74.9 F
Kennesaw
Wednesday, April 2, 2025
spot_img
Home Blog Page 12

Trawling the Shrimp Trail (Mississippi)

On a recent drive from New Orleans to Biloxi, we decided to take a less-traveled route, skipping the I-10 fast lanes for the scenery, slower pace and coastline attractions of Highway 90, or the Old Spanish Trail. Along the route, we noticed immediately on entering Mississippi small shrimp signs. Intrigued immediately but outside the range of cell-phone towers, we drove on toward Pass Christian before our signal was strong enough to submit our inquiry to Google:  Shrimp signs on Highway 90?

The Gulf Coast App provides local details linked to roadside shrimp signs along US Highway 90 in Mississippi.

Apparently, we weren’t the first or only travelers intrigued by the new signs.  News articles dating back to 2014 announced the idea behind the signs. In January 2016, a news story from WXXV 25, one of the Gulf Coast media outlets, promised an “App On the Way for Shrimp Signs.”  We continued to scroll through the results until we found the result we were seeking:  A May 2017 posting from GulfCoast.Org that provided a link to the new My Gulf Coast app.  And of course, we downloaded it — as soon as our signal improved enough to provide a reliable data connection.

What You Need to Know:

 

78 Stops on the Shrimp Trail.  From Waveland to Moss Point, 78 Shrimp Trail signs adorn the approximately 60 mile stretch along Highway 90. The highest concentration appears between Long Beach and Ocean Springs, which includes the more-populated and commercial cities of Gulfport and Biloxi. Each numbered sign is found easily in the app.  But, it’s probably not the best idea to look up the attractions when you reach a number.

 

Find Things to Do.  If you’re interested in activities and attractions ranging from beaches, boats and bars to gambling and nightlife, use the navigation feature to check out “Things to Do.”  Options are organized by category, with details on local options and corresponding Shrimp Trail sign post numbers. For planning, it’s easy to use the “Heart” symbol to save your favorites, and a map link is available.  For those who have a map app favorite, this app links to Apple Maps, which dedicated Google Maps users (like me!) can find annoying and off-putting.

Local and Chain Locations to Eat. The Gulf Coast is a seafood paradise, and you’ll find many local seafood houses listed here.  You’ll also find a wide variety of familiar chains.  Two warnings.  First, some of the restaurants are a long way off the “Trail.”  For example, Shaw’s Fish House is associated with Sign 13 in Ocean Springs.  But you’ll have to travel 37 miles northwest to find it in Perkinston, MS.  Second, while the app does provide addresses, phone numbers and website links to listed restaurants, there’s no easy access to customer ratings or

Things to do are listed by category when accessed from the app menu.

comments in the app.  You’ll have to pull up Yelp or your favorite rating app to see how locals and fellow travelers rate food and service.  On the plus side, the Where to Eat list is organized by restaurant type, so it’s easy to focus quickly on the type of food that teases your culinary imagination.

Limited Number of Deals and Offers. When we checked, there were 12 listings for special offers on sports equipment rentals, boat tours, restaurant discounts and more.  We imagine this changes periodically.

Don’t Search for Shrimp Trail App. The Apple App store will return a big ZERO results.  Instead, search for My Gulf Coast.

Shrimp Backstory:

Why use a shrimp on the signs? While it’s difficult to spot behind the casinos, beach activities and private marinas, the seafood industry is an important part of the Mississippi Gulf Coast.  In the 19th century, fishing fleets and shrimp boats were the dominant employers in the area, and processing centers provided significant seafood for broad distribution.  In 2011, the Mississippi shrimping industry produced $131 million in sales, and created almost 3,000 full-time and part-time jobs.  Specially-equipped boats pull huge nets that drag the sandy bottom of the Gulf of Mexico, capturing the shrimp inside and forcing them to the back of the net.  This is known locally as “Trawling.”   Unfortunately, shrimp harvests have fallen significantly since Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010.

Specially-equipped boats pull huge nets that drag the sandy bottom of the Gulf of Mexico, capturing the shrimp inside and forcing them to the back of the net.  This is known locally as “Trawling.” You can see the shrimp net hanging to dry as this boat returns to port in Biloxi.

 

 

 

 

Louisiana Cajun Bootlegger In Thibodaux, LA

Once, mighty paddlewheelers plied the waters of Bayou Lafourche, from its junction with the Mississippi River through Thibodaux, LA, and one to the Gulf of Mexico.  When they gave way to wheeled transportation, Louisiana Highway 1 was the main street of the state.  Many visitors passed through Thibodaux, LA, during those times.  Now, unless you live in the area or happen to be in the oil, gas or agriculture industry, Thibodaux likely isn’t on your itinerary.  But if you find yourself passing through, stop for a few minutes to drive through this quaint town.

My great-grandfather, Eugene Foret (center, in white suit) was a Cajun bootlegger.

