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| I left Morgan City on La.70 and was immediately brought down from my Catfish Corner high. I passed the campground where my wife and I had had such a great evening and morning on Lake Palourdre. Chck Here to see that place. What lay out in front of me was a Katrina Trailer City. I saw no people or cars. Was it still uninhabited. I think I heard there were problems. It's all so sad. |
| I stopped to see what that tower was. |
| I knew about Brownell Memorial as I had stopped there a while back and the place had been closed. Now the Bell Tower was ringing away. |
| The gates were open, but there was no one around. I went in and just started snapping pictures as it was beautiful. The lake was right there and I guess Mr. Brownell will be feeding his little friends perpetually. |
| The little office, visitor center, was closed. Actually, a car came in as I was leaving and I bet that was the person who ran the center as the closed sign was not out. That was fine, as I would have just yacked too long. |
| Continue north for about 3 miles and you will enter Stephensville. Look for the street sign simply saying "Stephensville". Go east on it. and when you come to a bridge to the right over the bayou, cross it. Take a left, away from the town and you will come to this sign. Continue straight and you will come to the next sign. It is crushed limestone. Three Harleys were ahead of me. It is cruiser friendly. There's a bayou side bar out there not too far, called Mosquitoes. Some time could be spent there, sightseeing and such. |
| I thought the address sign pretty funny. Lot, 100 feet wide, 3 feet deep, then 12 feet deep. |
| Like I said, it was Sunday and folks were having fun. |
| Stephensville |
| That's an alligator gate. Come on. |
| Do Notharm Alligators? I can't find "notharm" in the dictionary. |
| I can't think of anything to say. Cypress trees, swamps, and bayous. Seems pretty mundane to me. There lies the problem, it's really paradise and we sometimes just don't get it because we are so spoiled. This will do for mundane. |
| I think the Hollywoodies hit the nail on the head. This is Louisiana, mysterious, for sure. Beautiful, for sure. A great place to background a movie, excellent. Hope they get the rest of their movie right. If I hear one fake Cajun accent or a New Orleanean with a Mississippi accent, I'm walking out. Hear that Denzel, Val! |
| I was taking us back through Franklin and drag some history into it all. Naw, not going down that road. Sometimes you just know when to call it and here is where it should end. What could follow this display of Nature? Nuttin', honey. |
| When you are though lingering, take your time, hit Next and take her home. Oh, the newspaper said there was a store at the end of the road. It didn't look like much to me and I didn't check it out. It might be cool, or not. Open or not? Find out. |
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| Leaving Morgan City on that new road, the bear crossing sign is a reminder of how close the wilds are to us and unless they are drained, they will remain wild, hopefully. |
| Mike D.in Crowley sent me this. Thanks Mike. "We've done the 182 trip a few times. I like to go around the other side of Bayou Teche and look at the antebellum homes! The roads are in better shape too, except when they are cutting cane. My cousin and I use to go fishing at Stephensville when Hwy. 70 was gravel and you had to get on the levee to go north of there. Some nice fish there in those days! The bell chimes were open the last time we when there in 2003 for the first time since the 70's! Did y'all walk back to them? That is a really strange, but a nice view of the lake". |
| From David in Lafayette, Thanks Dave. "Hi Steve; I was glad to get notification of the new article today. I'm having to stay inside and be quiet today due to a virus so I was thrilled to be invited along on a great new ride, just what the doctor ordered. Loved the ride and have seen much of it as me and my fishing buddies (wife Becky and son Wil) ramble much of the area and know of all the boat launches and bait stores.Stevensville is our main haunt and in the summer we spend many 3-4day weekends at a little family campspot near the new drawbridge which you didn't picture. It's the pride of the villege and most of my crossings have been under rather than over it. The store at the end of the road is T_Man's and has some interesting history.A few years back his wife still operated it and was a willing wealth of info.It fronts on four mile bayou.The entire area is absolutely beautiful from the water and has big gators and BALD EAGLES. You made my day........Thanks--David B". |
| Personal experiences by the readers are a lot more meaningful than something by this dumb tourist just showing up, shot shot yack yack. Add your own in the Guest Book. You might get published like these guys did. |
| More from David, Seems he has recovered and had another birthday. A good sign for us older people, "having birthdays". " Hi Steve, <My family and I> went to our Sephensville camp spot in our mororhome Thursday, April 20 thru 23. 21st was my B.D.-older than you by one. Had a great time. Caught some fish, ate good, got some birthday goodies, saw hawks, falcons, eagles, owls, various water species, lots of gators, and heard several mind blowing bullfrog concerts. Passed under the Stephensville drawbridge, stopped in at the Mosquito Bar for gas (you shouda went in that place, man it's cool inside), passed in front of T-Mans store and there is a new one just before it called Gros. Gros already had a boat repair place there and word is he got in with the movie people and did some work and contracting for them and they paid for the store and new dock with gas pumps. There were many boats and airboats involved. I was told that they blew up the pool room (billiards) at T-Mans for the movie, repaired what was left and paid 50M to boot.(M "?") T-Man is ninety-something and his wife still runs the place. It's said that for many years (many years ago I suspect) he ran a boat school bus from there across lake Verrett to Atakapas landing. It was a trapper and fisherman's hub. The man who owns the campground is Melvin Verette and was a boatman all his life and can relate much of interest about the area. I read that 2 day ride thing after a long hard 12 hr. day and let me tell you that was hard reading. That fella Jason or anybody else will PLAY HELL! following that ride and them roads I gar-on-teee. Whew! thought I was never gonna finish dat ting, but then, I was very tired. How the hell did you remember all that? Did you write it down as you went? Are you just playing with us? The new formatting is nice and the music is great. Now get on down the road, Boy!! David " Me: As you can see I endure a little harassment along with the good stuff. thanks Dave, keep em comin! |
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| MORE LOUISIANA |