Two COE campgrounds in Alabama

November 18, 2014October 24, 2016Posted in Alabama, COE Park, Parks, Road Trip, RVingTagged Deerlick Creek COE, Gunter Hill COE, R. E. Bob Wooddruff Lake, Spanish Moss4 Comments

Our last two stops on the way home to Georgia were two Corps of Engineers campgrounds in Alabama. I made last minute reservations for two nights in Tuscaloosa and two nights in Montgomery. Our drive from Arkansas to Tuscaloosa was pretty long for us. We drove east through the entire state of Mississippi with fields of cotton still on the vine on both sides of the road. As we traveled through Mississippi we passed by several places of interest:

The Jim Henson Museum near his birthplace in Leland, Mississippi
B.B. King’s birthplace of Itta Bena, Mississippi
Greenwood, Mississippi with signs proclaiming it the cotton capital of the world
Tennessee Williams’ birthplace of Columbus, Mississippi.

We arrived at Deerlick Creek on Holt Lake on the Black Warrior-Tombigbee Waterway in the rolling hills northeast of Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Behind our RV were a few steps up to a patio area with fire ring and picnic table. With trees all around we felt like the only campers there. Our two nights there were quiet and peaceful.

Holt Lake, Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Dam at Deerlick Creek

Wildflowers at Deerlick Creek

View from our patio at Deerlick Creek

We had to make this tight turn and go down the hill to turn around before we could exit the campground

Our site 28 was on a hill in the RBLU loop. We enjoyed this park but I would not recommend staying in this loop with a big rig. Getting out of the loop was a challenge. We drove down the hill, made a sharp left turn to continue down the hill, and turned around in a very tight turnaround to go back up the hill to exit the park. We had an audience watching but I never doubted Henry’s towing skills! Our second Alabama COE park was Gunter Hill on R. E. Bob Woodruff Lake in Montgomery, Alabama. I really felt at home when I saw Spanish Moss on the trees. We were in site 99 in the older section of the campground in a beautiful lake front site. There is a newer section which has been renovated with paved sites and full hookups. When we arrived the Saturday before Halloween we discovered the park was full for their traditional Halloween Trick-or-Treat. Families reserve their site six months in advance for this popular event. Elaborate Halloween decorations were seen throughout the park. I love it when we stumble upon an unexpected event! It was a great place to end our fall trip.

Relaxing at Gunter Hill, Montgomery, Alabama

R. E. Bob Wooddruff Lake at Gunter Hill COE, Alabama

Spanish Moss at Gunter Hill

Lake Chicot State Park, Arkansas

November 12, 2014August 13, 2015Posted in Arkansas, Birds, Parks, Road Trip, RVing, State Parks, Sunset, WildlifeTagged birding, cypress trees, Lake Chicot State Park, Lake Village Arkansas, Mississippi Delta, white pelicans, wildlife photography2 Comments

We continued exploring the Mississippi Delta at Lake Chicot State Park in Lake Village, Arkansas. Traveling south on Highway 165, a section of the Great River Road, we passed fields of cotton on both sides of the road.

The largest natural lake in Arkansas, Lake Chicot is also the largest natural oxbow lake in the United States. Our campsite was surrounded by wild pecan trees with a nice view of the lake. Our first day there, we drove across the mighty Mississipi River to Greenville, Mississippi to bring home 3 dozen delicious hot tamales.

Cypress Trees on Lake Chicot

This little raccoon is much cuter than the ones at home

Sunset at Lake Chicot

Located in the Mississippi Flyway, the park is a great place for bird watching. In addition to egrets, herons and ducks, we were surprised to see a huge flock of White Peliicans on the lake.

White Pelican flies by blue heron over Lake Chicot

White Pelican on Lake Chicot

Far at the other end of the lake we saw this huge flock of white pelicans

We took a self guided driving tour along the Mississippi River levee. Most of the 20 mile tour was right on top of the levee. On one side of the levee were borrow pits with cypress trees, lily pads and many birds. On the other side was farmland.

Egret in the tree on the levee tour

Borrow Pit beside the levee

When traveling the backroads, you never know what you’ll see crossing the road

Cypress Trees beside the levee

We camped at Lake Chicot State Park in site 7 on October 21-22, 2014. For my review of this campground click here.

Barbeque, pie, and tamales in the Mississippi Delta – Part 3

November 7, 2014March 15, 2025Posted in Restaurants, Road TripTagged Alton Brown, Doe's Eat Place, Feasting on Asphalt, Greenville MS, Hot tamales, James Beard Award, Mississippi Delta

Hot Tamales in Greenville, Mississippi

After feasting on country cooking for lunch and James Beard Award winning barbeque for dinner with coconut pecan pie for desert on Monday, hot tamales were in our future for Tuesday.

