America – Day 20

JWise Photo of the Day, Travels

Bed vibrating device at the Antlers Inn Motel in Flatonia, Texas

Oh yeah…a vibrating bed and it only costs 25 cents for 15 minutes…plenty long enough. Just where do you find this kind of luxury? At the Antlers Inn Motel in Flatonia, Texas, room 111 and it only cost us $40 – oh yeah!

The Alamo in San Antonio, Texas

Guess what happens when you arrive somewhere at 7:50 in the morning? You leave because the place is closed; that’s what you do. This was and is the Alamo. I suppose we’ll just have to remember the Alamo as a place we could have visited.

Caroline Wise and John Wise driving across Texas

In Junction, Texas, we turned black & white as we entered the Twilight Zone. This is Caroline driving. Flat, wide open, clear weather, and me being tired were all the conditions that had to align like planets in some celestial once-in-a-hundred-years event that triggered this rare phenomenon. Lost from this excursion into the Twilight Zone were my favorite sunglasses she was borrowing, my Dolce & Gabbana’s.

Ozona, Texas welcome sign

Ozona had us thinking of Arizona. Getting closer.

Big broad Texas on Interstate 10

We have a ways to go, but the landscape is beginning to look familiar.

Decrepit old house in Texas

Finally, after 20 days out in America, we are back home, not.

German V-2 rocket at Fort Bliss, Texas

An old German V-2 rocket that had been brought to the United States from Germany along with Wernher von Braun and 120 of his fellow Nazi rocket engineers. This fine specimen is sitting at Fort Bliss, Texas, where I was stationed with the Army back in the ’80s after I first left Germany. Caroline and I visited the base so I could show her a little bit more about my past. The barracks in the background are similar to those that I lived in during my short stay here in El Paso, Texas.

El Paso, Texas at sunset

Just finished an excellent dinner at Avila’s Mexican Food. Being back in the Southwest has its perks.

Western Motel in Alamogordo, New Mexico

Our last night on our cross-country adventure was spent here at the Western Motel (now the White Sands Motel) in Alamogordo, New Mexico. Nearly 13 hours traveling across Texas, accumulating over 700 miles.

America – Day 19

JWise Photo of the Day, Travels

Old house on the bayou in Louisiana

We’ve traveled from the desert over the Great Plains into the Great Lakes region before taking in the New England states down along the Chesapeake Bay and then dropping into Appalachia, the South, and now Bayou country. From a Sod House in Kansas to the White House in D.C. to this floating house in Louisiana.  While one is moving through these environments, it’s hard to register just how dramatic the shift in the landscape and cultures has been.

Creek in rural Louisiana

A bit of fatigue has started setting in and the thought of returning to our bed becomes more appealing. One thing that has become abundantly clear while we’ve been out here is that we want to see it all over again and visit the points in between that we have yet to explore. Before I veer too far out of the moment analyzing this journey, I suppose I should continue with the day at hand.

This was our first encounter with Brahman cattle, and we were struck by how incredibly beautiful these animals are. If they weren’t so enormous, I’d want to jump into their pasture and go ruffle those floppy ears and snuggle their furry, soft-looking necks.

Pink flamingos in Louisiana

To my untrained eye, I initially thought these were pink flamingos, but it turns out that they are roseate spoonbills. Well, that’s even more exotic in my book of experiences. Whoever heard of spoonbills anyway?

Caroline Wise and John Wise on the Gulf coast of Louisiana

Our backdrop is the Gulf of Mexico, which is pretty exciting to us. We’ve encountered the Missouri, Ohio, and Mississippi Rivers, Great Lakes Erie, Ontario, Champlain, the Atlantic, Chesapeake Bay, and now the Gulf Coast. We are feeling inspired to drive over to California so we can include the Pacific as part of the journey, but I’d bet a dollar that when we get back to Arizona, we will stay put for a minute.

Gulf of Mexico in Louisiana

The Gulf of Mexico without us blocking the majority of the view.

