February 13, 2013 Texas

Heading west, we are now in Texas.

Good Bye Palmetto Island State Park.  Hello Creole Nature trail- which is the highway that runs along the gulf coast in western Louisiana.

We had to cross the Calcasieu river on the ferry. First time for the bus. It cost $1.00. John told them it was outrageous. Here is the ferry with an oil tanker on it. They claimed the ferry could carry 50 cars.

The coach on the ferry.

Took a wrong turn and ended up in the Sabine wildlife refuge. It looked like it may be interesting, a huge lake, lots and lots of birds. Maybe another trip. The gulf coast. They had these fences up to trap the sand into dunes, to me they are snow fences, but I guess here they are sand fences. Out on the water you can see the off shore oil rigs. The coast of Louisiana is all about oil.

The top left is a crawfish hole, or chimney in a lawn. They can dig their burrow up to 5 feet deep to the water table. The armadillos and raccoons tear up lawns going after the crawfish. This chimney is about a foot tall. Another thing found in lawns in this area are huge ant hills- this one is also about a foot tall.  A wild gaillardia blooming, and white pelicans on the Cameron river. The sign welcoming us into Texas, with oil tanks in the background.

We are now in Beaumont. It has the nations largest concentration of oil refineries. Beaumont skyline.

The old Spanish trail runs through Beaumont. The worlds tallest fire hydrant is in front of the fire museum in Beaumont. It is painted like a Dalmatian and 24 feet tall.

John with an old horse drawn fire engine.  We also went to the Edison museum. It is in the first power plant in Beaumont. It was just closing so we only spent a few minutes in it. I learned that Edison did not invent the light bulb, but a system to deliver electricity into homes to run the light bulbs.

The bus at Hidden lake RV resort just south of Beaumont. It is an ok RV park, but it is in the industrial area right off the highway. Spring flowers are already blooming.