emeril's, has received Wine Spectator's Grand Award (the only two restaurants in New Orleans to do so). Fortunately at about 6 pm on a Saturday evening (I'm sure they eat much more fashionably later in New Orleans!), they could take us. So for the second night in a row we had an absolutely divine meal. I would hope to recreate this sometime for guests: a delicious sauteed spinach with some artichoke hearts, and very tiny, tasty crispy fried shrimp topped by hollandaise. It was scrumptious! We were seated in a beautiful room with glass all along one side, their lovely courtyard beyond with twinkling fairly lights in the courtyard trees. It was truly lovely! Again, I'm so sad I didn't have my camera with me!
In our poking around we saw where Pitot Museum was, and remembered the New Orleans roots of our friends Anita Pitot Mayer (now of MC Arizona) and her brother Henry Pitot at MC Rochester. That was fun to see!
Sunday, December 20
We knew we wanted to spend another day in the New Orleans area, and we thought getting out into the bayou's would be good. We decided to drive along the river and see a couple of plantations, and decided to stop at Laura Plantation. This was a great stop. It is the plantation and story of a Creole family, defined for us by our very excellent guide as the melding of three cultures: European (usually French), native American, and blacks from Senegal. The Creole culture seems to be an example of a successful integration, a peaceful incorporation of white Europeans into the new world. He pointed out that their homes, for example, were brightly colored as opposed to the European heritage white columned homes along the Mississippi.
The site had originally been settled by a Frenchman who had immigrated because he had been a little hot-headed and mixed it up a little too much in France, and needed to leave town in a hurry. He served in Washington's army, and was rewarded with an extensive piece of land along the Mississippi near New Orleans. He had three children, and when it came time to pass on the plantation and its activities he gave it to his most capable child: his youngest and only daughter, Elizabeth. She was very successful and ran the plantation for generations. Tragedy also came to the family. The second son married to what sounds like a very fancy woman, and they had one child on whom they pinned all their expectations. Apparently as a teen she developed acne, and failing local treatments, they took her to Paris! Unfortunately, the doctor's treatment resulted in her death (!) (? anaphylactic shock), and her mother came home and stayed locked in her bedroom for the next 21 years. Her father subsequently had 19 children with two "concubines." There were many interesting stories and we really enjoyed the tour, and seeing the very beautiful setting. Laura, the granddaughter of Elizabeth, was the last owner of the plantation, and kept it very briefly, selling to some German immigrants, and moving to St. Louis, the home of her husband. She has written a diary, however, of growing up on the plantation which will be a very interesting read.
The picture below on the left shows Gary in front of the central doors, which we were told, were never used for entrance to the building. The women's entrance was to the right, and the men's to the left, and the central doors were left open to promote ventilation. Ultimately, animals would wander in those doors, and came to be called the "animal doors;" this, not surprisingly, led to misunderstanding when Creole visitors were ushered in the central doors in non-Creole homes and buildings .... they thought they were only being given the respect of animals!
On the right is a typical slave cabin; I believe they had about 15 slaves on Laura plantation, and the long term ones stayed with the family after emancipation. When Laura got married, she asked her friend/maid/former slave Abby to stand up for her.
On the way driving back we saw something interesting and ultimately learned what it was: we saw a tall, fairly narrow pyramid-shaped wood structure, perhaps 6 feet in diameter at the base and 15 feet tall, which looked like it was meant to be lit and become a fire ... it was right on top of a levee. We learned that it is a custom on Christmas eve to light fires along the river where people gather and share holiday cheer and good wishes.
Monday, December 21
We knew we wanted to continue to make progress toward Natchez, Mississippi, as driving up the Natchez Trace was our next major objective. About a hour northwest of New Orleans is Baton Rouge. I wanted to stop there to make a call on Mary Frances Rozas. Here is a (not very good) picture of the very unusual terrain we passed with tall, big stick trees growing out of water, it appeared. It was almost as if we were on an alternate planet .... it was eerily beautiful.
Mary Frances directed us to her neighborhood, and we met her at the local gas station and followed her home. Mary Frances and her husband Gene have been some of my favorite patients. Gene was a chemist with Dow Chemical, and I've seen him for years. He was very fit and played handball and skiied into his late 70's. Unfortunately, 2 1/2 years ago he was diagnosed with pancreas cancer, and succombed in late October. He has a lot of family in the Baton Rouge area, though he and Mary Frances didn't have children. She is doing very well, and it was so nice to see her and check in on her. They have a lovely home in Baton Rouge and she is occupied with all the details following the death of a loved one. I hope to see her next summer in Rochester.
Following our visit with Mary Frances with headed on up to Natchez, and began a three night experience with the Mississippi State Parks which were very nice and only $18 per night; we loved it. This night we were at Natchez State Park
Tuesday, December 22
Gary has been talked about the Natchez Trace since we started this trip. He seems to have a fascination with very old transportation routes ..... even those that were probably animal trails such as deer or buffalo routes. Such was the Natchez Trace, going from the Mississippi river northeast to Nashville. We began at the Visitor Center in Natchez, where we learned a little more history of the Trace as well as Natchez as a port. It was a very early settlement on the Mississippi this far south.
