New Orleans

Biking to New Orleans

Click twice on the play button above to hear the music.

The blue line on this progress map shows the Adventure Cycling Southern Tier route I initially planned to take. The green line shows my actual route including a few little diversions.

On Day 28 of biking, I headed toward New Orleans and arrived at the outskirts of the city. It still showed the ravages of Hurricane Katrina, destroyed buildings and looking like a war zone. But once in the city and in the French Quarter, there were no signs of any destruction. The French Quarter was lively, going strong, and very interesting. It had narrow, busy streets with lots and lots of people walking, and it had quiet, residential streets with beautiful, old houses dating from the 1700s with wrought iron balconies with lots of flowers, ferns, and seating areas.

Old Live Oak trees at the Fountainbleau State Park, which was a former plantation.

The Old Live Oaks all have "Spanish Moss" growing on the them, some of it grows to 25 feet long. "Spanish Moss" is what it is commonly called , although it is not a moss. It is actually an epiphyte, a plant that lives upon other plants, which absorbs nutrients and water from the air and rainfall. It is not a parasite and does not kill the tree.

Preservation Hall was built in 1750 as a private residence. It opened its doors as the Preservation Hall of Jazz in 1961 and was created as a sanctuary, to protect and honor New Orleans Jazz. Today, over 40 years later, the hall is still going strong. On any given night, the hall is filled to capacity with people eager to hear New Orleans jazz played by veteran musicians in their 70’s and 80’s and younger musicians learning and embracing music that is both sweet and very beautiful.

Jazz street musician in New Orleans.

Corner of Bourbon Street and Orleans Street. Louis Armstrong grew up here, and as a child he used to follow the jazz bands through Bourbon Street.

Quiet residential street in the French Quarter.

Residential balcony in the French Quarter.

Another residential balcony in the French Quarter.

Voodoo is still big here.

She's still trying to find her way out of the French Quarter after Mardi Gras. Actually, some people always dress in costume when they come to New Orleans.

This is the home of General Beauregard, born in New Orleans, Louisiana to a white Creole family. He trained at the United States Military Academy at West Point, graduating in 1838.
He later returned to teach at West Point, where he rose to become the Superintendent of the Military Academy, then resigned when Louisiana seceded from the Union. Beauregard was one of 8 full generals in the Confederate Army. In the 1950s, the famous writer Francis Parkinson Keyes purchased the house where she lived until her death in 1970.

The St. Louis Cathedral was founded in 1718.
Inside of the cathedral, where the Saints go marchin' in.