2023 New Orleans Trip Blog Day 10, Sunday, June 25th – Dyersburg to Warrensburg

 Off at 0555, with a cinnamon roll and glass of milk for breakfast. The temperature is 81 as I pick up I-155 for the 16 mile jaunt past kudzu-covered hills to the Mississippi River and the Missouri line. I pass Hayti and find US-412. The right of way is full of yellow flowers and a small cypress grows in a roadside pond.

This is delta country, which I'll be in for quite a while. I pass rice fields & soybean fields; later I'll see harvested wheat fields and growing corn. On MO-25 I pass a building marked "gin" – some of those supposed bean fields are actually cotton.

I pass through the town of Frisbee, then Campbell (home of the Camels). There's a church sign that reads "Don't condemn people because they sin differently than you do." Just before Poplar Bluff on MO-53, I saw the Little Brown General Baptist Church, causing me to wonder whether the General was a person or a description of theology.

Poplar Bluff has a new bypass/road for commercial development that cut some time off the urban section of the trip. I picked up US-60 there and quickly saw a miscalculation in my plans: I'd somehow omitted about 75 miles from my schedule. Other than that, the trip to Springfield was uneventful – except for the inexplicable traffic jam on I-44 between US-60 and Glenstone exit.

I had planned to stop for brunch & gas near Springfield. Waffle House was crowded & the gas station I intended to patronize posted an outrageous price, so I bought some gas elsewhere and headed north on MO-13, the home stretch. Lunch was a large & delicious hot beef sandwich at Smith's in Collins (cash only!).

As usual for a Sunday afternoon, traffic at the south stoplight in Clinton was backed up over 1/4 mile. I expected this, but decided to brave it rather than cut through town since I needed to stop for milk. I did discover a new shortcut to avoid the delay at the north stop light.

Home at 1333, 392.4 miles for the day, 2215.8 for the trip. I'll try to wrap things up here after I wrap things up at home.

2023 New Orleans Trip Blog Day 9, Saturday, June 24th - Corinth to Dyersburg, via Shiloh Battlefield

 I was on the road by 0645 and reached the battlefield about 0715, via MS-2 & TN-22. I'd planned ahead and picked up the official NPS tour map at Corinth, so I knew about how I intended to make the rounds.

I entered near the south end and immediately started seeing significant sights. This is a view across a field looking toward the peach orchard, showing what I think is the only original structure remaining.

I saw this sign when passing by, stopped, and got out to document a key location for Bowen's Brigade, including the 1^st Missouri Infantry.

Not far away is the site where General Johnston was wounded. A tourniquet, promptly applied, might have saved him from bleeding to death. The photo shows his monument, with the open field leading to the Federal lines in the background.

Bloody Pond, so named for the bleeding wounded who crawled here for water.

The Missouri monument, honoring those of both sides who fought here.

I took a one-way side road to a parking area for the Shiloh Mounds, dating from the Woodland period. The circle trail runs about a mile from the parking area and back. It was early, it was cool, so I walked it – after a liberal spritzing of 40% DEET.

Below: the Tennessee River as seen from the top of the tallest mound (the one with poison ivy growing into the stair steps)

This is the Confederate monument:

The famous sunken road from one side, followed by a shot of some guns representing the 50+ gin battery Gen. Ruggles put together to reduce the Hornets Nest.

One of a number of known burial trenches, filled with unknown Confederate dead.

The location of Col. David Moore's 21^st Missouri position before being forced back into the woods along the sunken road.

 

About 1030 I headed back to the Visitor Center area to watch a couple of demonstrations. One taught the little kids how to be an artilleryman; one kid wearing a red kepi seemed to already have a decent idea. This gun was not included in the demonstration.

Some observations: the gun carriages look like wood, but aren't. They're all-metal, even the wheels.

The park has plenty of deer, and they're only a tad wary – they head for the woods when one approaches, but don't raise their white flags.

I left the park about 1200 when it was getting hot & humid. I continued north on TN-22 through some bottomland, then turned west on US-64. US-64 is part of the Tennessee Civil War Trail, original route of the Trail of Tears, and the Buford Pusser Highway (the latter individual is fromAdamsville, where I stopped for gas).

I picked up US-45 at Selmer; it's the Rockabilly Highway. I followed it to Jackson, where, trying to spot a place to eat, I missed a turnoff to the bypass. No problem, the street I was on moved right along and would cross US-412 shortly. I got desperate for anything for lunch, and reminded myself of why I avoid McD's. US-412 is a good 4-lane road. Unfortunately, my air conditioning started acting up. I had to slow to 60 to keep Subie from feeling like a hot oven. That gave me time to notice the Safari Park and herd of zebras at Alamo.

