1. FROM NEW JERSEY TO TEXAS

Overnights in

South Carolina	Georgia	Missisippi	Louisiana	Texas

Day 1: Saturday, March 11

Woke up at 5 AM. There was no way I could get back to sleep. After all, today was THE day - the start of the first camping trip in three months.

Was on the road by 6:15 AM. Temperature in NJ was 37F under cloudy skies. By the time I hit Delaware, the temperature had climbed into the low fifties and it started to rain. The sun came out (on and off) south of Richmond, VA and the temperature gradually climbed to 84F. It was 80F when I set up camp, and a thunderstorm forced me indoors by 7 PM.

Because of my very early departure, reached the planned destination for the day by 3 PM. Decided to press on and drove to the Santee State Park, SC. Got a reasonably level and attracive site and settled in for the night. The park is located right by Marion Lake. The sites are fairly close together, the view of the lake is quite pretty, and the bathhouse is very modern and spotless. I have excellent TV reception and see warnings for a major thunderstorm and a temperature drop into the fifties. Spent the evening watching a movie on TV and went to bed at 11 o'clock.

Drove 10 3/4 hours, 720 miles, essentially all of it on interstates. Boring! Although traffic was quite heavy at times, average 67 mph. Bought gasoline in NC at $1.499/gal and averaged 16.6 mpg.

Day 2: Sunday, March 12

As usual on the first night out, it took me a while to fall asleep. Partying fellow campers didn't help matters. Nevertheless woke up at 6 AM and couldn't go back to sleep. The outside temperature had dropped to 45F, but it was a comfortable 57F inside the van. Turned up the thermostat and quickly reached 70F. Went to try the shower in the bathhouse. Why don't they put a soap dish or a shelf inside the shower???

Boiled an egg for breakfast and had some toasted English muffins. Was on the road by 8:30 AM and spent another 1 1/2 hours on I-95. About 20 miles south of Savannah, turned west. US-84 - the Wiregrass Parkway.

Passed through Jessup and Ludowice - two towns that in the early sixties were infamous speed traps. The AAA investigated and discovered that a patrol car would sit by the intersection and control the traffic light. The unsuspecting driver would approach the (green) light and the cop would change it to yellow when the car was about 10 feet from the intersection and to red when the car entered it. Worked every time, enriched the towns, and gave them such a bad reputation that AAA warned people to avoid them.

US-84 in Georgia has some scenic stretches, especially west of Waynsboro. Towns like Valdosta, Thomasville, and Bainbridge have pretty side streets with Victorian gingerbread houses. Passed through the hamlet of Climax, but couldn't find a historic marker that would explain how the town got its name.

Arrived at Lake Seminole State Park (about 20 miles southwest of Bainbridge) at 4:15 PM. It's a rather nice park, lots of boating, fishing, and biking. Most sites are pull-through, all have water, electricity, grill, and picnic table. The bathhouse is clean and looks comfortable. The showers have soap dishes! A new bathhouse is under construction, the old one looks a bit worn, but very clean. My site is very nice and its number is the same as my house number at home.

Daytime temperature didn't get much above 65F, and the evening air was sufficiently chilly to require a sweater. Drove 397 miles today, was on the road for 7 3/4 hours and averaged 51 MPH. Bought gasoline in Georgia for $1.429/gal and averaged 16.8 mpg.

Day 3: Monday, March 13

Am fighting a cold and cough and didn't sleep well at all. Woke up at 2 AM with a stuffed up nose and again at 5 AM and 6:30 AM. Stopped trying to get more sleep and instead headed for the bathhouse.

What a total pleasure! A showerhead that delivered a rich quantity of hot water - felt really clean for the first time since I left home.

Temperature during the night had dropped to 40F but had climbed to 46F by the time I hit the road at 8:45 AM. Rejoined US-84 and stayed on that road for most of the day. Went through some fairly pretty little towns - the dogwoods and azaleas are in full bloom.

Passed through Enterprise, AL and drove past the Boll Weevil monument, an attractive little fountain. Here is the story:

Around 1915 the infamous snouted boll weevil arrived from Mexico. This voracious little bugger systematically wiped out the cotton crop, destroying about 90% of the local income and economy. The farmers fought back with whatever pesticides and chemicals they could think of, no luck. Since the farmers were of a generation that did not expect Washington, DC to bail them out, they decided to diversify into other crops, especially peanuts. They did this, by the way, without filing an environmental impact statement, or consulting the US Department of Agriculture, or getting government loans. They just went out and did it. The diversification effort was so successful that the whole county (Coffee county) prospered and many other farmers in the South followed their example. Out of gratitude the good citizens of Enterprise, AL put up the statue.

Enjoyed beautiful sunshine all day, but the temperature didn't climb above 65F until late afternoon, when I hit Mississippi. Drove through Hattiesburg (not worth the effort) and then followed US-92 west to MS-24. Then headed south for a few miles on MS-48 to the Percy Quin State Park.

This is a very beautiful park. As you enter the campground area, bear right to stay away from the crowd along the shore and make camp in an almost private site with a lovely view of the lake. Most sites are easy back-ins. All have water and electricity and cost $12 per vehicle, less $2 senior citizen discount. Walked around a bit, called home, and then grilled a cheeseburger - the outside temperature was still a comfortable 70F.

Drove 422 miles today, was on the road for 8 1/2 hours. Bought gasoline in MS at $1.499/gal and averaged 17.6 mpg.

Day 4: Tuesday, March 14

Am still not sleeping all that well and woke up at 6:00 AM. The shower in the slightly run-down bathhouse worked perfectly. Fixed breakfast and was on the road by 8 AM.

Went back to US-98 and then picked up US-84 again, headed for Natchez. Crossed the Mississippi river and took LA-131 to LA-15, which brought me back to US-84. This road is a comfortable (and fast) four lane highway in MS, but a narrow two lane highway in LA. Jumped off onto LA-28 to Alexandria, LA and then had about 90 miles of interstate driving on I-49 to get back to US-84 near Naborton, LA. Crossed into Texas at Loganport, LA and then took a side road (TX-7) to Center and Nacodoches. A little detour, but I wanted to visit Nacodoches - the name intrigued me.

The town is one of Texas' oldest settlements. Indians lived there when the first European settlers arrived. The first European settlement was started in 1716 when the Mission of Our Lady of the Guadelupe of Nacodoches was established.

Continued to Rusk, TX via TX-21 and US-63, and then on US-84 to the Rusk State Park. The park is also the museum of the Texas State Railroad - a bunch of old trains are parked nearby and 50-mile round-trips are offered on steam-powered trains. Have only seen old passenger and freight cars so far.

When I started this morning I enjoyed beautiful sunshine and 50F temperature. It clouded up in Louisiana and the temperature slowly climbed into the mid-sixties. Drove 375 miles and was on the road for 6 1/2 hours.

The state park is not very attractive - sites are very close together. But the park manager agreed to let me hook up the laptop - so I'll be able to get my mail and post the first section of the journal.

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