Easin' Along

From our campground at Barksdale Air Force Base in Shreveport, LA, we drove into Texas. When we are driving to the West Coast, we usually take either I-40 or I-10 across this huge state, and that was our plan for this trip. In mid-route, we decided to change things up. We had never been to Carlsbad Caverns, so we took I-20 and headed for New Mexico.

We still had to cross Texas and make a few new reservations. After looking up campgrounds along I-20. We decided on two that were adjacent to the Interstate, with very sexy names, I might add. The first was Cowtown RV Park near Fort Worth. It was a nice campground; well-run and well-maintained. The second, Whip In RV Park in Big Spring, TX, was just a dirt-and-gravel parking lot. We gave it one night and moved on.

Helen and I were unable to make a reservation in the town of Carlsbad—probably because of Memorial Day travelers —but one very helpful campground manager suggested we try White City RV Park at the entrance to Carlsbad Caverns National Park. Space was available, and we booked it for three nights. It was another dirt-and-gravel parking lot next to a souvenir shop, grocery store, and a laundry room that was as affordable as any we’ve encountered. We would go exploring the next day and make a reservation for an 11:30 entry.

The National Park was short on Park Rangers, and no tour guide was available; we decided to go it alone and walked to the entrance—a massive opening. The journey to the bottom of the Cavern is a hike along a steep trail that descends 750 feet, the equivalent of 75 stories. There are innumerable switchbacks on the path that winds around the various formations. It wasn’t long before I became immeasurably impressed with Carlsbad Caverns.

The dummy that I am failed to bring a flash attachment for my Canon camera, so I put it in Auto ISO mode and snapped away. I was very pleased with most of the pictures. The crowd was light, and Helen and I walked slowly down the path, eventually reaching the bottom after a mile-and-a-half hike and an hour-and-a-half on the trail. My hips were screaming after all of the downhill walking. We took the elevator back to the top and decided to visit the Big Ballroom, the featured part of the Cavern, the next day.  Here are a few shots from day one.

My hips were still rebelling on day two, so we rode the elevator down to the bottom and walked to the trailhead at the Big Room entrance. It is another mile-and-a-half hike, covering an area the size of six football fields. Within the first few steps, I encountered the “WOW” factor. The enormity of the Big Room is stunning. There are beautiful and interesting structures at every turn. Stalagmites rising from the cavern floor meet up with stalagtites growing (very slowly) from the ceiling to form amazing columns of various sizes and textures. I couldn’t keep my mouth closed.

Carlsbad Caverns started as an underwater reef about 265 million years ago. Shifting tectonic plates around 15 million years ago continued the formation. About 4 million years ago, the Guadalupe Mountains uplifted, forming the cavern. The stalagtites and stalagmites began forming around 500,000 years ago. The result is a massive space filled with incredible natural art. I have often said that our National Parks are the greatest gifts we have given ourselves.

I took enough pictures to fill nearly an entire memory card, and have posted a few of the most unusual formations above. I have added a gallery of additional pictures below, and I hope readers will browse through them.

When we returned to our camper, I noticed a lone sheep at the top of the canyon overlooking our campground. About an hour later, I left the camper to take Mortimer for a walk. Across from our camper, a herd of about 50 Barbary sheep was grazing in what little green grass was there. Fearful that they would run away, Mortimer and I raced back to the camper, where I traded him for my camera. My fears were unfounded. The sheep paid little attention to me and came close enough for great shots. I love traveling through the West because the wildlife is so unique, and this experience is another example.

Up next for Helen, Mortimer, and me is White Sands National Park. We’ll be there for three days. Please join us. We’re Easin’ Along.

We greatly enjoyed our time in Destin, FL. We didn’t move around very much, and primarily used our three days there to better organize our new camper. As I wrote earlier, this camper has less space than our previous fifth-wheel, so Helen has worked very hard to find a home for our necessities. She did a great job, and Gracey is now functioning better as our second home on the road.

