Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler

     

      Arriving in New Orleans we continue to experience the intermittent 'check engine' light, but with the diesel running 'fine as frog's hair' and averaging 14 mpg towing it is still like nothing is wrong.  Wow, that should take care of my simile and metaphor quota for the month, eh?  We had reservations at Pinecrest RV Park www.pinecrestrv.com  in Slidell, LA. which is on I-10 just 30 minutes across the Pontchartrain Bridge from NOLA.  If you plan on attending I would suggest making these reservations well in advance.  We made ours prior to leaving mom's in November.  It is the best locale and price I could find.  Park prices for this week are $70/night/3 day minimum due to the huge event that is Mardi Gras.   There is a newer, closer park just east of downtown, but at $150/night.  There are no other choices unless you want to camp MILES away and commute for hours back and forth to NOLA.  This park is nicely situated among the pines.  They have laundry, shower, and bathroom facilities.  WiFi is also available, but much like other places we have stayed my MiFi had better signal strength.  The office staff is very friendly and helped us through a myriad of tourist questions from parades, to restaurants, to NOLA parking (probably most important). 



      For me it has been 44 years since my last (and first) Mardi Gras and for my bride this is her first......a 'Bucket List' item for her.  Although the flavor, cuisine, and atmosphere of Mardi Gras has been present in every town we have visited enroute, nowhere would it be greater than "The Big Easy" itself.  There are 29 parades the last 7 days of Mardi Gras throughout the area.  Yep, that's several a day! 
It is important to note that crime is still a very large factor in the greater NOLA metropolitan area, especially the French Quarter; pickpockets being the most prevalent.  This has been a large problem since Hurricane Katrina with the increased poverty.  With Mardi Gras comes the tourists, and closely behind follow the sharks.   There is an increased police presence during the festival, but the problem will always remain a factor.  We took recommended precautions such as not carrying your wallet in your back pocket or a purse at all for that matter.  Cash in a front pocket or in your shoe.  Carry only a driver's license for an ID.  NO CREDIT CARDS! Cameras at your own discretion.

      Our first night we attended the Krewe of Selene Parade.  This parade was 1 of 6 in the area this night.  Yep, Barb is no longer a 'rookie'....in fact she was a 'born again kid'....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

      I found it interesting that none of the parades take place in the French Quarter, but several do end just about there.  The parade routes are mid-town, up-town, and in the outlying areas of Metarie, Slidell, etc.  The days of 'show your stuff' to get beads and trinkets seem to be over as well.  Just a simple "Throw me something, Mister" is what is suggested.  There were, after all, many families in the audience.  The most popular trinkets have the parade coin attached.  Barb filled a bag full. 

      We missed our reservations for dinner at Emeril's NOLA one evening due to a parking lot on I-10 and we never made it off the interstate either.  The next day we got up much earlier and got into downtown about 9 a.m. and got parked in a city premium lot ($25 all day) so we could walk/tour at our leisure. 

 



 Jackson Square, St Louis Cathedral

Decatur Street French Market Park

French Market

King Cake Pretzels

The French Quarter Royal Mutha Shucker

Bourbon Street

Acme Oyster House.....since 1910

Bourbon Street

Toulouse Street Players

 

      We spent our time touring throughout the late morning and early afternoon.  Things were just starting to get a bit 'out of control' by late afternoon when we left.  Although the Mardi Gras parades now only route through the 'family friendly' areas of uptown and the surrounding towns, the French Quarter with each and every evening still ranges far out to the realms of Mardi Gras and all that is know for:  loose, a bit on the raunch side, and party hardy.  This is where a 'lady' may still 'show her stuff' for beads thrown from the upper wrought iron balconies.  It is a never ending party.  There is a bit of something for everyone here. 