Arrived about 1430, and started working on this while waiting on my room. Checked in, went out to eat at a Huddle House (not bad), and ready to post.

For the day: 157.3 miles; for the trip 1823.3. Home tomorrow, only 314 miles to go!

2023 New Orleans Trip Blog Day 8, Friday, June 23nd - Tupelo to Corinth, via Iuka

 I pulled out of Tupelo at 0640, still not-quite-sure whether I'd stop by Brices Crossroads before going to Iuka, or taking the Trace again. The exit to the Trace came up, and Subie just automatically took it. Again, it held many locals using it to commute, and again the traffic thinned out. I found a pull-out for a section of the trace; the sign said graves of 13 unknown Confederate soldiers was 5 minutes up the trail, so I paid them a visit. All were decorated with the Battle Flag.

Further up the Parkway, I saw a sign for a Hushpuppy Road. Another sign referred to a "slue," which I think was an early traveler's name for a sluggish body of water now spelled "slough."

This interesting mound complex is just off the road.

The road crosses the Tenn-Tom waterway, a modern barge canal that connects Mobile to the Ohio River, via the Tennessee and Tombigbee. Soon after crossing the canal, I exited onto MS-25 north and crossed it again. MS-25 goes through the town of Tishomingo, named for a Chickasaw chief. It's home of the Rainbow Store and Tish's One Stop.

I reached Iuka, named after another chief, at 0820. First stop was a DG to get some Windex to clean my windshield. Then I wandered around town looking at its nice park until the local museum opened. The Southern lady hosting today went overboard in helping me find information on the battle, one that involved Gen. Price's little army (including a certain artilleryman). I did not get a picture of the house where Gen. Little was buried, across the street from the museum, I ended up buying three small books and getting a feel for the terrain.

                                                    Mural on a downtown Iuka building

Monument in front of museum, looks like it may have been vandalized & cleaned.

On to Corinth. My first stop was a small interpretive park close to the tracks (the cross roads). Then I visited the old depot museums with some battle information, some railroad info, and plenty of local info. A train went by; both lines are still active. Here's a view of the place where the lines cross.

Next stop was the C&D Jarningan store, a major reenactor gear supplier. They mostly create & ship custom orders. I bought a new cap pouch and tried to not look shocked at the price. Then I hit the Civil War Interpretive Center, run by the NPS. I told the chief interpreter there about my great-grandfather Truman's memoir. Guess what – he'd found it and downloaded and printed it! He also gave me a copy of his references on Wade's Battery.

The entry walk to the center is embedded with bronze castings of the kinds of detritus left after a battle – uniform parts, gear, broken weapons, etc. The center is built next to the Battery Robinett site, one of the key points.

                        Side view of Interpretive Center with demonstration of fortifications

            "Unknown" marker at Battery Robinett site. Other monuments are mostly Texas

I followed parts of a driving tour. A developer put a high-dollar subdivision around the location of Battery F, which he promised to preserve. He kept his promise, but the earthwork is on private property and not accessible. Other places are of the "this was here" type.

 

The hotel recommended a BBQ place up the road, where I had an excellent pulled pork sandwich with slaw, beans & a drink, all for a ridiculously low price. It was just barely past 1400, so I needed something to do, maybe an 80+ mile round trip on good roads to visit Brices Crossroads, or save some time tomorrow and visit the site of the Davis Bridge/Hatchie River fight. I had a convenient map to the latter, so off I went. And went. And went. Roads were narrow, hilly, curvy, and just plain slow. When I finally got to the road site, I parked and started off walking. It was going to be a hike!

I came to this little monument to the unknown Confederates buried in the area, along with three Union graves. That was enough. I turned back and headed to Corinth on not quite so hilly, curvy roads. It was only 70 miles and took about 3 hours. I skipped some of the route.

 

                                            Little burial monument along road to Davis Bridge

Tomorrow is Shiloh day. I have all the time I want to tour the battlefield, then head less than 100 miles farther to Dyersburg. Home Sunday!

For the day, 149.3 miles. For the trip, 1666.0

2023 New Orleans Trip Blog Day 7, Thursday, June 22nd - New Orleans to Tupelo

 Woke up way too early (that's what I get for going to bed early), killed some time on the web, then went down to see about my bill, picked up a luggage cart & loaded it up. When I got back down, the valet parking attendant had Subie all ready to load; she even helped load it. I pulled out at 0550, turned right on Bienville, right again on Rampart, and popped right onto I-10 west.

