OHIO TO FLORIDA

(PART 4 ... Final)

DAY 14

    After getting the RV secure for the road we went to the Commissary to get needed 

rations for the next few days. We decided to take just the RV to gas station so we could 

reverse if needed. Good thing, because there was more parked cars then usual and had to.

If we had the car tow on we would be stuck and could not move. The gas station was set 

up for cars and not RV's. Also, the gas station was giving away free pack of Reese's peanut better cups when your filled your tank of 8 gallons or more. I filled up 28 gallons, but could still only get one pack.We checked out and hit the road around 11:00 am.

                                    When putting the tank hose back away, I found a little visitor.

On our way South on I 49 to I 10 East we were crossing highway over swamp land. We arrived 

at the Atchafalaya, LA Welcome Center just as it was closing and was luck enough for 

them to let us in. We got maps and information on New Orleans to read at night. We could 

have stopped there for the night, but thought we could get a few more hours on the road. We

Finally stopped at a truck stop to spend the night. It was in a small town about 4 miles 

off the main highway. To our surprise, there was only one truck on the lot. We read the

visitors guide and played cards before going to sleep. I won most of the game.

DAY 15

     Woke up and still only one truck on the lot. However, some of the truck loads were 

gone. Trucks must have picked them up while we were sleeping. I must have sleep good,

because I did not wake up.

     As we passed the Super dome I had flashbacks of the news when Katrina hit New Orleans. 

I was crossing the highway overpass where I saw people living on right next to the Super dome. 

Less than a mile we got off the highway and arrived at the visitors center. There is no 

room for a RV to park in the parking lot. There is a RV site to stay over night. However, 

we did not want to spend the night. There was a big empty parking lot on the back side of 

the school that side adjacent to the visitors center. A cop stopped us to ask if everything

OK and I said I was just looking for parking. He said the open parking lot would be OK.

We walked into the visitors center to get maps of the French Quarters and locations of the 

two National Parks. We Arrived in the French Quarters and visited Jean Lafitte National 

Park and New Orleans Jazz National Park. The national Park rangers hold free concerts in 

the hall. Unfortunately, we arrived after the last concert of the day, but everywhere up 

and down streets are people play jazz in restaurants or on the streets. We even stopped 

at the Hard Rock Cafe to get a beer, ....add another glass to my collection. We stopped by

Deanies to get catfish and shrimp dinner. The wife has never had catfish before and we both

enjoyed the meal. After I few hours walking we headed back to the visitor center and the 

host ask how was our trip. We then went back to the RV to get back on the road. We finally

stopped at a Flyig J (#676) in Gulfport, MS to spend the night. There was only one RV spot

left open. All the other spots was full of cars and vans. Not sure why they did not park in

car spots, but I got in the spot and stop getting upset. We saw people sleeping under their

truck. I guess it was just to hot inside the truck. We read the Mississippi tour guides 

and played cards before going to sleep. Yes, i won most of the games again.

                                                           Cafe Du Monde famous for beignet

Beignets taste soooooo good 

 Me with a cut out full size of Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons) from the big Bang Theory. Standing in front all place in a comic book store window. The Big Bang Theory is one of my top 5 comedy shows on TV.

                                              Side streets of the French Quarters in New Orleans

Welcome Center rest stop in Mississippi

DAY 16

    Woke up to a rain storm. The wife thought it was a typhoon. The RV was rocking back 

and forth and the rain storm passed in a few minutes. I did the rest of the driving in the poorest weather conditions we have seen all trip. We crossed into the Florida State line and the sign said, "The Sunshine State". Sunshine State my A$$, it was cloudy and raining. We arrived at our destination, Blue Angles Campground in Pensacola, FL. http://naspensacola-mwr.com/corry/mwrblue.htm The site sits on Military land and only active duty, retired or DoD (Department of Defense ie Government Employees)  can stay, but I think anyone can visit the beaches, fishing pier and boat dock. For active or retired full hook-up is $20 a  night or $540 a month and DoD $22 a night or $600 a month. Electric and water only for active or retired is $13 a day or $350 a month and DoD is $14.50 a day or $400 a month. No matter what way you decide to camp it is a bargain for any snow bird compared to other Florida campground in the winter months. The only down side I have seen so far is there is no free internet. You have to buy internet access from the Navy Exchange either by the day, week or month and the account can only be used one device at a time. We are sharing our access logging off when we are finished so the other person can use the internet. A 30 day internet access account is $21.95.     

 

Welcome Center rest stop in Florida

 

The view from the steps of our RV looking out over the Gulf of Mexico