      Of course there is the food.  This is the penultimate goal of my visit here.  I love Cajun food and love to prepare it, but this visit has shown me that I really don't know shit about cooking.  I have learned quite a bit by talking to the sous chefs and others about the essence that is Cajun cooking.  I also learned about the differences between Cajun and Creole cooking.  The NOLA area is predominantly Creole whereas the outlying areas further west are the most Cajun.  Creole cooking utilizes tomatoes or tomato sauce and Mirepoix (diced mix of carrots, onions, and celery).  Cajun cooking rarely uses tomatoes in any form and relies on spices, herbs, and the 'The Holy Trinity'  (diced celery, onions, and bell pepper).   It is said that a Creole feeds one family with three chickens and a Cajun feeds three families with one chicken. Another major difference between Creole and Cajun food is in the type of roux used as the base of sauces, stews, soups, and other savory dishes. Creole roux is made from butter and flour (as in France), while Cajun roux is made from lard or oil and flour.  Creole cooking is refined, French, city cooking while Cajun is predominantly country cooking utilizing whatever can be had.  Again, there will be no restaurant reviews, but a collage of several of the meals we have enjoyed along the way. 

 

French Market Boudin Balls & Crawfish Balls w/Remoulade

Alligator Bites w/Remoulade

Good grief I love Charbroiled Oysters

I ate these several times at different restaurants

Muffaletta Sandwich

Bubba Gump Shrimp Company

Left:  I'm So Stuffed Shrimp Right:  Shrimp Spectacular

 

       Barb had remarked once during our treks around NOLA that she always wanted to try the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company.  We were not able to find the one there, but through a little online research I found one about 55 miles away on Mississippi's Gulf Coast Casino Row.



      So, one morning we got up a bit late as our itinerary was just to check out a local brewery and have some lunch.  I simply didn't tell her where I was headed and off we went to an Early Valentine's Day Surprise lunch.  It was first time there as well and I have to say the staff is wonderful, the food delicious, and you NEVER GO AWAY HUNGRY!  I became inspired from the food this week and spent my last day gathering ingredients and making Shrimp Gator Gumbo......some for our last night and the leftovers for the road.  Jumbo Shrimp are available fresh all around this area for $3.95/lb.!  I do want to stock the freezer with some gator and boudin for the trip north, but still have to save room for a successful hog hunt later this month.

      Our week in 'Naw-lins' was a busy, exciting adventure.  May never go back there again during Mardi Gras, but Barb can cross another one off her 'Bucket List'.  We took the last day in camp to clean the RV, get some last minute laundry done, and pick up our forwarded mail.  Hopefully it will be ready as Kalkaska's Post Master screwed up the request (for the 2nd time this winter) and it had to be resent.  Our journey now takes us back onto the country roads of Louisiana heading west, taking time to savor the flavors and culture of Cajun Country. 



Land of Too Many Restaurant Reviews

     

