Chasing Sonshine

September 15, 2021March 17, 2023

Galveston

Although we were done camping for a while, we were not done traveling. Our first destination was Galveston, Texas. We went there, chasing sunshine and warmth. While we did find that, we also found lots to explore in this Gulf Coast town.

On the surface, Galveston reminded us of New Orleans. Many restaurants touted Cajun fare; several houses mirrored those found in the French Quarter. Mardi Gras seemed to be a common theme too. While the cities had similarities, Galveston was much easier to navigate and far less crowded.

This house had NOLA vibes, as did many other houses in the area.

Of course we spent time at the beach. The water was brown and murky but we love the sound of the surf pounding the shoreline. When we are at the ocean, we can’t ignore that constant deep rumble and crash of the breaking waves. In the Bible, God’s voice is described like the sound of many waters (Ezekiel 43:2). For now, God speaks to mankind gently, through His word. However one day, His thundering voice will resound throughout the earth, causing every knee to bow and every tongue to confess Jesus as Lord (Philippians 2:10-11). Listening to the waves reminds us of that great and terrible day of the Lord yet to come (Joel 2:31). Are you ready? If you are not sure of that answer, get to know Jesus. He is the way, the truth, and the life. (John 14:6)

As we walked along the coast, we delightfully demolished some of the abundant thin shells that littered the beach. These channeled duck clam shells made a satisfying crunch beneath our feet, surpassing even the best dry leaves of autumn.

These crunchy shells were everywhere along the shoreline.

That sound was addictive!

In 1900, a devastating hurricane hit Galveston. One third of the city was destroyed and over 6000 residents were killed. Two of the buildings that withstood the storm are now museums that we toured: the Bishop’s Palace and the Moody Mansion.

The Bishop’s Palace was built over six years and completed in 1892 for Colonel Walter Gresham and his family. Col. Gresham made his fortune as a lawyer, entrepreneur, and as a founder of the Santa Fe Railroad. In 1923, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Galveston purchased the home for the bishop’s residence. In 1963, the Diocese along with the Galveston Historical Foundation opened the home for tours.

The palace had beautiful woodworking and stained glass.

In 1900 after the hurricane, the W.L. Moody Jr. family bought the house that came to be known as the Moody Mansion. He paid $20,000 for the home, purchasing it from Olive Willis, whose widowed mother had built the house in 1895.

W.L. Moody Jr. was a diversified businessman with interests in banking, cotton, insurance, hotels, newspapers, and ranching. His oldest daughter, Mary, headed Moody enterprises after her father’s death. When Mary died in 1986, the mansion became a museum under the guidance of the Moody Foundation, honoring the family’s contributions to Galveston and Texas.

The room where the family liked to relax in the evenings.

In the gardens of Ashton Villa stands a statue of Major General Gordon Granger. On June 19, 1865, Major General Granger arrived in Galveston and read General Order No. 3, proclaiming that all slaves were free. “The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor. The freedmen are advised to remain quietly at their present homes and work for wages. They are informed that they will not be allowed to collect at military posts and that they will not be supported in idleness either there or elsewhere.” This day is now celebrated as Juneteenth.

The Strand Historic District is a fun area of restored historic buildings now occupied by restaurants and gift shops. We discovered it was Galveston’s Restaurant Week and nearly every restaurant offered happy hour food and drink specials. We enjoyed many delicious dishes at Willie G’s Seafood and Steaks, Riondo’s Ristorante, Shrimp ’N Stuff, and The Sunflower Bakery & Cafe.

Our favorite meal was on Seawall Boulevard at Miller’s Seawall Grill. We shared jalapeños stuffed with crab, Basa fish, shrimp, and peach cobbler. Delicious!

We had a long wait but the food was worth it.

On our way home from Galveston, we were nearing a town where we planned to eat lunch. As we discussed our lunch options, a Texas Ranger stopped Cy for speeding. She explained that we were chatting and she wasn’t paying close attention to her speed. After taking her license and insurance card, the officer returned with a warning (thankfully!). Since police tend to know the best local places, she asked the officer for his lunch suggestion. He seemed surprised by the question but he did have a recommendation. If you’re ever in Henderson, Texas, stop by Hush Puppies for some catfish. Tell them a Texas Ranger sent you!

Lesson Learned: Cheap eats makes a happy hour…or two!

July 23, 2021

Deep in the Heart of Texas

The road was calling and we needed to chase some sunshine, so we headed for the Texas Hill Country. Our destination was Inks Lake State Park in Burnet. When we arrived at the camp, we learned that Texas State Parks require daily pass fees in addition to camping fees, along with extra vehicle fees for each motorcycle. Had we known about the extra fees before we arrived, we might have found a different campground. While these added fees aren’t much individually, they greatly increase the cost of camping in a Texas State Park. In fact, the fees doubled the nightly rate of our campsite. Oh well. We kept this lesson in mind when we planned our next stop in Texas.

In spite of the fees, Inks Lake was a great spot to camp. During the days, we explored the surrounding countryside, sometimes on our motorcycles and sometimes in the truck.

We rode around Lake Buchanan and to the nearby Longhorn Cavern State Park. In the 1930’s, the Civilian Conservation Corps developed this park, crafting unique limestone buildings and structures over the cave’s entrance. We just missed the last cave tour of the day but we enjoyed exploring the grounds.

