Day 66:11/11/06

After driving into the wee hours of the night, we found slumber in a Hammond, LA hotel, just an hour north of the Big Easy. The overcast morning was pushed aside by the excitement and anticipation of New Orleans. We'd finally made it, albeit through a different mode of transport...

Interstate 55 runs south across the western edge of Lake Pontchartrain. The lake was visible along the horizon, but the dominant feature of this stretch of asphalt was the bayou. Black Vultures circled ahead as we drove over what amounts to a really long bridge built out of the water. How many gators did we pass above this day?

After dropping our gear off at Habitat's Camp Hope, we drove back to the French Quarter for an afternoon in downtown. Ben poses in front of Jackson Square, a tribute to General Andrew Jackson (and soon to be President Jackson) for his role in the Battle of New Orleans, which helped end the War of 1812.

The New Orleans waterfront was busy with traffic. In the background, the riverboat "Natchez" passes. Fleeted and moving barges were EVERYWHERE with the fall harvest in full swing. We're happy to be volunteering and not paddling at this point!