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