It's a small world

At the beginning of this month we were in Carl's Corner, Texas where Willie Nelson's bio-diesel truck stop/cafe/ concert stage/ and radio broadcasting studio are all located. Took us awhile to find it. There were not any billboards advertising where to turn off I-35W to Carl's Corner. Apparently we were suppose to be on I-35E or at the junction. After driving several miles too far, and the GPS refusing to be of any assistance, we stopped and asked for directions. On our trip back, we found the correct corner and were pleased to see the sign for WILLIE'S PLACE. The menu is quite basic, not a fancy place but a lot of memorabilia of Willie's career. We found out we were a few days too early for the release of his new CD, NAKED WILLIE.
As we were leaving Willie's Place, a man was standing on the deck watching us go to our truck. He came over to talk to us which happens often. Usually they ASK about the truck or tell us they had driven one like it years ago. Remarks like that. But this guy (Gerald) surprised us with his remark of, "I used to own this truck". Then he proceeded to tell us who he had sold it to. Yup! Jake was the person in Tennessee we had bought it from in 2002. This guy, Gerald, had asked in the cafe if they knew who owned that truck. Nobody knew. So Gerald just waited outside until we showed up. After the initial surprise of meeting each other in Texas, Gerald being from Tennessee and us from Michigan, we declared it was definitely a small world! Gerald took it one step further and told us to check his house number on his driver's license, 6645 which are the same numbers on our license plate on the little green truck.

Small Town Fun

Went in to Abbeville to the Art and Craft show in the park Saturday for a little while. There was a booth with homemade sweetdough pies. I tried to find out what they were since I had never seen them before. Well, I was given one to try. Well, I bought another one. They are softer than a sugar cookie and filled with different fillings, fig, blackberry, lemon, coconut, etc. Then on to Erath to the jam session there. We were a little early but were greeted by the locals as we walked in the door. One guy wanted to know about the truck and bought Bob and I each a drink. We could become real slushes if we stayed around here long. Like I said, people are really friendly here!
Sunday was the car show at Abbeville, right next to the Art and Craft show. We put the truck in the show and were given 2 free tickets for gumbo, 2 tickets @ $5 for a food vendor and free drink coupons, water or soda. Yup, you guessed it, I headed back for some more sweetdough pies. I found out the lady who did all the baking is 93 years old. She has not passed on the recipes and still keeps it a secret how she makes them. Hope she tells somebody so it isn't another lost talent.

Dining Fun

During the week at Betty's, Bob and I went antique hunting one day into Abbeville and Maurice. While in Abbeville we checked out the Depot, along with a couple of cabooses they had restored. Then we met the group at the Cajun Claws for dinner, about 17 of us filled one corner of the restaurant. I'm surprised they had room for all the crawfish, each order was 3 1/2lbs.or 5 lbs.. They came out in big trays. As soon as the trays hit the table, everybody got busy digging in. Some more experienced diners brought their own gloves and bibs.
Bob and I went to Suires Grocery Store and Restaurant one day for lunch. While inside reading all the postings on the walls, one of the owners came in and asked if we were the owners of the green truck. Apparently there were some guys out there taking pictures of it and wanted more information about it. They had the waitress pose by it. So Bob and I went out to give them "the little green truck story". Other people from the park went out to Suires the next day and sure enough they had two 8x10s of the truck on their wall already.
Suires has been written up in a couple magazines. Another great little "hole in the wall" restaurant with great atmosphere and great home cooking. They had 2 helicopters land there one day for lunch. Apparently the pilots had been there before and decided to stop in for lunch. Definitely surprised the owners.

Betty's RV Park

We don't remember who told us to come to Betty's RV Park in Abbeville, LA. But we are so glad listened. It is an Escapees park and an off season Passport America. This is the friendliest park and community. Talk about the Arcadian and Cajun hospitality, it is abundant in this area! We have been fortunate to be staying here at the same time as a couple talented RVers. We have been entertained almost everynight with jam sessions performed by Eric from Nova Scotia and Wayne from Ontario. They did not know each other prior to meeting at Betty's this week, but played together like they had been rehearshing forever. We have a video or two of these guys jammin'. Eric , also, played the spoons which we thought we had taped but are having difficulty finding where we taped it!

