Headed to Shreveport….Louisiana That Is….
Leaving Nanaimo between storms is the smart thing. I dodged the high winds and bucketing rain of the last few days and the predicted Cyclone Bomb of tomorrow. Once known as rain and wind we now have Atmospheric Rivers and Cyclone Bombs. My first time on the HULLO high speed passenger boat from my hometown Nanaimo to downtown Vancouver and we are sailing along at a great speed. Evidence of the recent storms is all around the boat in the form of floating dead heads, a marine hazard of the worst sort. But the HULLO is dodging around them at a great clip and we will be in downtown Vancouver in no time.
I am in Vancouver, positioning myself for a next day flight to the USA to visit a friend who has moved from Nanaimo to Arkansas. Even though I land in Louisiana my destination is Lake Erling in Arkansas where my friend and her husband have a “fish camp”. When I first heard the term I pictured them engaged in a commercial enterprise that catered to sports fishermen, but in fact it is what all homes on a lake are called, like we would say “cabin.”
Lake Country South West Corner Arkansas
If you’re headed to the SW corner of Arkansas the best airport to fly into is Shreveport which is in the NW corner of Louisiana. It is small and easily accessible for the friends, who if you’re lucky enough will drive the 1.5 hours to fetch you.
Arriving in the dark there wasn’t much to see but waking in the morning gave the picture of why my friends live where they live. Nestled in a pine forest down a private but shared road they look westward over Lake Erling. Their private dock affords them the luxury of fishing and wildlife viewing when they are not out on their boat catching catfish and other local fish species. Spotting the occasional crocodile in the water, eagles soaring overhead, herons squawking in early flight and red skied sunsets are daily events for the folks who call the lake-side fish camps home. Some camps are occupied by full-time residents while others are used on weekends or holidays.
Since we were tucked up into the corner of Arkansas it meant that we could easily visit the neighbouring corners of Louisiana and Texas. Our first day was spent crossing these state lines into Louisiana and then Texas to visit a tourist town called Jefferson. Full of antique shops, quaint stores and southern food restaurants we wandered the streets, visiting stores and eventually heading to a barbecue restaurant for smoked brisket sandwiches, hot water corn bread and sweet sauced beans. Not a veg or a leaf of lettuce in sight, but as a nod to nutrition we were able to mix our “sweet cold tea” with non-sweet to cut down on the sugar intake. Very authentic barbecue, and as proof, just outside the restaurant was the stack of wood used to fire up the smokers. The decor was definitely southern and American with flags and memorabilia on every wall. Styrofoam cups, plastic straws and a roll of paper towel for napkins along with plastic cutlery and paper plates all headed for the bin after we ate.
Trying southern food is a real experience but I would not want to be a vegetarian that’s for sure.
Visiting the shops along the Main Street was fun to see the Christmas Season starting up with decorations and gift ideas amongst the usual collection of antiques, clothing and gift stores. Such a huge array of stock in every store and I even spotted the Red Ryder BB Gun made famous in The Christmas Story movie.
Having little or knowledge of Arkansas before traveling there I was surprised at the number of lakes, small towns and rural life style that pervaded, at least in this corner of Arkansas.
Next Up – Road Trip Clear Across Texas to New Mexico with a night in Amarillo. Long drive for sure and very grateful to my friends who were willing participants. The highway was fraught with truck traffic and really not much to see, pretty flat and prairie like when you could see around the semi-trucks.
New Mexico
But arriving in New Mexico the terrain changed to mountains and we were able to stop at a Puebla not far out of Santa Fe. The Puebla situated in the Pecos National Park housed the remains of a once thriving community that was located on the Santa Fe Trail a famous trade route between indigenous communities. Preservation work is ongoing and the park has a really great museum that outlines the history of the people that called the Pueblo home before contact.
Santa Fe & Albuquerque
After my Arkansas friends left to return home I was fortunate to revisit my friend Loni-Jo Dunham in Placitas, just south of Santa Fe and my friends the Reeves in Albuquerque. Beautiful landscapes, arty communities and American thanksgiving along with the on-set of Christmas filled the air.
Wander With Stella - Solo & Together 