Nov 5, 2012 - Mandeville, LA 2012

Mandeville is on the north side of Lake Pontchartrain. The fastest way to get to New Orleans is the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway which is a toll bridge one way. It was only $2.50 on our motorcycle. There are several other routes, albeit longer, but a little more interesting. US190 to LA90 features Lake Pontchartrain on one side and inlets & marsh lands. There is a very large Wildlife Sanctuary along LA90. This is the wrong time of year, but otherwise the sanctuary would be teaming with birds. We have found a great place to stay in Mandeville...

Mar 19, 2012 - Fontainbleau State Park near Slidell LA

Anxiety tied my stomach in knots as Mother - no, not Mother - for there was nothing motherly about the vicious malevolent - isn't there a stronger word to describe the horror that shook our home last night? The endless torrents of rain hammered the roof, filled the ditches, and drenched the fields everywhere! Memories of similar situation swamped my mind! Being caught in a killer storm on the Delaware on El Rio, our 37' sailboat was bombarded with high winds, wild rain, and constant lightning forks. Struck by lightning twice in 20 minutes...

May 25, 2011 - Packing

Started packing our suitcases today. Was babysitting grandkids and got them to help me sort items and take things out of their packages. We stopped and played with some of the science stuff that I am bringing. Students at my school gave me their pens, pencils, markers and crayons at the end of school year and teachers donated posters and borders that they no longer wanted or used. One student's mom bought me a microscope for the high school. Grandkids sorting pens,pencils, markers, and crayons. My suitcases are mainly filled with items for...

Mar 15, 2011 - Outa Texas, on to da swamps

Tuesday, March 15, 2011 Our last day in Rockport we hit a museum, the Texas Maritime Museum. I bet ya didn’t know that Texas used to have a navy? Yup, back when they were their own nation. Actually they had 2. And of course they do a lot of commercial fishing. It was a good museum. Then we went to an education center and saw an amazing show. There was a 6’ diameter ball hanging from the ceiling with 4 computer projectors around it. A retired teacher put on the show. The ball was stationary but it appeared as if it was spinning because of...

Feb 20, 2011 - Swamp animals and a Krewe

We have enjoyed this week so much that we decided to stay longer. We were lucky to find an RV spot with sewer available Mon-Fri so now we leave next Friday instead of Monday! This has been a fantastic week. We rode the bikes along the bike trail a couple of times to the waterfront in Mandeville where they have a 3 mile waterfront bike trail with great views of Lake Ponchartrain and the causeway bridge into New Orleans. We have found a few good restaurants there too. There is a nice beach in the state park where we have spent a couple of...

Apr 27, 2010 - Maiden voyage April 22, 2010

Our maiden voyage was to Fontainebleau State Park in Mandeville, LA only 65 miles from our home in Mississippi. Since we are beginners and just purchased a used 2000 Winnebago, Adventurer we wanted to stay close our first time out. We were disappointed that we had so much swaying while on the interstate. Then hubby slowed down to 60 and it was better. Understand we are learning. We camped with three other couples that have been camping for years. We knew if we needed any help they would be there for us. This state park is very pretty. Even...

Apr 4, 2010 - Easter Sunday

We had a great Easter Sunday. We went to early mass,7:30am, at Our Lady of the lake Church in Mandeville, LA. The church was absolutely beautiful and it was over 100 years old. I wish I would have brought my camera, the entire choir loft was in wood and such intricate carvings. After mass we went to the Waffle House and had breakfast. Later in the morning we went for a bike ride through some of the neighborhoods near the park. We took a tour of the Otis House Museum, it was built by W.T. Jay during the 1880's, the house was once the center...

Apr 3, 2010 - Northshore, Fairview-Riverside State Park

This morning got up early to clouds and the chance of rain. We would be changing campgrounds today, but didn't have to checkout out until one, so we hung out had breakfast did a little cleaning and watched some TV. We drove about 35 miles north, over Lake Pontchartrain. The causeway over the lake is the longest in the nation, it is 24 miles over the water. I thought the causeway from Port Isabel to So. Padre Island being 2 1/2 miles was something, and it is...but driving across a 24 mile bridge not able to see land from any side is quite...

Jan 31, 2010 - Slodder: A Dodder in the Muck

Earlier in the week, when Doug was in the Winn Dixie he found a pair of scrubs which he bought. After he got home he decided that they didn't fit so he took then back on an ensuing trip to the store where he picked up another pair. Upon arriving home, he discovered that this pair was way too small. Another trip to Winn Dixie where he exchanged the pants. By this time he was in a friendly conversational with the clerk at the customer service desk. This time he got home and discovered that he had picked up a pair of 3XL pants. Back to the...

Jan 30, 2010 - The French Quarter

Wow! Did we ever have a fun day! We piled into Esther and Steve's jeep around 10ish and drove the 40 or so miles to New Orleans and the French Quarter. We crossed the longest bridge in the world which goes across Lake Ponchartrain and is 24 miles long. It was cold all day with the temp never reaching out of the high 30s or low 40's. We picked a fine day to walk around the Quarter. But it was fun. We started at Jackson Square and had lunch at a very fine restaurant just off that square called the The Gumbo Store. We timed it just right and...

Jan 29, 2010 - Riding Out The Rain

Our preparations for the rain paid off. Around noon the skies opened and we had fairly heavy rains off and on until sixish. The already wet grounds around our pad were unable to take the influx of new water and we had our own little lake around us. Steve and Esther had planned to arrive here this afternoon so JoAnn upheld the Dreamers tradition of cooking for the incoming travelers. She made a jambalya, mixed vegetables and a Weight Watchers cake and it was excellent. Doug went out this afternoon to a Winn Dixie to get stuff and to top off...

Jan 28, 2010 - Fontainebleau State Park Louisiana

Another brisk but beautiful morning. Just as we started to set up for travel, Mike and Gerri came by with their camera to get a picture of us (Fillmore) for their blog. They toured our rig and discovered that we had painted the walls which is something they had wanted to do but were afraid to. Looks like that little visit created some work for them. While they were there. www.mytripjournal.com/freedom2roll Glenn also came by to say see ya down the road. www.gavery@blogspot.com We had about a 150 mile drive on I-10 to Fontainebleau SP in...