POVERTY POINT STATE PARK - DAY TWO

Slept till 8:00, fed the dog, had my coffee and then we went for our long morning walk.  We left the RV park campground near site 51 which has a nice gravel walking trail that goes around the Indian Mounds and ends near the fishing pier, visitor's center, and boat launch. 

Red gravel walking path.

There's the water... way back there.

A small marker showing which Indian Mound this is.

The Visitor's Center across Hwy 17.

We crossed highway 17 and walked down to the water.  So many people fishing on the pier and the boat trailers filled the parking lot.  Didn't go in the visitor's center as I'm sure they don't allow dogs inside.

Really cute fish cleaning station.

Parking for boat trailers.

Boat launch.

Pretty greenery.

I don't think I would like to fish that close to other people.  I still don't have a fishing pole so I wasn't too disappointed when I saw the crowded pier.  You can catch large mouth bass, black crappie, blue gill, and channel catfish in the reservoir.

Xi Shi was checking out the water and I know if I'd of let her she would have run down that slope and into the lake.  I'm sure the folks fishing would not have appreciated that. 

Highway 17 continues on to the North Landing.  I am camped out in the South Landing near Bayou Macon.  North Landing appears to be several miles away on Hwy 17 with no place to walk along the side of the road.  So I'll wait till I can ride to it in the coach.  North Landing has a store and concession area as well as a beach area.   Naturally... the beach area is far, far away from the campground.

A Historical Marker on one of the Indian Mounds.

This park is named after a Native American site consisting of earthworks and artifacts.  Known as the Poverty Point Culture, its people settled on the banks of Bayou Macon between 1400 and 700 B.C.  It's really pretty along the water but the RV park is average.

Site 51 showing a sliver of blue water behind it.

Got back from our walk and I had breakfast.  Sat out on the deck and did some more reading.  It's still really cool here in the mornings and I love it.  I had to wear a long sleeved shirt and jeans this morning.  I'm sure it will warm up by this afternoon.  I have the door open and the windows by the sofa open and the breeze is blowing through the coach.  It's great.

POVERTY POINT RESERVOIR STATE PARK - DELHI, LA

Left Lake Bruin around 10:00 this morning.  Got gas and some fried fish for lunch.  Got to Poverty Point around noon. 

This 2700 acre park has a man-made lake as well as the Marsden Mound Trails, a group of 5 earthen, Neo-Indian mounds, dating from the Tchefuncte through the Coles Creek civilizations and possibly later.  I'll try and get photos of that area tomorrow.

Rode around the reservoir and looked at the cabins - then went to my site.  I had reserved a pull-through site but had no idea what it would look like.  I was very impressed when I pulled into site #42.  It is the only site in this loop with shade.  It has a deck and a fence to seperate the wooded area from the site.  As I drove through the first loop I noticed the sites were close together so thought that loop two would be the same.  I really lucked out.

This part of the loop is really spacious.  That's me in the background.

Xi Shi and I took a walk around our area and noted several hiking trails.  We walked down into the one closest to our site but it was muddy and we turned around and came back up. 

Walked through our loop and found a few sites that are really secluded and private.  Sites 44, 45, and 46 have trees between them providing lots of privacy.

Sites 45 and 46 seperated by trees.

Later I rode my bike a little further into the loop and noticed a walking path to water near site 51.  I'll check that out tomorrow.

We sat out on the deck and I read for awhile.  It's cool and the sun is feeling so good.  It's a beautiful day.  I really like my site.  It's so private.

LAKE BRUIN STATE PARK - THURSDAY

Last evening, just as the sun was setting, there was a break in the dark clouds and the sky gave off a bright reddish orange color.  I grabbed my Nikon and rushed to capture the image.  

I sat on my coach step holding my camera and just waited for the sky to change.  Every few minutes the colors would vary as the sun disappeared.

Reddish purple.

                                                                              

                                                          Blue hues.

Good night.

The sun came out about 9:00 this morning and it's a beautiful day.  Everything has been washed clean by the rain and the air smells fresh. 

Took a walk over to the boat rentals.  One of these days I'm gonna get one of those boats and paddle around the lake... but not today.

At the far end of the park is another fishing pier.  There were different types of trees along this area.  Everything is so green and bright. 

The Cypress trees were showing a lot more color.  Some are a bright red at the base.  The Cypress knees here are more red, also.

