April 2000: Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, and New Orleans

We had a fun trip down into Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana in April. Started with a few days in Gainesville, Texas, north of Dallas. Patti was hunting for information on her Texas ancestors, and found her great great grandfather Adam Rexroat's tombstone there. While Patti spent her days in the library, I cruised around the countryside, looking for birds. Then it was off to Rogers, Arkansas, for a few days with Patti's parents, then down to Little Rock to her cousin Judy's. Next was a slow drive down to New Orleans by way of the Natchez Trace Parkway in Mississippi, a very pretty route, camping out along the way. Spent two days in the French Quarter of New Orleans, eating, and visiting Patti's brother over across Lake Pontchartrain. Ended up by driving and camping a few days down the coast to Texas, birding the whole way. The "love bugs" were out, doing their mating thing. While doing so, they managed to plaster themselves all over the front of the car; coitus splateruptous. The attendant at the rental place threatened to charge 10 cents a bug. Wonderful birding at Grand Isle, Louisiana, and High Island, Texas, and a nice dinner in Texas with Geta, our friend from last year's trip to Italy. Saw a record 177 birds on the trip, with 19 lifers.

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