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It's been a while since I've posted. Sorry, but when I get back to my hometown, it is hard to post about things because the things I do here seems like "normal" things instead of "exploring and stuff". I wasn't sure about using the word "hometown". Although I have lived in Mansfield, Louisiana and this part of Northwest Louisiana for almost 32 years, the word hometown is hard for me to say. I grew up while moving around this great country and so I got used to answering the question, "where are you from" with an answer like "nowhere and everywhere". Oh well, I guess everybody has to be from somewhere. Or as in a quote from a movie, "no matter where you go, there you are". Add a comment if you know the movie. :)
I arrived back at the Heart of Haynesville RV Campground on Sunday, November 2nd. I stayed here for a couple weeks last month and although it is a bare-boned campground, it is a convenient location for me to do the things I needed to do. As you know, I don't need or use a lot of the special things some campgrounds have and promote. I usually prefer state parks with at least electric at the campsite. Water and sewer connections at the campsite is nice but not necessary since I usually only stay 3 to 4 days and my tanks will last that long. I do have full hookups at this campground since I knew I would be staying a week or so. This campground is more like a work camp than an RV campground. There are no picnic tables or firerings. However, it does serve my purposes for now.
Besides Thanksgiving with the family and seeing friends, there are several things I need to do before getting back on the road. One of the most important things was to visit with my daughters 3rd grade class at Carrie Martin Elementary School in Plain Dealing, Louisiana. I guess I was her "show and tell", LOL.
The town of Plain Dealing is located in north Bossier Parish; that would be "county" for those non-Louisiana readers :). The Caddo Indians had been in the area for generations until they decided on their own or were forced by the non-Indians to leave. The reason for leaving depends on who is telling the tale. The truth probably lies somewhere in between. After most of the Indians moved farther west into what would become Texas; a family named Gilmer, from Virginia, settled in the area around 1839 and started a large plantation, named The Plain Dealing Plantation. The name came from their old plantation back in Virginia. In 1888, the Railroad came through town and a train depot was established. It was an important railroad stop that was used to haul the local crops and livestock to market. The depot was named Guernshein after one of the large stockholders in the Railroad. That name didn't last long before it was changed to Plain Dealing. The town was incorporated two years later in 1890 as Plain Dealing instead of Guernshein. One interesting fact about Plain Dealing is that it holds the record as the hottest recorded temperature in Louisiana with 114 degrees on August 10, 1936. Some of those type of records are questionable, but it's possible it may be true.
The class has been following my blog and if any readers have noticed comments from or to Mrs. McMillan's Class, that's them. I was invited to visit their class to see if they had any questions. Yes, they had a few questions, about 20 or so. I was glad to answer any and all questions and would have stayed longer but they had other classes to attend. It is a great class with many very smart questions. Some of the Parish Supervisors were visiting the class a while back and noticed the map on the wall. My daughter, who thought up the idea, explained about the kids following the blog and they thought it was a great idea. They said it was like a "virtual field trip" for the kids. It was a good visit and a good day.
This is the map on their wall where they have been tracking my stops. They will have to come up with another idea of tracking or get another map because my next trip will be out west and the map will be getting a little crowded.
My daughter, Brittanie, and her 3rd grade class. Each child has a distinct personality and you can see it in the way each child holds themselves for this picture.
A picture of Brittanie and the crazy ole traveler that stopped by for a great visit with her inquisitive class.
On my way back to Mansfield, I was having withdrawal from not being around any water source for a while so I stopped by the Red River boat ramp next to the Shreveport-Barksdale Bridge.
A couple of 2-legged benches near the river. A nice place to spend some time just sitting and watching the river go by.
I also brought each of the kids a small bag of Cheetos in response to one of my posts back in August which they questioned my healthy eating habits LOL.
Grilled zucchini with a "dairy" product in the background.
Ya'll take care of each other. Cya down the road.
I'm fairly certain they asked you more than 20 questions, especially about that flood wall picture. I appreciated it and I know the did too! THANKS!
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