The Destin Army Recreation Center is an extraordinary facility. There are cabins, hotel and motel rooms, and a swimming pool. The Marina offers covered boat docks and rental equipment, such as Jet Skis, to military veterans and their families at affordable rates. The campground is very accommodating for large trailers like ours.

Along the sea wall at the Marina, rocking chairs sit in rows and make for an enjoyable evening of sunset watching over the surrounding bay. I took several shots to illustrate the view.

From Destin, we traveled to New Orleans, one of America’s great cities. There is a lot to do in New Orleans, and we have traveled there many times. We have driven through the Garden District to take a look at the lovely homes there. We have enjoyed the unique French Quarter experience and visited the World War II Museum, but this time, we came to eat.

We camped in the French Quarter RV Resort, about one mile from the Quarter itself. I admit, I was apprehensive at first about what this campground had to offer and whether it would be easy to tow our camper there. My fears were unfounded—the campground was perfect for our stay, and very convenient for what we had planned—finding good food. The only negative about the RV Park is that Interstate 10 runs next to it, and we heard a lot of sirens while there.

My tradition for day one in New Orleans is to rise early and head to Cafe du Monde for Beignets and coffee. We could have walked to the Cafe, but we were in a hurry for those powdered sugar delights, so we drove. Cafe du Monde was packed, but as soon as we walked up, a couple finished with a nice table near the sidewalk. A Jazz Band played softly beside our table. The morning breeze wafted through the open-air cafe. We were cool, comfortable, and in Beignet Heaven. They were as good as I remembered.

Oysters were on the evening menu, and we decided to try the selection at Acme Oyster House. We sat at the bar and watched as Jonas shucked our dozen and made sure we were taken care of. I got the raw dozen while Helen ordered a half dozen grilled and smothered with crab meat and a special cheese sauce. She allowed me a sample—made my day.

The following day, we chose to drive through the Garden District and land at Domilise’s Po-Boy Bar for lunch. My nephew recommended Domilise’s a few years ago, and I can’t thank him enough. The lunch place has been around for nearly 100 years and serves traditional Po-Boy sandwiches that are equal to or better than any found in the city. I ordered a fried Oyster Po-Boy, and Helen selected an Oyster-and-fried-shrimp combo. We washed them down with a local Amber Beer. That’s how to do lunch!

After a long nap, we agreed we should return to the Garden District for dinner at Pascal’s Manale Restaurant and Bar. This fine establishment is another oldie but goodie, opened in the 1920’s. Around 1939, a friend of the owner came in raving about a meal he had enjoyed in Chicago. Soon, the friend and the chef were in the kitchen for an all-night session and ultimately created the Famous Barbecue Shrimp recipe that put Pascal’s Manale on the map. I had to order it. Helen chose a grilled redfish dish with a side of barbecue shrimp. Our server was a delightful lady named Toi, who couldn’t have been nicer or more helpful. She gave us a loaf of the fresh bread used for dipping in the shrimp barbecue sauce to take home. What a fabulous way to wrap up two wonderful days in the Crescent City.

Our next stop is Shreveport, LA, where we’ll be back to Protein drinks and tuna salad, but at least we’ll have the memories of some awesome food. Hopefully, you’ll join us there.

We’re Easin’ Along (burp).

Nearly three months have passed since my last Easin’ Along. I can offer two excuses: I had little to report, and I’ve been very busy. Let’s explore both.

When Helen, Mortimer, and I returned home after a trip to Florida, our RV limped along behind us. It was falling apart after many trips to the West Coast and parts of the Southern states. We thought about giving up the RV lifestyle, but couldn’t…we love it too much. Thus began a frantic search for an RV we liked as much as our previous “glampster.” The process was arduous, but we finally settled on a fifth-wheel similar to the one we had, but two feet shorter.

By trading, we lost some storage, cabinet, and bedroom space. It will take some getting used to, but we’ll make it work. Again, we love the lifestyle.

