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Gators, Games, and Good Times in the Gulf of America
Since our last post, we’ve picked up the trailer in Nebraska, drove it south to Texas, along our southern border to Florida, and back up to North Carolina, mostly along Interstate 10 – our last untraveled route between NC and CO.
You can track our journeys (since getting engaged) on Stacey’s Google map — we’re now starting the ‘green’ track.
I’m trying a new picture-heavy format. To read the picture captions, click an image and then the (i) button. You can scroll through by pressing “>” button.
Picked up the trailer from the farm we were storing it at (NE). We were greeted by cows when we dropped it off and pigs when we picked it up. They’re so cute in person!
Me decimating this interactive putt-putt course at the Big Apple Fun Zone in Kearney, NE. They had so many different games — our favorite was candlepin bowling
Explored this iconic Kansas city (the local brewery, distillery, and pizzeria) until we had to get out of Dodge (sorry, I had to)
Hillwilliam Farms Fishing & RV Adventures – Dude turned his property into a trophy fishing pond and RV campground. He tossed food into the water and a dozen trophy fish swam right up! I only caught one tiny fish though lol
Saw a sign for a “Bag of Burgers” so I bought one. 5 quarter-pounders. Not bad
Harvest Host: Skies over Texas Winery in Early, TX – Great wine and even better wild flowers (not pictured, sorry). We also stopped at Shiloh Winery (also not pictured) who’s logo accidentally featured backward’s Hebrew. I regretted pointing that out.
Luchenbach, TX is just one big honkey tonk! You can tell this place was built to party! The whole party grounds have been stomped down by almost 100 years of dancin’ cowboy boots. Live music every day — even if they only play for the 2 old bar maids.
Miles took Stacey and I on an amazing tour through San Antonio, including the La Antorcha de la Amistad (Torch of Friendship)
A highlight of the San Antonio Tour with Miles was the River Walk – great beer, food, weather, and company
Couldn’t visit San Antonio without seeing the Alamo! Very cool building, but I forget what it was about…
Texas Air Museum (San Antonio) was not the most impressive museum we’d ever seen… but they let us park our camper there overnight and we enjoyed hanging out near the old planes (you can see our camper if you look closely enough)
Houston Astros Baseball Game – Got FREE tickets outside the stadium! The stadium, atmosphere, and our seats were prime.
Houston Astros Post-game fireworks (they slide back the roof just for this show!). Great strategy: I’ve never seen so many people stay through the end of the game!
The World’s Largest Working Fire Hydrant was on the route… And it’s painted like a cow?! We’re in! (Beaumont, TX)
World’s Largest Convenience Store (Buc-ee’s) in Luling, TX. Buc-ee’s is a part of Texas road culture (is that a thing?). We love ‘worlds largest’ things, new cultural experiences, and gasoline — so it was the perfect dumb roadtrip stop
Overflowing with Joy at the first Bojangles we found (Louisiana). PSA: I ‘jangled again when we got back to NC and the experience was far superior. Maybe Louisiana should stick to their oversized shrimps.
Stacey and I celebrate our first wild Gator find in Louisiana. We were unreasonably stoked
Vermilionville Historic Village near Lafayette, Louisiana showcased some old-timey houses and reenactments. Fun cultural experience… but also free RV parking haha
Stacey saved me from stepping on this Louisiana Danger Noodle just before I stomped on it’s tail (it’s all one long tail, right?)!
A gorgeous look out over the Bayou near Lake Martin (Louisiana) where Stacey and I went for a boat ride, hoping to find some big gators
A couple gators chillin’ during our Swamp Tour (Lafayette, LA). The one with it’s mouth open just stayed perfectly still like that the whole time, which was unreasonably entertaining for some reason.
What are the odds: Ayal calls me out of the blue to catch up and turns out he was flying to New Orleans the next day (close to where we were)! We drove into the city and spent the day together bar / restaurant hopping.
Biggest Goodwill we’ve ever seen — as big as a Home Depot! New Orleans, LA
First time we’ve seen thrift by the pound! Was basically bins you could sort through and paid by category (electronics, clothing, etc.) — a bit too labor intensive for us but interesting concept.
Biloxi, MS was gorgeous (and so is Stacey)! We didn’t go shrampin’ but we got a good taste of the town.
Held (and got peed on by) a baby gator. Poor thing had its mouth rubber banded shut and didn’t love being held… it did love Stacey’s head scratches though
A gator chowing down on a dehydrated dogfood snack that Stacey generously tossed him at Gulf Coast Gator Ranch & Tours (near LA / AL boarder)
Campos Ranch in Ponce de Leon sold us farm fresh eggs and baked goods and let us stay for the night. No relation to our friend with the same name
I love cows! Whenever I see them I try to (usually unsuccessfully) lure them over and pet them. This adorable girl is from Campos Farm
Visiting the highest point (345 ft from sea level) and tallest waterfall (73 ft) in Florida!
Better view of the tallest waterfall in Florida (without our mugs in the way)
Visited the Florida Caverns in Marianna, FL. These limestone caves were formed around 38 million years ago by underground water. Since then, dripping water slowly creates stalactites and stalagmites, which connect to form columns. These very old columns were called the ‘Wedding Chapel’.
Picked blue berries and stayed at Blue By U (Jacksonville, FL). Did you know there are over a dozen different types of blueberries?
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I literally LOL’d through most of your captions.
Great pictorial of a “typical” Stacey & Jeremy road trip!!
Hugs,
O.