Caroline Wise with a bag of shells on the shore of the Gulf of Mexico in Louisiana

We’ve been walking along the shore for quite some time by now, and the bag in Caroline’s hands is evidence of just how many shells we’ve collected.

Sea shells from the Gulf of Mexico in Louisiana

Finding seashells here is not a problem.

Public toilets next the Gulf of Mexico in Louisiana

I asked, and asked again, of Caroline if she was 100% certain she really wanted to use these public toilet facilities. She had to go while my knowledge of what the inside of those toilets looked like would forever be shrouded in blissful ignorance.

Snake in the Bayou of rural Louisiana

It doesn’t look venomous, and I can’t hear a rattle or it hissing at me, so how about you go and pick it up? Caroline did not oblige me, so we can only claim to have seen a snake on this trip as opposed to handling one. Maybe after we join the Pentecostals of Appalachia, we’ll learn just how to deal with these serpents and how to speak in tongues. There is so much to experience in America.

Wetlands of southern Louisiana

I’m fairly certain this is part of the Cameron Prairie National Wildlife Refuge.

Living floating island of Fire Ants in rural Louisiana

And people say Australia is full of loathsome creatures bent on killing you? What’s up with this state of Louisiana with gators, 14-pound beaver rats, snakes, and now this floating island of fire ants? I had this vision that if I stuck a stick into this nest, the ants, realizing they were not connected back to dry land, would swarm over me like hellfire on their trek back to safety, even if it meant sacrificing the host as they would bite me a million times on their escape. I left them alone instead.

Southern Live Oak with Spanish Moss in southern Louisiana

Live oak trees wearing Spanish moss because everything looks better with a fluffy beard.

Refinery in eastern Texas

This is not a strip club; nope, it’s a blurry refinery in eastern Texas photographed while driving fast on Interstate 10. We wanted to stay in Weimar, Texas, because Weimar, but with no lodging, we had to drive on, ending up in Flatonia, Texas, where not only did we get a room, we had some yummy barbecue at Joel’s Bar-B-Q. We have driven close to 7,500 miles since we left home nearly three weeks ago.

America – Day 18

JWise Photo of the Day, Travels

Steam Bath at the Holiday Motel in Houma, Louisiana

This is the mark of a quality motel because a night without a Thermasol is like a night without a vibrating bed, and imagine we only paid $33.66 for the night! Sadly, it wasn’t working. If it had been working, you can bet that we would have been steam bathing all night long.

Louisiana architecture

It’s raining out here or should I say it’s “Thermasoling?” The land is flat, with moss and lichen growing on everything. Caroline has even started accumulating moss on her teeth, though she insists it’s broccoli. (We’ve been dealing with her plant-attracting teeth for a long time now.) What’s with all the dead nutrias around here? Apparently, when rivers are high and these giant beaver rats try to cross the road, they aren’t very successful. Before coming to Louisiana, I didn’t even know that these 14-pound monsters existed. Turns out that at one time they were raised on fur ranches for people who like to wear water rat clothes and that they are an invasive species. To be honest, I’m glad we’re only seeing dead nutria because I’d have a digested load of shellfish in my drawers if one came at me.

Small bridge over a creek in Louisiana

Funny how it was just a couple of days ago we were in the hill country of the South, and now we’re in some nearly tropical swampland where everything is wet.

Lot's of water in Louisiana

The French didn’t sell us a bunch of land; they sold us a lot of water infested with beaver rats, probably some water snakes, mosquitos, mold, slime, moss, and unintelligible accents from the locals. At least it all looks good!

Rain in Louisiana

We’d better start looking for some indoor activities because we’re seeing a lot of rain, that or head for higher ground.