Sometimes we explored on foot. There was great hiking at Inks Lake.

When we were riding, we did a double take as a castle rose above the scrubby Texas countryside. Castle Falkenstein, as we learned later, was built by a local Burnet businessman and his wife following a trip to Germany. The castle is available for weddings and special events and for nightly rentals through Airbnb.

We took the truck to Fredericksburg as we planned to stay for the Christmas lighting ceremony in Marktplatz (Market Square) which occurs every night during the Christmas season. The star of the show is a 26 foot tall German Christmas pyramid that features carved wooden figures illustrating the story of Jesus Christ’s birth. The pyramid is a nod to Fredericksburg’s German heritage. In addition to the Christmas pyramid, Fredericksburg’s German roots are evident in the many German restaurants, breweries, and wineries that dot the city’s main street.

As music played, the pyramid’s levels turned.

Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, a native of Fredericksburg, commanded the Pacific Fleet in World War II. The town wanted to honor its noble son with a museum of his military accomplishments but he refused the offer. He later agreed to a museum that honored all of the servicemen and women in the Pacific War. Thus the National Museum of the Pacific War came to be in Fredericksburg. Unfortunately, we were in town on the one day of the week the museum is closed, Tuesday.

Many of the little towns near Inks Lake have lovely Christmas light displays. We visited Llano and Marble Falls. It was refreshing to walk through the twinkling lights and not be freezing cold. We also appreciated that the lights presented the true meaning of Christmas along with the whimsical Santa, reindeer, and elves.

The Christmas lights were religious and patriotic, sometimes in a juxtaposition that made us smile.

After living in Texas in the mid 90’s, we know Texas pride is unique and often displayed, even in Christmas lights.

After Inks Lake, we moved northeast to Lofers Bend on Whitney Lake. Lofers Bend is an Army Corps of Engineers campground so we did not have any extra fees this time. Abundant deer roamed the campground. We saw them several times throughout our stay and our presence did not faze them, although they startled us a few times.

We saw the deer at all times of the day.

One evening we counted 10 deer grazing near the shoreline.

Waco is not far from Whitney Lake so we headed there to see the sights. We visited the Waco Mammoth National Monument. In 1978, wooly mammoth bones were found at the site. Since then, several fossils have been uncovered including multiple mammoths, a mammoth nursery, a dwarf antelope, an alligator, a giant tortoise, a saber-toothed tiger tooth, and a camel. Scientists believe these animals died in a flood or a series of floods. Hmm, perhaps they died in a world-wide flood? We found it interesting that a camel was discovered along with the now extinct creatures.

While some fossils have been removed, many others are still embedded where they were discovered.

We also visited the Dr. Pepper museum. Originally, the soda was sold as a health drink. “For health-energy and fun-in one”, Dr. Pepper was prescribed three times a day: at 10:00 am, 2:00 pm, and 4:00 pm. That seemed like a lot of soda to us!

Can one visit Waco without stopping at Magnolia, Chip and Joanna Gaines’s shopping mecca? To be honest, we spent about 15 minutes there and that was enough. The turf lawn in front of the repurposed silos was dotted with families and Jo want-to-be’s. The few items we looked at in the crowded shops were, wait for it, made in China. We are sure there were better quality American-made items available but we didn’t stick around long enough to discover them.

We did discover a small family owned shop a few blocks from Magnolia. Iron Willow specializes in metal art and signs. The dad and son cut the projects; the mother and daughter paint the items. We were happy to find some Christmas gifts at this unique small business.

In addition to some delicious Guess Family Barbecue, we tried some pho at Clay Pot. Since the day was chilly, the flavorful, warm soup was a satisfying lunch.

We left Texas and headed to Kansas. On our way, we stopped in Fort Worth to eat our favorite fried chicken at Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken. On our travels, we have eaten at Gus’s in Memphis, St. Louis, Southaven, MS, and (our favorite location) Kansas City, KS. As they say at Gus’s, “If you haven’t eaten at Gus’s, you haven’t eaten fried chicken.”

At the time, we didn’t realize this would be our last camping adventure for a while. We have continued to travel sporadically but that’s for the next blog post. We praise God for the opportunity we had to travel and experience our nation in ways we never imagined. Everywhere we went, we found interesting people, historic sights, and beautiful scenery. For now, we are still Chasing Sonshine but in a less nomadic way!

Lesson Learned: Research can be valuable. Had we read more, we would have known about the extra state park fees. We could have traveled to Fredericksburg on a different day in order to visit the National Museum of the Pacific War. Now we will have to return someday!

We continued to marvel at the local trees…

Deep in the Heart of Texas

June 25, 2021

Let’s Take the Long Way Home

After South Carolina, we decided to ramble our way back toward Kansas City at a rather leisurely pace. Our next stop was beautiful Lake Martin in Alabama. We camped at Wind Creek State Park, one of the largest state-owned campgrounds in the United States with 586 campsites. Since the campsites sprawl in nearly all directions, we camped in relative seclusion. Having a mostly private bathroom nearby was a nice perk.

Lake Martin is pristine and peaceful, most of the time. One morning we were awakened before dawn by loudspeaker mumbles while boat engines roared at regular intervals. At first, we thought boat races were commencing. However as we listened, Bill realized a fishing tournament was underway. We watched out the camper’s window as boat after boat raced off to favorite fishing spots. By mid-afternoon, we watched as the boats scrambled back to the check-in site to register their day’s bounty. Once the tournament was over, the lake returned to its quiet self.

