Day 4: New Orleans to Austin

521 Miles

There were a few more stops I wanted to make in Louisiana before moving on to Texas. First was Baton Rouge.

With a daughter only a year from attending college, I thought it would be fun for her to see my “almost mater”, LSU. (“Almost”, because I left after my third year.) Being summer, it was very quiet, and we had a really nice stroll through the campus.

From there, I found one of my old haunts, Louie’s Cafe for a little snack (which turned into a much larger early lunch). Check out the picture of their famous hash browns in the slide show.

Given that we had already stopped at the Florida State Capitol, we decided to take a quick drive down to the Louisiana State Capitol and tour it as well. On the way, we stopped at my old apartment on Highland Road to take a picture, adding to the collection of photos of places I’ve lived.

It was a beautiful day to see the grounds of the Capitol, then go up to the observation deck (free). Pictures also in the slideshow below.

After that, it was time to get back on I-10 West to meet up with some old friends in Moss Bluff, Louisiana, just outside of Lake Charles. We took our time crossing the eighteen-mile long Atchafalaya Basin, playing Balfa Brothers, Thibodeaux Boys, Rockin’ Dopsie and others to make sure the kids experienced the musical culture of this region as well.

This was a real trip back in time for me, as I remember my years in this area of Louisiana (1979-1982) as some of my happiest. Once we arrived in Moss Bluff, we drove past my old house in the Magnolia Forest subdivision (another photo of another place I lived!), and then visited an old friend from the neighborhood, Andre Bourdier, and his father A.C, who was celebrating his 85th birthday. It was great to see them both, however briefly.

We left Magnolia Forest and met another old family friend, Travis Sutherland, for a quick “Frosty” at Wendy’s in Moss Bluff, before heading back over English Bayou and onto I-10 West again. Soon, we were in Texas, and late that night, after a crazy-long wait at a McDonald’s in LaGrange, Texas (thanks, ZZ Top), we finally arrived in Austin. We made our way through the Saturday night traffic and drunks along Sixth Street, parked at the hotel, and went to sleep.

Music Selections:

• Leaving New Orleans:
  • Hey Pocky A-Way (The Meters)
  • When the Saints Go Marching In (Fats Domino)
• In the Cajun Heartland
  • J’ai Vu le Loup, le Renard, e la Belete (Balfa Brothers)
  • Man of Constant Sorrow (from O Brother Whereart Thou)
  • Tu pen pas ma retter de revere (Thibodeaux Boys)
• Texas
  • Deep in the Heart of Texas (Moe Bandy)
  • Life is a Highway (Rascal Flatts)
  • Old Town Road feat. Billy Ray Cyrus (Lil Nas X)
  • Crossroads (Cream)
  • Pride and Joy (Albert King and Stevie Ray Vaughan)
  • La Grange (ZZ Top)
  • Amy’s Back in Austin (Little Texas)
  • The Heart of Rock and Roll (Huey Lewis and the News)