Tabasco Country Store and Factory Tour on Avery Island, Louisiana

Now we’re getting somewhere as in our book there’s nothing so great as history or a factory tour of something really interesting which is about anything to Caroline and me. This is a crown jewel in the world of factory tours for us as whoever thinks that they’ll go see how Tabasco is made. So, what did we see on Avery Island? Vats of peppers fermenting in vinegar and guess what? It makes your eyes burn even though you have to look through the glass to see the actual vats. We left with a tiny bottle of Tabasco mounted on a fridge magnet, which couldn’t have been more than a teaspoon in that 1-inch tall jar, and several pounds of red pepper pulp for boiling seafood.

Konriko Brand Rice Factory Tour in New Iberia, Louisiana

This wonderful woman was our tour guide for the Konriko Brand Rice Factory tour; her name was Elaine. As I said earlier, we needed to find some indoor activities to keep us dry as we weren’t yet ready to start the drive through Texas.

Caroline Wise and John Wise at the Konriko Brand Rice Factory Tour in New Iberia, Louisiana

Don’t tell anyone, but our pockets are full of rice right now because as good as the tour was, we felt we deserved some free rice. While they were selling rice in the gift store, there’s nothing better than free white rice, and we have that Tabasco from the other factory tour to splash on our ill-gotten gains, so we’ll be eating like kings as soon as we get to a place we can boil some water. By the way, I didn’t admit this earlier, but back in Vermont, we scored two mouthfuls of free syrup when no one was looking.

The mythical Turducken from Charlie's of New Iberia, Louisiana

Don’t believe anything from that previous paragraph; it was all fake, like we thought the mythical turducken was fake too. Well, not only does Charlie’s of New Iberia bring turduckens into reality they somehow find fryers large enough to be able to offer whole fried turkeys….because the sugary yams with marshmallows and butter-soaked rolls and potatoes don’t offer enough of the “kill-you” nutrients that make your food just that much yummier. I wonder if the owner of Charlie’s ever gets up to Waukesha, Wisconsin, to visit Jimmy’s Grotto for a Ponza rotta, which is a DEEP-FRIED CALZONE? You just know that Caroline and I have that on our list of places to go and things to try; hopefully, Jimmy’s has a factory tour so we can steal some calzone.

Hurricane evacuation route sign in Louisiana

We didn’t get far today, and by evening, we were only about 100 miles from Houma, Louisiana, where we started our day. Dinner was at Don’s Seafood in Lafayette, as was our stay at the Travelodge. We never did need to take advantage of the hurricane evacuation route.

America – Day 17

JWise Photo of the Day, Travels

News broadcaster in Mississippi

At times, when we are in a motel, we’ll turn on the TV if we are there early and have nothing else to do. It’s usually not on long, as I only annoy Caroline while I flip rapidly through the channels to verify that nothing is on. This mention of the TV is significant, I suppose, because anyone who knows us would have heard a hundred times that I quit watching TV back in 1985, but for a couple of brief relapses, it has remained that way. Was this wearing a bear suit ever a thing? Is this unique to newscasters in Mississippi? Would you not believe me if I told the sports guy was wearing feathers, and the weatherman was donning seal skin? TV is bad, nature is good.

Boardwalk into a cypress forest on the Natchez Trace Parkway in Mississippi

Now, I return you to our regularly scheduled program featuring nature. This boardwalk goes nowhere except to the other side of this small glade of cypress trees growing in a swamp. Another fine example of the crap quality we were shooting photos with, but it was all I had. By the way, you do know we are back on the Natchez Trace Parkway, right?

Cypress growing in a swamp on the Natchez Trace Parkway in Mississippi

More cypress in a swamp because we thought this was just the coolest thing to see with our own eyes. We need to return to the Natchez Trace and take better-quality photos someday.

Pond on the Natchez Trace Parkway in Mississippi

To the best of our knowledge, this is a pond filled with water lilies and other stuff, probably some fish and maybe even some old Civil War trash or gold.