Alabama has some great motorcycling. From Wind Creek, we rode north into the Talladega National Forest and enjoyed the twisty rural mountain roads. We toured Horseshoe Bend National Military Park, the sight in 1814 of the final battle in the Creek War. We also rode around Lake Martin and through the town of Kowaliga, AL. In the early 1950’s, Hank Williams was staying in a cabin at Kowaliga on Lake Martin when he penned his famous song, Kaw-Liga.

These baby trees grow into these towering giants!

Cy’s aunt and uncle live a couple hours from Lake Martin so we met them for dinner one evening. It was so good to catch up with them.

My spunky Aunt Jane and Uncle Wilbur. Please pray for Janey as she is facing some recent health challenges.

Our next stop was David Crockett State Park in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee. In 1817, David Crockett moved to the area with his family. He established a powder mill, a grist mill, and a distillery on the land the park now occupies. Unfortunately, in 1821 a flood swept away Crockett’s industry and he moved his family to West Tennessee. In 1836, Crockett died defending the Alamo in Texas. At the museum, we learned that he disliked the nickname ‘Davy’ even though he has been immortalized as ‘Davy, Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier.’

In the 1830’s, the Federal Government forcibly removed thousands of American Indians from their homelands, marching them to reservations in Oklahoma. The Trail of Tears the Indians walked cut through this state park. The Trail remains as a sober reminder of the unjust treatment the Native Americans endured during that dark time in our nation’s history.

From this point, they still had over 500 miles to go.

From Tennessee, we went to Tombigbee State Park in Tupelo, Mississippi. While we camped in Tupelo, we were able to ride more of the Natchez Trace Parkway. The Trace totals 444 miles, stretching from Nashville, TN to Natchez, MS. Around Tupelo, the Trace has several historic markers, noting the Native Americans, the enslaved, and the early settlers in the area.

The city of Tupelo is best known as the birthplace of Elvis Presley. While the museum was closed due to Covid, the grounds were open so we wandered where young Elvis used to play. He learned to play guitar from Brother Frank Smith, the minister at the Assembly of God Church young Elvis attended. The original church was relocated and now stands on the museum grounds. The Presley family moved from Tupelo to Memphis in 1948 when Elvis was thirteen.

We continued our journey toward Kansas City with a stop outside of Little Rock, Arkansas. Maumelle Park on the Arkansas River was a scenic wooded campground. We awoke to dense fog blanketing the campground and the river.

The fog had started lifting by the time we snapped a photo.

After we packed up camp, we drove across Arkansas to Rogers, to see our daughter and son-in-law. Our daughter had told us about Hattie B’s Hot Chicken so we tried it when we were in Birmingham, Alabama. Delicious!

Hattie B’s was great but we still think Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken is the fried chicken to beat!

The next day, we drove the final leg back to Kansas City. We arrived at sunset, just in time to tour the land we had offered to purchase. We were very happy with the lay of the land so we decided to let our offer stand. Just a few days later, the owner finally decided to sign the sales contract. We scheduled a soil morphology test to make sure we could get a septic system installed. We also called the water department and other utilities to make sure they were available at the property. Everything was positive, so we continued the contract and (eventually) became land owners near Holt, Missouri.

The view from our future homesite, if the Lord is willing!

Lesson Learned: There is joy in the journey, especially when we patiently follow the Lord’s leading while Chasing Sonshine.

April 21, 2021

Lowcountry Highlights and the End of the Line

From Georgia, we headed northeast into South Carolina. After a brief stop for lunch on Jekyll Island, we reached Colleton State Park in Walterboro, SC, our address for the week. Colleton State Park is just an hour from Charleston, Beaufort, and Savannah, making it convenient for exploring the area.

Our Bible study friends recommended stopping in Beaufort and we were glad they did. This little city is filled with picturesque homes and Civil War history. We stopped by the Reconstruction Era National Park. There we learned about Robert Smalls, a heroic figure who overcame his circumstances.

The amazing Robert Smalls. Why hadn’t we heard of him before now?

Robert was born a slave to the McKee family who lived at 511 Prince Street in Beaufort. By the time he was 13, he was working aboard boats in the Charleston Harbor. When the Civil War started, Robert piloted the CSS Planter steamboat for the Confederate government. One night in May, 1862, the captain and the crew of the Planter went ashore, leaving the ship in the hands of the slaves. Robert seized the moment. He piloted the ship through Charleston Harbor past Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie, picked up his family and friends, and sailed to the Union blockade. Under the white flag of surrender, he gave the ship to the Union fleet. Robert’s bravery and skill gained the freedom of every slave aboard the ship. Impressed by his daring feat and knowledge of the waterways, the Union made Robert a captain in the US Navy. After the Civil War, Robert fought for racial equality and against segregation. He served in numerous public offices, including the US House of Representatives. In the ultimate twist, Robert used the prize money he received for capturing the Planter to purchase the McKee house at 511 Prince Street where he and his mother had been born into slavery. When Mrs. McKee’s health failed, Robert welcomed her to stay with the Smalls family in her former home. Robert Smalls truly was a great man. A memorial quote at Tabernacle Baptist Church (where he attended and is buried) reads, “My race needs no special defense for the past history of them in this country proves them to be the equal of any people anywhere. All they need is an equal chance in the battle of life.” His words are powerful and relevant for today.

