Walt and I both agreed that we really liked Galveston Island but it was time to move on.
Our last night there was a pretty, soft pastel palette.
We loaded Gypsy on the Bolivar Peninsula ferry and worked our way north and east to I10 to reach Sulphur, LA and check into the Hidden Ponds RV Park.
I am sure Walt was wondering why I wanted to spend a week in small town Louisiana. That's exactly why. I wanted to see small town Louisiana and there were several things I wanted to do and some I knew he would like.
First off................the horse races at Delta Downs in Vinton, LA just a few miles from Sulphur.
The track opened in 1973 and holds both thoroughbred and quarter horse races.
In the 90's the track was purchased by a gaming company after laws passed that allowed slots at the track so it became a race track, casino and hotel.
Post time is at 5:40 p.m. so racing is under the lights. Very different for us.
To reach the grandstand you take the escalator to the second floor. The escalator overlooks the glassed in casino.
We walked around doing a little exploring before going to the 3rd floor to the Outlook Restaurant.
The restaurant is glass fronted and we had a window table so we were able to watch the races while dining.
Walt had prime rib, salad and asparagus and I had a Caesar salad and Louisiana gumbo. Mmmmm!
Walt and I both picked this horse to win in one of the first races. Dead LAST!
So I picked myself up, dusted myself off.
And picked 3 winners. All long shots. This time I didn't look at their record, who their owner or jockey were. I just looked at them in the paddock and picked them by how pretty they were and the more feisty they were the better.
These two little boys were after my heart. They so wanted to get close to the horses. Me too. It was a very fun evening.
We spent two different days on the Creole Nature Trail.
The Creole Nature Trail, part of Louisiana's Outback, is an All American Road comprising more than 180 miles of highway in southwest Louisiana.
The first day we went it was cloudy, cold and windy so most of the sightseeing was through the windshield. The road takes you through untamed land and gives glimpses of Creole culture. The signs of the ever present petroleum industry are frequent in this area.
Water oh water.............let me count the ways. Ocean, lakes, marshes, rivers, creeks, bayou's, estuaries and more wetland names than I can remember.
I spotted these off the road and Walt drove me by so I could get a picture. In Gypsy's next life she will be pink.
The 26 miles of Gulf beaches are rugged and isolated.
All of a sudden the road ran out. Read the fine print on the map and there is a ferry.
The Cameron Ferry Crosses the Calcasieu Ship Channel. The Acadia slides in sideways and you drive on and around to the other side to disembark on that side. This isn't a ferry we could take Gypsy across. They turned away a motorhome because it was too long.
There was room for this interesting piece of equipment. It is owned by a Civil Engineering and Surveying company so it must be for working in the marshes.
Even the school buildings are on stilts.
The roads sneak up on the bridges and twist sky high so the ships can pass below.
This is part of America’s Intracoastal Waterway. It is a network of canals, inlets, bays and rivers that run the length of the Eastern Seaboard from Norfolk, Virginia, to the Florida Keys, and along the Gulf of Mexico from Apalachee Bay to Brownsville, Texas.
We took the Blue Goose trail to the Calcasieu Ship Channel. Not much wildlife but the cold wind made for red cheeks and a brisk pace.
I think Walt found a dogwood blossom.
This is a birders paradise. I was so excited to see this group of roseate spoonbills. Wish the picture could have been better but conditions were not good.
American white ibis in the Cameron Prairie Wildlife Refuge on the Pintail Drive. If you are looking for birds this is the place to come. They were not close to the road but there were hundreds of Snow and Canadian Geese.
I think of herons as grouchy birds. They hunch down most of the time and look like they are frowning. Wrong I am sure............they are probably party birds.
There are so many Great Egrets out there. The Great Egret walks with its neck extended and its wings held close to its body. Looks like it is always on the look out for something to eat.
Look what else Walt found. Alligators. I was so excited.
I wasn't counting on seeing any here because I thought it was still too cold. But, the second day we were out it was warmer and the sun was shining brightly. They are pretty scary looking critters.
On the higher ground they raise cattle. There were quite a few of these Brahman's.
This herd was a little bit of this and a little bit of that.
A interesting way to spend a couple of days seeing and learning about the wetlands.
"Never insult an alligator until after you have crossed the river."
Cordell Hull