After a hotel breakfast, I ended my 4th stay at the HIE off I-70 at 0710, and headed south on LA-14. I passed Daughenbaugh road – I'm related to that family and we'd occasionally visit. This area (actually, the whole trip today) is flat coastal plain. First I saw mostly cattle on pasture, then a mixture of rice fields and crawdad ponds predominated. Lake Arthur is the largest town along this stretch, and many camps line the lake itself. Another childhood memory – visiting a relative's camp out here. There was a relatively steep bridge over the Mermentau just east of town; the relatives told my dad it was a "tall" bridge – he heard "toll" bridge and stopped before crossing it. That 51 Ford had to do a little work!
The road between Lake Arthur and Gueydan is designated the Flyway Byway. This whole area is prime waterfowl winter habitat, hence a prime waterfall hunting area. My great grandfather Truman moved here around 1900 and is buried in the local cemetery – I stopped to pay my respects. And, for the first time despite a number of previous visits, I noted that Sandra was born on my grandmother Stella's 77th birthday.
East of Gueydan LA-14 turns into the Cajun Corridor Byway. From Abbeville on east sugar cane is the prime crop. At New Iberia I took a side trip to St. Martinville via LA-41, LA-182 & LA-131. This is part of the Bayou Teche Byway; some of my ancestors lived near the Teche in the late 19th C.
Louisiana's Longfellow – Evangeline State Historic Site is just north of town. It features an Acadian plantation house and grounds, a more primitive farmstead, and a nature walk.
I spent quite a while talking to the site interpreter;
on our last visit here, we ran across an interpreter who was also a
friend of Dr. Mary Ellen Rowe (now retired) of the CMSU History
Department
Returned to New Iberia about noon and started looking for someplace for a good sausage jambalaya, po-boy or gumbo. Didn't see one so stayed on old US-90 rather than taking the new, Interstate version – future I-49. Never did find one, so I returned to the newer road and headed toward New Orleans. US-90 crossed many waterways, some with apparent shipbuilding areas. US-90 still crosses they old Huey P. Long Bridge, built back in the 30s and well ahead of its time: 3 traffic lanes each way, divided by a railroad lane.
I'm not sure what time I got to New Orleans itself, but I did figure out how to get to Chalmette Battlefield (NPS site) at about 1550 hrs – it closes at 1600. A quick run through and head for the hotel in the French Quarter. Finding it was another adventure in one way (& one lane) streets and no left turn signs. Checked in, turned my car over to the $45/day valet parkers, and unloaded my bags in my nice room with two double beds. Then I went looking for someplace that had a Louisiana dish without any sort of seafood – I found it a block away, but only after walking the better part of a mile in heat index over 100. I survived!
Tomorrow I walk to the time-share sales pitch which got me the free nights, then head for Jackson Square, Cafe' du Mond, the Cabildo, and more.
For the day (I think) 276 miles, for the trip 1057.
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