      We got very lucky with the truck part (DEF tank & sensor) as it came in earlier than expected.  We were still able to enjoy 2 wonderful weeks visiting our grandson.  Unfortunately this did not completely fix our problem.  Within the next 3 days the 'check engine' light came on 3 more times.  I took it to the dealer twice who also replaced a emission sensor control box to no avail.  There are never any other side effects and the truck is running perfectly fine.  Chevy has all the information in their computers and we got it reset once more before departure.  They recommend keeping an eye on things for now and get it reset within a reasonable period of time if it trips.  On the up side, there has never been any charge as the truck is still well within warranty.  We are (fingers crossed) on our own for awhile till something new happens.  I have to note that we paid $1.35 per gallon for diesel prior to our departure, the lowest price I have seen since purchasing this truck 3 years ago! 
      Leaving Marlow, OK behind we headed SE toward the Great Cajun Land.  Since we have some time we wanted to journey a leisurely route through the country on two lane roads, visiting many a roadside eatery, antique shop, and Zydeco Bar.  I was lucky to have mapped out some of the good spots to visit on our trip thanks to a good map of Louisiana and the advice of a good friend and Native Cajun, Jesse Shanks.  Although we left a day late due to propane issues, we spent our first night OTR in Broken Bow, OK satisfied to have crossed the state this day.  We boondocked at the Choctaw Casino www.choctawcasinos.com/choctaw-broken-bow/ 
       The next day about 40 miles from Shreveport the 'check engine' light came on again; this time with a DEF warning and gave us a countdown clock of 99 miles.  We stopped at a truck stop in Marshall, TX and sure enough filled the DEF reservoir with an entire 5 gallons of fluid.  This reset all the lights and warnings.  Apparently the Chevy dealer did not fill the tank with much fluid at all when replacing the tank and sensor.  Fingers crossed!  We arrived in Shreveport where there weren't any reasonable boondocking opportunities so we camped at Diamond Jacks Casino RV Park with full hookups, pool, sauna, laundry, showers, and of course a casino at a reasonable $25/per night.  A nice park right off I-20 near the Red River, but you are next to dual railroad tracks which can provide plenty of noise at night.  http://www.diamondjacks.com/
NOTE:  This should have been titled 'In Search of the Perfect Mudbug".  I love Cajun food and it is also my favorite meal to prepare!  Although I will post about stops, venues, and adventures......there won't be regular restaurant reviews.  There is so much culture, tradition, hospitality, and food in Louisiana to try that I would have to post a restaurant review 2-3 times weekly.  Suffice it to say that I will post pictures of dishes and locations w/URLs we tried and loved.  .
      After a day of sight seeing and exploring the riverfront shops and downtown historic district, we enjoyed a wonderful lunch at Herby K's, a Shreveport original since 1936.  www.herbyks.net  This very small joint is located in Old Shreveport in the west central part of town.  It takes a good GPS and some exploring to find this one.  It is immensely popular with limited seating, and a line inevitably forms around lunchtime.  GREAT food and an incredible staff! 



 

 

Shrimp Blaster & Baby Shrimp Blaster Sandwiches



      After some more running around we took a break to let the furbabies get some 'outside time' we decided to have dinner at The Blind Tiger, known for it's myriad assortment of eclectic Cajun cuisine.  It is located in the Red River District right a block from the river.  http://www.allmenus.com/la/shreveport/229654-the-blind-tiger-restaurant--bar/menu/

 

Top:  Muffaletta Sandwich

Bottom:  Gumbo, Blackened Catfish, Fried Corn o' cob,

Dirty Rice, Meat Pies, Crawfish, and Jambalaya 









      You might wonder where I get the ideas for where we do our dining.  For us it is a matter of online research, brochures, and talking to locals.  They are often our best source of information, but
sometimes times they just reinforce what we have already discovered.  Sometimes, it is the Food Channel as well. 
      After gassing up and visiting our favorite RV/Truck Wash @ Blue Beacon www.bluebeacon.com to get another 2 months of road/weather grime off our rig next up for us was Natchitoches, a mere 64 miles down I-49. Again we went the 'RV Park Route' staying at Nakatosh RV Park just west of I-49.  Nice park with full hookups, $30/night.  www.nakatoshcampgrounds.com  Unfortunately, the day we arrived my old buddy the Stomach Flu arrived and I was off my feet for about a day and a half so we upped the ante and stayed for 4 days. 
      Natchitoches is elegant and energetic. Set beside the Cane River & Bayou, Natchitoches might be considered New Orleans’s older, calmer sister. Settled by the French in 1714 the state’s oldest town spices up its white-columned, Southern plantation lifestyle with hearty amounts of Creole and Cajun influences.  It was also the venue for filming the movie "Steel Magnolias". 
     

 

Amazing that on the 31st of January the Magnolias were in bloom.

 

One of the houses used for the filming of the movie "Steel Magnolias"

The Historic District is filled with Antebellum homes and businesses.  I would love to

have the wrought iron franchise around here.

 

 

The riverfront in the Historic District is filled with parks, lush gardens, Magnolias, Live Oaks, and still flowers aplenty, but not like spring I'm sure.  It was a beautiful Sunday here, 78 degrees. 

We also stopped into Kaffie-Frederick Hardware for a bit of shopping.  It was worth it to see our purchase rung up on the original cash register, circa 1917.

