Day 16–Pontchartrain Landing CG, New Orleans, Louisiana, Delta National Wildlife Reserve

Here we are in New Orleans expecting  some warm weather. NOT! It is about 15 degrees below normal and today it has been 50 degrees with a biting, chilling wind that makes it feel like 35. Ron thought that the few hours of 78 degree, humid weather yesterday was his cue to put the winter coats and hats away. Nope, we had to pull them out again this morning.

We took an excursion to what we believed would be  a wildlife refuge about 82 miles from here. The ride down route 23  parallels the Mississippi River to our left. It was strange to see the top portion of barges and ships passing amid the trees and bushes.

 

 

The landscape was also dotted with oil refineries along the way – too many to count!

 

We noticed a new industry out here( if you can call it an industry) – long term parking lots for the oil workers. They also dotted the landscape with billboards stating there were more parking lots to come. Who knew – parking lots are a big business down here near the refineries.

 

We also noticed helicopters coming and going all day. We found out later that the helicopters were bringing men to and from the off-shore drilling platforms.

All along the way the levee’s were being reinforced. Construction crews were out in full force. By looking at Google map we thought our drive was going to entail lots of nature and not much else. We were quite surprised at the level of activity and people along the route.

One of the many shut down gas stations along the way with the pumps still in place.

 

Of course any excursion we are on would either result in a cave  or fort tour.Today it is

a self-guided fort tour of Fort Jackson!

 

  

 

        

 

Then we drove on the levee along the Mississippi!

Ron Note: Thank you Deb for leaning to the right and keeping us out of the Mississippi River. LOL

 

I packed a lunch and we stopped on the banks of the Mississippi in Fort Jackson and ate overlooking the water. It was too cold to eat outside so we had lunch in the car! BRRRR

As we progressed down the road we came across an area in between two refineries where some beautiful bids were living.

 

                                      

 

The area was small but very pretty.

There were also several fishing ports along the way.

Back at the CG we took Jewel for her walk and stopped to admire the houseboats.

 

            

The temperature was 52 but the wind was sooo very cold. It would have been OK without the wind. We had stopped to pick up some fresh Louisiana shrimp so I made a really delicious Shrimp and Veggie primavera for dinner.

It was a great day despite the cold. We settled in for the night and worked on a plan for tomorrow. We just may go into the city and check out the French Quarter again.