November 7, 2022 NOLA. Today I got on the bike for a long ride. Karen suggested Chalmette National Cemetary/Park where the Battle of New Orleans essentially ended the War of 1812. Karen and M.A. recommended the Lakefront airport as a good example of the Art Deco period. Folks at the Po Boy Fest recommended the Levee along the Mississippi, and I found a route that went along Lake Pontchartrain. I found a way to hit them all and keep it to 62 +/- miles.
Both Chalamette Cemetary and the Battlefield kept me occupied for a good hour or so. Then it was off to Lakefront. The airport building, originally opened in 1934, is in pristine shape. There’s also a restaurant, but it was closed (Monday!). The ride along the lake was just beautiful and I avoided being snagged by a fishing line that caught my eye just in time. On the way to the levee, I stopped and finally scored some beignets at Cafe du Monde, “the New Orleans treat!” Think square donut, no hole, covered in generous amounts of confectionery sugar.
I made a little navigational error and followed where google led without double checking. This put me on a two-lane road without a shoulder that straddled the airport. Busy with high speed traffic — but I survived as this entry attests. Once I got to the levee, things were much, much quieter, and totally traffic free.
On the way back to Karen’s and M.A.’s, I picked up the “best fried chicken in New Orleans” at a gas station about a mile from their house. Their friend had sampled fried chicken at all price levels around NO, and deemed the Keys Fuel Mart on Rampart St. as the best. It was pretty darn good, but I’d have to sample some more to verify that and I don’t want to put all the pounds I’ve lost on this trip back on! M.A. balanced the fried-i-ness out with an arugula salad. That should do it!
After that repast, I started packing up for my train trip in the morning to Meridian, MS!
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