3 States & 3 Elks Lodges (Our Stays Improved as We Headed West)
Elks Lodges can be as different as night and day.
After visiting with family and friends in Tennessee, we are finally homeward-bound. Our route included a visit to three different Elks Lodges, and they were all so different.
The contrast between the first one in Bessemer, Alabama, and our last stay in Shreveport, Louisiana, was enormous! Just as in the location, the Vicksburg, Mississippi, lodge fell right in the middle.
Elks Lodges are an excellent option for RV travelers, but you must be a member to enjoy them. My husband joined the Elks in our hometown of Hollister, California, when we owned our bar and grill.
They do a lot for the community; as business owners, we wanted to be a part of that. My husband let his membership lapse when we sold Johnny’s and our house and left the city we called home for almost 30 years.
Tommy renewed his membership when a fellow RVer told us how much they enjoyed staying at Elks Lodges and how reasonably priced they are. We were in Florida then, so we joined the Ocala Lodge. Lodge membership dues vary.
When we were staying at the Biloxi, Mississippi Lodge and discovered their rate was much lower than Ocala, we moved our membership there. It’s a great lodge close to the ocean boardwalk, and the people are very friendly.
We have yet to stay at an Elks lodge where the people weren’t cordial. The camaraderie is always great.
However, the location can sometimes be less than desirable. We found that out at the Las Vegas, New Mexico lodge. We will never go there again. That’s a horror story I should have written about.
I’d never even heard of Bessemer, Alabama, but I found the lodge on a great map one of the Biloxi members shared. It shows all the lodges across the country, and the ones with RV parking are labeled in green.
My main goal in navigating our trip from Tennessee to Texas was to keep us on the I-20. Our friends in Tennessee, who had recently returned from a trip to California on I-40, said it was horrific. According to them, the roads are in terrible shape.
I called the Bessemer Lodge and asked the bartender about the accommodations to be sure we could fit our 45-foot motorhome in their lot. At every lodge we’ve been to, the bartender collects for the stays and lets you know if reservations are required. Many don’t take reservations. It’s a first-come, first-served situation. The sweet bartender said their lot was large, and it wouldn’t be a problem for us to stay there.
The Bessemer RV parking is in a large parking lot with an electric box, four 50-amp plugs next to a light pole, and one faucet for a water connection. We wondered what would happen if more than one RV showed up. The first one is the only one to get a water hookup.
The area looked sketchy. Tommy had to move a garbage can to get the water hooked up, and he was attacked by hundreds of tiny black ants that bit the heck out of his ankles, and some made it further up his legs.
We’ve experienced fire ants in Florida, and you can’t miss the big red, biting buggers. Black ants have never eaten up either of us. The sores on his ankles and legs are still large, red, sore, and itchy. We’ve been putting everything on them, from Caladryl lotion to tea tree oil. This was not a fun way to begin our visit to the lodge.
By the time we set up the motorhome and attended to Tommy’s wounds, we were ready for an adult beverage. Thankfully, the bar was open. Two customers and Tina, the spunky bartender, were at the bar when we arrived.
She was very hospitable, and we loved her southern accent. Tina bantered with the two regular customers, and we laughed a lot. She was also honest when we asked about the area and stressed that we should be careful. We decided that a one-night stay was plenty.
I’d scoped out a stop between the Alabama Elks and the one in Vicksburg, Mississippi, for a three-night stop to hook up to the sewer and catch up on doing laundry. I didn’t know at the time that Vicksburg had sewer available. The Bonita Lakes RV Park in Meridian was right off the I-20 and was only $30.00 a night for full hookups. As reviewers stated, the folks in the office were friendly and helpful.
There were plenty of open sites with concrete pads. There was some highway noise, but that’s what you get when you have easy access to and from the highway. There was a nice pool, and I found plenty of hills to walk on. The laundry room was clean, and the washers and dryers were only $2.00 a load, so I washed our bedding. Our motorhome has a washer and dryer, but I prefer the laundromat for more oversized items.
Our trip to Vicksburg was harrowing because the Garmin took us to the wrong place. Tommy put the lodge’s address in the system, and we have no idea why it took us where it did. There is nothing like hearing, “Turn right into your destination,” when it obviously isn’t there. I asked my phone for directions to the Vicksburg Elks Lodge, and we eventually found it. I was concerned when I saw a U-turn in the instructions, but the two lanes were wide enough for us to make it.
It wasn’t until we had to make the U-turn that we both remembered we’d stayed there before. I completely forgot that we stopped there in April on the way to Alabama to get our awning fixed. The lodge isn’t open on weekends, so we didn’t experience it on our eastbound trip. There were three other RVs parked there then, and it took a long extension cord for the electric hookup, and an extra hose was necessary for water. We had the entire place to ourselves this time.
One of the volunteer workers was outside and informed us that the lodge didn’t open until 5:00. She got me a card to get into the pool area in case I decided to take a dip and told us to make ourselves at home. At 5:00, we went to the lodge and met the nicest people. Tommy played a couple of games of pool with a guy we named the Shark. He was a great pool player and quite a kick in the pants.
He was having a Jager bomb, and I commented that I hadn’t had one in years and how amazing it was that they tasted like bubblegum. He insisted I have one with him. Tommy said there was no way he was having one, and I think he was surprised that I did.
I enjoyed visiting with the members and watching Tommy play pool. I told one of the ladies how beautiful the restroom was, and she told me that the men’s room was almost as nice. She informed me that one of the members paid for the renovation and that the other members helped him get the job done. Then, he offered me a tour.
