beluga

beluga

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Tuesday at the lake

view from the bedroom window

 

This morning we packed up, left Henderson and took I-10 through the rest of Louisiana and just over the border into Texas.

While on I-10 between Lafayette and Lake Charles, Louisiana we passed miles of flooded fields on both sides of the highway.   They looked like they were probably rice fields as they were uniformly shaped and flooded but these had small red "balls" at regular intervals

a very bad picture of a rice/crawfish paddy

It turns out they were rice fields, that is to say, used to be just rice fields - but now they were "growing" crawfish as well as rice!   Evidently rice has become an expensive crop to grow and market.    Wild crawfish were already living in the rice fields and eating the rice soooooo, some enterprising farmer decided to cultivate those "mudbugs" instead of  trying to market the rice.    I read that they sell them as fast as they produce them and it has turned into a huge industry - 90% of all crawfish now come from these fields.


Once we crossed over into Texas we exited the craziness of I-10 and headed north on state route 62 toward Jasper, Texas.   The road was in far better condition than the interstate and we rarely saw any other traffic.    The thing that was interesting to us was that the speed limit was the same - 75 mph - on this small two lane road that passed through little communities and businesses (those of you back home think route 15 type road!).      In Buna we turned on to US 96 and drove it into Jasper where we picked up US 190 west.    After about 10 miles we turned off onto a much smaller CR777, then down to a really small (one large, twisting lane with muddy ditches on either side) road, more like a lane.
We were at the weight limit for this particular road so we drove along, hoping that we had the correct directions and that we wouldn't crush the road or sink into a bayou before arriving at the lovely Sandy Creek Corps of Engineers Campground.   I took no pictures of the drive - I was holding my breath for the last part.

At any rate, we're settled for a couple nights in a really perfect campsite right on the lake in the middle of the Piney Woods.    There is no one else in our sight and its so very quiet except for the birds.....ah.

(only 3 things to watch out for here.....alligators (2), fire ant hills (obvious and hopefully easy to avoid if careful) and Sasha's southern enemy - sweet gum pods.)

Oh how Sasha hates to step on these babies!




Beluga is always very happy when we let her park next to the water.    She's happy tonight.




the new jeep listens attentively while Beluga explains
the finer points of camping by a lake


site 24



Tomorrow we'll drive the 50 or so miles into Livingston, Texas to pick up our mail!

8 comments:

  1. So I am not the only one that rides holding my breath at times:) Thank goodness we have such competent drivers:) What a spectacular site and view! It will be hard to leave. Take good care of poor Sasha. Those sweet gum pods are a real pain. Kevin use to have a tree in his front yard. Key words "use to!" I love Beluga giving the new Jeep the tips for travel and happiness in this new life style. Beautiful sunset:)

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  2. What a beautiful site!

    We never even made it to Livingston even though that is our new address!

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  3. Such a beautiful spot, I don't think I could spend just one night there, especially after the iffy entrance road! Believe me, drivers hold their breath too :-) The large sycamores at the house had those pods as well and some days Tessa would be wearing "jewelry" in her hair - she's not a big fan either. Nice the see the road master is mentoring the student :-)))))

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  4. Another gorgeous COE park.
    We do not miss Livingston...at all.

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  5. Stunning site...you are so clever in directing your readers attention to conversations between the Big B and Jeep. I never would have guessed it!

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  6. Oops...forgot the apostrophe after readers'.

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  7. Love the conversations at site # 24 .
    The new jeep deserves to be on the header. Glad that you are finally out of nasty weather.

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