I had an easier time getting back into New Orleans from the state park than I had getting to the park last night, because the road had a paved ditch most of the way, and I was able to ride in that. I took a different ferry that went straight downtown from Algiers, where many of the Mardi Gras floats are made.
I rode into downtown on Canal Street, which is a wide boulevard with streetcar tracks down the center. I saw another bicyclist riding down the streetcar right-of-way, so I tried that and found it much easier than riding in the lanes of traffic.
I made a beeline for the central library and spent an hour online before meeting the only person I know in New Orleans for lunch. Phyllis was doing a telephone survey of library bookstores about eight months ago and interviewed me regarding the one I was assistant-managing in Minneapolis. I mentioned that I'd be passing through New Orleans, and she told me to look her up, and I held her to it! She took me to a seafood restaurant near Bourbon Street.
During my hour of Internet use, I got an e-mail from my mother about the premier episode of Nova ScienceNow, which had a feature about New Orleans and its vulnerability to hurricanes. I missed the episode on the air, but I was able to watch it there on the computer! It included footage of some sights I'd already seen, and some others that I saw during the stroll to the restaurant.
By the time we got back to the library it was already 2:30, so I headed straight out of town to a campground that's more conveniently located than the state park. It's even on a bus route -- I'll see if they can accommodate my bike tomorrow! I'll do some more sightseeing tomorrow without my trailer and head out of town on Friday.
19.4 mi
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