Born here as a slave, Robert Smalls died here as the master.

One unanticipated delight of our travels has been the variety of trees we have seen. In Beaufort, the moss draped trees and lush gardens nearly outshone the well-maintained homes.

How many generations of children have climbed their stately boughs that swoop low to kiss the ground?

More magnificent trees stand as sentries guarding Beaufort National Cemetery where both Union and Confederate soldiers lie beneath their spreading shade.

Near Charleston at the Old Sheldon Church ruins, weathered tree roots eerily snake under and around the ancient gravestones. These trees have witnessed history and they will stand long after our generation is gone.

Sheldon Church held its first service in 1757. British troops burned it in 1779 but it was rebuilt in 1825 from the original walls. In 1865, Gen. Sherman burned it on his March to the Sea. The ruins remain.

Ghostly tendrils of tree roots escape the ground.

In Charleston, we explored stately neighborhoods, historic structures and locations, and sampled delicious southern cuisine. We visited the graves of two signers of the Constitution, Charles Cotesworth Pinckney and John Rutledge.

In Charleston, sidewalk facing front doors open onto porches and interior courtyards.

We went to Fort Moultrie but it was closed due to Covid. The Seminole Indian Chief, Oceola, died at the fort in 1838 while imprisoned for leading his warriors in skirmishes against the troops seeking the forced removal of Oceola’s people.

We took a ferry to Fort Sumter which is on an island in Charleston Harbor. There we saw original cannons, Civil War shelling damage, and slave-made bricks with little finger marks in them.

Slave labor and slave-made bricks built Drayton Hall, an unrestored plantation outside of Charleston. The home was built in 1738 and survived the Revolutionary War and the Civil War.

Ponds now fill the depressions where clay was dug to make the bricks to build the home.

After the Civil War, the Drayton family went to Texas so they rented the plantation to a phosphate mining company. Several former slaves remained on the estate to work in the phosphate industry and to care for the plantation. These caretakers were proud of what their ancestors had built and accomplished in spite of their enslavement.

The interior of the mansion has been preserved but not restored.

In South Carolina, we tried many Lowcountry foods.

Their peach cider was worth the stop. It tasted just like fresh peach juice.

Although boiled peanuts seem to be a local favorite, we were not fans of the mushy legumes.

Shrimp and grits was a creamy comfort food. Our favorite dishes included she-crab soup and stuffed hushpuppies.

A giant hushpuppy filled with creamy crab, lobster, and shrimp bisque. Delicious!

While we were in Charleston, some land popped up for sale near Holt, Missouri. After looking at the photos, we thought it might fit our land wishes. We set up a FaceTime call with the listing agent. On our way back to camp from touring Drayton Hall, we sat on a curb in a CVS parking lot while it sprinkled and had a video tour of the land. We liked what we saw so we sent our son and daughter-in-law to the property to get their thoughts. They affirmed our positive impression of the land so we submitted an offer. The seller needed to research some details before deciding about our offer so we left South Carolina without knowing the seller’s decision. Since we were in limbo, we decided to wind our way back toward Kansas City just in case the seller accepted our offer. We took comfort in the knowledge that God would provide property for us in His time, whether or not this was the land for us. That’s one lesson we have been learning. God provides what we need, just when we need it!

Road to Drayton Hall. Perfect day for a motorcycle ride!

Our time in South Carolina marked the End of the Line for our eastern travels.

January 26, 2021

Okefenokee

You, Lord, are the only God. You created the heavens, the highest heavens with all their stars, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to all of them and all the stars of heaven worship you. Nehemiah 9:6

We outran Hurricane Zeta by heading east. Our first stop was at Falling Waters State Park in Chipley, Florida. Falling Waters boasts Florida’s highest waterfall surrounded by tall trees and fern covered sinkholes.

Interesting tree fungus in the woods by the waterfall

As we hiked to the waterfall, we spied an unfamiliar animal. We later learned it was a fox squirrel. Larger than our Midwest squirrels, its bright white nose and ears were a stark contrast to its black furred face. At our approach, he quickly skittered off into the woods but not before we snapped a few photos.

These photos aren’t great, but they were the best we captured of the fox squirrel.

From Falling Waters, we went to Mike Roess Gold Head Branch State Park in Keystone Heights, Florida.

The sandy path between our campsite and the bathroom. On our first night, a long black snake slithered across the path in front of us. From then on, we treaded carefully at night!

Mike Roess Gold Head Branch State Park is about 50 miles from the Atlantic Ocean. We rode to the seashore for lunch and meandered our way north on the A1A coastal highway.

Two national parks were on our route. Unfortunately, Fort Matanzas National Monument south of St. Augustine was closed due to Covid. Castillo de San Marcos National Monument in St. Augustine was open and we briefly walked around the exterior.

On our honeymoon over 32 years ago, we drove to Florida. In addition to visiting Walt Disney World, Epcot, Cape Canaveral, and an alligator farm, we drove along the coast to Daytona Beach and St. Augustine. In St. Augustine, we drank from the Fountain of Youth. After all these years, we thought it was time for a ‘booster sip’ so we headed to the attraction.

Ponce de Leon visited this area in 1513 on his quest for new lands and healing waters.

