Day 11 Slice of America 2 video

DAY 11 - Sam H.Jones park, LA to Shepard Pk , M

Today we thought we would be spontaneous!  We decided to dip down to New Orleans but before we did that we stopped in Baton Rouge, Louisiana for a Cajun lunch!

 We stopped off at a wonderful restaurant and had Cajun food.  Mmmm, that was really good.  Luke loved the alligator he ate.  And Grandma's Turtle soup was great!

We then headed to New Orleans to experience the city.

  The outer edges had a lot of boarded up houses, possibly from Hurricane Katrina.  But the area of Bourbon Street was fun!- a lot like Berkeley and Castro District of SF.  We ate Beignets at the famous Cafe Du Monte while enjoying live Orleans Jazz!  Mmmmm

  We finished off the day with the treat of getting to see the 

Worlds Largest Rocking Chair in Gulfport, Mississippi!

George and Lucy!

Day 10 Slice of America 2 video

DAY 10 NASA DAY!

Day 10
 

We packed up and left Brazos Bend State Park with out getting to have a really good look at the park.  That was a bummer, but considering it was known for it's alligators, I was kind of glad to leave without Tim becoming an alligator snack.  

We headed off for Houston, Tx.

We were treated with a real surprise, the Explorer Space Shuttle was being installed at the Johnson Space Center.  It was incredible to be so close.  

In case the need of rescue arises...

Unfortunately at this point, Timothy slipped in some mud and twisted his ankle.  Thank God I had decided to buy a cheap umbrella stroller, "just in case".  It came in real handy.  The people in Texas have been so nice, especially at the Space Center.  They really took good care of helping out Timothy.  Texas gets a big thumbs up! 

 NASA Control Center (the original one)

Grandma's note:  For us older folk that remember the earlier days of space travel,  this is the Command Center where Kris Kraft and his crew monitored all the actions while we watched over his shoulder on TV.

 We took a tram out to see the rockets!

This is a Saturn V rocket and its various stages housed in this HUGE building.

The whole thing from top on down.

This is where the first and second stages connected. There are several stages.

 These are the booster rockets.  Compare them to the size of the people below them!


The space center was really cool.  We were only scheduled to stay for 3 hours but we just couldn't leave so we stayed for 5!

We have to get to our campground so we got back on the road and headed off for an important piece of Americana...

The World's Largest Fire Hydrant!

  We were surprised with a 9-11 memorial  for the fire fighters that had pieces of the rumble in it.  Very touching.  

Since we were now really behind schedule we decided to go out for a Texan BBQ.  Mmmm!

  We got into our camp site rather late, but the morning revealed the beauty of 
Sam Houston Jones State Park, LA

   and just few feet from our camp sight was the Bayou!.  It was incredible!  So beautiful!

Day 9 Slice of America 2

DAY 9 Perdernales Park to Brazo Bends St Pk, TX

 
We left Pernales State Park and got on the road again.

Once again, how beautiful Texas is.  I really like it here.

 Our camp site is Brazo Bends State Park, unfortunately we had no time to check out the park too much.  We arrived late and we were all exhausted from the driving and it was hot and HUMID.

 We wouldn't be able to go in the water here.  Lots of Crocs

My hair was soaked like I just got out of the shower.  So Humid!  

We decided to have everyone sleep in the air conditioned RV except Luke and George.  Wow, the RV was really nice.  I can see why people do it.  

I would have loved to see a alligator but at the same time I was worried Tim would become its snack and I can just see Ben trying to touch one. 

Day 8 Slice of America 2

DAY 8 - San Angela, TX to Perdernales St Pk, Tx

We left the San Angelo's Knickerbocker KOA.  

The swimming pool was Awesome!

 That was such a wonderful KOA, wish we had more time to stay there. The people were so nice. 

 

We took off and this day was mostly just a drive day.  Boy, Texas is really beautiful.  I was surprised.  I thought it was going to be all brown, flat and boring but it isn't at all.  Wild flowers everywhere.  I love Texans, too.  They had personality in everything they do.  They really, I mean really, love their state.  There are Texan flags everywhere and the lone star everywhere.  Homes and business.  It feels really neat to be in a state that is so proud and united as one.  Very cool!

We landed at Perdernales State Park.  

 Wow!  Incredibly beautiful.  We are basically in a rain forest.  It is so hot and humid and the bugs are everywhere.  

The noise from the bugs is really loud! We are thinking they are Cicades, what ever they are they are big and loud and everywhere.  It was really creepy.  I wasn't so sure I wanted to camp here but then we went down to the river and oh, wow! It was incredibly beautiful and the water was like a warm bath.

  It felt sooo good.  I managed to get some one-on-one time with Timothy and Mandy and I really enjoyed that. 

I must admit though. with all the creepy bugs, I was really happy to leave this park and hit the road again.

Day 6 and 7 Slice of America 2

DAY 7 Carlsbad, NM to Knickerbocker KOA, TX

Before we leave New Mexico we stopped in Eunice for a break.  We found a really nice park with a great swimming hole.  Perfect for another hot day!

Then on into Texas and first things first...

Ice Cream!

  Then on to Knickerboker KOA with swimming pool!

 Tons of fun in the first pool of the road trip.

(Well, it wasn't actually the first pool of the road trip, rather the first one we actually got to use.  Some KOAs close their pools at 4PM, and that is about when we would arrive.  A real bummer for the kids on hot days!)

DAY 6- Oliver Lee Park to Carlsbad, NM

After a very long hot night huddling together holding down the tent in the wind,  Luke, George and Cathy climbed out and took on the day.

