Biloxi

Who wouldn't like to be thinking about the beach right now?  As we sit at a balmy 11 degrees in Eau Claire, I would be pretty content to be sipping a beverage on the Gulf of Mexico beach in Biloxi!!

So, some thoughts on Biloxi for our trip.......

Check out of our TimeShare in New Orleans is 10 am, we will have plenty of time to explore Biloxi.  Remember, Biloxi is only 1.5 hours from New Orleans.

On the map below, our hotel is probably between the Coliseum Beach Bus station and the Jefferson Davis Home.  All that separates us from the Gulf is Highway 90.  

This map is the Beachcomber route of the Coast Transit Authority making it easy to get to Walmart or the casinos.  :)

Things to Do
I was shocked to see Biloxi has 12 casinos.  I wonder how many I have players club cards for... hmm......Biloxi Casinos
But, not everyone enjoys time in the casinos so what else is there to do?

Crooked Letter Brewing
Offers tours but apparently only Saturdays and Tuesdays.....  that's disappointing.  There's a nice list of places that serve their products though.......

Gulf Islands National Seashore
Hurricane Katrina Carved Angels
Hurricane Camille Memorial
Edgewater Mall

Hotel

The Quality Inn Biloxi 

View across the street from the hotel 

The hotel amenities are:                                            Room amenities:
Free local calls.  :)                                                    Microwave
Free Wi-Fi                                                               Fridge
Free Coffee                                                             In Room Coffee Maker
Free Continental Breakfast
Outdoor Pool

Food
Reminder - There are Three options for restaurants, in Biloxi, from the requested Diners, Drive-ins and Dive or Man v Food blog.
http://www.blow-fly-inn.com/
http://www.darwellscafe.com/
http://theshedbbq.com/
I would normally be really interested in the BBQ place...... but, check out the giant fly at the Blow Fly Inn.  I keep wondering if it's something April could ride.  I see a new theme for this trip!!!!

Here's the list of restaurants in Biloxi.  Tripadvisor - Biloxi Restaurants

Beaches

Of course with the beach comes some rules and restriction.... dun dun duuuun......
* No tents or structures during hours of darkness
* No glass, china or pottery = cans of beer, paper plates and Tupperware.
* No motor vehicles ( I would venture to say no motor boating either!!)
* No animals of any kind   hmm......  Time to shave Bob!  :)
* No firearms, airguns or bows & arrows
* No fireworks
* No fires (sorry April)
* No advertising  (I guess we're ok here)
* No loud or unusual noises (apparently, we should just head for home.)

Fireworks
Fireworks are launched from Deer Island on the 4th and are shot over the Mississippi Sound.  I estimate it's 6-7 miles from the hotel beach area to Deer Island.  With zero obstructions, will we be able to see the fireworks?  Discuss.

Anyone interested in ordering a Biloxi visitor guide can use the link here ---->  Biloxi Visitor's Guide  If not, you can look at my copy.  I'll share.

Happy Birthday, Elvis!!!!

Today Elvis would have been 79.  Here's what he may have looked like.  :)

  You don't become "The King of Rock 'n' Roll" without your share of number-one songs. Here are 30 of Elvis Presley's chart-topping songs.

1. "Heartbreak Hotel" (1956)

2. "Don't Be Cruel" (1956)

3. "Hound Dog" (1956)

4. "Love Me Tender" (1956)

5. "Too Much" (1957)

6. "All Shook Up" (1957)

7. "(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear" (1957)

8. "Jailhouse Rock" (1957)

9. "Don't" (1958)

10. "Hard Headed Woman" (1958)

11. "One Night" (1958)

12. "(Now and Then There's) A Fool Such as I" (1959)

13. "A Big Hunk o' Love" (1959)

14. "Stuck on You" (1960)

15. "It's Now or Never" (1960)

16. "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" (1960)

17. "Surrender" (1961)

18. "(Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame" (1961)

19. "Can't Help Falling in Love" (1961)

20. "Good Luck Charm" (1962)

21. "She's Not You" (1962)

22. "Return to Sender" (1962)

23. "(You're the) Devil in Disguise" (1963)

24. "Wooden Heart" (1964)

25. "Crying in the Chapel" (1965)

26. "In the Ghetto" (1969)

27. "Suspicious Minds" (1969)

28. "The Wonder of You" (1970)

29. "Burning Love" (1972)

30. "Way Down" (1977)

Are we there yet?

