Road Trip

Day 8: Natchitoches, LA to Hammond, LA – 305.5 miles*

We headed due south from Natchitoches (na-ka-tish) to fill our last available National Forest spot. Nice back country touch with the three bullet holes in the sign… Next up was a parish that started with a letter V and because of the scarcity of V counties back home the major prize for today’s drive. We took photos for more four items, but will probably only use 2 of them.

I had a semi-short mileage day planned, but the beautiful weather and scenery of northwest Louisiana just begged for more exploring. When we stopped in Lecompte (luh-kawmpt) for lunch at the famous Lea’s Lunchroom my navigator plotted an awesome detour around the north of Baton Rouge on LA10. As I was tracing the route on the state map I noticed that there were not one, but two toll ferries, which are another Motoring Challenge Destination goal. As we approached to the town of Melville where the ferry across the Atchafalaya (a-cha-fa-lie-a) River was we started to worry as we didn’t see any ferry information signs.

Sure enough, when we got to the river all we found was a Dead End sign. We backtracked to a small closed convenience store to look at the map and check our options. As we were sitting there we heard a voice with a Cajun accent say, “Are ya’ll lost?” Up walked a fellow in a straw cowboy hat, missing half his top teeth and a belt buckle the size of dinner plate with the outline of the state of Louisiana on it. Donna, with a smile in her voice asked,”How’d you know?” The fellow replied,”Because that is right where all you cars and bikers park when you find out there ain’t no ferry no more.” “Ain’t been one in about two years.” We asked if the the other ferry further along the road was still in operation and said he thought that it was.

He was wrong. There is a brand spanking new bridge over the Mississippi River at the town of New Roads where our official, published by the Department of Transportation, 2014 Map of Louisiana said there was a Toll Ferry.

*Pre-drive Google Maps estimate: 262 (-43.5) – Total miles so far: 2171.7

Day 7: Fort Worth, TX to Natchitoches, LA – 366.6 miles*

Up at 5 and out of the hotel at 5:30 so we could beat the big city traffic. And we did for the most part, traffic was dense at several spots on the upper loop around Dallas/Fort Worth, but it never slowed down from 75 MPH, even through the narrowed lanes of the construction near the airport. Tiring of the standard “free” hotel breakfasts we sought out a DD in Garland for our morning repast.

We are back in one of favorite states to visit, Louisiana, especially for eating. Today’s lunch was barbeque at a spot our GPS led us to south of the town of Mansfield. As we cruised down the street it didn’t look like anywhere a restaurant would be and it really wasn’t a restaurant, but just a take-out joint. It reminded me of the place that Frank Underwood went to in the TV show House of Cards, one man, his smoker and a cleaver. We both got a sliced pork sandwich and ate it on a picnic table outside and watched a steady stream of cars pull in, get a bag of BBQ and drive off.

Tonight we went down to the historic Front St of Natchitoches and ate at the bar of Mama’s Oyster House. Donna got some of that gumbo she has been craving since we were in Baton Rogue two years ago. Then we shared fried crawfish, peel ‘n’ eat shrimp and spinach & artichoke dip appetizers. The dip had a neat twist, instead of tortilla chips to scoop with, you got battered and deep fried bowtie pasta.

*Pre-drive Google Maps estimate: 290 (-76.6) – Total miles so far: 1866.2