Sabine

My objective was Sabine Pass Battleground State Park. You know I could have jumped the gate in a heartbeat, and, if caught, explained that it was an emergency that was personnel and that I just read it wrong. But, being in a no nonsense state and my brother in law, far away, I opted to just let it go and take in what I could see. There it is. There was no sign of a future opening.

I wanted to be in the place Lieutenant Dowling had been. The place, not the situation. He is holding tools to make the cannons fire. He was a Lieutenant and worked the guns as the others did. They were a little short on gunners.
I'm going to give you some links to explore. This guy and his 46 comrads pulled off a miraculous victory, some say, the most miraculous victory.
I would have loved to have seen the real deal, from a distance.

Texas makes a big deal of heroes. Rightfully so.

Now, I see the numbers 42 and 46 repeated, I don't know why the difference. Can you imagine that scene?

Sabine Pass is famous as a hurricane target. More beached boats were on the shore. The petroleum service businesses are all rebuilt, but little else. Sabine Pass was ground zero for Rita.

I also wanted to see the lighthouse. I thought it was visible from the park.

I kept on going and something caught my eye.

I pulled out the zoom camera (tech talk) and zoomed it a little.

And I zoomed it some more. Soon I was transported almost to where I could reach it swimming. Mike D.says there are plans to make it a Bed and Breakfast. How cool would that be? Very cool, if you didn't answer. Not your flimsy east coast lighthouse, this one was built to survive. It has.

Satisfied for the most part. I put Mz.MG into high and made like a rocket to the
La. border where I stopped to down the rest of my water. The ride north from Port Arthur to I-10 had been long and hot. I was able to avoid all of Port Arthur by taking 87 then 73 then 62 to Orange, the best route to 10.

La. Welcome Center. People were fishing.

I-10 is horrible. Do not ride it. The plates are all tilting and your back, if good when you crossed over at Bridge City, will be bad by Vinton. That's where I got off in search for old US 90. I don't think I was on it, but what I was on was better than 10. Above is 90 after Lake Charles. It is a great road until the construction starts and last all the way from Mermentau to Jennings. I couldn't win so I just slowed down and tried to keep from falling on the snaking, chisel like surface.

I got to Welch and stopped, hoping the facilities at a closed filling station were open. No, but the German style house next door got two shots. That is west Louisiana architecture at its best.

In Mermentau, I shot two old friends. Vickys are common and for the most part, taken care of. The old stores are not. I shoot them as they disappear.

The old walled graveyard hadn't had a friend in a while. I didn't look for an entrance. Was there one or was the wall to protect it from the huge nearby Mermentau River? Why didn't I think of that there?

This is the end of this one for a while. I need to add some information on the Battle of Calcasieu and visit Monkey Island at Cameron, a forgotten goal.

I promised you some links to learn about the Battle of Sabine Pass. There is some interesting stuff here including a link to the story of a women, a rather fiery woman who was a big part of the battle.

Links

The Battle of Sabine Pass

Catherine Dorman

Dick Dowling's SCV Site

The Battle of Calcasieu Pass Site

The battles are tied together. How much? I need to find out. It was another victory for the South. Much more later.