John Wise changing a tire on the Natchez Trace Parkway in Mississippi

This Beetle is turning out to be a piece of shit, first the headlamp and then a tire, what’s next, the engine dying? (Yeah, that happened too, but not on this trip.) It sucks getting a flat out here, as there is nowhere to pull over. Within minutes of me getting the tire changed, a park ranger came by to ensure traffic was aware of us here on the side of the road, but I was already nearly finished.

Side road off the Natchez Trace Parkway in Mississippi

This photo has always stood out for Caroline and me as an all-time favorite image of the many photos I’ve shot. How it talks to our memory and what it triggers is a mystery, but here it is for the rest of humanity to enjoy – or not.

The original sunken Natchez Trace in Mississippi

While the picture is blurry, it is the only one I have that conveys an idea of what the original Natchez Trace looked like after it had been walked upon for centuries. This depression here, on the surface, is the aftermath of so many people and animals following the “trace” from Natchez to Nashville after floating with their trade goods to Natchez on the Mississippi River from the North. The walk back home on the trace was dangerous because people of unsavory character knew that the travelers were likely carrying a righteous amount of cash or gold with them.

Kudzu growing on trees along the Natchez Trace Parkway in Mississippi

Initially, we thought these heavily draped trees looked really cool, so we inquired as to what kind of trees they were. Turns out this is not cool at all, as a matter of fact, it’s horrible. The leaves are not from the actual trees; the trees are still below those leaves and could die from this intrusive, invasive pest that has camouflaged them. You are looking at kudzu, and if left alone, kudzu could choke you out, too. Kill more kudzu – it’s good for America.

John Wise near the end of the Natchez Trace Parkway in Mississippi

About to leave the Natchez Trace Parkway in Mississippi. This is what is left of the Emerald Mound site which is designated a National Historic Landmark. These were ceremonial and used from approximately 1250 to 1600 A.D.

Mammy's Cupboard near Natchez, Mississippi

Mammy’s Cupboard – home-style cooking at its best. While not very politically correct in this age, it certainly makes you stop and ask, WTF? The food was great, and the idea that you are sitting under the dress of this lady is kind of strange, only adding to the experience that you can “brag” someday that you ate at Mammy’s or not.

On a bridge crossing the Mississippi river into Louisiana

Crossing over the Mississippi River but then we turned around and headed right back to Natchez for some reason or other?

Caroline Wise and John Wise in front of the Welcome to Louisiana state sign

Someone told me to look stern in Louisiana, or people would think us weird; Caroline is obviously failing. After we returned to Natchez, we headed south on the 61 and by the time we reached Woodville, Mississippi, we pulled over for a 15-minute nap. Continuing south, we drove through Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and then straight down, staying west of New Orleans and keeping that city for another time when we could give it adequate attention so instead, we headed to Houma for no particular reason other than it was on the map.

1921 Seafood in Houma, Louisiana

This would not be the last time we would eat at 1921 Seafood in Houma, Louisiana. We had the shellfish boil with potatoes, and it was amazingly great; it was also the first time Caroline had ever eaten crab. Our motel in Houma was called the Holiday Motel and was only $33.66 for the night.

America – Day 16

JWise Photo of the Day, Travels

Northern terminus of the Natchez Trace Parkway near Nashville, Tennessee

At the 6,083-mile mark of our journey, we enter the Natchez Trace Parkway, and for the next 444 miles, we’ll almost wish that this scenic road was not open for cars but just bicycles, as this would be one of the most perfect roads for an extended bike ride, except for the rain. Immediately after passing the entry sign, we encounter a bunch of wild turkeys and a deer. We are excited.

Drying tobacco along the Natchez Trace Parkway

This is the first time Caroline and I have seen drying tobacco. If either of us still smoked, I think we might have considered pilfering a small leaf and taking it home to fire it up. Hmmm, had we known about smoked drinks at the time, we should have taken some of this tobacco to add a little flavor from the Natchez Trace to a drink.

Alabama Tennessee state line on the Natchez Trace Parkway

No selfie here in this rain, plus we would have blocked your ability to read the sign. Way more important to read the sign than see our faces, which, of course, will come up soon enough because a day without John and Caroline’s faces is like a day without sunshine, which we don’t have right now.