With no trailer, we had no travel to share, and Easin’ Along went on break for a while. In fact, I took a Social Media break as well. I spent my time settling my late mother’s estate, completing my 2025 taxes, attending exercise class, and searching for a new RV.

There was one noteworthy experience in April…I sold my toy. I have owned a 2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser for over thirteen years and kept it in pristine condition. I wouldn’t even let it get rained on, and I drove it less than 5,000 miles a year. Freddie (my FJ) had approximately 80,000 miles on it when I decided it was time to let someone else enjoy Freddie as much as I did. That someone was a tremendous young man who attended our church with his lovely family. Owen met me after church for a test drive with his father. That sealed the deal, and Owen came to our home later that day to pick Freddie up and give it a new home. It was a joy to see him so excited. It thrilled me to see him so happy.

Suddenly, May was upon us, and we needed a road trip. Cason, our granddaughter in Charleston, was being confirmed into her church on May 3rd. So, we loaded up our new trailer (Gracey) and left Knoxville on April 28, my birthday, for Cherokee, NC, to a new creekside campground very close to the casino. We arrived during peak Rhododendron season in our mountains.

The birthday gods were good to me, and I cleared over $1500 dollars that night. I gave Helen $400 the next day, which she immediately returned to the Cherokee Nation, one pull at a time. Oh, well…at least it was house money.

My son, Collin, and daughter-in-law, Austin, recently built a lovely new home on James Island in Charleston, complete with full hookups for our RV. We parked our Mother-In-Law suite in Collin’s driveway and settled in for a busy weekend. The new home has become quite the gathering place for neighborhood friends, and many of them arrived on Saturday for a Blue Angel Air Show over the Charleston Harbor, which is viewable from Collin’s backyard and dock. Alas, bad weather set in, and the show was canceled, but the party continued. The guys played a spirited round of Left, Right, Center while the ladies enjoyed lively rounds of conversation.

On Sunday, we were all up early and quickly dressed to accompany Cason to Grace Episcopal Church for the confirmation. In total, 72 children would take confirmation vows that morning, a truly blessed occasion to witness. Cason looked lovely in her new white dress. After church, the family went to Grace and Grit for brunch. I was over-served.

There is little I enjoy more than watching Bennett, the eldest of Collin and Austin’s girls, play soccer. Bennett plays a hard, smart, and skilled game of soccer. Her teams have consistently won more matches than they have lost. On Monday, her high school team, Porter Gaud, played in the quarterfinals of the South Carolina State Championships for Independant schools. It was no contest. Porter Gaud won 9-0. On Wednesday, Porter won the semifinals 3-2, and completed the trifecta on Saturday by winning the State Championship in Columbia 1-0. Helen and I watched the game on YouTube, stressed to the max. Congratulations to the team and the coaches for an outstanding year.

The day after the soccer match, the three of us drove to Jacksonville, FL, for one night at the Mayport Naval Station. We love this campground for its views of big ships and for campsites close to the waterfront. One night isn’t enough for us, but we’ll take anything we can get.

Our next stop was St. George Island, Florida, for two nights in the State Park. St. George Island and its bright, white sand are beautiful. We walked the beach on day one, and went to dinner on day two at Paddy’s Raw Bar for fresh oysters and a scrumptious seafood dinner.

I neglected to mention earlier that we have had three mishaps on our trip so far. We put a small ding in the front storage compartment door during a backup from a tight position. We’ve had two flat tires on our trailer due to faulty valve stems. One occurred outside Columbia, SC, which caused a 2-hour delay in reaching Charleston. The other flat happened in the middle of nowhere on the way to St. George Island. We had to wait an hour for the AAA service truck to arrive, but the young driver knew what he was doing and quickly got us back on the road. I will have all the valve stems replaced in Destin, FL, on Monday before we drive to New Orleans.

Helen and I will spend three months on this road trip. I hope I have reconnected with our readers enough to convince you to join us on our travels. We will reach Southern California in mid-June and have no formal plans for the return trip to Knoxville. We’ll just follow our nose.

We’re Easin’ Along on the road less traveled.