We broke camp in Marianna, Arkansas and pulled the fifth wheel about 130 miles south to Lake Village, Arkansas where we set up camp at Lake Chicot State Park before getting back in the truck to drive across the Mississippi River into Greenville, Mississippi. Our destination was Doe’s Eat Place, another restaurant featured in Alton Brown’s “Feasting on Asphalt the River Run.”

Doe's Eat Place, Greenville, MS — Doe’s Eat Place, Greenville, MS

We were greeted by one of the employees as we entered the front room which was once was a honky tonk. She told us a little about the restaurant and invited us to look around. After placing our order of 3 dozen hot tamales to go, we wandered through the 3 dining rooms. The lunch rush was over and the employees were busy getting ready for the dinner crowd. We were the only customers. A large gas range is the focal point in the main dining room. Photos and other memorabilia covered the walls.

The original Doe with 2 of his famous Porterhouse steaks

The front kitchen Doe’s Eat Place used to be a honky tonk

A wall dedicated to the sports stars who have eaten at Doe’s E

Doe’s Eat Place James Beard Award

Doe’s Eat Place has a very interesting history that goes all the way back to 1903 when Doe’s father moved to Greenville and opened a grocery store where the the restaurant is today. The building has been a grocery store, honky tonk, and now a restaurant.

In addition to tamales, Doe’s is famous for their Porterhouse Steaks. Doe’s won the James Beard American Classics Award in 2007 and their food has been recognized by publications such as Southern Living, Men’s Journal, and Bon Appetit.

The 3 dozen tamales to go are served in a large food container about the size of a 2 pound coffee can. The tamales are hand wrapped and tied into bundles of 3. The beef tamales are cooked in a delicious sauce that has just the right amount of heat. We enjoyed some for dinner and brought the rest back in our freezer.

Tamales are hand wrapped and tied in bundles of three

Before our visit to the Mississippi Delta, we have probably never eaten in a James Beard Award winning restaurant. Now, in 2 days, we have enjoyed food from 2 award winners!

Doe’s Eat Place, 502 Nelson St., Greenville, Mississippi, owners Charles Signa, Jr and Doe Signa, III (grandsons of the original Doe).

We stayed at Lake Chicot State Park in Lake Village, Arkansas when we visited Doe’s Eat Place.

Barbeque, pie, and tamales in the Mississippi Delta – Part 2

November 4, 2014June 19, 2015Posted in Arkansas, Restaurants, Road TripTagged Alton Brown, coconut pecan pie, Feasting on Asphalt, Mississippi Delta, Ray's Dairy Maid, road food9 Comments

Homemade Pie

Inspired by the book and tv series “Feasting on Asphalt The River Run” by one of my favorite Food Network Stars Alton Brown (who just happens to live in Georgia) we decided to spend a few days in the Mississippi Delta on our way home from Little Rock. The book and tv series chronicle the journey he and his crew took on motorcycles on the Great River Road from the mouth of the Mississippi River in Louisiana to the headwaters at Itasca State Park, Minnesota.

Pie was on our mind as we set out on a day trip to Helena-West Helena, Arkansas. Coconut pecan pie to be exact.

Ray's Dairy Maid in Barton, Arkansas was featured on "Feasting on Asphalt" — Ray’s Dairy Maid in Barton, Arkansas was featured on “Feasting on Asphalt”

Our goal was to visit two places featured in “Feasting on Asphalt”: the Delta Cultural Center (it was closed) and to try a piece of coconut pecan pie at Ray’s Dairy Maid. Just thinking about a pie with coconut AND pecans made my mouth water.

We were probably the only non-locals stopping here for lunch. As we glanced around the small dining room trying to find an empty table, a couple sitting at a large table invited us to sit with them.

They were a delightful couple from Helena. He is a retired banker and his wife Dolly is a hairdresser. She still does hair at the salon she has owned for over 50 years. They had just left the nursing home where she goes every Monday to fix hair for the residents there. They were regulars at the restaurant and seemed to know everyone.

Photo of Alton Brown at Ray's Dairy Maid — Photo of Alton Brown at Ray’s Dairy Maid

Ray’s Dairy Maid serves hand made hamburgers, plate lunches, and is famous for it’s homemade pies. We didn’t get to meet the owner Deane Cavette (also known as Nana Deane) who was out of town.