Sunday March 21, 2009
We were invited to Dave and Priscilla's for sausage poorboys Sunday afternoon. There were six of us there, the grilled sausages were fantastic! Then we decided everyone should try our new "find", creme tequila. Tastes like chocolate creme with a tequila kicker. TOOOO good. Then the other couple brought over their favorite tequila. We got our "home brew" for them to sample, also. We had gotten the "home brew" from Ronny, the guy who oversaw the hyperbaric chambers. Since I was there for my blocked sinuses, he thought a sip of this would help loosen my sinuses. Loosened something, not sure if it was the sinuses! Then at my final treatment he gave me the rest of the bottle to take home. What a guy! He really goes that extra step to help the clients get better.Since we were just having samples, we decided it was now time to get whatever we were having for Happy Hour, (
a 4:30 everyday tradition at Betty's) and head over to the gazebo and visit with the rest of the RVers.As you can see from the picture, Betty has a great place to go for Happy Hour. Always lively talk about where people have gone and what they have seen. Gives us ideas of what adventures are waiting to be found. I'm sure our 10 days here is not going to be enough time to do all we want to do, especially since we are down to the last 3 days as I write this.We have had rain during the night mostly for the last 2 days, a little during the day. The first night of the storm it sounded like the lightning was landing right next to the camper. Poor Grizz has never been fond of storms. Usually he does NOT want to be by us. Well, this night he would not let us out of his sight. He would crowd up by the side of the bed. Then he would get stuck turning around to check out the other side. This dog has yet to learn, "back-up". I felt so sorry for him being so scared that I had Bob put Grizz up on the bed. Well, Grizz was still scared, but now he was shaking the bed so much that neither Bob or I could even read. I came into the living area and found water running in above the door. The wind was blowing the rain right into the trailer so we had to improvise a way to hook the outside doors to block most of the water and wind. By the time we got back to bed, about 3 am Grizz had decided to settle down and sleep on the floor at the foot of the bed, where he always does. What a wussy dog!!

New Iberia

March 23, 2009

We went to New Iberia today and toured the "Shadows-on-the-Teche. A southern plantation home on the Bayou Teche. Built from 1831-1834, took 3 years to complete it. The kitchen is no longer there but the house has been restored to it's original splendor. Can't imagine what it must have been like to live in those days. She had 8 children, 3 died at young ages. Her husband did not live long enough to live in the new home. The house was finished and he left to find a cure or treatment for his health (guessing TB) but died before he could make it back. They had two plantations. They had a sugar plantation 9 miles away and the plantation where the new home was. Busy lady!!!! She later married a judge, but did not have any children with him.

Then we stopped at MULATE'S ( the Original Cajun Restaurant)in Breaux Bridge on the way home. Going to have to live on water and crackers for awhile or at least until my clothes aren't so tight!!

Sat. Breakfast

Sat morning we got up before everything and were ready to leave by 6:30 am which is about 3 hrs earlier then normal.   We followed two other cars from Betty's Park about 30 mi. to a town named Breaux Bridge and to a cafe called Cafe des Amis arriving as they were opening the doors.  We all trouped in and all ordered a Zydeco Breakfast(beignets,Eggs des Amis--boudin on a biscuit with eggs and grits for me) as the band was setting up.      Much talk, more people arriving until it was standing room only.  The band started playing at 8:30 and we were treated to a lively time with good zydeco music and some great dancers. Way to much energy for 8:30 in the morning, but sure was fun to see.        We left about 9:30 and walked through town and looked in some antique stores and talked to a bunch of people. Then got in the truck and drove about 15 mi. to the semi annual 7-mile yard sale....7 miles of  lots of people, yard sales and things to look at and to eat. Headed back about 1 pm and sat around the rest of the day.

Today we left Kinder,LA enroute to Abbeville, LA and Betty's RV Park The oil rig is at a tourist info stop in Jennings,LA and the depot is in Abbeville. We arrived at Betty's about 4 p.m. just before happy hour ,which is at 4:30 every afternoon. About 12 people were going out for dinner and we were invited. Dinner was at a 130yr old restaurant named Dupuy's Oyster Shop. Very Good!! Got back and gave people tours of our trailer. A fun park.

Leaving tomorrow at 6:30 am for Saturday Morning Zydeco

Breakfast in Breaux Bridge, LA about 25 mi. from the park. We learned about Betty's in AZ and

the people said that it was a fun place that you didn't want to leave. Just 17 lots crowded around her house with full hookups. So far it looks they were right.

The Beginning

This is the story of our travels with our Little Green Truck.
It is a 1965 White 3000 cabover that we purchased in 2001.

The trailer is a 1946 Trailmobile that we built into our camper(home).

The first picture was in Fife Lake, Mi. in Jan 2006.

In May of 2007 Jan & I attended a camping rally with the Tin Can Tourists at Camp Dearborn in Milford, MI.

Since that time we have lived in the trailer full time and are touring the USA.

The second picture was our campsite in 2008 at Silver Springs, FL.

Hopefully we can add to this blog daily and we will try to add some of the past adventures as we go along.