One of the many creeks along the Natchez Trace Parkway

The Natchez Trace Parkway runs a bit more than 30 miles across the northwest tip of Alabama, crossing the Tennessee River. The above creek is not the Tennessee River but a creek I cannot identify, though I’m sure it’s in Alabama and not Tennessee.

Mississippi state sign on the Natchez Trace Parkway

Only four hours on the trace, and we are already 127 miles done with this stretch of our trip. Behind the Entering Mississippi state sign is a Native American burial mound!

Plant life on the Natchez Trace Parkway

In keeping with my thought that I must share more than the big picture and great landscapes, I present you with this close-up of plants growing on a tree.

Spider webs

Caroline took this photo of spider webs; well, that’s what she says it is. Looks like melted plastic and water drops to me. I’m seriously curious about the fluorescent green dots on the back of the leaf in the top left corner. Are they radioactive?

On the Natchez Trace Parkway in Mississippi

There are no businesses along the Trace, no gas stations, motels, or food stands. Signage is kept to a minimum, and no commercial signage is allowed. Places to get on and off the trace are also relatively rare. Near Tupelo, we left the trace to find lunch and thought we should fill the tank. Someone back at the last visitor center on the trace tells us about a place in Saltillo, Mississippi, that, in our opinion, was seriously lacking, but it was only $10 a meal. Got $10.10 worth of gas, which ended up being 6 gallons on the nose. In a minute, we were back on the trace. Guess we’ll have to visit the Elvis Presley Birthplace & Museum in Tupelo on another trip across America.

Creek along the Natchez Trace Parkway in Mississippi

The rain comes and goes, as do the creeks scattered along the route.

Caroline Wise and John Wise on the Natchez Trace Parkway in Mississippi

While the road that is the Natchez Trace Parkway pretty much follows the historic trade route, there are still sections of the original foot trail that dot in and out along our drive. This section of the footpath looked to be the perfect place to grab a selfie. Jeez, I have to admit that my wife is really cute with short hair. Please, nobody tell her that I let you know.

Thorns, vines, and rain along the Natchez Trace Parkway

The further you go and the deeper you look, the more you find worth remembering about your time out on the Natchez Trace Parkway. Maybe even a bicycle would be too fast to travel this road; a good long walk might be the more appropriate mode of travel. Heck, that’s exactly how traders used this path in its early history.

Spider walking the Natchez Trace Parkway in Mississippi

Speaking of walking. We ran into this arachnid that was taking its time to explore the trace as leisurely as anyone else might dream of.

Colors of fall leaves on the Natchez Trace Parkway in Mississippi

The colors of fall warm the heart of desert dwellers, especially when they are made up of rare leaves unseen in Arizona, though we do have our fair share of cactus needles.

Creek along the Natchez Trace Parkway in Mississippi

By this time, if anyone didn’t know it, you should be able to tell that not only do we love ocean shores and big rivers, but love these tiny creeks too.

French Camp on the Natchez Trace Parkway in Mississippi

French Camp Visitor Center is one of the few structures right on the Trace. This cabin was built back in 1840. We spot a few more deer in the area, and fog shrouds the trees across the way. In less than an hour, we’ll leave the trace for the night.

Dusk on a rainy early evening on the Natchez Trace Parkway in Mississippi

It’s almost dark by the time we leave the trace and head to Kosciusko, Mississippi, to find a room. We have some pretty low standards, but the places we find in this corner of Mississippi are horrible. So we continue down the road to Carthage and check into the Carthage Inn. Food choices in Carthage are meh….doesn’t seem this part of Mississippi is much of a tourist destination.

America – Day 15

JWise Photo of the Day, Travels

Kentucky countryside west of Wilmore

Here we are on Harrodsburg Road in Nicholasville, Kentucky, minutes after we left our motel up the road on Route 68. It looks like we might have another beautiful day out in America.