Thibodaux makes my travel list because my great-grandfather reputedly was a Cajun bootlegger running liquor during Prohibition near Thibodaux, LA.

At least, that’s the story my grandmother liked to hint at when she told a few tales about her family during family holiday visits.

4 Rays Trucking employed a fleet of drivers that included family members and close friends, the perfect set-up for keeping a bootlegging operation on the down-low.

The outline is this:  Sometime around or proceeding the Prohibition era, my great-grandfather, Eugene Francois Foret (1888-1963), started a small trucking company near Thibodaux, hauling sugar cane to, then refined sugar to market from, mills around the area.  He started with a single truck, grew the business to include more trucks driven by family and friends, and eventually operated a large fleet.  His “legitimate” business was named 4-Rays, and it operated out of a large warehouse location near the current site of E. D. White high school in Thibodaux

Sometime in this period, and likely before the onset of the Great Depression, he acquired or built a speakeasy.  The large wood building may have been a warehouse before it was transformed for other purposes, as it was part of the trucking company warehouse complex.  It featured a large wooden dance floor, live music, and was extremely popular with the local crowds, according to the verbal history.

Whether my great-grandfather and his trucking firm supplied liquor to the speakeasy is a matter of pure speculation.  But, suffice it to say that many of the requirements for successful bootlegging were present.  A commercially-successful truck fleet, which easily could operate in the open while concealing contraband.  A group of loyal drivers comprised primarily of family and friends.  And a warehouse complex that included a speakeasy.

My grandmother, Una Foret, (1913-2007) described and once demonstrated one of the popular dances from the speakeasy.  It was called the Black Bottom.  Similar to the Charleston,the dance could be done by a single dancer or a couple.  In my grandmother’s couple version, the male dancer grasped the female by the wrists, then swung her down as she slid between his legs, then back to her feet.  Done with full success, the woman would slide gracefully on her feet.  However, given the uncertain conditions of many speakeasy dance floors plus the likely effects of whatever bootleg liquor may have been present, most times the woman would drag her rear on the dirty dance floor.  Thus, the Black Bottom.  A side note: according to Wikipedia, the Black Bottom gained popularity in the New Orleans area after originating with African Americans in the rural South.  The dance became nationally popular in the teens and ’20s along with the Charleston.

Sometime after the Depression and perhaps in the early 1940s, the speakeasy became a dance hall and a (legal) bar.  At one point in its later history, it was called The Beer Cabin.  The main photo on this page is from The Beer Cabin.  The man standing in front of the bar at the center of the picture is my great grandfather.  Two of my great uncles are pictured to the right.

If You Go:

Wetlands Acadian Culture Center:  Part of the Jean Lafitte National Park complex, the Wetlands Acadian Culture Center in Thibodaux offers a visitor center, video focused on Cajun culture and French Canadians who settled the area, walking tours, and boat tours. Cajun music also is featured prominently, including regularly-scheduled live Cajun music jams.  (Check the part schedule for details.)  If you visit on Tuesday, you may enjoy locals speaking in Cajun French, a regionalized version of the French brought over with the Acadians. My great grandfather’s Foret family was part of the group that originally settled the area after relocating from Nova Scotia.

E.D. White Historic Site:  A few miles north of Thibodaux (the locals will explain, “Up the bayou,” as directions were once based on the location relative to Bayou Lafourche, a now-dammed branch of the Mississippi River), the E.D White home is a National Historic Landmark and part of the Louisiana State Museum.  The home was built in 1825 for the Edward Douglass White, who served as governor of Louisiana.  He lived there with his family, including his son, also Edward Douglass White, who was appointed to the United States Supreme Court in 1894 and served as chief justice from 1910 to 1921.

Nicholls State University.  Just “down the bayou,” Nicholls State is part of the University of Louisiana state college system. Each year, it becomes the center of the NFL quarterback universe, hosting the Manning Passing Academy, founded by legendary Saints quarterback Archie Manning and frequented by sons Peyton and Eli as well as many other NFL players and coaches.

Sing a Song:  These include references to Thibodaux.

Marcia Ball, Thibodaux, Louisiana.  Affectionately referred to as “Her Tallness,” Marcia Ball mixes Texas blues, boogie woogie, Louisiana swamp music and New Orleans beats into her rollicking, piano-pounding party songs.  She sings of Thibodaux, “I met a bayou man down there, he said he’d marry me anytime.”

Jimmy Buffett, I Will Play for Gumbo.  Parrotheads may remember this from his Beach House on the Moon release.  “At midnight in the quarter or noon in Thibodaux, I will play for gumbo.”

Where to Eat:

Spahr’s Seafood Restaurant, 601 W 4th Street.  The original location sits on a large fishing pond about 20 miles away in Des Allemands.  Try the catfish platter.

Fremin’s Restaurant, 402 W 3rd Street.  The exterior will remind you of the French Quarter in New Orleans.  The food will remind you that there’s plenty of great local fare in small towns.