 

 





 

      There are, of course plenty of business and restaurants (including Wal Mart) in the 'other business district' of Natchitoches, but we chose to eat our last evening meal at the original.......Papa's Bar & Grill, Mama's Oyster House, and Mama's Blues Room.  www.mamasoysterhouse.com Nothing like a good meal then some southern blues to settle the evening.  It was a local house band, but at this point it is ALL GOOD.  Barb just says that means we're saving our CRAZY for NOLA. 



 Top:  Fried Gator, Crawfish, and Froglegs

Bottom:  Seafood Gumbo

What else for dessert, but King Cake 

 



       Our last stop enroute to the Big Easy was Opelousas.   We found the South City Park & Campground which offers 67 campsites with water and electric for $11/night.  There is a dump station.  It is nothing fancy, but clean and the park is patrolled 24/7.  We were greeted on our arrival by 78 degrees, 90% humidity, and a tornado watch in effect throughout early evening.  We got set up and just waited out wave after wave of rainstorm and a bit of hail, but no severe weather.   Good afternoon for lunch and a nap. 

      Established in 1720,  The city has a deep Zydeco music tradition with dancing at nearly any local club or festival. Opelousas is Louisiana's third-oldest city and is part of the state's Main Street Program with its downtown cluster of antique shops, boutiques and restaurants serving Cajun cuisine. Visitors can see antebellum, Victorian and early 20th-century buildings on a walk through town, including the "Hidden Capital of Louisiana," which served as the governor's mansion during the Civil War.  With our arrival there is 1 week left till Fat Tuesday, but evidence existed for plenty of party left.   http://www.cityofopelousas.com/  First on the agenda for us (me) was Tony Chachere's where they make my favorite Cajun spice.  Unfortunately, it is just the factory business.  They offer no tours. 

 

 

      The entire historical district of Opelousas is actually within a couple of block area unless you drive back streets looking for examples of architecture.  We toured the Jim Bowie homestead, the Orphan Train Museum, the Zydeco Museum, the Jim Bowie Oak Tree and had a wonderful lunch at the Palace Café downtown. 

 

 

  

      Interestingly, the Jim Bowie Oak Tree was planted by himself over 300 years ago in front of his blacksmith shop in Opelousas where it still stands today.  It is the largest Live Oak Tree in America and has a 19' circumference. 

 

 

      We finished our day with a wonderful dinner at Soileaus Dinner Club.  Although I was still hungry for Cajun Barb hankered for something a bit different and found it.  http://soileaus.com/

 

Top:  Fried Gator

Bottom:  Cajun Crab Eggplant Casserole

 

      The next day we broke camp and set sail for the final 165 miles to Slidell, LA as our base of operations for New Orleans and Mardi Gras 2016.  Laissez les bon temps rouler.......here we go!  (Oh yeah, the 'check engine light' is still intermittent)  













Meers Store & Restaurant

     

      This review is a long overdue pleasure.  In fact I can't believe I haven't done this already, having eaten here many times in the past.  Meers, OK is located "way the hell in the middle of nowhere" Southwestern Oklahoma near the Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge.  If you're not familiar with Oklahoma this is an area of rugged, mountainous country with remote country of undiscovered historical value.  Many species of wildlife have called this area home for many years including buffalo, deer, wild longhorn cattle, and elk among others. 