View from 9236 Harrodsburg Rd Nicholasville, Kentucky

View from the same house on Harrodsburg Road.

Crossing the Kentucky River on Route 68

Crossing the Kentucky River as we make our way west today on Route 68. On the east side of the river, the road is named Harrodsburg Road, while on the west side, it will change to Lexington Road and be the combination of Routes 33 and 68.

Sunrise in Kentucky

It might be difficult to see the detail (this old Sony digital camera shot 1600×1200 or 2-megapixel images), but up in one of those trees is a huge cluster of birds greeting the rising sun.

Finding Jesus in Kentucky

Seeing we couldn’t visit Kentucky Home State Park because, of course, it was closed, we offer you salvation in Jesus and a roadside sign that can bring you into the fold of God. Back in the day, people prayed for poor souls to keep them from purgatory, but by 2018, we spent most of our time praying about the loss of children killed by mass shootings in our schools.

Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Park in LaRue County, Kentucky

Before arriving here at the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park, we visited the Lincoln Museum up the road in Hodgenville. It was so cheesy that the potential for good kitsch was lost, and the place instead verged on the depressing. This is not a place marked on the map for return. Even the birthplace monument leaves a lot to be desired. It does hold the distinction of being the first Lincoln Monument, and it is, in fact, the location where the Lincoln family lived, but the cabin in this monument is a “symbolic” building of something that “could” have been similar to the one President Lincoln was born in. Walking the grounds and visiting the somewhat cave-like Sinking Spring, where the Lincoln family drew their water, is the best part of the visit.

Mail Pouch Tobacco stenciled on a barn in Kentucky

We must have been on the tail end of the nostalgia for traveling to hokey places because after we visited the Lincoln birthplace, we went back to town and had lunch at the Lincoln Jamboree, where Joel Rays Restaurant had been serving diners for 41 years. It was lunchtime on a Wednesday during our visit; years later, their hours would be reduced to Saturdays only, opening at 3:00 p.m. Such is progress. Another Mail Pouch Tobacco stencil greets us back on the road. And for the curious: no, we’ve never tried chewing Mail Pouch Tobacco. Trivia: Bloch Brothers from Wheeling, West Virginia, was the tobacco company behind these advertisements that were once featured on over 20,000 barns!

John Wise in Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky

If it’s in the National Park system and we are nearby, we are going. Here we are, wiggling and squeezing through Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky. This section of the cave I’m in inspired Caroline to take my photo as I shimmied through the “Fat Man’s Misery.” I wasn’t so much worried about fitting as I was about some brief moments of claustrophobia.

Ferry crossing of Green River in Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky

Worst photo ever of a ferry crossing. This is the Green River Ferry in Mammoth Cave National Park which is required traveling if you are driving north out of the park.

Somewhere along the road to Tennessee in Kentucky

Kentucky is an incredible state for its beauty. Hopefully, we’ll return someday in late spring or early summer when everything is in bloom, and the abundance of green is greener than any green we’ve ever witnessed in the deserts of the Southwest.

Sunset in western Kentucky

Sunset doing what it does best besides giving way to night, creating dramatic skies of extraordinary color.

Caroline Wise and John Wise in front of the Welcome to Tennessee state sign

We effectively just passed through Nashville, Tennessee, though we did stop for a very uninspired dinner. These pre-smartphone travels were severely hampered by not having the ability to find restaurants with the help of the internet; phone books were a joke. We had failed so frequently asking locals for great places to eat with answers coming back at us like “Red Lobster, Olive Garden, or Sizzler” that we had to give up and take the path of least resistance by opting for the first place that had a few cars in the lot and wasn’t a chain or fakey Chinese food. From dinner, we drove to the northern terminus of the Natchez Trace Parkway, looking for a place to stay, except there was nothing out there, so we headed to Franklin, Tennessee, figuring it would be cheaper than anything found in Nashville.