12/25/2014
On the day before Christmas the day started with hot chocolate and beignets. Crystal and I agreed that it was a good idea to enjoy the New Orleans specialty one last time. Despite the previous night’s downpour and despite being Christmas eve, the streets were packed. The sweet powder of the French donuts dissolved in my mouth as tourists and locals crowded between the green awning of the restaurant. They had lowered the canvas walls to keep some of the cold out.
We loved every minute of our stay at the best hotel in New Orleans; The Historic Olivier House. Our room was the best part of visiting the city. The comfort and ambience had surpassed my expectations but it was time to get back on our journey. Once I reached the east side of New Orleans, the roads silenced. I stayed on the 90 hwy as I had done since the beginning of Texas. Extra layers of clothing did little to protect me from the chill. It only helped me perspire. My feet took me to through a wildlife preserve with all kinds of plant life. Every now and then I saw a home hidden among the trees. Abandoned and shipwrecked boats also popped up sporadically. I made sure to document them the same way I documented abandoned and rusty old autos.
While I thought the city of New Orleans was lively. I found the quiet and the beauty of Louisiana’s eastern border to be breathtaking. All the homes by the bayou had long docks and names for their homes. The area smelled like money yet it seemed like nobody lived in these huge houses. They must have been vacation homes for the summer season. The day ended with another bridge. Luckily, I was on the 90 Hwy: had I taken another route I would have had to run over the water for several miles. At the final moments of the day Crystal pulled of another Christmas miracle. She found the New Orleans East Kampground and arrange a donated space. We had heat and warmth for another night. Crystal and I exchanged gifts and turned in early. I received and Optimus Prime Transformer action figure. (I write books for kids and kid’s stuff still inspires me)
The morning rays burst through the windows. It was not a white Christmas. No, this year Christmas was green and the skies were clear blue. Every state I have run across so far has had distinct climates, plants, and wildlife. I would see the terrain and environment change right before my very eyes yet again. I had to cross five short bridges across small tributaries that branched from the Pearl River. The final bridge crossed over the East Pearl River into Pearlton. My first impression of Mississippi was the scent of a freshly cleaned kitchen floor. I scanned my surroundings and realized I was running through a corridor of pine trees. The litter on the sides of the roads had become less and less as we put distance between us and the city. By the end of the day the products of human consumption were almost nil. We parked on at an RV park connected to the Silver Slipper Casino. The cold picked up outside. We had another night of warmth. All was good for Christmas.
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