I-10, and later I-55 ( the Louisiana Scenic Bayous Byway ), goes over miles of water: swamp, marsh, even part of Lake Pontchartrain. It must have been one heck of an engineering job to build well over 20 miles of bridge. I stopped for breakfast at a Waffle House in Hammond, temp 81 at 0730, bought gas, & headed toward Mississippi through hilly country.

Mississippi likes music. The Lynyrd Skynyrd Monument is at exit 8; the Bo Diddley Memorial Highway sign is at exit 12. A little further up is the Robert L. Johnson Blues Memorial Highway. Hazelhurst hosts the Mississippi Music Museum.

As I pass though Jackson at 0930, I notice that the Pearl River isn't staying within its banks. TheNatchez Trace Parkway runs for a time next to Ross Barnett Lake – it's up, as well.

It seems that many locals in urban areas use the Parkway as a short cut, but that traffic fades away as I leave the area. Soon, I see other signs of the storms that filled the waterways – trees down, sometimes in bunches, the whole way to Tupelo.

I hit Kosciusko about 1100, and stopped for lunch at a Mexican place, the only one on that area. Then I stopped at a small Trace info center; a lady there said that she'd been without power for 6 days from a series of storms.

The Parkway has pullouts for nature trails or a bit of history - this is the actual Trace:

 

Take a close look at this sign (click on it to expand):

I got out at the pullouts for sections of the original trail and for these small mounds.

Hit Tupelo a tad after 1400, so decided to see the Tupelo National Battlefield Park, right off a major street & likely less than an acre. Here's the main attraction:

On to my hotel, a Best Western & nicely up-to-date. Crossroad Rib House was within easy walking distance; the briskets was superb – thick, juicy, didn't need sauce. I should have bought the dinner rather than the sandwich.

358.5 miles for the day, much of it at a gas-saving 52 mph on the Parkway; 1516.6 for the trip. Tomorrow it's back on the Trace for a bit, then visits to Iuka & Corinth battlefields.

2023 New Orleans Trip Blog Day 6, Wednesday, June 21st - New Orleans (by foot & rail)

 And I was off looking for breakfast well before 0800. First glitch – I didn't get a real breakfast. I was way too early for Cafe Beignet on Bourbon, the next place was a bit too proud of its cusine, another was lined up. So I caught the streetcar, paid my 40 cents, and rode out to the stop serving the World War II museum.

I found this Army Air Corps bronze grouping touching – it commemorates the fliers who didn't make it back, via a depiction of a morning mission briefing.

The museum snack bar was open for business, I walked in, looked at the menu, looked at all the folks sitting there waiting on their orders, and decided to get something quick – a cinnamon roll. It turns out that it wasn't quick, either, but some folks were still waiting when I left just in time for the museum opening.

The museum has five major sections. The first has a Higgins boat (made in New Orleans) to look at after paying the toll. Then, you wait in line to get a digital picture made; you will have an opportunity to buy it later. Then they load you into a railroad coach for some introductory info.

Section 2 has some extra-price attractions and the restaurant. I had overpriced and mediocre gumbo.

Section 3 is the meat of the show – detailed exhibits on the European and Pacific wars, with plenty of sounds and flashing lights simulating shells & bombs. Actually, it does an excellent job telling what happened on both broad and personal scales. Section 4 has the home front exhibit and a special Disney & the war exhibit.

Section 5 has the best photo ops, with aircraft hanging from the ceiling and a tank near the entrance.

                                                   Corsair, the Navy's premier fighter

                                               B-17 Flying Fortress, pride of the 8th Air Force

P-51  North American Mustang, the key to fighter cover for bombers over Germany. The red tail designates the 332nd Fighter Group, aka Tuskegee Airmen

I spent at least four hours at this museum, and went through all the Kleenex in my pocket - I am becoming more and more affected by by both the valor and the tragedy of war. And, just across the street, is Confederate Memorial Hall museum. It holds artifacts, flags, portraits and uniforms, including that of Gen. Beauregard.

I took a crowded trolley back to Canal Street, and came back to my room to recuperate. About 1700, I went out for my last taste of New Orleans gumbo, this time at the open air Cafe Beignet on Bourbon Street. This cafe is located at a kind-of garden with statues of famous New Orleans jazz musicians. It was certainly better than lunch! Then, back to the hotel to get everything ready for an early start toward home.