The rest of the party woke up in Lucy and made breakfast for all.  Then everyone rushed to pack everything up and head out for a long drive. We need to get moving because we want to get to Carlsbad Caverns with enough time to explore.  Then we plan to wait until the sun sets to watch the bats soar out of the caverns! 

First stop

Alamogordo, New Mexico

to see a very large Pistachio

 Of course we all bought some nuts and then piled back into the car for the next stop...

Carlsbad KOA!
(Carlsbad KOA was an excellent place to stay.  The management has thought of everything!  We did miss the sign on the road on the first pass though!)

We unload everything we can from the Van over to Lucy, the RV, so everyone can fit in the van to head out to the

Carlsbad Caverns.

 The caverns were wonderful and well worth seeing!

 As we were in the caverns a storm was brewing outside.  By the time we were heading out to where the bat viewing is held the sky looked pretty ominus.  Grandma decided it was more prudent to stay in the car and watch for lightening.  The more adventurous when down to the viewing area.  But a while down there and they the ranger told them the viewing was canceled because an electrical storm was heading our way.

Bummer, we missed the bats.

Stats:

Fire bans at all the parks, so no campfires yet

No swimming pools yet

3 boo boos

17 thumbs up

Day 5 Slice of America 2 video

*DAY 5 - City of Rocks, NM to Oliver Lee Park, NM

 Day 5

We were sad to leave City of Rocks but we said goodbye and headed out to Las Cruces to see the famous Road Runner!

Unfortunately, when we arrived we couldn't find it anywhere - found out he was burned down last year

by a guy that thought it was evil.

so bummed...

But off we go to White Sands, NM!

 The kids had a blast running up and down the sand dunes.  They were pure white soft powder!

 

 

Then we left to find our campsite at Oliver Lee Park.  This park is above the White Sands desert on a rise near some cliffs.  It has quite the scene of the valley below!

Oliver Lee State Park was quite boring compared to the City of Rocks but we made due by setting up little pools for the kids out of the buckets we store our fruit in.

Ahhh

We put our feet in while Tim lounged in his "pool" all was good and well with the world....

Mom planned on serving hot dogs for dinner

Noooooo!

Hot Dogs means disaster in the camp!

On the last Slice of America serving hot dogs only meant something would go terribly wrong.  It then became the

"Hot Dog Theory"

So... all was calm relaxing in the "pools".  Then suddenly a loud beeping noise alarmed everyone!  We search the RV frantically for the reason for the alarm and where it was coming from when suddenly we heard an announcement.  "WARNING, WARNING A SAND STORM IS APPROACHING".  We realized it was coming from the emergency radio.  Everyone looked at each other and thought the weather seemed fine - no wind whatsoever.

Hmmm

This is what it looked like at the time down on the valley floor

Then as we looked toward the horizon and saw a huge cloud rolling toward us.  Scary Sight!

Everyone jumped into action!  Throwing everything from the tent to the RV.  George tried to stake down the tent but the ground was rock - he instead tied it to the picnic table.  George ordered everyone into the park's bathroom and shut the door.  Cathy and Luke were bummed that they couldn't stay outside and check it out.

Suddenly, the wind started to blown and swirl around the bathroom.  Louder and Louder!

We peeked outside and it was orange and thick with sand.

Sand and wind started to come through the vents and from under the door. And we had to hold the door closed by the vents....no handle on the inside of the door!

Luke, determined to prove the "Hot Dog Theory" wrong, skewered a hot dog and lit a lighter on it.  Suddenly the Fire Alarm Lights in the bathroom began flashing!  So everyone tried to fan the cooking hot dog and get rid of the smoke before the fire sprinklers would come on.  All was fine in a few minutes but that just proved the theory right once again.  Hot Dogs do equal Disaster.

As the sand part of the storm died down we went out to save the tent from blowing away.  The wind was still blowing gales!  Cathy, George and Luke climbed into the tent (that now only had air mattresses in it) to hold down the tent with their weight.  Each took a corner while the rest of the gang went into the RV to sleep.

That was a very long miserable night for those in the tent!  Lucy, the motorhome, just rocked everyone to sleep!

In the morning we checked out the damage.  Not a grain of sand left - it all blew away.

Day 4 Slice of America 2 video

DAY 4 Benson, AZ to Demming, NM

We met a couple in their RV headed for Elk Point, SD!  That is where the Chicoine side of our family is from.  It is a tiny little farm town just outside of Sioux City, Iowa so the chances of meeting someone that is headed there is slim.  He knew our family that lives there still too.  Small world.

Packed up from Benson KOA in the morning and headed out for New Mexico.

Shortly after crossing the Arizona/New Mexico Border our first stop was Steins, a New Mexico Ghost Town.

The town is closed for renovations but we made an appointment with the current owners and she was kind enough to come out and give a personal tour.

  
Interesting history to this tiny town.  In 1944, toward the end of World War II the railway ceased operations at the Steins quarry and gave notice it would no longer subsidize water deliveries. The railway gave the inhabitants of Steins 24 hours to take advantage of free transport elsewhere with what they could carry; most of the population accepted this offer, leaving their houses and most of their possessions behind.

 The houses have possessions just where their owners left them.

 George and Luke really enjoyed checking this WWII Tank at the Veteran's Park where we had lunch.

Quick stop at Walmart for groceries and then....

...... off to the City of Rocks!

Boy, did Ben and Tim have a blast running through the rock formations.  

 

Ben and Tim had fun playing in amongst the rocks!

City of Rocks State Park Campground.

Tonight is the first night the tents are pitched! 1st bug bite - Cathy, Red Fire Ant.  Ouch!
Lots of thumbs up from people passing our RV and Van today!