New Orleans, day 2

The campground was very brightly lit all night, for security.  I draped the space blanket, which I assumed to be opaque, over the top of the tent to try to blot out the light, but some came through.  Between that and the sound of the nearby highways and railroad tracks, I slept poorly.  I woke around 4:00 with chills and put my hat on.  With it over my eyes and earplugs in my ears, I finally slept soundly until 7:00.

I had warmed up enough that I walked to the restroom in a T-shirt and shorts, but by the time I had made breakfast I realized I would need more clothes than that!  I didn't want to repeat the mistake I'd made in Austin and go into town without warm clothes.

I rode into town without my trailer (zoom!) and was soon in the French Quarter.  I found a shop that could develop my film to CD and settled in for cafe au lait and beignets at Cafe Du Mond, which I had heard was a mandatory part of the New Orleans experience.  At $3.50 I didn't mind giving it a try!

When I was satisfied that I had seen the waterfront, I rode north and found a bike shop.  The owner examined my pedals and said that the persistent clicking sound is nothing serious.  He gave me some spare BikeE parts he had left over (since my brand of bike is no longer made), and he showed me the new Giant "Revive" semi-recumbent bikes he's selling.  They're very snazzy, much more attractive than the other recumbents in their price range.

I also visited a Whole Foods store which turned out to be the smallest in the country, which I thought was funny because I'd just been to the flagship store in Austin.

My last sight to see was the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, the astoundingly long bridge featured in many a car commercial.  It's difficult to photograph, but I did my best.

On my way back to camp, I crossed a drawbridge on its sidewalk and got to see its workings up close while waiting for it to come back down.  There was a chain at each corner of the counterweights, and each link must have weighed half a ton!