Sadly we arrived at closing time so we didn’t get our second shot. However, we did get wet. As we rode back to camp, rain set in. We have rain gear, but of course, it was back at camp. Oh well. We arrived home safe but soggy.

Our next stop was Okefenokee Pastimes in Folkston, GA, located just outside the main entrance of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge.

Okefenokee is the largest blackwater swamp in North America, covering 438,000 acres or approximately 700 square miles.

Chesser Island Boardwalk winds into the swamp. Because of alligators, dogs are not allowed on the boardwalk. But people are? Hmm….

While the surface waters of the swamp are shiny black, the water actually looks like tea, tinted brown by decaying vegetation and peat.

We took a fantastic boat tour of the swamp. Although our guide was fairly young, he was from a multi-generation swamp dwelling family. He impressed us with his love for his native land and his vast knowledge of the swamp, the creatures who live there, and the people who made it their home.

In the late 1800’s the Chesser family settled this homestead on Chesser Island near the swamp. In addition to operating a sawmill, the family gardened and raised crops, primarily tobacco and sugar cane. They also raised cattle, pigs, and chickens.

This pigmy rattlesnake was coiled under the fence by the homestead. He didn’t seem bothered by anyone tromping past him.

As the days have gotten shorter and the nights are longer, we notice that we don’t meet as many of our fellow campers as we did in the summer months. People tend to hole up in their RV’s during the long dark evenings and we are guilty of that too. We have met some great camp hosts who take pride in keeping their facilities in good order and sparkling clean. We try to let them know how much we appreciate their efforts. Their hard work makes our Chasing Sonshine much more enjoyable!

Lesson Learned: Every geographic area has beauty and something interesting to explore.

On the surface, this swamp prairie doesn’t look much different than a Kansas prairie. Step foot in it and you’ll immediately know the difference!

A swamp song from Cy’s childhood

December 14, 2020December 14, 2020

Go to the Mardi Gras

After our stay at Poverty Point, Louisiana, we headed south toward our next destination, Buccaneer State Park in Waveland, Mississippi. Buccaneer State Park is just an hour east of New Orleans, which we planned to visit.

On our way, we drove part of the Natchez Trace Parkway. The 444 mile parkway stretches from Nashville, TN to Natchez, MS. Originally this travel corridor was used by the Natchez, Chickasaw, and Choctaw tribes. By the late 1700’s, travelers and tradesmen used the route. As trade progressed, merchants floated goods down the Mississippi River, sold everything in Natchez or New Orleans, and walked the Trace back home to get another load ready to sell. Slave traders also used the route to move enslaved people throughout the region. So many people traversed the Trace that sunken sections of the original trail are still visible today. We stopped several times to see these sections as well as other landmarks along the parkway.

Forks of the Road in Natchez, MS. These shackles mark the site of one of the largest slave markets in the United States. The market was at a formerly prominent intersection in the city. Now, just these shackles and a few signs bear witness to the heinous activity that happened here.

By the time we arrived at our campsite in Waveland, it was dark and misting. Thankfully the campground was well lit so we were able to see as we set up camp. When we arrive at a camp, we both have certain jobs to do. We work together to unload the motorcycles then our individual chores begin. After getting the trailer in the right spot and level, Bill deploys the stabilizers, places the wheel chocks behind the trailer wheels, unhooks the trailer from the truck, connects the electricity, secures the propane tank to the trailer, attaches the kitchen shelf to the trailer, clips a tarp over our sleeping canvas, sets out our lawn chairs and table, stores the motorcycle tie-downs, and refills our water jugs. Cy’s tasks begin with removing the motorcycle wheel chocks from the trailer floor. Then she sweeps the floor, unrolls the carpet, extends our sleeping canvas and makes our bed, transfers our clothing tubs from the truck to the trailer, sets up the pantry shelf, removes the Velcro strips that secure our belongings as we travel, and connects the television.

Our television reception varies greatly, depending on the proximity of a city and the campsite’s terrain. At several sites, we haven’t received any channels. At a few campgrounds, we have had over 10 channels. Granted, some of these stations were home shopping or in Spanish. While they were watchable, they were not of general interest to us. At times, we have splurged on a few DVDs. We set a limit of $5 maximum for a movie. Thankfully, Walmart and Dollar General have decent cinema selections under our budget limit. We have seen such gems as Jumanji, Gone With the Wind, the original theatrical releases of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. While we enjoyed these films, we really liked 42, about Jackie Robinson and his experience as the first Black baseball player in major league baseball. Watching this movie about segregation while touring the South made it even more impactful. If you haven’t watched 42, we highly recommend the film.

In New Orleans, we learned about the city’s multicultural population through its food on a Doctor Gumbo Food Tour. Our knowledgeable guide pointed out how the people of New Orleans changed the culture and the foods of New Orleans. Because of its location on the Mississippi River, New Orleans became home to several diverse populations including Choctaw Indians, French and Spanish settlers (later called Creoles), Irish, German, and Italian immigrants, formerly enslaved people from Africa and the West Indies, ‘Kaintucks’ from the Ohio River Valley, and Acadians from Nova Scotia (eventually called Cajuns). When these people settled in New Orleans, they blended their food traditions and seasonings with the available produce and proteins to become the culinary melting pot that is New Orleans. On our food tour, we sampled gumbo, muffuletta and po’boy sandwiches, pralines, turtle soup, and bread pudding. On our own, we had more gumbo, beignets, red beans and rice, étouffée, and crawfish pie. Really, all we did was eat!

