Summer 2009

We made it to New Orleans. It was an easy run with little traffic and no weather issues. I-59 took us from the outskirts of Birmingham, AL to the northeastern edge of New Orleans. I-10 took us to within a few blocks of the campground.

The French Quarter RV Resort is unlike any other campground we ever stayed in. It is an urban campground that takes up about one city block and it is located about three blocks from the French Quarter. It is surrounded by a stone wall that is topped with spikes. The area is partially industrial and partially run down. Between the campground and the Quarter is a boarded up store with a large parking lot. During the day this is safe to walk... at night we wouldn't even think about it. I asked about safety outside the walls at night and the recommendation by the campground staff was not to do it. A cab ride to the quarter is about $6 and that is what we will do. Parking in the quarter is limited and can get expensive with an oversized vehicle.

After setting up the trailer and getting a late lunch, we walked into the French Quarter. We just wanted to walk around and see if the conditions have improved since we were here in 2006. That year, less than twelve months after Hurricane Katrina, the Quarter was empty (see my comments during that visit). This time there was a lot more life, not as much as I remember from past visits, but these were always in the summer during peak tourist season. We will have to see how the Quarter looks at night to make a better judgment. After walking around for an hour and a half we headed back to the campground with the intent of returning for the evening. After getting back to the trailer we decided to stay in tonight since we will be out every other evening during our New Orleans stop. It is just as well... we have covered nearly 1,500 miles in the past three days and we are better off just relaxing this evening. Sounds dull but we have to recharge for the next four days of activity.