We Visit Dirty Miller in Grand Chenier, Louisiana!

NO INTERNET SIGNAL AT LAST NIGHT’S LOCATION…LATE POSTING THIS MORNING.

Yesterday we drove the motorhome the about 40 miles from Holly Beach to Grand Chenier, Louisiana. The yellow line on the below Google Earth image shows our route…

The day started with a beautiful sunrise over the Gulf of Mexico…

As always you may left click upon an image to see an enlarged view and then click once again to see an even larger view…

The gulf was nearby on our right as we drove east along the shore route…

We were also on the Creole Nature Trail…

We took the ferry from Holly Beach across the Calcasieu Waterway 1/4 mile to Cameron on the far shore…

About 25 miles later we came to the Mermentau River Bridge where we stopped to take a few photos…

We started along this narrow road following the river shore…

About two miles later the road narrowed to a single lane and a sign saying PAVEMENT ENDS. I said to Mary…I don’t think I want to do this. Looking to the left we saw our only escape…a circular driveway…

As we made the circle we could hear someone shouting at us. I asked Mary we he said and she replied she did not know. So, I decided to stop…and that’s when we met him…DIRTY MILLER…a crazy, Cajun Coonass…

As we approached his shed…he shouted…it’s not done cooking yet! I asked him what was cooking and he replied…Cowboy Stew! With him was his girlfriend Rachael whom he calls Ray-Ray and several other friends. He introduced himself as Dirty Miller. His real name is Pravato Miller. He works for Cameron Parish and has lived there all of his life.

He explained the concrete slab in front of his shed covers the remains of his house which was destroyed by Hurricane Rita in 2005…

Next thing we knew he was giving us the grand tour of his utility shed which includes among other things…a refrigerator, cooking stove, washer and dryer, a great sound system and numerous photos…

He had had a little to drink by then and kept repeating…I love life and having fun and I’m one crazy Cajun Coonass! He also told us that he was a guide who has had a number of famous people as clients…including Hank Williams, Jr.

He and the crowd were super friendly and a barrel of laughs. We were fast becoming friends…so much so that Mary shared a tobacco chew with him…

All the while the French Cajun Music was blaring away and dancing happened…

As time passed it was time for delicious Cowboy Stew and coleslaw…

As he was stirring the stew, I asked the ingredients and you can enjoy his Cajun accent by clicking this link…
http://youtu.be/t2LCubq0RCA

He’s a gun collector and showed Mary the largest handgun made…a Smith & Wesson 50 caliber…

He wanted to show us how loud it was and we were absolutely amazed when he actually hit the beer can…

This dog wasn’t impressed…

Nor this dog…

He offered to show us the scenery along the gravel road that included cattle…

And lots of birds and ducks of which Mary took many photos…

By now we were fast friends…

He invited us to spend the night in his driveway…which we did. Here’s the dinette photo…

He and Ray-Ray insisted on cooking us a breakfast…

So at 6:00 AM they served us a tasty shrimp, crab and crawfish omelet complete with home-made hot sauce…

Here’s the view from Dirty Miller’s shed just before we left this morning…

Needless to say we had a ball visiting Dirty Miller and his friends. He really did not want us to leave and he actually had tears in his eyes as we made ready to depart.

A whole bunch of that great Louisiana Cajun hospitality. Thanks y’all for a great visit!

Enjoying meeting fun and interesting people is another joy in the life of a full-time RVer!

The red dot on the below map shows our approximate location in the State of Louisiana. You may double left-click the map to make it larger…

Enjoying 65-75 degree temperatures most of the year is a primary joy in the RVing lifestyle!

“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving”…Albert Einstein

If you have not checked out my Ramblin Man’s Photos Blog, you can do so by clicking this link…
http://ramblinmanphotos.wordpress.com/

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2013
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust

TRADITIONAL CABALGATA

Again, braving the cold, we walked into Columbus to view the Cabalgata, a tradition where riders from both countries meet at the US/Mexican border. New Mexico dignitaries invite the Chihuahua dignitaries to accompany them, and both groups ride the three miles into Columbus to celebrate their common heritage where Hispanics and Anglos have long experienced a successful blend of cultures. We estimated about 300 horses rode in this unusual parade.