      Meers is located about 2 miles north of the boundary of the refuge and if you aren't paying attention you may just think you have passed it by.  This is not your fancy restaurant or even your run of the mill dive eatery.  This is the real deal, live history of food culture from many years past.  Do not let the outward appearance fool you. http://www.meersstore.com/index.html  This is real American history, since 1901.  Once a bustling town of miners seeking gold in the Wichita Mountains, all that remains of the town of Meers now is their world renowned family restaurant of the same name. Meers population has dwindled from the gold rush peak of 500 down to the present residents: one family of six people, eight cats and a dog.
      As for the food.....it is on the register of National Historic Places, Food Network Top American Restaurants, Bon Apetite's Best, Travelocity Editor's Pick, and Tulsa World's Best Burgers in Oklahoma.  During peak seasonal times if you are not in line during feeding times you may not get fed.  It is that popular on a regular basis with not only the locals, but anyone within a 300 mile radius.  The Meers Store and Restaurant has became famous for our Meersburger, a 7" diameter burger made exclusively from prize winning Texas Longhorn beef raised on the family's own ranch.  The most famous burger is the ONE POUND MEERS SEISMICBURGER, which comes with EVERYTHING on it.  There is also the Meersburger with or without cheese.  There are also  BBQ ribs, brisket, sausage, chopped beef, and chicken.  There are steaks, hot wings, a variety of hot dogs, and a myriad of sides such as Deep Fried Corn on the Cob, Fried Okra, Fries, Stuffed Jalapenos, Fried Pickles, Fried Green Beans, Fried Green Tomatoes, Potato Salad, Beans, Coleslaw.....and the list goes on.  There is an assortment of drinks including their very own Meers Gold Beer.  There is nothing fancy or pretentious about this place; just incredibly good food. 





      There is ample parking in several lots as well as right along the road.  There are also outside dog kennels with plenty of water and shade because they don't want your pet suffering in a hot car in the summertime heat.  Of course when you return your pup will smother you with kisses as they have been smelling that beef while you were inside. 

 

      On this day we were in the Wichitas hiking and taking photos with our grandson so a visit to Meers was without question.  I have eaten the Meers Burger on many occasions and can only say it is one of my Top 5 Burgers of All Time.  Simple presentation on a tin plate with a delicious, savory hunk of handmade lean longhorn beef with real cheddar cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, onions, and pickles.  Nobody goes away from this burger hungry.  Even on a cold Sunday there was still a line to get in the door.  As you can see, the place is packed with ambience. 



      This time I planned to try something a bit different such as their famous BBQ or steaks, but as always once I was inside and smelled that burger I was done.  Brock and I corralled the Meers half pound Cheeseburger, his with fries and mine with fried Jalapeno Strips.  Barb went with the BBQ Polish Sausage with fries.

     

      This meal was every bit as delicious as I remember.  Brock polished off his burger and fries, grandma's fries, and a big bowl of ice cream as well.  Must be nice to be young.  I guess it takes a lot to fill a 14 year old's size 10 shoes!  Barb and I however took part of each our meals home in the traditional 'to go' box.  Even though the place was packed and very busy our service was incredibly good!  We didn't wait long for our food and our server came by several times to check on us.  And so another visit to the Wichita Mountains and Meers, OK comes to an end........but not without the tradition of a great meal. 

 

Oliver Twist Heads East

     

     Unfortunately we continue to have issues with our truck and the "check engine" light.  Once again in Mesa we had the oil, filter/air filter changed and serviced and came to learn that our DEF tank sensor is faulty.  They did reset it, but informed us that our truck (and this part) is now in recall and that there is a national backorder for the DEF tanks and included sensor.  The dealer in Mesa informed us there is no way they would get it in the next two weeks.  We called ahead to Duncan, OK to the closest dealer to our grandson's place and explained our situation.  He did put it on order for us NOW and explained that he is currently waiting on 7 other tanks after two weeks.  We already planned on arriving in OK the 14th and staying through the 24th so I am praying advanced planning will pay off.  The truck is running very nicely and they explained that we can continue to reset the sensor when needed, but when the sensor does completely fail the truck computer will automatically govern our engine speed accordingly.  If this sounds familiar refer back to April 2015....towing at a maximum speed of 20 mph.  Our truck is still very much within warranty, but who needs the headache? 
      We have decided to head directly to Oklahoma via (not the most direct route) a route on major highways overnighting at locations with readily available dealers or Auto Zone locations (as they can also reset it).  So our route should look something like Mesa-Tucson-Las Cruces-Odessa-Wichita Falls-Marlow.....we may be camped there for an extended period to get this resolved, but what are our choices?  I love this truck, but after several maintenance issues I find myself much like the young character in the classic novel Oliver Twist with his famous banter....."please sir, may I have some more?"
     Leaving Mesa we headed SE to Tucson and another familiar boondocking site  https://www.campendium.com/snyder-hill .   This is about 7 miles SW of South Tucson on the Ajo Highway (#86).  There is a free RV dump and water spigot at the TTT Truck stop (Mr. T's Gas Station) next to the Pilot Travel Center on I-10 exit 268 which we visited prior to setting up camp.