I asked if she was sure we could enter the men’s room, and she insisted I see it. Wouldn’t you know, as we got to the door, Shark showed up and told us to get out of his way because he had to pee.
I took a couple of photos before we vacated. It is an impressive men’s room, as you can see from the pictures. That was a new one for me, taking photos of a men’s room. I wonder if the Jager Bomb had something to do with it.
We had a blast, and it eased all the tension from the stressful drive. The crew told us the lodge had a hamburger steak dinner on Thursday, so we put our names on the list. I was thrilled to have a break from fixing dinner. However, we didn’t know it wasn’t being served until 6:30.
We always eat by 6:00 because of my 16/8 intermittent fasting routine. We hung out for an hour and a half, enjoying the company of members while waiting for our meal. By the time we got it, we were done partying and took it to the motorhome to eat.
The Vicksburg Elks was a step up from Bessemer but less remarkable than the Shreveport Elks. After Garmin gave us the wrong directions in Mississippi, I told Tommy he should use the destination rather than the address the next time. Apparently, he didn’t hear me.
What should have been a simple trip was once again complicated. When we took the left turn that our Garmin instructed us to, we wound up in the driveway of a condemned apartment building complex.
Once again, I looked for directions on my phone because Garmin told us to go straight, and it didn’t look like we should. Tommy pulled over into a parking area and unhooked the car.
I suggested I drive to the lodge following my phone directions, which stated it was only a mile away, and let him know how the drive was. When his Garmin doesn’t match my phone, he gets cranky and doesn’t want to trust my directions.
Tommy said he would ride with me, but I didn’t feel comfortable leaving our RV in the deserted and scary apartment complex for even five minutes. We decided he would follow me to the lodge in the motorhome instead. I’d figured out that we had been to the Shreveport Lodge in April, too. Still, nothing looked familiar until we saw the driveway into Lodge 122.
Only one RV was parked in the lot when we arrived, and I suggested that we park in the spot closest to the lodge, which Tommy was quite happy about. It meant we only had another RV on one side of us, and the sites were quite skinny.
Shreveport is one of the few lodges that takes reservations; we had ours. I went to the lodge to be sure we could park in any spot and inquire when the bar was open. Once again, GPS was driving my husband to drink.
We were instructed to park anywhere we liked and come in and pay the bartender for our stay. As always, in the lodges, she was sweet and friendly. There weren’t many people at the bar, but there was quite a crowd on the patio.
We decided to take our beverages out there and were hit with a cloud of cigarette smoke, so we sat at a table furthest away from the lounge, where we had a view of the small lake. We usually like meeting the locals, but we don’t like cigarette smoke.
A nice gal who introduced herself as Peggy came and sat at our table, and we told her how much we appreciated the company. One of the great things about Elks lodges is the camaraderie.
People aren’t bashful about introducing themselves and asking questions about where you are from and what brings you to the area. She told me she was instructing the water aerobics class the next day at 10:00 a.m., and I was tickled pink.
We had a pleasant visit before returning to the motorhome to put our feet up for a while. The bartender informed us that it was steak night, and we planned to return at 5:00. She said it got jam-packed on steak night.
You’d think I would have learned to ask when dinner was being served. Once again, the meal wouldn’t be served until 6:30. There were plenty of fun people to visit with while we waited, and the band was setting up.
The ribeye steak dinner was fabulous! The band was great, and Tommy and I danced for the first time in so long that I don’t remember the last time. When he went to pay our bill at 7:45, the bartender said, “You’re leaving pretty early, aren’t you?” That’s how we roll. We don’t stay out late. It had been a very full day.
Our stay was wonderful! I met the loveliest gal at the water aerobics class, and Sheryl and Peggy bought one of my books. Eight ladies were in the class, and when it was over, I was informed that the ritual was to have a Bloody Mary together afterward.
I hadn’t had breakfast because I had eaten dinner so late, and the Bloody was so tasty I had two and called it a meal. My new friend Sheryl headed home without a beverage, and I promised to bring her my book to her church the next day.
Peggy told me she would be at the pool with her family all day and that I could bring her my book anytime. There was a birthday party going on when Tommy and I went to the lodge, and there was more wonderful free food than you could imagine.
The Louisiana Tigers college football team was playing, and a big, raucous crowd was enjoying the game. I took Peggy’s book and joined Tommy at a table with some friendly folks we met the day before. We ate so much at 2:00 that we decided to skip dinner. It’s a good thing. I swear I gained five pounds during our four-day visit.
We went to Sheryl’s church on Sunday and enjoyed it immensely. The worship music was lively, and the message was great. We’re always thrilled to find a Spirit-filled church in our travels. Sheryl was delighted to get my book, and I know we will keep in touch.
We grabbed a meat and cheese tray at the grocery store for the potluck football extravaganza. The New Orleans Saints were playing the Dallas Cowboys. As 49er fans, we’ve never liked the Cowboys. Tommy brought his laptop to the lodge, and we watched our 49ers lose to the Vikings. It was tough trying to watch two games at once. I worried about hollering at our game and people thinking I was rooting for Dallas. At least the Saints won.
Thanks for coming along. Our next stop is in our new home state of Texas. We’ll spend six days at a Campers for Christ rally in Grapeland before heading to Smithville. It’s sure to be a blessed gathering. There will be plenty of fellowship and great food, but we’ll skip the adult beverages. I’ll let you know how incredible the rally is.
I would have loved to see yall. I am off I-20. Great adventure.