Leading the way was this Mexican dignitary outfitted as Pancho Villa.

There were shouts from bystanders as they recognized various riders from Mexico. Shouts of “bravo” and other Spanish words that I didn’t understand that brought friendly responses in turn.

Riders came in established groups, some with banners, or the same color scarves allowing us to think they have ridden in this Cabalgata year after year as a tradition.

They came as families.

A long ride on a small pony.  We shouted “bravo” to them for braving the cold.

They came as single riders.

Some with dancing horses. The number of riders blew us away.

On our walk to the park for the festivities, I saw these business-man bad guys, trying to look mean.

One week after Villa’s raid on Columbus, 10,000 troops led by General “Black Jack” Pershing led the Punitive Expedition into Mexico to capture Villa.  One skirmish with Mexican Federales near Parral, and President Wilson called off the search. The expedition was  the last true mounted cavalray action by the United States Army. A man outfitted as Pershing did some play acting for the cameras. He halts this group of riders at gun point.

We think  “Pershing” is speaking to the U.S. Sheriff of Luna County from some of the voices we heard in the crowd.

And, there was friendly sword and pistol play between the bad guys and “Pancho” who we think is a Sheriff in the state of Chihuahua. Villa’s forces were dispersed and Villa vanished into the back country never to raid again. In 1920 President Adolfo De La Huerto negotiated a peace with him and he was allowed to return to his ranch in Parral. Three years later he was assassinated by unknowns who were never arrested.

Whoever he was, we were fascinated with his showy saddle-horn and the friendly interplay.

 

Then we watched the horses ride out-of-town, or pack their animals into trailers and end their ride for the day.

It was like watching the parade all over again.

We watched as another dancing horse danced his way out-of-town.

We move today to Rockhound State Park. We enjoyed the festival and the food and I’ll blog it tomorrow.

Los Algodones, Sonora, Mexico

Yesterday Mary and I walked across the border into Los Algodones, Sonora, Mexico. Why did we do that…you ask? So Mary could visit her dentist.

It’s reputed that within a four block radius there are more pharmacies, doctors, dentists and opticians here, than a similar four block area anywhere else in the world! Daily thousands of American and Canadian Snowbirds visit Los Algodones. I’ve been here a number of times…Mary first went there with me in 2009.

It can take as long as 2-3 hours later in the day to wait in line to cross back into the United States. The secret is to go early…get your business done…leave early. I abandoned Los Algodones dentists a number of years ago. My dentist is now in San Luis Rio Colorado, Sonora, Mexico…about 20 miles south of Yuma, Arizona. I visited him about one month ago.

Here are some photos I took while Los Algodones…

As always you may click upon a photo to see and enlarged view and then click once again to see an even larger view…

Walking towards the border crossing…

If you bring guns or ammunition into Mexico…you may never be seen again…

Immediately after crossing into Los Algodones…

There are LOTS of signs like these all over Los Agodones…

Here’s photo of Mary in 2009 standing in front of her then dentist’s office…

Thanks to Mary and her oldest son Ken, her dentist now has a nice, new office…

Right next door to her dentist’s office is Maria’s Factory…

A pretty painted restaurant…

With a nice courtyard…

A typical street scene…

In a small central plaza…

Trinkets of all sorts can be found…

You can also watch artistic painters working with spray cans painting pretty scenes on satellite dishes…

We stopped at our favorite eating place. You can see Mary in the background…

You cannot beat the house policy…

After you are done eating you can step in the back to wash your hands…

Lots of places to buy booze…

Lots of pharmacies…

Another typical street scene…

And then you get in line to return to the United States. It wasn’t too bad…only about a twenty-minute wait…

Unfortunately Mary needs one more appointment…so next Monday we’ll once again return to Los Algodones, Sonora, Mexico. Hopefully that will conclude Mary’s dental activity and we can head on out to the Great adventure on Tuesday. If you do not know what the Great Adventure is…you can find out by clicking this link…
http://wp.me/pDCku-3lE

To find out all about Los Algodones, click this Wikipedia link…

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Algodones

Here’s a good description of Los Algodones…

http://gosw.about.com/od/southwestmiscellaneous/a/Algodones.htm

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2012
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust