Back in LA

Along the Trace
Richard, Valerie, and their daughter Margo
LSU campus tailgating
Louisiana State Capitol

The view from 350 feet

Bullet hole from the assassination of Huey Long inside the capitol.

Louisiana State Museum

Map showing the area drained by the Mississippi River as it follows through the state to the gulf.

Oakley Plantation

An Audubon print

Nanc tries to lore Gus to come with us for Thanksgiving dinner.

We are now at the Green Acres Campground near Saint Francisville, LA where we are spending a week with Val and Richard Frayer. They lived for many years in nearby Baton Rouge and Richard is doing a project here for his former employer. On the way here from Little Rock we spent a night at the Ameristar Casino RV Park in Vicksburg, MS. A nice perk there was a great breakfast buffet in the casino that was included in the camping fee. For part of the drive we travelled on the Natchez Trace Parkway, a road that follows an old Indian trail that was later used by people who had floated down the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers to return north. This road travels through the scenic countryside and there was very little traffic. On Saturday we went tailgating with the Tiger fans on the LSU campus. While we did not go to the game we enjoyed all the pregame hoopla and food. The entire campus is one large party with many of the people not even going to the game. They are so serious about their mascot that Mike the tiger has his own large cathouse just outside the stadium. On Sunday we toured the Louisiana capitol building, which is the tallest in the nation. It offers a great view from the outside observation deck 350 feet above the city. We could see all of the city, the Mississippi River and the surrounding industry. In Baton Rouge we also visited to the Louisiana State Museum which offers a great overview of all aspects of the state. There are exhibits on the Louisiana Purchase, important wars, political history, music, commerce, Mardi Gras and even a display of LSU tailgating. This museum would be a good place to start for anyone visiting the state. One strange thing we experienced when we came out of the museum was small pieces of soot falling from the sky and the smell of smoke. It was coming from the burning of the sugarcane fields across the Mississippi several miles away. They always burn the fields when they harvest the crop. Another day we went to the Audubon State Historical Site in Saint Francisville. On the site is the Oakley Plantation which was owned by one family from 1801, when it was built, until 1947 when the last heir sold it to the state. The home is unique because it was never modernized with plumbing or electricity and when it was sold most of the furnishings were included. The family even used the outdoor kitchen with a fireplace until they moved out. John Audubon, of bird painting fame, served as a teacher to a young family member for four months in 1821 and while there painted over thirty different birds. The site has several number 1 proofs on display in the house and visitors center. There are also slave quarters, gardens, nature trails and a few farm animals on the property. We really enjoyed our time with Val and Richard who started full timing at about the same time we did. This is the fourth time we have met them on the road. It is always great because we have many similar interests.