Welcome to New orleans

[coolcajun]

Nice pic toocool. Looks like you're right off S. Claiborne? Coolcajun, how's Braithwaite looking? I live right across the river in Belle Chasse, but haven't been over there since Isaac. I know they got smashed...many people rebuilding?

Looks pretty bad! From the lock at the parish line down to the levee at Phoenix it is destroyed.

[wolfdog]

I'm just about to take a drive down to New Orleans from Toronto, make a few stops along the way, Mammoth Cave, Nashville, Memphis, then over to Fla and back north through Savanna, Charleston etc. Never seen New Orleans before, very much looking forward to the trip. Don't tell me so much about the bad drivers!

When you take a road trip you go all out.

[jetstream]

When you take a road trip you go all out.

Yup, sometimes. Lots of driving and so much to see along the way. I've driven across much of the USA and Canada and still have only seen such a small fraction. So much variation, so much beauty, so much of interest. Time is creeping on, better see it while I can and my wife and I are both fit to travel. I'm especially keen to visit the Gulf north shore this trip. And revisit Charleston, a lovely city.

[Tommy knocker]

Cool pic. I should come down and see that place agin sometime. I was there with the national guard after Katrina. 40 days in NO and 40 nights in Bell Chase. Hated it. Spent 25 days clearing Jackson barracks before they could open the lower 9th. Swore I'd never return.

[toocoolforschool]

Looks pretty bad! From the lock at the parish line down to the levee at Phoenix it is destroyed.

Uptown off S Claiborne, you gotta dodge the bullets.

[energy_rater_La]

desert guy,
Food is passable, most of it is fried.
you've been eating at the wrong places!
next time try Mother's, Rocky & Carlo's, Port of Call,
& some off the beaten path places that locals frequent.

I didn't know many Cajuns when I lived in New Orleans...
but lots of Creoles. Cajuns are where I live now!
when you get around Delcambre & Erath..you almost need
someone to interpet what they are saying. or at least I do,
cause I'm still a 'transplant' after being here almost 20 years.
the names...Istre is pronounced East, and Hollier..try O-yea.
I still get teased about not being able to find a place called
Swallow's..Soileau's...go figure!

too cool for school..gonna get wild with Mardi Gras comming soon.
have the parades started yet? my 24 year old niece wants to go this year.
sure was simpler when I lived there and had access to clean bathrooms,
the MG porta potties are not an experience I'd like to repeat.
between Mardi Gras & superbowl...N.O. is going to be fun to party
in but a pita to work in!

be safe & have fun.

[toocoolforschool]

I'll catch a few parades on Mardi Gras but I'm watching the super bowl on my 65 inch screen tv fosure.

[energy_rater_La]

I heard that! going to be a madhouse in the 1/4

[Moonrunner]

I'm just about to take a drive down to New Orleans from Toronto, make a few stops along the way, Mammoth Cave, Nashville, Memphis, then over to Fla and back north through Savanna, Charleston etc. Never seen New Orleans before, very much looking forward to the trip. Don't tell me so much about the bad drivers!

You're from Toronto and worrying about bad drivers elsewhere? I've driven through most of the US and there's a heck of a lot more common sense behind the wheel over there than there is in the golden horseshoe. You'll also get fewer left lane bandits, with one exception - they allow big rigs in the passing lane and sometimes they'll take miles upon miles for one snail (that prick who swerved in front of you and REALLY made you lay on your brakes) to pass the other. Especially beware the rigs with the stickers saying "Without trucks, America stops" as the guys who stick those believe they should be treated like royalty. Still, people won't routinely camp in the passing lane, they're more likely to signal and less likely to have random moments.

Watch out for the popo as speeding tickets are an officially recognized tax collection method, where municipalities even have set percentages of the budget they are allowed to finance by fleecing (mostly) tourists. Your "Yours to discover" plates will be a big bullseye for every uniformed tax collector on the way. Make sure all the equipment on your truck works (horn, wipers, lights, etc etc etc) as they will go over it with a fine-toothed comb for value-added tickets. Try to set your cruise control to just below the speed limit, but not too much below as you'll get nailed for obstruction. That will mostly keep you safe, but not absolutely as "eyeballing it" is an officially recognized way to "measure" your speed in their courts and has even been used to defeat GPS logs. It has a fancy name "visual speed estimation" or something along those lines.

[toocoolforschool]

Are you sure your not talking about Texas?

[Cooked]

Are you sure your not talking about Texas?

He sure could be!

[Mr Bill]

I wasn't trying to be a smart ass.... I just figured that you'd want to correct it.

Hey for me personally, I am always open for "constructive" criticism, for example, hey Bill your zippers down, O jeeezzz! thanks Bud.

[jetstream]

You're from Toronto and worrying about bad drivers elsewhere?

Haha, you're right, some Toronto drivers can be pretty aggressive. Montreal too. Like you I've driven through much of the USA, have never had any problems with the driving, but I'm a pretty laid back driver myself, not trying to make a statement about myself when I'm behind the wheel.

Never had a problem with cops in the states either. With some Cdn cops it's a different story, but that's long ago.

I had in fact intended to also visit to Texas, another place I've never been but would love to see, but time is limited. Next time.