 Tomorrow: I-35 to Jackson, then the Natchez Trace Parkway to Tupelo.

2023 New Orleans Trip Blog Day 5, Tuesday, June 20tth - New Orleans (by foot)

 Up reasonably early and out the door. Breakfast (3 eggs, grits, sausage & a biscuit) at Krystal's on Bourbon Street, a hole-in-the-wall local chain that puts Waffle House to shame. Then, I meandered over to the time share vacation presentation. It's an interesting concept, very flexible, but more than I'm willing to pay. They work very hard to sell you, but I resist well.

From there, I wandered into the Quarter looking for lunch and sites to see. Gumbo Yaya's menu looked reasonable, so I wandered in – oops, the kitchen was not ready since the health inspectors were there. So, on to Jackson Square.

                                                   St. Louis Cathedral with old Andy in front

I really wanted to visit the Cabildo museum again. It was not as I remembered it. The displays are much more professional, and to my sorrow, debunk many of the myths told about Jean Laffite and the Battle of New Orleans. He was never imprisoned in the Cabildo, that was his brother. However, he did provide guns & gunners for the battle. The Kentucky rifles were effective, but most of the Brit casualties came from the big guns. Yes, free men of color fought along side the regulars, the local militias, the pirates, the Choctaws, and the 'backwoodsmen.'

A local Black artist's work is featured on the 3^rd floor. He specializes in painting scenes & portraits based on the lives and activities of early 19^th C Creoles, a term referring to people, white, Black, or mixed, who were part of or descended from the original French & Spanish settlers, excluding Acadians and Americans.

I walked up to this lamp post in Pirates' Alley, where Sandra & I kissed at midnight, December 31, 1971.

Returned to Gumbo Yaya and had an excellent bowl of gumbo, then came back to the Holiday Inn Chateau LeMoyne for recuperation.

                                                An interesting view from my window

I recovered, headed out for supper at highly regarded Oceana, where I had a big plate of red beans and rice (which included sausage!) and wandered around for a while. It turns out I had good timing for supper – when I passed that area again, a long line snaked outside.

Tomorrow I will catch the St. Charles streetcar to the WWII museum and plan to make time to visit the Confederate museum.

 

2023 New Orleans Trip Blog Day 4, Monday, June 18tth - Lake Charles to New Orleans

 After a hotel breakfast, I ended my 4^th stay at the HIE off I-70 at 0710, and headed south on LA-14. I passed Daughenbaugh road – I'm related to that family and we'd occasionally visit. This area (actually, the whole trip today) is flat coastal plain. First I saw mostly cattle on pasture, then a mixture of rice fields and crawdad ponds predominated. Lake Arthur is the largest town along this stretch, and many camps line the lake itself. Another childhood memory – visiting a relative's camp out here. There was a relatively steep bridge over the Mermentau just east of town; the relatives told my dad it was a "tall" bridge – he heard "toll" bridge and stopped before crossing it. That 51 Ford had to do a little work!

The road between Lake Arthur and Gueydan is designated the Flyway Byway. This whole area is prime waterfowl winter habitat, hence a prime waterfall hunting area. My great grandfather Truman moved here around 1900 and is buried in the local cemetery – I stopped to pay my respects. And, for the first time despite a number of previous visits, I noted that Sandra was born on my grandmother Stella's 77^th birthday.

East of Gueydan LA-14 turns into the Cajun Corridor Byway. From Abbeville on east sugar cane is the prime crop. At New Iberia I took a side trip to St. Martinville via LA-41, LA-182 & LA-131. This is part of the Bayou Teche Byway; some of my ancestors lived near the Teche in the late 19^th C.

Louisiana's Longfellow – Evangeline State Historic Site is just north of town. It features an Acadian plantation house and grounds, a more primitive farmstead, and a nature walk.

                                                             Some staples for the sauce

 

 I spent quite a while talking to the site interpreter; on our last visit here, we ran across an interpreter who was also a friend of Dr. Mary Ellen Rowe (now retired) of the CMSU History Department

The interpreter called this plant "marshmallow" since its roots are used in that concoction. I called it datura, since it looks a lot like jimsonweed and moonflower.

Returned to New Iberia about noon and started looking for someplace for a good sausage jambalaya, po-boy or gumbo. Didn't see one so stayed on old US-90 rather than taking the new, Interstate version – future I-49. Never did find one, so I returned to the newer road and headed toward New Orleans. US-90 crossed many waterways, some with apparent shipbuilding areas. US-90 still crosses they old Huey P. Long Bridge, built back in the 30s and well ahead of its time: 3 traffic lanes each way, divided by a railroad lane.