Here is some info about the drive times for our days and stops.  It might be beneficial for the Oakdale/Eau Claire group driving down to leave Friday night and stay in Madison.  I'm open for discussion on this as I'm not sure how many of you are used to leaving for road trips at 4 am.  Yes, that is what we do when we have a long driving day ahead of us.  That is truly why I sleep in the car as much as I do..... at least the first day.

The times below are strictly drive times and do not include stops for gas and food.  Please keep your bathroom breaks to 30 seconds and lunches to 10 minutes.  a hahahahahaha jk jk

Keep in mind, the earlier we leave Wisco, the more time we'll have to explore Memphis.  :)

Viroqua to Cross Plains - 1 hour 38 minutes, 82.8 miles
Milwaukee to Cross Plains - 1 hour 39 minutes, 98.7 miles
Eau Claire to Cross Plains - 2 hours 54 minutes, 171.4 miles
Oakdale to Cross Plains - 3 hours 52 minutes, 247.6 miles

June 28th - Plus drive time to Cross Plains
Cross Plains to Memphis - 9 hours 48 minutes, 664.8 miles

June 29th -
Memphis to Vicksburg - 3 hours 31 minutes, 242 miles
Vicksburg to New Orleans - 3 hours 12 minutes, 207.1 miles

July 4th -
New Orleans to Biloxi - 1 hour 20 minutes, 85.2 miles

July 5th -
Biloxi to Springfield - 11 hours 4 minutes, 747.9 miles

July 6th -
Springfield to Cross Plains - 4 hours 13 minutes, 277.8

Louisiana Laws..... Hmm......

I am especially happy that it is illegal to rob a bank and then shoot a bank teller with a water pistol! Really?! Take note, I am not bringing bail money and you will be on your own!

Although it doesn't say anything about climbing trees, it does mention you may not fall onto a sidewalk and block it while being drunk. Man! I don't know if we'll have any fun in this city!!

Funny Louisiana Laws
-Fake boxing contests are prohibited.
-You may not mock contestants at boxing matches.
-Urinating in the water supply may land you 20 years.
-A law was once passed specifically for the punishment of theft of crawfish.(Whoever commits the crime of theft of crawfish when the misappropriation or taking amounts to a value of five hundred dollars or more shall be imprisoned, with or without hard labor, for not more than ten years, or may be fined not more than three thousand dollars, or both.)
-You may not put a bed to the "ultimate test" before buying it.
-Alligator theft may land you 10 years.
-A 500$ fine will be appointed to you if you tell a pizza delivery man to bring a pizza to a friends house without their knowing.
-It is illegal to rob a bank and then shoot at the bank teller with a water pistol.
-It is illegal to gargle in public places.
-Snoring is prohibited unless all bedroom windows are closed and securely locked.
-Biting someone with your natural teeth is "simple assault," while biting someone with your false teeth is "aggravated assault.
-It is illegal to gargle in public places.
-It is illegal to shoot lasers at police officers.
-Mourners at a wake may not eat more than three sandwiches.
-One may not "dare" another to go onto railroad tracks owned by another.
-Taxi drivers are prohibited from making love in the front seat of their taxi during their shifts.
-Every time a person is seriously burned, he must report the injury to the fire marshal.
-If you use a "movable" without authorization you may receive up to 5 years imprisonment.
-Rituals that involve the ingestion of blood, urine, or fecal matter are not allowed.
-Goatees are illegal unless you first pay a special license fee for the privilege of wearing one in public.
-One could land in jail for up to a year for making a false promise.
-Every time a person is seriously burned, he must report the injury to the fire marshal.
-Prisoners who hurt themselves could serve an additional two years in jail.

New Orleans:
-You may not ride a bike without any hands.
-You may not prune trees on highways.
-You may not attach electrical wires to trees.
-You may not plant trees in public places.
-You may not fall onto a sidewalk and block it while being drunk.
-Horses may not be tied to a tree on a public highway.
-One may not host a game of marbles at Lafayette Square unless he or she first obtains a written permit from the parkway and park commission.
-Chasing fish in a city park is illegal
-Mardi Gras Beads may not be thrown from a third story window.
-City commission members may not drink during a public meeting or risk a $50 fine.
-It is illegal to practice voodoo in the city limits.
-Snakes are not allowed within 200 yards of the Mardi Gras parade route.
-No Smoking signs shall be placed on all floats used during a parade.
-Condoms may not be thrown from parade floats during Mardi Gras.
-No one may throw a bottle of Coke at a parade float.
-Television reporters may not throw candy to the crowd during a parade.
-You may not tie an alligator to a fire hydrant.
-It illegal for a woman to drive a car unless her husband is waving a flag in front of it.

