On my own in Biloxi

posted in: Traveling Posts | 0

Well on Thursday, December 3, we closed out our month in Gulf Shores, AL (see previous post.)

Carol and Brian took the Jeep and headed north. Brian has his final Eagle Scout Board of Review next Wednesday, and Carol wants to see Jake and Dann, and visit with other family.

As all RV Parks in the frozen north closed November 1, the motorhome, the dogs, and me are on our own. Scheduled to be 8 days.

My first stop after a short day driving was the Cajun RV Park, in Biloxi, Mississippi. I was there for 2 nights. Similar but different than Gulf Shores. IMG_20151204_101143Biloxi was hit hard by Katrina. Even now, a full decade later, there are an awful lot of “bare foundations”. Places where people used to live and play, but the storm and the cleanup wiped them bare, nothing left but the concrete.

Cajun RV Resort is really nice. They have grass! They are right across Hwy 90 from the beach, and they have a fenced off-leash dog run. DogParkOur furry boys loved that. After the first trip, everytime we left the RV, they headed straight for the gate. “Let me loose DADDY, I want to RUN!!!”

Unlike the Alabama coast, in Mississppi, the highway runs along the beach. There is nothing (with a few exceptions) between the highway and the gulf but sugar white sand, the length of the state. Seems it has always been this way, mostly. There are a few buildings on the gulf side, and also a few foundations, where the building washed away in the storm and was never rebuilt.

The town is awesome. It’s old. Historic. Tiny narrow streets that haven’t changed much since the 1700’s. Cool old buildings. Cool new building modeled after the old ones. I drove around here a bit, but didn’t stop.

Biloxi hardrock guitarOne place I did stop is the Hardrock Casino. Behind the parking garage is a shrimp boat harbor!!! Forrest Gump, and Jenny 1 and Jenny2 and Jenny 3 and… well you get it. Biloxi shrinp harbor3There were lots of fishermen selling fresh shrimp right off the deck of their boats. Very Very Cool.

The Hardrock was cool too. It’s a real casino, Vegas Style, not one of those prefab steel building indian casinos we’re used to seeing in Wisconsin. Biloxi hardrock casino 2I walked through, but didn’t gamble. However, I thought about it.
Biloxi hardrock ruthschrisInside, there is a Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse. I thought about this hard. Best food EVER… for $200 a plate, it better be. Again, I passed.

But this time of year, even on the Gulf Coast, it cools off quick as the sun goes down (at a lousy 5 pm, NOT A FAN!) and my only transportation is a 40 year old Honda motorcycle…

Biloxi YUM steakSo I cooked my own steak. Tried to cook it on the grille, but the wind kept blowing the fire out. So I ended up doing it in the cast iron skillet on the stove, bubbling in garlic, olive oil, and butter. Delicious! Take that, Ruth’s Chris!!

I was there for 2 nights, December 3 + 4. Saturday morning we rolled out heading for Marksville, LA. Darrin and Penny, friends we met in Gulf Shores, highly recommended the Paragon Casino RV Resort in Marksville, and after so many people telling me to stay away from the Big Easy (and I alone on a motorcycle…) I decided to go there. I’ll tell you all about it, tomorrow-ish.

Jim, Riley, Nikko, and Kobi.

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