147: Remember the Alamo!

Oh yeah!

It must be fate. Roger and I made it into Texas today. We are staying in the EconoLodge in Jasper, and when we came back to the room after dinner, what did we find on the TV but THE ALAMO! My Texan roots include a fair measure of pride (for no good reason) in the state's brief period as an independent nation, so like every good Texas, I knew that the whomping the Texians received at the Alamo was returned in kind just a few days later at the Battle of San Jacinto. That's where Sam Houston and what remained of the Texian army defeated General Santa Ana's forces in only 18 minutes.

What are the odds? How many other states could we have entered, and then saw a movie about that state?  Oklahoma, I guess. I'm sure there are others. But no other independent nations among them!

Oh, that Lone Star state!

Adieu, Louisiana

Our ride was uneventful, which is sort of what you want. When we stopped just before the border for a break, we had a chance to talk to Gary, one of the locals. He had his own story about the recent flood. What he said (and this is his story, which likely reflects the general consensus around here, but may or may not be completely accurate) was that the lake was already full before the rains started. He said that the lake level was high because of the bass tournament. (I guess they usually keep lots of water in the lake for tournaments so the fish have a better chance!)  Anyway, when this monster rain came in, and all this water had to go somewhere, the lake (Toledo Bend) was already at capacity. There was nowhere for the water to go, and to protect the integrity of the dam, they opened the floodgates and just let the water gush.

The lake seems pretty normal at this point

He said that he has about 285 acres, and 200 of them were flooded. Fortunately, his home is on the highest point, so he stayed dry. His daughter's home was completely covered with water. FEMA gave her a check to clean it up, but she is planning to move over to her dad's property, and build something there. Yeah.

The day's report: Leesville to Jasper, 62.8 miles/7280 to date

Our route into Texas

Bonus photo today - when you stop in the local convenience store, there is always something that speaks to the region's particular flavor. So, here in Louisiana, you can pick up a crawfish trap at the corner store!