       We were here to visit a very dear USAF buddy Mark Page who resides here.  Another veteran of the AWACS wars around the world, Mark and I have kept in touch over the years. Mark retired 10 years ago and is very happy playing Mr. Mom to his beautiful 10 year old daughter as well as restoring custom motorcycles, including a vintage model Triumph. His wife, Shadica, is a Major in the USAF and has 3 years left till retirement for which she can't wait!  He and his wife were wonderful hosts as we all reminisced about the good old USAF days and the south.  It sure was so good to see Mark again. 

 

      From Tucson we headed east once again ending up in Las Cruces, NM.  So far the truck is running fine with no other indications.  For the 2nd year we stayed at the Siesta RV Park in Las Cruces.  Reasonable prices ($30) for full hookups, WiFi, and Cable TV.  http://www.siestarvpark.com/  We decided to spend a couple of days to visit a friend and restock our eclectic cooking supplies.......to include frozen green chile peppers, dried green chile powder, a ristra, and dine on some of the best Green Chile Cheeseburgers to be found anywhere!   Diesel was a delightful $2.01.

      Our first day back on the road took us across West Texas.  If you've never been here this drive is one of perseverance.  335 miles the first day took us to Odessa on I-20.   



There is a whole lot of HORIZON out here, but allows for some pretty good gas mileage if nothing else.  We averaged a record 17.1 mpg for the day!  Gas enroute at truck stops was an incredible $1.93 a gallon for diesel, but I didn't need it.  We boondocked at the Wal Mart parking lot on the West 338 loop.  I have also been battling a pinched nerve in my upper back that is torturing my left arm.  These usually only last a day or three, but this has been going on now for about 2 weeks.  Barb is ready to shoot me for obvious (and less than obvious) reasons.  I will have to see the doc in Oklahoma once we arrive there.  The truck is still running beautifully with no "check engine" light yet. 

      Day #2 in West Texas took us another 303 miles into Wichita Falls as we left the interstate and traveled US 277 NE towards Oklahoma.  Mileage again was a good 13.5 mpg with no "check engine" light, but even better was the $1.73 per gallon price for diesel here!  Once again we graced Wal Mart with our overnight stay.  We were not able to 'water up' before setting up so we used our 'last resort'......bottled water for minimal usage.  The next morning we crossed the Red River into Oklahoma, only 87 miles to go. 

      We rolled into Marlow, OK early afternoon to find that the RV Park we had reservations for was no longer business.  We did some quick backtracking and found space in Town & Country RV Park which was even closer for us.  www.marlowrvpark.com 





In fact there was plenty of room.  We came to find out that although everyone loves the lowering gas prices it plays hell on the local economies of oil country towns.  We did not know how long we would be here awaiting our truck part so we got the monthly rate, which was a great deal at $300!  Our arrival also coincided with a cold snap rolling through with 2" of snow and temps that fell into the teens our first couple of nights there.  We do have a heated water hose that we got last year when were here and surprisingly hadn't used since then.  Always good to be prepared "Down South".  We still have not had a "Check Engine" light and diesel is $1.85 here. 

 

      So we await news of our truck part.  I called today and it is still on backorder, but the dealer knows we're here.  We can still wait here as long as February 2nd and still make our Mardi Gras reservations in NOLA.  We will thoroughly enjoy visiting with our grandson, our peer grandparents, and eating some pretty delicious local cuisine (yes, I've already had some gizzards).  Pray for success!