Every weekday they offer a different plate lunch special. Monday was meatloaf with 2 sides. Sounded great but I went for the country fried steak with fried okra. Good old home cooking at it’s best. Add good conversation to the good food and it was a lunch to remember.

Dolly pointed out a meringue pie with the meringue piled several inches high. It looked delicious but we had been thinking about the coconut pecan pie too long to try anything else. After getting directions on how to get back on the road to the campground we got two pieces to go and were on our way.

We had the pie for desert that night after our unbelievably delicious dinner of pulled pork from Jones Bar-B-Q Diner. The pie was even better than I imagined and was worth going out of the way for. Pecan pie is my favorite pie in the world and the addition of the coconut just put it over the top. It was a perfect way to end the day.

I can’t remember a time when I’ve had two such delicious and memorable meals in one day.

Ray’s Dairy Maid, Hwy. 49, Barton, Arkansas is owned by Deane Cavette.

We were camped at Mississippi River State Park near Marianna when we ate at Ray’s Dairy Maid.

Barbeque, pie, and tamales in the Mississippi Delta – Part 1

November 3, 2014June 19, 2015Posted in Arkansas, Restaurants, Road Trip, RVingTagged barbeque, James Beard Award, Jones Bar-B-Q Diner, Mississippi Delta, road food9 Comments

James Beard Award Winning Barbecue

One of the things I enjoy most about traveling is eating local foods from locally owned restaurants. Although we do most of our own cooking in the RV, especially when we are in a campground far from civilization, we will go out of out way to find good food. To find a truly authentic place, we like to ask a local where the locals eat. When we find something we like, we have been known to get enough to fill up the freezer to eat later in the trip and maybe even save some to take home.

Jones' Bar-B-Q Diner in Marianna, Arkansas is the only James Beard Award winning restaurant in the state — Jones’ Bar-B-Q Diner in Marianna, Arkansas is the only James Beard Award winning restaurant in the state

Jones Bar-B-Q Diner in Marianna, Arkansas was just such a place. The only James Beard Award winning restaurant in Arkansas, we would have never known about it if park ranger John had not told us about customers lining up around the building to get some of the famous, award winning barbeque pork. We would have to get there early. John told us the restaurant opened at 7:30 am and stayed open until they ran out of BBQ.

We could smell the pork cooking before we even found the restaurant. Arriving at at 9:00 am, we walked into a small dining room with only 2 tables. Two other people were leaving as we came in so we were the only customers. Pit-master and owner James Jones was standing behind the window where I placed my order for 5 pounds to go. Behind him I could see tables covered with loaves of Wonder Bread and large jugs of his famous sauce.The prices were listed on a sign above the window. The menu is simple – pulled pork barbeque by the pound or sandwich. The sandwich is served on white bread with or without coleslaw.

Jones' Bar-B-Q Diner has been in this location since 1964 — Jones’ Bar-B-Q Diner has been in this location since 1964

As Mr. Jones wrapped my order in foil and placed it in an aluminum tray to go he told us a little about his business. His family has been making BBQ using the same recipe for several generations. Although the sign outside says since 1964, he told us family has been making BBQ using the same secret family recipe since the early 1900’s.

Owner and Pitmaster James Jones holds his James Beard Award

James Beard Award at Jones’ Bar-B-Q Diner

It was such a treat to meet Mr. Jones and spend time talking with him. He answered all our questions about winning the James Beard Award and traveling to New York City to receive it. I asked him if he had to wear a tux. His answer was “no, I wore a suit but one of the other winners had on overalls.” When someone asks for his secret recipe, he tells them his father would come back from the grave if he gave away the secret.

Back at the campground, I put some pork and coleslaw (served in a mason jar) in the fridge for dinner that night and the rest in the freezer for later.

When dinner time finally arrived, we enjoyed unbelievably delicious BBQ unlike any other I have ever tasted. Close your eyes and imagine the smokey aroma of pork slowly cooking over a hickory and oak fire. Imagine biting into pork so tender it practically melts in your mouth. Imagine the pork dripping with a BBQ sauce that is vinegary yet sweet with just the right hint of heat. Believe me, it is worth a trip from anywhere to try this BBQ!

Jones Bar-B-Q Diner, 219 West Louisiana Street, Marianna, Arkansas, is owned by James and Betty Jones and is one of the oldest African-American owned restaurants in America.

Next up: Homemade pie!

We were camped at Mississippi River State Park near Marianna when we visited Jones Bar-B-Q Diner.