Seen during a walk at the Jacobs Memorial Nature Park. The park Some bug porn “Are we men, or are we… lichens!!” (I love saying that.) Carpenter Bee Raccoon keeping an eye on me Wolf Spider Tiger Beetle. I love the colors on these guys. Green Anole Lizard. I think the last time I saw … More Some Louisiana Critters

I always like these little local history museums. This one has a bunch of dioramas illustrating Louisiana life, and a collection of historical and cultural artifacts. Some photos from a visit. The museum Inside the museum A bone necklace from the Native American Caddo people Dugout canoe made from a cypress log Cannonball fragment from … More Louisiana State Exhibit Museum

OK, I like air museums, and I try to go to every one that is nearby. The graceful lines, the brute power, the elegant aerodynamics–I never get tired of looking at airplanes, even if they tend to always be the same kinds of airplanes (I bet I’ve seen 30 or 40 P-51 Mustangs by now). … More Barksdale AFB Global Power Museum

Many times people ask me if I feel safe sleeping at night in Walmart parking lots, or if I keep a weapon to protect myself. The topic of “guns” is enormously controversial among van dwellers, and whenever the subject comes up emotions always run hot on both sides—mostly because the underlying debate is based almost … More “Should I Keep a Gun in the Van….?”

[NOTE: I’ve blogged all these “how-to” posts before, but am gonna re-run them on occasion, since folks may have missed them, and many of them have been updated or expanded since they were first posted.] Before you can set off on your cross-country journey, there are some bureaucratic paperwork issues you will need to deal … More Bureaucracy

Constructed in 1887 as the city’s first water pumping plant, mostly to supply Shreveport’s fire hydrants (most of the houses had their own cisterns to collect rainwater). In 1890 a filtration system was added, and in 1911 Shreveport became one of the first municipal water systems to use chlorine as a disinfectant. In 1980, the … More Water Works Museum

Located downtown on the Red River, the SciPort is, like most hands-on science museums, geared mostly to kids. I go mostly for the IMAX films.  Here are some photos from an afternoon at the SciPort. The museum Inside the museum Sunfish Mississippi Map Turtle Basilosaurus, an ancient whale An oil pump Foucault pendulum Alas, poor … More SciPort Science Center

Like most big cities, Shreveport was originally found as a river port: the Red River, a tributary of the Mississippi, flows right by downtown. Here are some photos from a walk in Riverview park, on the banks of the Red River. Downtown Shreveport Red River Riverview Park Not an actual riverboat–this is a floating casino … More Riverview Park

It’s nice and sunny here, low 80s. Spring has sprung.  🙂 I’m only gonna be here for a little while. There’s not really a whole lot to see here: a small zoo, a small air museum at the AFB, a science museum, and a couple of parks. After that I’ll be heading up to Oklahoma … More Greetings From Shreveport LA

Located on the grounds of LSU’s Agricultural Research Center, the Rural Life Museum is a collection of artifacts and historic buildings depicting life in backwoods Louisiana in the 19th century. I’ve always liked museums like this, since they depict the lives of ordinary people and the way they lived. Here are some photos from a … More Rural Life Museum