In addition to eating, we toured the must-see National World War II Museum.

We spent several hours at the museum and could have stayed for several more. Unlike other museums we have experienced, this one seeks to capture the voices of the people involved in the conflict. Each exhibit had personal items displayed along with a story or account of the owner. These personal histories were moving and thought provoking. Our hearts were grieved by the reality that some very vocal Americans today scorn our Constitutional freedoms and actively embrace the failed socialist ideals that their grandparents’ and great grandparents’ generations battled to defeat over 75 years ago. So many died to preserve freedom, yet our nation seems to be sliding toward ‘cancel culture’ and socialism. The contrast between then and now was stark. We pray it won’t take another war to defeat those ideas which destroy freedom.

Fredric Arnold crafted this cast bronze piece from his personal experience flying P-38’s in combat over North Africa, Italy, and Sicily. After six months of missions, he was one of the few men left from his aviation class. The lighter airmen figures portray the spirits of pilots killed on previous missions. More than 88,000 U.S. airmen died during the war. Mr. Arnold completed this moving sculpture at age 94 and he died two years later.

We planned to stay at our campsite in Waveland for five nights; however, we didn’t plan on Hurricane Zeta. Since the hurricane was predicted to hit the park, we left a few days early and headed to Florida. We were glad we did. The storm’s high winds caused significant power outages and some structural damage. Our little Intech Flyer home would not have stood a chance!

The gulf on our last night in the area. Two nights later, the hurricane hit here.

Lesson Learned: Stay off Bourbon Street after 3:00 pm, especially in a large vehicle!

Almost time for us to leave Bourbon Street. After 3:00 pm, the French Quarter becomes very crowded with an interesting mix of eclectic people .

Praying that Jesus shines brightly in New Orleans and that people there accept His gift of life.

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUPkvv4H0V0

December 5, 2020December 6, 2020

Mockin’ Bird Hill

The terrain changes considerably when one travels from Northwest Arkansas to Northeast Louisiana. The tree covered mountains give way to flat river bottom farmlands. When we drove the rural highways south of Pine Bluff, Arkansas and into Louisiana, the cotton harvest was underway. Large round bales of pink and yellow plastic wrapped cotton dotted the edges of fields and stray pieces of cotton floated like snow before settling along the highways’ edges. For a couple of North Central Kansas kids, the cotton fields and harvest was interesting to observe.

We camped at Poverty Point Reservoir State Park between Epps and Delhi, Louisiana. In the mornings, the bright call of the mockingbird woke us. On our first morning, it sounded like a whole flock of songbirds was outside our camper but we soon realized it was just a few mockingbirds. Their bright and varied songs were new to us but what a joyful sound! Listening to the mockingbirds was one of our favorite things about camping in Louisiana. We didn’t record any of the birds, so here is a link to a mockingbird singing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNNX3f3_svo

About twice a day, some fellow campers walked through the campground. Since we cook our meals outside and use the truck’s tailgate as our kitchen counter, the husband would ask, “What’s on the tailgate tonight?” We had a really nice chat with them and some friends of theirs. They were all natives of Louisiana, retired, and genuine people of faith. They treated us to some delicious zucchini bread too.

Poverty Point World Heritage Site was just a 20 minute ride from our camp. Constructed by indigenous people between 1700 and 1100 BC, Poverty Point consists of several earthen mounds and six concentric C-shaped ridges. Archeologists believe the area was a massive trading and ceremonial center for the native peoples. Not much of the site has been excavated so there is a great deal more yet to learn about these mysterious land creations and the people who formed them.

The largest mound. A wooden boardwalk goes to the top.

View from the top of the largest mound. To gain perspective of the height and size of the mound, our motorcycles are near the shelter.

After Poverty Point World Heritage Site, we decided to ride to West Monroe to see if we could find the Duck Commander headquarters.

In the gift shop, a tee-shirt said, “Arise, Kill, Eat” from the vision Peter had in Acts 10:13.

The roads in this part of Louisiana are fairly flat. In some places, swamps exist on either side of the highway. While we watched for alligators, we didn’t see any although a black snake raced across the road right in front of us. Thankfully, we missed him and he missed us!

One sunny day, we rode our bikes to nearby Vicksburg, Mississippi. The bluffs along the Mississippi River were more interesting to ride than the river bottom of Louisiana.

Vicksburg was a crucial city during the Civil War; whoever controlled it, controlled the lower Mississippi River. In early 1862, the Vicksburg Campaign began and the campaign ended when the Confederates surrendered on July 4, 1863. The battle and siege raged for a year and a half. Over 48,000 lives were lost. Soldiers from Missouri were present on both sides of the conflict. Kansans fought for the Union.

This monument honors the 42 Missouri units (27 Union and 15 Confederate) present at Vicksburg. It stands where two opposing Missouri regiments met in battle.

Because of Covid, the National Military Park was closed but the 16 mile driving loop was open. We started riding through the battlefield with Cy making frequent stops to take photos. We soon realized we wouldn’t make it through the park before it closed if she stopped at every interesting marker. Later we learned that over 1,400 monuments and markers dot the winding road through the battlefield commemorating the soldiers and commanders who fought and died on that hallowed ground. The drive was a solemn reminder of the high cost of freedom and the sacrifice that was made to keep America ‘one nation, under God.’ Our country isn’t perfect, but knowing so many people bled and died in that hilly forested area and how many loved ones grieved their deaths was sobering.

