We were trying to find a way to make our five day trip in New Orleans into a thirteen day trip. We did it.
We left home on Tuesday March 15. We drove to Eufaula Alabama and camped at Lakepoint State Park for the night. It was a misty evening, but we got in a hike along the waterfront where the aligator signs were. We cooked indoors and had a evening of listening to the rain. We got up and got a hike in around the perimeter of the park and through the campgrounds before we headed out. We saw wildflowers and Yurts.
Wednesday after our walk we drove to Gulf Shores. We stopped in Eufaula to see the statues and the Large Fish (Leroy). We stopped in Dothan to see the peanuts, and then we stopped in Lagrange for lunch at a city park. They had a massive Live Oak tree there. We found an inexpensive campground to stay at three minutes from the beach, Southport Campground. Not a pretty campground, but it worked. It was next to an overpass and a marina. We drove to the beach after dinner and walked the shore line. We saw dolphins. We walked the streets to get pictures of the shark, large octupus, and a ship.
Thursday we got up and drove to the Gulf Shores State Park and hiked their busy biking trails. It has a really big, but nice campground. It's also a biker's paradise. We ate lunch there and then drove to Fort Morgan. That is a cool fort to visit and we enjoyed the beach there as well. On the way back we stopped in Gulf Shores to hike the Wade Ward Nature Park Boardwalk. We saw crabs and snakes. That evening we walked over to the Marina to check it out.
Friday we headed West along the coast line. We got caught in a major storm in Daphne, but managed to see the big fist with the flag. We got caught in Mobile in another major storm and then got caught in some major traffic in a construction area. We finally made it to our compound, Parc D'Orleans. It is a campground in the suburb which is gated with a tall solid fence all the way around it. A train track runs behind it and the campers are stacked in there. The owner was extremely nice and the campground was clean. Just not our style of camping. We had two nights here before we could get into the State Park. We set up and then headed to the airport to pick up Melanie. Melanie had us reservations at a resturant downtown so we headed there and then got her checked into her hotel. Afterwards we walked around down town.
Saturday we got up and drove to the French Quarter. We walked the streets and toured the St. Louis Cathedral. We noticed that Bourbon street was freshly washed down. We left before we had to pay for parking and headed to St. Bernard State Park to walk the trail and have lunch. From there we visited the Chalmette battlefield and cemetry. There is also a shipping port next to it so we saw the ships being loaded. Then we drove to the La Bayou Sauvage NWR and walked the boardwalk. We got to see an alligator swimming in the channel. We then drove to another section which the boardwalk was closed due to damage, but right where we parked there was a large alligator laying in the swamp. We met Melanie at the convention center where they were serving food and drink so that made for our dinner. After that we headed to Bourbon Street. They were having a parade and the ladies recieved beads, garters, and flowers from the men. There was nothing I could do to control them. We got off the streets while we felt safe.
Sunday we headed to the City Park. We parked at the Museum of Art and walked part of the park. It was huge! There was a lake there that we walked around, flower gardens, and an art park with sculptures. We listened to a guy singing at a pavilion. Then we met Melanie and had lunch at another park near the Garden district. We walked the garden district looking at the houses and cemetery. After lunch we headed back, picked up our camper and moved to Bayou Segnette State Park. There were Airstreams everywhere and we found out that it was a caravan. We had a armadillo walk next to our site. We headed back to Melanie's and had a stir fry dinner around a fire pit.
Monday we got up and hiked the entire State Park. We met Melanie for lunch and had pizza, Hand grenades, and Monkey Buns in the French Quarter. Then we walked around the Jackson Square. Afterwards we headed back to the City Park and hiked through the forest part. At the showers that night a park ranger stopped and told us that we were going to have severe thunderstorms and tornadoes the next evening. What do you do?
Tuesday we locked down the camper and headed to the WWII museum. Really cool place. We took time out for lunch with Melanie and then went back to finish. We took Melanie to the Feiry Crab for a lobster and crawfish boil. The storm started while we were there and so we sat in the parking garage afterwards. When it finished we dropped Melanie off and went to check out the camper. All was well. We walked the campground and saw an armadillo and a owl.
Wednesday we walked and then headed out to Historical Blakeley State Park in Spanish Fort Alabama. This is a beautiful campground with lots of space between campers. We hiked the Northern part of the park including the battlefield. We saw another armadillo. We heard an owl at camp and had a campfire that night. We saw lots of flowers: Dwarf Crested Iris, Buckeye, and Little Brown Jug.
Thursday we went into Daphne to shop and we walked the boardwalk. As soon as we got out of the Jeep at the boardwalk, an alligator swam across the creek towards us. Almost tame? Back at camp we hiked the Southwest part of the park including the Hiding tree, Pontoon boat, boardwalks, champion tree trail and saw flowers, birds, lizards. We had a campfire that night too.
Friday we walked the campground and then headed to Georgia and camped at Florence Marina State Park. We hiked the campground and trails and saw five large alligators, lot's of turtles and birds.
Saturday we drove over to Providence Canyon State Park and hiked the canyons. Beautiful park and canyon. We hiked all the trails. We headed back to camp and had a relaxing evening at camp. We walked the park again looking for gators and only saw one.
Sunday morning we walked the campground and got to see one last Gator and then drove home.
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