We went to see the Lake Fausse Pointe State Park. It was almost empty when we arrived about 1:00 pm, but they said that they had been full the entire Memorial Day weekend. That is the reason I did not bother going to Lake Charles State Park. The park was very nice, with hiking and canoeing available, and very dense trees. It’s roads and sites had been recently re-paved. However, the site driveways were rather barrow; a large RV would take the entire width. And for a user of a roof mounted satellite dish, there were but a very few sites that might possibly allow one to see the satellite. So I think I will got ahead and book La Boulaie park for a week at $95.00. It is beside a busy highway, and a small truck stop, but the A/C covers most noise. I can laz-out, eat some Cajun food, and sightsee a little.

Where is La Boulaei RV Park? Keeping pretty much on my informal schedule, I departed Houston today, arriving at the La Boulaei RV Park South of Lafayette, LA.

I traveled I10 to Lake Charles, where I considered stopping at the Lake Charles State Park. However, I thought I needed to get a few more miles under Barth’s wheels before stopping. From Lake Charles to my stopping point, I drove US90. I would have taken it sooner, but I could not find it! Portions of I10 were very rough, and there was construction with miles of those dreaded concrete lane barriers right up to the roadway edge. I really do not like them.

The Texas coast and Houston were fun to visit, and I got to visit, let’s see if I can get this right, my first cousin once removed, his wife, and their daughter, which I guess is my first cousin twice removed. I enjoyed the visit.

But black ribbons beckon, so off we went. I am looking forward to spending some time in Cajun country.

Where is the Wally World near Manvel, TX? That is what I thought when I saw all the switches and gauges in the Shuttle mock-up at the Space Center. I certainly would have a problem. And to think, they flew with little more computing power than a Palm Pilot! The visit was worth the time.

It is warm now, but it will be nice once the sun sets. I can almost see the thermometer moving.

I visited the Moody Gardens Aquarium and IMAX today, in addition to driving by some things I had little interest in. Galveston is actually a pretty neat city. I should have gotten out more. But the beach is relaxing to walk also.

We went over the ferry at the east end of the Galveston Island. Signs at many places disallowed gasoline in portable containers. I went anyways, hoping that no one noted the two five gallon gasoline cans in the back of Jeep, used to run my small generator when boondocking. Fortunately they did not see them on the return trip also. Otherwise I would have had to drive for hours in a long loop through Houston to get back home.

The bad is that when I returned from the second walk, before sundown, I went to the freezer for some ice cream. I discovered that I had left the freezer incompletely closed, with ice that was in the top rack having melted and refrozen to encrust everything below it. Now I am in the process of completely defrosting it just to remove partially frozen food.

Oh… for a hair drier!

Some boring picts:

An un-inspired container ship. My hair sizzled from the potential nukes onboard.

This light house would have been fun to visit, but, alas, it is now privately owned.

And a shot of the ferry that I took illegal gasoline containers onto, twice.

Where is Galveston Island State Park? We had a successful and pleasant drive from Goose Island to Galveston Island with no mis-navigation errors. We arrived to an overcast sky and a few sprinkles. A heavy rain would be welcome to wash some of the salt spray from Barth, unless it were a salty rain.

But there was one ‘event’ that I had not expected. Traveling the Blue Water Highway toward the SW end of Galveston Island there appears a toll bridge. It was designed only for cars, and is at the exit end of the bridge with no possibility of a turn around. Well, I managed to squeak Barth with no more than 4 inches clearance on each side for my mirrors. Do not want to think what would have happened if there were a roadway imperfection at that point that could have lurched the roofline of Barth sideways.

I shut down the engine so I could hear the fellow in the tool booth 5 feet below behind bullet proof glass. He said that “someone will have to get off and come to the window.” I considered sending Annie. I unbuckled, walked to the door, and was starring at a 6 or 8 inch clearance. I went back to the window and told him I could not open my door, and I would have to pull forward and park (in the roadway).

He said “Whatever makes you most comfortable.” Hell, it wasn’t a matter of comfort, it was a matter of entrapment! I should have been paid as a reward for not hitting something and blocking the bridge, not charged. I wondered why there were no semi’s, trucks or motorhomes on that road. I was extremely lucky that I could sqeeze through.