Battle lines were present throughout the drive.

Touring the South makes us more aware of the complexity of man and our history. Many men we honor did some terrible, immoral things, including the enslavement of people. As Johnny Cash sang in the song Best Friend “A diamond is a diamond and a stone is a stone, but a man’s not all good nor all bad. When the chips are all down and your back’s at the wall, God is the best friend that you’ve ever had, God is the best friend that you’ve ever had.” We all need Jesus. In Him, all sin can be forgiven, even the heinous act of slavery. Jesus offers freedom and life for all who believe in Him. “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!” 1 Corinthians 15:57

The silent cannons and clouds display the horror of war and the hope yet to come. “Then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory.” Mark 13:26

November 10, 2020

Nothing But the Blood of Jesus

Our search for sunshine led us to Buckhorn Campground at the Lake of the Arbuckles near Sulphur, Oklahoma.

It soon became apparent how Sulphur got its name. As we drove through the town’s valleys, our nostrils were assailed by that familiar rotten egg smell. It turns out that Sulphur has natural springs that are high in elemental sulfur. While public mineral water fountains are available in Sulphur, we didn’t try the water this time. Thankfully the noxious smell tended to hang in low spots and didn’t permeate the whole area.

While we were there, we explored nearby Chickasaw National Recreation Area.

As we hiked the trails, we watched armadillos snuffling through the woods. These little creatures buried their noses in the ground and bulldozed their way through the forest, eating dinner as they went.

He looked at us, scurried deeper into the woods, and continued his lunch.

Thankfully, we didn’t see any but they might have seen us!

After our time in Oklahoma, we went back to KC so we could vote absentee. We had planned to vote before our trip south, but we failed to remember that county offices would be closed on Columbus Day. Although the miles add up, we didn’t mind returning to KC to perform our civic duty.

When we are in Kansas City, we get to see some of our kids and we get to worship with our church family. When we are on the road, some Sunday mornings we watch our church’s online services and sometimes we find a local church to attend. It’s encouraging to meet fellow Christians throughout our country and it’s fun to experience how different churches worship the Lord. Upon arrival at one church we visited, we were each given a small paper lunch bag which contained our communion elements. In the churches we have attended, communion is celebrated with a small wafer and a sip of juice. However, this church gave us a generous wafer and an eight ounce can of grape juice. After the communion meditation and prayer, the sound of popping can tops echoed throughout the sanctuary. It took several swallows to drain the juice can. At first, the copious amount of juice made us chuckle but on reflection, isn’t that what Jesus offers? His blood was shed to cover all of our sins, not just a sip of them. He invites us to drink deeply and be filled with His love and His grace. An acronym for grace is God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. We left that service with a fresh reminder of God’s riches and Jesus’s abundant, overflowing love for us, thanks to an eight ounce can of Welch’s Grape Juice.

https://youtu.be/Ju-9_NBB1Yo

November 5, 2020

Splish Splash

We celebrated our birthdays in Arkansas. Our trailer needed a few final tweaks so we left it with the friendly folks at Mid-America RV in Carthage, MO and continued on our way to Hot Springs. Since we were without our ‘home’, we splurged on a hotel and enjoyed the luxury of a king-size bed.

Hot Springs is a fun town to explore. The main attraction is Hot Springs National Park which is on the city’s main street. Historic bathhouses line Central Avenue with the Grand Promenade behind the bathhouses at the base of the mountain. From the Grand Promenade, numerous hiking trails offer opportunities to explore the mountainside.

Because of Covid, only two bathhouses were open, the Buckstaff and the Quapaw. We enjoyed a relaxing soak in the healing mineral waters at the Quapaw. Both bathhouses use water collected by the National Park System from the mountain’s natural thermal springs. Each day, over 700,000 gallons of water flow from the springs. When the water emerges from the earth, it is a scalding 147 degrees. The mineral water is cooled for use in the bathhouses.

This former bathhouse now houses the only brewery in a national park. They make root beer and beer with the mineral water.

In addition to the baths, thermal spring fountains are available for drinking the water. We didn’t realize this until we watched a local resident fill about 20 jugs to take home. We followed her lead and filled our drinking cooler with the water. The water did not have a mineral taste and we enjoyed drinking it.

From the Grand Promenade, we hiked the Peak Trail to Hot Springs Mountain Tower. While the trail was short, just 1/2 a mile each way, the 12% grade made it seem longer. When we got to the tower, we decided to continue our workout and used the stairs up the 216 foot tower. The views of the city and the surrounding mountains were worth our efforts.

Hot Springs Mountain Tower. Stairs or elevator?

In addition to the national park, we explored the Garvan Woodland Gardens. The landscaped gardens cover 210 acres and include numerous waterfalls, bridges, trees, and flowers.

Several unique structures exist in the garden including the Anthony Chapel, The Anthony Family Trust Carillon, The Bob and Sunny Evans Tree House, and the Garvan Pavilion.

Lake Ouachita offers hiking as well. We did a section of the Caddo Bend Trail and encountered a fuzzy arachnid along the way.

Beautiful view of Lake Ouachita from the Caddo Bend Trail

EEKS! He would have filled the palm of Bill’s hand.