Sunshine on the Gypsy Boho Freedom Express, once again.

                                 Placed a Peace Rock... we're leaving in the morning.

LAKE BRUIN STATE PARK - WEDNESDAY

Xi Shi met another little Shih Tzu today.  His name is Roscoe and he weighs only 6 pounds.  Xi Shi weighs about 20.  He is adorable.  He tried to entice her to play with him but she wouldn't.  This is not her usual behavior with other small dogs.  Not sure why she acted that way. 

He's looking at her so adoringly.

We took a walk to the beach today.  I've never seen a beach like this one.  However, I'm sure it serves the purpose for the kids in the summer.

And of course the ever present sign stating, "No Pets On Beach." 

It's been raining hard and steady.  Not many good photo ops.  This is what I took early this morning from my bedroom window before the pier lights went out.

It's been a pretty boring day.  Rain, rain, and more rain.  I had to walk the dog using my big umbrella.  The lake is getting closer to my door.  I hope I don't regret getting a site so close.  

Many campers have left.

Finished reading my first book which I enjoyed and now have started my second. 

LAKE BRUIN STATE PARK - TUESDAY

Slept well.  My neighbors woke me at 7:30 this morning making noise as they packed up and left.  I'm happy about that.  Hope no one else takes that spot.  You can see  how close that site is in this photo.

Had breakfast then walked around the campground.  Stopped to talk to the camp host and noticed his accent was familiar.  He's from Lafayette... no wonder.  Had a nice chat and Xi Shi made friends with his little Pomeranian.

The further away we walked from the lake the nicer the campsites were.  Some were very wide and lots of space between them.

This is a nice private spot.

Nice and spacious.

Most everyone here has a dog or two and use yard crates to keep them in while outside.  I don't think my doggie would like that.  She would cry and that would make me unhappy.  She enjoys sitting outside with me on her own chair.

This campground is really crowded for a weekday.  Not a screaming kid in sight.

The sun was shinning this mornning and I was hoping the rain had missed us.  I put out my outside rug and my chairs and we sat out while I read.  It was nice and cool and I was really enjoying myself.

A neighbor lady came over when it started to drizzle and informed me that if there were tornado warnings for me to go to the bath house in the middle of the park.  I had not been able to catch any TV stations so didn't know what the weather forecast was.  Thanked her and picked up my chairs.

Rained on and off this afternoon.  Checked the forecast and it gives thunderstorms for Tuesday, Wednesday, and maybe Thursday as well as a flash flood watch.  Well... that pretty much takes up my stay here.  I just hope I don't have to move to higher ground... whether it be in the coach or backstroke ;-)

LAKE BRUIN STATE PARK - ST. JOSEPH, LA

MONDAY

Left Kincaid Lake around 10:30 this morning and stopped for fuel.  Rode around Pineville to see if I could look up an old friend.  Found her house but no one was home.  Headed to our next park.  Stopped to get something to eat.  Fried chicken... yummy good.

Got to Lake Bruin and was set up by 4:00pm.  Long day of driving and I'm really tired.  I like the campground as it is located close to the lake, however, the sites are REAL close together.  My neighbor's sitting area is right behind my coach.  I mean right behind - so I had to close my shades in the bedroom as I could almost read the book she was reading from my bed.

My view is great.  The lake is about 10 feet from my door and a pier a few more feet from there.  I reserved this spot because it looked like it was the closest to the lake on the website... and it is.  I also like site #19 which appears to be the only pull-through.  There is another site #1 which has a larger yard, a deck, and no one is up close to the site but I wouldn't be close to the pier.  I thought about moving but am too tired so will just stay here.

Site #1

Sure wish I had a fishing pole.  Everyone here seems to be here to do just that.  Fish.  There are 2 boats tied up at the pier and lots of boat trailers around.   This park is really set up for the RVer.  I like that.

Xi Shi and I took a walk around the campground.  She tried chasing a few squirrrels but never even got close.  We found our way to the boat launch and she walked into the lake and lapped a few drinks of the cool water.  I walked in with her and we enjoyed the experience.

My little water dog.

Took some photos of the sun setting over the lake. 

Tried to get some night shots of the pier which is lit up.

Having trouble uploading photos using the campground WIFI.


Long day and I'm ready for bed.