Roadie Anyone?

Since we've been looking at some stops along the way, it may be of interest as to where we can drink along the way.  And not just when we stop but when we are on the road.  And, thank you to Amy for this topic.  It came to her while she was driving and thirsty.  :)

From OpenContainerLaws.com:

As of now most states are in full TEA-21 compliance. In order to be in compliance with TEA-21 states must: prohibit any open alcohol container or the consumption of alcohol in vehicles; prohibit open alcohol in vehicles in the passenger area including unlocked glove compartments where the driver can easily reach the container; prohibit all open alcohol containers with at least ½ of one percent of alcohol; prohibit open alcohol containers in any vehicle on the public highways including shoulders.

However, there are still seven states that allow open containers in vehicles; Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Mississippi, Missouri, Virginia, and West Virginia. Mississippi is the sole state that actually allows motorist to “drink and drive” (as long as they stay under the legal blood alcohol limit). The others only permit passengers to drink. There are another four states that have partly complied with TEA-21 (Alaska, Louisiana, Tennessee, and Wyoming). Also, open container laws may be instated at the local level. So, even though a state may not have a specific restriction to open containers, a town or city may.Since the drive time in Mississippi on the way to NOLA will be 5 hours and 37 minutes, it's nice to know we can stay hydrated..... in a sense...... if we wanted.  Although potty breaks would increase so, we'll have to keep that in mind.

From Wikipedia:

The city of New Orleans, Louisiana allows the possession and consumption on the street of any alcoholic beverage in an open plastic container (not in glass bottles or containers). Throughout the rest of Louisiana, however, open containers are still prohibited, despite the fact that drive-thru frozen daiquiri stands are legal.

Drive-thru Daiquiri stands?  Where are these?  I want to visit one!!  I have no idea where these are in relation to where we are going to be but, I'm interested in finding out what is in the following:  Alligator, Attitude, and Kitchen Sink.

http://www.daiquirisandcreams.com/

I'll keep looking to see if there's another alternative

Vicksburg, MS

Visit Vicksburg

Above is the link for the Vicksburg online visitor's guide.  The official copy can also be requested at this site. It came with the Official Visitors Guide and the Vicksburg Area Nature Guide.

Vicksburg listings can also be found starting on page 286 of the AAA TourBook and in the book "1000 Places to See, in the USA and Canada, Before You Die"

Vicksburg is 3 hours and 17 minutes from Memphis and will make a perfect lunch stop in addition to a glimpse of the historic battle that took place here 151 years from the time we will be visiting.  This stop was inspired by a book Blake was reading, "A Chain of Thunder" by Jeff Shaara.  Maybe we should start a book club.  :)

Diners, Drive-ins and Dives and Man vs Food

Another request is to eat at a place that has been on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives or Man vs Food.  While I'm not interested in any of the massive or super spicy food challenges completed on Man v Food, I certainly wouldn't mind eating at any of them.  Below are links to restaurants I found on the show websites.  Don't look at these if you are hungry!  :)

Memphis

Diners Drive-ins and Dives

http://alcenias.com/

http://www.cozycornerbbq.com/

http://www.leonardsbarbecue.com/

http://www.marlowesmemphis.com/

http://www.rizzosdiner.com/#

http://www.southofbeale.com/

http://threeangelsdiner.com/

http://www.tomsbarbq.com/

http://unclelousfriedchicken.com/

Man v Food

http://arcaderestaurant.com/

New Orleans

Diners Drive-ins and Dives

http://casamentosrestaurant.com/

http://www.joeyksrestaurant.com/

http://www.katiesinmidcity.com/

http://www.mahonyspoboys.com/

http://www.parasolsbarandrestaurant.com/

http://www.surreyscafeandjuicebar.com/

http://www.creolecreamery.com/

http://www.alwayssmokin.com/

http://www.theoldcoffeepot.com/

Man v Food

http://www.mothersrestaurant.net/index.html

http://www.deanies.com/

Biloxi

http://www.blow-fly-inn.com/

http://www.darwellscafe.com/

http://theshedbbq.com/