After relaxing in Hot Springs, we headed south to Dallas, TX to help our daughter and son-in-law move from there to the northwest Arkansas area. Kyle’s family helped clean their apartment and load the truck. Our son and daughter-in-law and Cy’s sister and nephew came to help unload the truck. Everyone’s assistance was greatly appreciated!

Upon leaving the Arkansas kids’ house, we picked up the trailer and drove to Kansas City. We spent the week at Smithville Lake. When the weekend arrived, we dropped the trailer at a friend’s home and went to Kansas to spend the weekend with our parents.

On the way to our parents, we planned a second look at some property outside of Manhattan, KS. When we were about 30 minutes from Manhattan, Bill opened his email to discover two properties of interest had popped up near Smithville. Since land has been selling so quickly, we detoured back to Smithville. Once we looked at the land, we decided it wasn’t for us so we headed west again. This time, we made a flying trip, hoping to see the sun set over the land. We were about 10 minutes past sunset. When the coyotes started howling, we ended our brief visit. The property has a stark beauty and we really like it; however, it has some usage restrictions that give us pause. Because of that, we continue to monitor the real estate listings in the KC Northland and in Manhattan. At some point, we know God will lead us to the property He has in store for us.

Lesson Learned: Until you experience something, you don’t know what you’ve missed.

October 29, 2020

The Road to Kaintuck

Since our last update, we have been to Kansas, to Kentucky, to Illinois, to Kansas City, to Arkansas, to Texas, back to Arkansas, back to Kansas City, back to Kansas, to Oklahoma, back to Arkansas, back to Kansas City, back to Arkansas, to Louisiana, to Mississippi, and now we are in Florida. No wonder we are tired!

First, to Kansas. We traveled to our hometown to see our parents and to enjoy a family picnic celebrating the safe return of Cy’s cousin from a tour of duty in the Middle East with the Kansas National Guard. We are grateful for family members and friends who sacrificially serve (and served) our nation and our communities. As we approach this coming election, we pray that the sacrifices made for our country’s freedom in the past won’t be lost at the ballot box.

From Kansas to Kentucky: As one of the first cold spells of fall moved into the Plains States, the weather forecast was warm for Kentucky. We camped at Big Bone Lick State Historic Site near Covington, KY. Big Bone Lick was the site where early explorers found elephant bones in 1739. In 1807, William Clark spent three weeks there on an archeological dig for President Jefferson. Now, the park has a bison herd and several hiking trails. While we hiked a little, we did more touring on our motorcycles of scenic backroads. Since we were in Kentucky, we decided it would be a good time to visit the Ark Encounter and the Creation Museum. The Ark Encounter is a monumental place and worth visiting. The true-to-Biblical-dimensions ark demonstrates scientifically how Noah, his family, and all of the animals could live on the ark with enough food and water for the duration of the flood. The engineering of this replica ark is impressive. The Gospel was presented clearly, reminding visitors that just as in the days of Noah, so it will be when Jesus returns. Jesus repeatedly says, “If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” We pray people are hearing the good news of Jesus and responding with humble hearts. The Creation Museum was impressive too. The days of creation and the fall of man were depicted in life size dioramas. We even got to attend a session with Ken Ham, the founder of Answers in Genesis, which is the organization behind the museums.

After Big Bone Lick, we moved camp southeast to Fort Boonesborough State Park. Daniel Boone and his men established this fort in 1775 as Kentucky’s second settlement. The fort has been recreated so we spent a rainy Sunday afternoon there. We met a gunsmith who makes flintlock guns by hand with the same tools used in early America. Impressive! We also chatted with the blacksmith who fled corporate America to learn blacksmithing and eventually wants to become the fort’s gunsmith. While we chatted, he fashioned an iron hook that he kindly gifted to us. We use his kind gift in the trailer to hang our rain jackets.

Using his handmade rifles, the gunsmith harvested all the animal pelts in his workshop.

After the stress of corporate life caused health issues, the blacksmith found joy in handcrafting metal works.

While in the area, we discovered Ale-8-One soda crafted in Winchester, had a great meal at Carson’s Food & Drink in Lexington, and hiked up to the Natural Bridge and down into Devil’s Gulch. As we traveled to our next destination, we stopped by Buffalo Trace Distillery. All the tours were full but we enjoyed seeing the historic buildings. As we walked the grounds, the scent in the air changed from raw wet grains to the syrupy sweetness of bourbon.

This delicious dinner was a lovely treat!

This narrow passage led to stairs that let hikers go on top of the Natural Bridge.

Kentucky to Illinois: We camped at Gun Creek on Rend Lake. This peaceful campground was a great stopover on our way back to Kansas City. We stayed a couple days and rode the flat, straight roads of southern Illinois.

We went back to Kansas City for some appointments and to continue our land search. Smithville Lake has become our favorite place to stay when in the area. The weather turned chilly while we were there so we made a necessary purchase: a heated mattress pad. Having warmth soak through our chilled bones at the end of the day is lovely. Even if the air in the trailer is chilly, we are toasty in our snuggly bed. Although we continue to watch the real estate market and have looked at several properties, we have yet to find what we are seeking. We trust that God will provide land for us in His timing. Until then, we are Chasing Sonshine.

To be continued. Hopefully soon. Who knew our camp life would be so busy!

Lesson Learned: We need to blog more often.