1/20/12
It’s been several days since I have last posted after leaving New
Orleans.
We left New Orleans on 1/17 after a nice workout in the gym at our hotel and a stop at Whole Foods for some groceries. It was expected to storm pretty good this day so we were a little concerned because we had wanted to do a Cajun swamp boat tour. These tours are pretty loosely operated and we had to wait for callbacks from several companies as to whether the weather would affect us. We were able to go on a really nice 3-hour tour with Cajun Country Swamp Tours. Our guide, Sean, was a local Cajun good ol’ boy and really knew his environment. I was really impressed because the Southern waterways are also my specialty, but he knew all his facts and he had a charming accent. We saw alligators, turtles, lots of birds, a banded-water snake, which I spotted, and some nutrias. We were always watching the radar though because a storm was on our tail. It worked out that we got back just as it began to rain…perfect timing.
We left New Orleans on 1/17 after a nice workout in the gym at our hotel and a stop at Whole Foods for some groceries. It was expected to storm pretty good this day so we were a little concerned because we had wanted to do a Cajun swamp boat tour. These tours are pretty loosely operated and we had to wait for callbacks from several companies as to whether the weather would affect us. We were able to go on a really nice 3-hour tour with Cajun Country Swamp Tours. Our guide, Sean, was a local Cajun good ol’ boy and really knew his environment. I was really impressed because the Southern waterways are also my specialty, but he knew all his facts and he had a charming accent. We saw alligators, turtles, lots of birds, a banded-water snake, which I spotted, and some nutrias. We were always watching the radar though because a storm was on our tail. It worked out that we got back just as it began to rain…perfect timing.
We drove through that evening and ended up sleeping at a
nice little truck stop/gas station/casino/bar outside of Shreveport, LA. I did do a little looking for Eric
Northman and Fangtasia but sadly I didn’t find him.
The next day we drove into Arkansas to Hot Springs National Park where we did a little hike around. We found out that Bill Clinton is from there and the bathhouses at the National Park use to be frequented in the late 1800s- early 1900s for medicinal reasons, by famous gangsters and movie stars. We wanted to try the bathhouse but it cost $30 per person, which is a little out of our daily budget. So we checked out the display hot spring and then headed on our way.
We drove through Arkansas and Oklahoma the rest of that day. We cooked our dinner at Cherokee Landing State Park in Oklahoma and enjoyed an electric peach sunset. We continued to drive through to Independence, Kansas where we slept in the parking lot of their Wal-Mart. It was really cold but we were able to use Wal-Mart’s facilities the next morning.
The next day we drove into Arkansas to Hot Springs National Park where we did a little hike around. We found out that Bill Clinton is from there and the bathhouses at the National Park use to be frequented in the late 1800s- early 1900s for medicinal reasons, by famous gangsters and movie stars. We wanted to try the bathhouse but it cost $30 per person, which is a little out of our daily budget. So we checked out the display hot spring and then headed on our way.
We drove through Arkansas and Oklahoma the rest of that day. We cooked our dinner at Cherokee Landing State Park in Oklahoma and enjoyed an electric peach sunset. We continued to drive through to Independence, Kansas where we slept in the parking lot of their Wal-Mart. It was really cold but we were able to use Wal-Mart’s facilities the next morning.
On the 19th, we drove the short distance from
Independence to Wichita where we planned to meet up with our old neighbor from
California, Lance Corporal White.
We spotted a sweet YMCA though, so we stopped to see about a day pass and
purchased a family-day pass for $18.
We played basketball, racquetball, and exercised as well as
showered! It was a premier YMCA
and had a very nice facility.
After, we met Lance Corporal at his office, went to dinner, and then
went back to his place where we met his very sweet wife, Emily and their super
precious baby Sullivan. They were
very hospitable and solved our problem for being too cold at night by giving us
a goose down comforter that they got as a wedding present but are allergic
to - thanks guys! It was nice
to catch up with LC since we haven’t seen him in about 4 years, but he’s still
the same old lovable guy.
This morning we left LCs to depart Kansas and head into New Mexico this evening. Oklahoma,
Kansas, and Arkansas don’t seem to have too much going on by way of
entertainment but I have noticed lots of cows so I thank you Kansas for growing
my cheeseburgers.
Heron
Nutria
Banded Water Snake
Slider
LA Gator
Hot Springs, AR 
Dinner in OK
Sunset in OK
Kansas is weird
Heron NutriaBanded Water Snake Slider LA Gator Hot Springs, AR Dinner in OK Sunset in OK Kansas is weird
Wal-Mart is a descent place, to poop in.
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