2025-26 Trip to the Southwest, Day 153

Day 153, Friday, March 20, 2026 - Meaher State Park, Spanish Fort, AL, Day 2 - 0 Miles, 6,110.6 Miles for the Trip.

52°F overnight, 58°F for my morning walk, 71 °F at noon, & and the high for the day was 72°F.

I thought about changing my reservation for site 29 next February to somewhere in the middle of the campground to avoid the I 10 noise, but during my walk is wasn't any quieter anywhere else in the campground. As you move away from I 10 you get closer to US 90, both heavy traffic roads.

After my morning walk and breakfast I had a visit from Mike, another Escape 21 owner. We sat around talking for much of the morning. Around lunch time I headed to Publix for milk and other stuff. A bit more expensive than most of the other grocery stores I've been to lately, but well stocked. I even found Thomas's Corn-Toaster-Cakes, something I've been missing since early in the trip.

The wind wasn't too bad so I spent most of the afternoon outside reading. This was one of the times I wish my awning was working. Too much sun so I sat in my chair that has a built in sunshade and turned it as the day progressed. I finished Dana Stabenow's Restless in the Grave, and am currently reading The Black Bird Oracle, #5 in the All Souls series by Deborah Harkness, an interesting series that take witches & werewolves as normal everyday parts of modern day life.

Around 4:00 I headed to the bathroom for a shower. I rated them a C the last time I was here stating they had plenty of hot water, but a cold room. This time the room was OK, but the water (a non adjustable push button) was cold enough to shock you. After the 15th 20 second push it warmed enough to be able to stand in it to rinse, but overall it was terrible. If there is anything I hate more than a cold room it is a cold shower. As to the description, three showers, one disabled, a small drying area with a towel rack & bench, a shower curtain between it & the shower and a 4" lip that doesn't quite keep the drying area floor dry. Overall it drops down to a D.

Back at the trailer I read for a bit, then made dinner.

I had a large lunch so dinner was just snacks.

Until Next Time -

2025-26 Trip to the Southwest, Day 152

Day 152, Thursday, March 19, 2026 - Meaher State Park, Spanish Fort, AL - 185.8 Miles, 6,110.6 Miles for the Trip.

42°F overnight, 72°F for my Afternoon walk, 68 °F at noon, & and the high for the day was 72°F.

Other than the first couple on miles which were on narrow Louisiana parish roads, the trip was on I 12 & I 10. The traffic was heavy around Biloxi and Mobile. I stopped for gas at Loves #846 ($3.34) & a Berryland Camper store where I paid way too much for a Camco LP adapter hose. I arrived at the park at 2:10.

I'm in site 25, a full hookup back in site looking out over the bay. The site is on asphalt, with a picnic table & charcoal grill and is close to the bathrooms. I'm here for 3 nights with a base charge of $46.00 per night. With reservation fee & taxes it comes to $51.55 per night. While there are some pine trees on the north side of the site, little shade. There is traffic noise from the I 10 causeway to the south and if you are on the northern side of the park, traffic noise from US 90. When sitting outside at site 25 the noise from I 10, even though it is all the way across the bay, is loud. There is something to be said about the fact that sound travels easier over water. It is louder than the traffic noise along side I 10 out west where it is a 10th of the distance away. 

The I 10 Causway

Site 25

After setting up I walked around the park checking out the new section. It was just being finished the last time I was here. The new bathrooms are 10 individual rooms with disabled showers, a toilet & sink. The entire building is raised on 10' pilings.

I checked out both Verizon & AT&T. Verizon is 33.84Mbps down & 35.18Mbps up, while AT&T is 24.24Mbps down & 3.71Mbps up. 

After setting up I sat outside for a bit reading.

Dinner was Chef Ramsay's Lemon Caper Chicken.

Until Next Time -

2025-26 Trip to the Southwest, Day 151

Day 151, Wednesday, March 18, 2026 - Tickfaw State Park, Springfield, LA, Day 3 - 0 Miles, 5,924.8 Miles for the Trip.

42°F overnight, 50°F for my morning walk, 58 °F at noon, & and the high for the day was 65°F.

Not quite as cold last night, but there is little sun this morning. 

The water level in the tent loop has gone down enough that they reopened the road. Some sites are still pretty wet, but many are usable, They have a bunch of prefab tents on platforms that are well above the ground. 

I sat out for a couple of minutes after my walk (still in my quilted jacket) then gave up and went into the trailer for breakfast. I am currently listening to Larry McMurtry's By Sorrow's River, the second of the Barrybander series. I read the first but the second was only available at the NYPL as an audio book. While there are a few books that are better in the audio version, this, like most is better read. In any case I have 10 and 1/2 hours to go. I'll listen on my way to Meaher State Park tomorrow.

