Sweet Home Alabama!

When we left Shreveport this morning heading east on I-20, we knew that when we got to West Monroe, Louisiana, we had to try and locate the Duck Commander headquarters or our oldest grandson, Garrison would have been so disappointed.  Find it we did and there were a lot of people there shopping for souvenirs.  Sadly, the "boys" were not there as the clerk explained to everyone.  Turns out they were in Las Vegas to attend the CMT awards show on Sunday night.

As we made our way east, we stopped at the Mississippi welcome center in Vicksburg that is right on "old man river".  It seems that no matter how many times we see that mighty river, it still is so impressive.  We went to the Vicksburg Civil War Battleground that is now a national park.  The area is massive and is a sixteen mile driving tour.  The area where the battle took place is so beautiful and serene that it is difficult to envision the chaos and horror that happened 150 years ago.  It was very moving to see how many men were wounded and killed.

We drove across Mississippi and remarked how everything had turned green and all the trees were leafing out  since we left on our trip.  It was a great feeling when we crossed the state line into Alabama.   After 12 days, 3,957 miles and 10 states, Dorothy was right, "there's no place like home".

This has been a wonderful adventure for us and hope that you have enjoyed sharing it with us through this blog.

At the Duck Commander headquarters in West Monroe, LA.  We're not sure who the guy in the doorway is.

This is for Garrison.

 

Louisiana countryside.

More Louisiana ....

Crossing the Mississippi River into Vicksburg, MS.

At the Vicksburg battleground.

One of the many monuments at the battleground.

Another monument.

On the Mississippi Delta tamale trail.  After eating here, we must update the Santa Fe post, because now, THESE are the best tamales we have ever had.

 

Cuba, Alabama - John's grandparents were originally from Cuba and moved back after his grandfather retired.  John has many fond memories of visiting them in Cuba during the summers.

 

 

 

Louisiana feels like home

We started out this morning driving to Ft. Worth/Dallas.  We stopped in Dallas to visit the sight of the John F. Kennedy assassination from 1963.  The Texas Schoolbook Depository Building is now a museum about the assassination.  It was very interesting to look at all the pictures and see film of that fateful day so long ago.  On the sixth floor where Lee Harvey Oswald fired the shots that killed JFK, there was absolutely no photography allowed.  We were able to take some pictures on the seventh floor directly above his perch.  We could see Elm Street and the grassy knoll that has become infamous.  It was very moving, felt as if we were reliving the events of that day again.

As we drove into Dallas we noticed the grass had all turned green and the trees were leafing out.  It felt as if we were back in the south again after all these days.  But, when we crossed the state line into Louisiana, it really felt like home.

We are spending the night in Shreveport and plan to drive home to Birmingham tomorrow.  We do plan to stop  in Vicksburg for a little historical sightseeing and a side trip on the Mississippi Delta Tamale trail (Google it).

The Dallas skyline

The Texas Schoolbook Depository Building

View out the window one floor above Lee Harvey Oswald's perch.

The window one floor above Lee Harvey Oswald's perch.

Elm Street, with an X marking the spot when the first shot hit JFK. Oswald was at the right corner window on the next to the top floor.  The grassy knoll is to the left.

 

The grassy knoll.

We are staying at the Wingate in Shreveport, we googled to find it.

 

 

 

Deep in the Heart of Texas

Today was another hard driving day as we drove 514 miles from Albuquerque to Wichita Falls, Texas.  The day was pretty uneventful.  We are still awestruck by the scenery from New Mexico into Texas.  We had lunch at Rudy's Country Store and Barbecue in Amarillo today.  It was the best beef brisket and smoked turkey that we have ever had.   When you walk up to the counter they ask if you have ever been there before.  If you haven't then they offer you a sampling of the two customer favorites, which happened to be the brisket and turkey.  They sell it by the 1/2 pound.  "Pay for the meat and drinks, the sauce and bread are free." 

We are spending the night in Wichita Falls, Texas and will be heading for Dallas in the morning.  We are hoping to do a little sightseeing around Dallas before heading on to north Louisiana.





More New Mexico scenery

 

Welcome back to Texas

 

Lots of trains in Texas, too.

 

Mesquite trees in Texas

 

"Black Gold, Texas Tea"

 

Rest area outside of Quanah, Texas.  Nicest rest area we have stopped at in nine states, except for one minor detail.

 

Leaving Las Vegas

Yesterday we spent the day sightseeing around the Strip in Las Vegas.  We strolled through several of the Resorts and were amazed at how large the hotels, shopping areas and casinos are. The walking in Vegas rivals Washington D. C. and Disney World.  Our hotel, the Monte Carlo, is on the Strip, Las Vegas Boulevard, but the lobby is 2 1/2 blocks from the street!  Wednesday night winnings have disappeared fast.  Two hamburgers, two iced teas at the House of Blues for lunch - $43.75 (not including tip).

Last evening we took a cab to visit Fremont Street (7 miles from the Strip) - $31 each way!  On our trip over the past 7 days, we have driven bumper to bumper with tractor trailers on the interstate in east Arkansas,  drove up to the top of a mountain in Santa Fe, NM - elevation 11,000 feet, stood on the edge of the Grand Canyon, drove across the highest bridge we have ever seen... twice (over the Hoover Dam), stood at the window of our hotel room and looked straight down 28 floors, BUT nothing compared to the fear we felt riding in the cab with our Ethiopian driver .

This morning we got up early, checked out of the hotel and headed back east.  We have made it back as far as Albuquerque, where we are spending the night.  We are tired and road weary, but still having fun.

M&M World

Pete (Charlie Hustle) Rose signing autographs at a bookstore at Mandalay Bay.

Lunch at the House of Blues, Mandalay Bay

The Fremont Street Experience

Outside of  New York, New York

 

Arizona is still beautiful

"such a fine sight to see"

 

New Mexico scenery

A small church on the side of a rock hill!

Arriving Las Vegas

Wednesday morning we left Kingman, AZ and drove to the Hoover Dam.  The bridge over the Hoover Dam is incredibly high, absolutely the highest bridge either of us have ever been over.  Until we drove down to the dam and had a view of exactly how high the bridge is, we just thought it was like maybe the Dolly Parden.  Maybe 2 times as high as the Dolly!

Driving into Las Vegas was a sight itself and finding our hotel/casino a challenge, not to mention the parking garage.  We had a few hours to sight see before we could check into the Monte Carlo hotel.  Very nice, except for the fact that we are on the 28th floor.  Pretty high for two sea level lubbers!

Vegas is different from any place we have ever been.  It's like Biloxi times 20 on steroids. 

Hope to see as much as we can today as everything is very spread out and extremely crowded.

 

 

Standing on the Hoover Dam

Lake Mead

 

At the Venetian

At NY NY



The fountain show at the Belllagio

John's new best friend from Utah, they both love aged beef and we think the friend may have had too much to drink.
 

Glenda won $558 on this nickel poker machine, we plan a nice meal tonight, hopefully this will cover the dinner.