Thursday, April 4, 2013

Sandhill Crane NWR and itinerary adjustment…

Biloxi and nearby 013

Biloxi and nearby 016We planned to pull out of Martin Lake Resort yesterday but after checking  the weather forecast for both Biloxi, MS. and the several locations we could have driven to it was apparent we should stay here to avoid what could possibly have been a much worse weather situation than what was predicted for Biloxi. Instead of pulling out this morning to head north we hunkered down in the rain to wait for this rainy event to pass us by. Had we gone northward we simply would have been following the storm in its path… which didn’t sound like too much fun to the driver… ME!

Biloxi and nearby 001Making the decision easier was the fact that we have been enjoying our stay in this part of Mississippi very much. We had some comments on our last blog asking about bugs such as gnats and love bugs but fortunately for us we aren’t experiencing these problems at all. Now this park is nothing to write home about but it is in a pretty nice location near beaches and casinos for us to hang out in for a couple of more days.

At least we were able to take advantage of our last few sunny days to enjoy the beach and on one of the sunny days we Biloxi and nearby 002were able to visit the Mississippi Sandhill Crane NWR that Judy recommended. There we enjoyed the Visitor's Center and took a wonderful little hike where we saw many really neat things such as some parasitic plants like the pitcher plants flowering and dwarf sundews waiting for their prey…

Whenever we land in a casino location we always investigate the new player rewards. We found two in Biloxi that gave us $10 each in free play for signing upBiloxi and nearby 004 as new members and we happily took advantage of both of them. We like to play video poker and we only play at the bars (yes they have worse odds) but we do so to take advantage of the free drinks while playing… As a result we played three nights (two on their free play money) and spent a total of less than $20.00. For this we got three nights of of entertainment and free drinks for each night. The 20 bucks also included all of our tips to the bartenders and waitresses. We also received two free Margaritaville drink cups for signing up there.  They are too bulky for the motorhome Biloxi and nearby 011cabinets but our daughter said she'll gladly take them!

It could have been so much worse as we realized when we went by the office to sign up for more days and ask why the water had been turned off.  It turns out a motorhome pulled out this morning while it was raining and it was still had its water hose connected to the water. Not only did the connecting hose break the water pole but it pulled out much of the piping below ground also… so as they say our day wasn’t as bad as we thought…

12 comments:

  1. Oh I do not EVER want to be THAT person who fails to detach from the utilities. We both circle the pedestal before driving away to ensure nothing remains attached. Nice photos of the south.

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  2. These photos are excellent! Did you take them yourself?

    Started following your site, hope you follow back my Coachella travel blog soon :)

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  3. You two are so clever about ways to enjoy the casinos without coming home and hanging your head low (like me). I admire your discipline.
    Your last story is another good reminder of never getting too complacent about campground departures.

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  4. Ouch! I'll bet that other fellow is having all kinds of monetary nightmares right now. Amazing how strong those hoses are :)
    Glad your day went so much better than his.

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  5. When we were volunteering with NOMADS last year in nearby Moss Point, MS, Miss Judy gave our group a personal tour of the MS Sandhill Crane NWR. We love those refuges.

    EEK on not disconnecting. Never did that but one time forgot to lower the antenna. Saw the shadow when leaving the park.

    I love the Casino thing.

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  6. So glad you were able to enjoy the refuge. Did you see any cranes or eat at The Shed?

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    1. The cranes are actively nesting so we unfortunately didn't get to see any of them, we didn't try the shed but put it on the list for a future place to try...

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  7. Yikes! We always double check things, but still on occasion miss something. So far, it's been little stuff, like a fan hood up, but it's a reminder to keep checking and double checking even if you've been on the road a long time.

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  8. Never leave a campsite without a walk-around. What an embarrassing (and inconvenient) event. Beautiful butterfly picture.

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  9. Your beautiful pictures of the refuge make me doubly dwtermined to go there. Judy would be proud!

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  10. I think spring is sometimes the trickiest for travel. We are going to be going to the midwest from the NW and we know we will have to watch the weather closely even for snow yet in the mountains but in the south the severe thunderstorms this time of year can be scary. Glad you are waiting it out.

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  11. Like you said martin lake is nothing to write home about but is in a convient spot close to lots to do. We spent two weeks there exploring the area.

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