 

Welcome to OurTravelCafe.Com

1

Hello new friends and old, and welcome to OurTravelCafe.Com.

All my life, I’ve been a tireless traveler.  Perhaps that comes from my parents, who once-a-year packed us kids into a car for a driving vacation somewhere in the Deep South or surrounding states. Our first vacation that I remember was a road trip from Louisiana to the Great Smokey Mountains of Tennessee.  My parents still have the blurry and jerky 8mm silent video from a borrowed movie camera and a few black-and-white prints, including one where I was fascinated by a caged black bear.

Or maybe it’s job related, as for the past 25+ years I’ve traveled frequently and distantly, literally around-the-world on one particular trip, and by miles many times over according to my airline records. By current count, I’ve been to 33 countries and 47 US states on business or vacations, and I’m eager to visit at least an equal number in the not-to-distant future.

I’m also a dedicated restaurant patron and over-qualified eater.  Again, that’s likely traceable to my parents, as each Sunday we had an after-church lunch at a local restaurant.  My career choices definitely expanded that, as most of my professional career has been in marketing for restaurant equipment companies, with many of the world’s largest and many of the finest restaurants as customers.  At one point, I had a group of demonstration chefs reporting to me, and thus was a fortunate participant in a number global culinary exhibitions.  Plus, my company was a sponsor of the Bocuse de Or global culinary competition, which, of course, required my personal attention!

The fusion of those two passions are the inspiration of OurTravelCafe.Com.  My hope is to share a menu of travel experiences that reflect my personal journeys.  As I’m fortunate to have a global network of friends in the communications, restaurant and travel industries, I’m hopeful they will contribute as “guest chefs” to this travel and culinary gumbo.

Beyond that, OurTravelCafe.Com generally is written from my personal perspective — that of a 50-70-year old, upper-middle-class Southern American Baby Boomer traveling for work and fun.  These days, my best trips include my wife and our adopted teenage son, and occasionally our grown children, their families and our grand children.  My wife and I enjoy active travel, so you can expect lots of references to hiking, biking, exploring historical and natural sites and similar activities.  We also like to cruise, though we prefer to plan-our-own port activities rather than taking the standard cruise line offered excursions.  When we travel on our own, we enjoy walking tours of city centers and driving excursions through the countryside, always keeping an eye open for local markets featuring local cuisine, merchants and goods.

We’re not budget travelers though we do enjoy a good bargain — especially my wife.  Neither are we high-end, luxury aficionados, but you will occasionally find some attention devoted to that segment when we are lucky enough to splurge.  Thus while you might find an occasional tip on travel bargains and deals or visit to high-end luxury properties, usually I’ll focus on the destinations and activities rather than cost.

We also love road trips through our (new) home state of Georgia, and along our path as we visit family and friends. Though we like cities, museums, arts and such, we also love to find quaint, quiet and quirky spots in small towns and out-of-the-way destinations that let us escape the distractions of everyday life. We often take day trips from our base near Acworth, GA, in the foothills northwest of Atlanta. Occasionally, we’ll wander around more of Georgia on overnight and weekend excursions that most often include parks, hiking, biking or boating. On a very rare occasion, we may even write about experiments in camping, though for years my idea of camping has been staying overnight at a Holiday Inn without room service.

On our family vacations and other travel, we tend to make extended visits to remote destinations, with the belief that if it takes a long time to get there, you should spend sufficient time to explore. Some of our recent trips have included cruises with ground extensions in the Mediterranean, Baltic, and Scandinavian areas; a self-guided city and train adventure into Bavaria, Munich and Vienna; and a month-long cruise, train and driving exploration of Alaska, Vancouver, Oregon and Washington. Upcoming in 2018 we’re planning a week in the Northeast from Boston to Maine, then an African safari in 2019. There’s lots more on our future “to-do” list (as I refuse to think of exploration as a “check-it-off-the-bucket-list” activity).

One more thought. As more of us aging baby boomers are focused on activities, exercise and health, I’ll also include some general fitness observations or health details in my posts.  I am a devoted user of Garmin’s VivoActive HR fitness watch and tracker.  I try to ride 50 miles per week on a bicycle or the equivalent of that at my local gym on exercise bikes. My outdoors riding speed on flat ground is 15-18 mph, and I’ll average 20 mph on the LifeCycle upright bike at my local gym set on a random program at level 11.  So, if I do something more on the strenuous side, I’ll likely include some of the data and readings provided to help readers evaluate how certain activities might affect them.

Rather than going on here, I invite you to look around.  We’ve organized the site as a menu, and hope you find that convenient.  We would also love your feedback on the articles, topics, style and anything else.  I hope you enjoy OurTravelCafe.com, and that you will come back frequently to check out our ever-changing menu of travel experiences.

E-Mail:  Contact@OurTravelCafe.com

Verified by MonsterInsights