Louisiana

Finally out of Texas, the first thing to notice about Louisiana was the mosquitoes. Every time we stopped, a swarm appeared around us! We crossed into Louisiana on the interstate and then followed 'Old road 90' through the swamps. It was amazing scenery, with a lot of wildlife, mainly large birds nesting in the swamps. Back on the interstate, we found a state information office and acquired a couple of maps. We cycled late that evening, trying to make a big day, despite the headwind. We illegally crossed a motorway bridge, which had a closed lane for roadworks and whizzed down the other side into Lake Charles. We experienced our first cajun cooking at a gumbo restaurant. Gumbo is a delicious spicy stew/soup served with rice. That night, we asked a couple of dog walkers for a place to stay and they gave us their workshop in the garden.

It took a while to get going the next morning and we were both getting tired, trying to get big miles in every day was taking it out of us. Just a couple of days to New Orleans though, then after that it should be more relaxed. That day we cycled along a small country road in Cajun country. It was beautiful, very flat land but historic towns, much more interesting than Texan countryside. We stopped at a restaurant for lunch and were given alligator by the friendly owner. It was delicious and tasted a bit like chicken with the texture of fish.

We reached Franklin that evening and camped in an RV park. A drunk living there, David 'helped' Harry put up his tent. He was a nice guy though and very lonely so we talked to him for a while as we cooked.

More headwind the next morning so we were destined for another struggle! Most of the day was spent on the US90 dual carriageway. It was mainly through swamp again. We saw a group of alligators sunning themselves on a rock and then swimming through a swamp. There were turtles in there too. Not much more to report that day other than a good place to camp around the back of a Shell garage, we could use their facilities. Bloody shattered!!

The next morning we set off for New Orleans on the 90. The heavens opened and we got absolutely soaked within a couple of minutes then dried off by the powerful sun over the next hour. We arrived at the bridge that took us into the city and were told we couldn't ride over it by a policeman. It was monitored both ends so there was really no way around it. The other option was to take a ferry across the river further east and we reasoned that getting a lift over a bridge was no different from taking a ferry and it was also free so it didn't count as cheating as there was no other option! We cycled to the traffic lights and asked a guy who looked like a rapper if we could throw the bikes in the back of the truck and get a lift over. We put the bikes in and were in the back of the truck when the lights changed. He revved the engine and shot off with us standing in the back of the truck! Nutter. We lay down, trying to hide from the police and he drove very fast over the bridge with us in the back. He stopped at the lights on the other side of the bridge and we jumped out, thanking him! It was very funny.

We cycled along the storm levies that protect New Orleans from floods (it wasn't these ones that failed in 2005). The huge pumping stations along them show the engineering effort it takes to keep the city from flooding, although unsuccessful during Hurricane Katrina. We continued to the French Quarter and had a drink at a Parisian style cafe on the side of the street. It's a beautiful place, with load of atmosphere.

As we cycled through the city to Louis' house, a guy we me through www.warmshowers.com, I didn't notice any affects of the hurricane, except the appalling road surfaces. Some neighborhoods didn't look the safest though. We met Louis, had a beer and some excellent home made pizzas, then drove round in his vintage BMW. We drove through the neighborhoods that haven't been redeveloped since the hurricane. There are whole blocks with ruined and abandoned houses and some plots of land with no remnants of a house at all, they were simply washed away. Some neighborhoods have been forgotten about, some have people living there still and some are being redeveloped with fantastic new eco-homes, which are really interesting architecturally.

We went to a bar with a live blues band, which is what New Orleans is famous for. They were fantastic and we enjoyed a few local beers before heading back to Louis'.

As part of his job, Louis designates cycle lanes in New Orleans. We followed one of them out of the city, over a load of bridges through the swamps and past lots of buildings on stilts to protect them from high water. After a few hours riding, we reached Mississippi.

Despite only being in Louisiana for a few days, I'd really liked it and would love to come back. New Orleans is a fascinating place and well worth a visit and the local french food is delicious.