After breakfast I read on line for a bit, did an update to the Fiberglass Rally Map, and read Dana Stabenow's Restless in the Grave (Shugak #19). I know I said I was done with the series, but an unread one appeared in Book Bub for $1.99 and I couldn't pass it by.

Still only 58°F at noon & gloomy, so I'm reading in the trailer. I made a bag of microwave popcorn as an afternoon snack. While I didn't burn it, it still set off the smoke alarm.

The sun poked through a couple of times during the afternoon, but for the most part is was heavy clouds. 

Dinner was a Healthy Choice Sweet & Sour Chicken Bowl.

Until Next Time -

2025-26 Trip to the Southwest, Day 150

Day 150, Tuesday, March 17, 2026 - Tickfaw State Park, Springfield, LA, Day 2 - 0 Miles, 5,924.8 Miles for the Trip.

36°F overnight, 41°F for my morning walk, 51 °F at noon, & and the high for the day was56°F.

Almost like home with almost freezing night time temperatures. Actually, I looked up Oswego and it is 21°F and snowing with wind chill in the teens.

During my walk I discovered a older Class A parked in the road. I don't know if something broke or what, but there are wheel chocks set & the steps are out. Some cones set up from both directions. There is still a way out of the park since the water is down below the road at the other end of the electric loop. In fact Site 27, which was completely flooded is still wet around the pavement, but at least the asphalt is dry. I walked around the non electric tent sites and many of them have pads and tables still in the water. 

On a later walk the Bounder was in a site next to where it was parked in the road. Maybe the owner didn't want to back in in the dark. Many of the sites (including mine) have a fairly steep drop off if you leave the asphalt. I also took a photo of the 2016 flood high water mark at the bathrooms.

A Tent Site

The Class A in the Road

The High Water Mark

Site 27

After breakfast I did some reading on line, but at only 52°F at 12:30 and a light wind, it was cool enough that I stayed inside to read. If it makes it to 60°F and the wind goes away, I might try sitting on the deck since it is one of the few of the trip.

Well, it didn't warm up all that much but the wind died down so I sat outside wearing my photo vest and read. 

Dinner was a Boston Market Chicken Pot Pie cooked in the toaster oven.

Until Next Time -

2025-26 Trip to the Southwest, Day 149

Day 149, Monday, March 16, 2026 - Tickfaw State Park, Springfield, LA - 239.8 Miles, 5,924.8 Miles for the Trip.

47°F overnight, 52 °F at noon on the road, 63°F for my afternoon walk & and the high for the day was 64°F.

Another thunderstorm along with a tornado watch just after dark. A narrow band that was perpendicular to us so it went through quickly. No hail, but short bursts of heavy rain.

It cooled off overnight, down to 47°F as I packed up the trailer at 9:00AM. 

With a short hop at the beginning and a longer one at the end, most of the drive was on I 10. It has been a long time since I drove I 10 through Louisiana, and I have to say it has improved. Still sections with construction & narrow barriers, but the buckboard bouncing is mostly gone. Gas was running around $3.49 on most of the trip, but when my tank reached one half I found a Loves in Port Allen, LA that was only $2.89 with the member discount of $.10 per gallon. A very busy station. 

I reached Tickfaw State Park at 2:15, and was assigned site 8. I walked around the electric loop and some of the sites were underwater. The pavement at my original site (29) was dry, but looked like an island. Some were worse:

Site 8

Enjoying ther Flood

Site 27

Site 29

Site 8 has a deck, pole with hook, picnic table, charcoal grill & fire pit. I raised the driver's side of the trailer 3/4" and the tongue 1/4". A full hook up site although the sewer connection was so far behind the trailer that it is useless. The site is on asphalt at $23.90 per night with taxes. The 30 amp receptacle was badly burned so I used me 50 to 30 amp adapter to connect the power cord. I stayed hooked up even though I am here for 3 days since I don't need anything in the way of supplies.

The bathrooms & laundry are on pilings about 10' above the ground. Along the building bottom (at the top of the pilings) is a sign noting the high water mark of the 2016 flood.

After a walk around the loop I sat inside the trailer. It is a bit cool at 65°F on my deck and would be fine in the sun without the wind, but it is still windy so sitting out is out. Tomorrow morning doesn't look good; 33°F the predicted morning temperature. It won't get into the 70's until after I leave on Thursday.

Dinner was a Saffron Road Chicken Tikka Masala Bowl.

Until Next Time -