The Trace is now a restricted parkway that is a lane in each direction, but allows no commercial traffic. The speed limit is 45 MPH. From place to place you can get out and walk along the original trail. Here are Gary and Liz on the old trace:
What would typically happen is that people would build rafts/boats and float them down the Mississippi with their goods or crops to sell. Then they would sell the boat for lumber, and walk back home ... typically up the Natchez Trace. Lodgings and overnight stops developed. One famous story of the Trace is that Meriweather Lewis walked up it after his return from the expedition. He joined the Trace north of Natchez, and he died in one of the lodging cabins. It was documented that he had fallen into a depression after the expedition, and his death was a presumed suicide. We drove up to Jackson, Mississippi, and visited the Mississippi Craft Center. They had some gorgeous art glass, wood carvings, books, Christmas decorations, and pottery. I bought a Christmas present for Liz .... a book about baking a special cake as a gift. The mother keeps the secret of the recipe and only teaches it to her daughter when they are preparing a special cake to remember a family member's birthday. It's a simple and profound lesson of sharing. We have enjoyed it already.
The rest of the day was one of those times when the stress of being on the road continuously gets to you. We finished at the Craft Center after dark (about 5:30), and I didn't remember exactly how we got there (there were a number of turns). I was in charge of finding the campground in Bella, and Gary was following me driving Buster. I pulled into a gas station to clarify directions, and in following me out, without another person (me) watching your wings, he nicked a parked car. The guy couldn't have been nicer, and unbelievably we had exchanged information and were moving again within 15 minutes. But I still couldn't find the campground. We drove by the entrance without seeing it, I pulled into a parking lot about 2 miles up the road, and had Gary just wait while I went out with Liz as a scout. All of this was in the dark, and it was terribly frustrating. Finally, we did find Le Fleur State Park (again $18) and really just had to chalk it up to what can happen when you are moving around as much as we are. We resolved to make an even greater effort at getting settled in BEFORE DARK. Following all this frustration, we did what any sensible people would: went out for Mexican food!
Wednesday, December 23
This morning we drove west on Highway 40 to Vicksburg. We wanted to learn a little bit more about this southern town on the river where General Grant had essentially held the town hostage. There was a little private history center where the spirit of the confederacy still lives, and there was an exquisitely done diorama that identified all the fortifications and lines that held the city at seige for 46 days.
After a brief visit, and purchase of a DVD that would take us on a tour of the battlefield, we resumed our journey up the Natchez Trace. It really was interesting and beautiful. But it started to be cold and drizzly, and we decided to stop a little short of our goal of making Memphis on this evening. We pulled into the state park near Sardis, Mississippi, and experienced what we are now seeing this time of the year: just pull in and find a ranger to pay in the morning .... again, $18.
Christmas eve, December 24
We wanted to get a little bit of an early start on the day we decided to visit Graceland. I led the way in Bella, as we figured it would be easier to park in the Graceland parking lot if we were unhitched. It was. It wasn't crowded and we were able to hop right on the tour bus and ride up to the house. It's something any girl (or boy) who was even alive in the 50's and 60's should see. Elvis bought Graceland, which is just a nice big house set back from a major east-west thoroughfare in Memphis, when he was 22. It had belonged to a doctor and his wife who had been given the property as a wedding gift from his Aunt Grace ..... they named their home Graceland and Elvis kept it. They haven't changed anything since he died there in 1973. It really looks like a regular house. The living room was decorated for Christmas, as was the dining room and the rest of the house. The bedrooms upstairs were off limits. Some of you may know that in the late 60's Elvis redid the family room as a jungle room with carved furniture in the shapes of animals. The hearth is a waterfall, and green shag carpeting is on the floor AND the ceiling. The photo is dark but perhaps you can see it. He had horses, a lot of cars, a plane (the Lisa Marie), and a racquetball court all of which you can go in. In the basement he made a TV room, and hearing that LBJ watched all three networks at the same time to get the news, he had three TVs installed.
In the Trophy Room, his NUMEROUS gold records and grammy awards were displayed, and there was impressive evidence of his (unknown to me) generous philanthropy. He made a comeback, as some of you know, in the early 70's, and I remember seeing him in Dayton, Ohio, sometime during this phase of his career. In fact, a taped special: Aloha, Elvis from Hawaii was seen by 1.4 billion viewers worldwide ... more than had viewed the moon walk in 1969. We went away with a warmer feeling towards Elvis, and were happy we saw the home of this American icon.
We were ready to get ready for Christmas by noon. We constructed a simple menu for Christmas dinner and shopped at Kroger's. We found our spot: at T. O. Brown Campground outside Memphis, and were one of a couple of folks camping at Christmas. I put the picture of our little home, Buster, at the top of the blog. We were snug and hoping Santa would find us.
Christmas, December 25
We woke up about 8:30 and had some special coffee and hot chocolate. We had our stockings (a little item in each), and opened our few gifts. Gary and I are giving each other a rafting trip down the Colorado for Christmas, and Liz got a new HP laptop which she hopefully will use in her home schooling efforts (it turns out to be quite a bit harder than it looks --- but we're doing fine, I think!) We cooked our little dinner of roast chicken, dressing, spinach souffle, stuffed celery, and pecan pie. Then we settled in for an afternoon of Friends and Bones, our DVD standbys. We didn't even go out for a walk, as it was 32 and drizzly. We made some calls, and talked with family, and all in all felt quite cozy. It would have been nice to have made it to Texas where we have some family and friends, but our adventure just didn't take us that far by the 25th. That's what this is all about .... each day we see where the adventure is taking us .... and it's taking us to some pretty fabulous places and experiences. We are so happy we are doing this.
Here's on darling Liz on Christmas day!
Now it's on to Texas ..... and then the southwest to California!
Everybody stay warm this holiday week .....
Love, Julie, Gary and Liz
PS: I thought you might enjoy seeing a picture of me with my Elvis "Love Me Tender" earrings on!
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