I'm not sure what time I got to New Orleans itself, but I did figure out how to get to Chalmette Battlefield (NPS site) at about 1550 hrs – it closes at 1600. A quick run through and head for the hotel in the French Quarter. Finding it was another adventure in one way (& one lane) streets and no left turn signs. Checked in, turned my car over to the $45/day valet parkers, and unloaded my bags in my nice room with two double beds. Then I went looking for someplace that had a Louisiana dish without any sort of seafood – I found it a block away, but only after walking the better part of a mile in heat index over 100. I survived!

Tomorrow I walk to the time-share sales pitch which got me the free nights, then head for Jackson Square, Cafe' du Mond, the Cabildo, and more.

For the day (I think) 276 miles, for the trip 1057.

2023 New Orleans Trip Blog Day 3, Sunday, June 17tth - Around the Lake Charles Area

 Big change of plans for the day: my friend wasn't feeling up to a trip to the range, so what to do? Why not a visit to Holly Beach, aka the Cajun Riviera? We first visited before Hurricane Rita hit, and I'd say the settlement was a tad on the tacky side, but the beach had quite a few visitors. Our next visit came after Hurricanes Rita & Ike pretty much wiped away the settlement and few people were beachcombing that day - we found a hard hat washed in from a rig a couple hundred miles offshore. Today I saw the result of significant rebuilding, this time with stilted structures on multiple 12x12 pilings. Yes, the beach was populated, the wind whipped up whitecaps, and blowing sand stings.

 

LA-27 runs from Sulphur through Hackberry to Holly Beach. A huge LNG (liquified natural gas) plant along the highway has its own deep water port. The Sabine National Wildlife refuge runs from the Sabine River to Calcasieu Lake (locals call it "Big Lake"), and has fishing areas along some canals.

 

This area is a mixture of fresh water, salt water, and brackish marshes, each with its own community of plants and animals; one common animal seen on the trails is the American alligator. I certainly hope that old Albert, of Pogo fame, is sufficiently unattractive to petting so tourons will not attempt selfies. 

 

The area is very flat, with a few slightly higher "islands." The Cajuns call these features cheniers. If you see an area with trees, it's likely one of these. At an inlet full of shrimp boats, I saw one just coming in, with its escort of white gulls and a few brown pelicans (Louisiana's State Bird) – the scene is ripe for a haiku.

The road crosses the Intracoastal Waterway, built during WW-II to avoid U-boat attacks. It's still used to avoid storms along the Gulf and mid-Atlantic coasts. I saw tow boats along the canal, each pushing a single barge that contains petroleum or a product thereof.

Tidbit: where else but in South Louisiana would you find a convenience store chain called "Grab and Geaux"?

I returned via Westlake, crossed the bridge over the West Fork of the Calcasieu near where a ferry once did the job, then another bridge over Indian Bayou (yes, that also required a small ferry, about the size of the one in "The Outlaw Josey Wales," but pulled by machine rather than hands. First, I drove past the place where my Dad's 1^st cousin Harold Truman Pulliam once lived; he had a section of land where we'd hunt armadillos. It's now full of high-dollar country homes, each probably worth more of today's devalued dollars than he got out of the whole property.

I crossed the upper reaches of Indian Bayou on a bridge much better than the rickety one where we'd park to hunt water moccasins & turtles in the bottoms. Then I took a little side road past the 4-acre property once owned by my friend's family and our headquarters – memories!

Back to the motel by noon to prep for any afternoon activities (which may involve a roux).

Later: It didn't. I left the room for my friends' house at about 1330, and drove past many memories:

• site of Tom & Mac's drive in, the LCHS hangout

• mansion that once held the Plantation House restaurant, a great steak place

• Muller's Department Store, now 'lofts'

• a trip around what we used to call sand beach, full on this Father's Day weekend

• Through old downtown Lake Charles and the few buildings remaining

• Past the court house, where the Confederate soldier is missing from the op of the column – the base still bears tributes to "Our Heroes" & "The South's Defenders"

• Along Shell Beach Drive past the iconic mansions of the old rich and the more recent mansions of the noveau riche.

A nice afternoon conversation with my friends, Bill & Cam, an excellent dinner, and back to the motel to get this posted. Tomorrow it's on to New Orleans via LA-14 & US-90, visiting Gueydan, New Iberia, and later, the Chalmette battlefield from 1812.

For the day 135.6 miles, for the trip 881.3. The odometer sits at exactly 107,000 miles.