After New Orleans I stayed at Bayou Segnette State park to get some nature and look for alligators. Nice and relaxing.
I also used the beach shelter that I bought to help stay cool when camping.
I bought fresh caught catfish to cook for dinner and just relaxed. From there I traveled to Vermilionville to see some Acadian history.
In this barn, they stored hay as well as dried Spanish moss from the tree. After soaking in water, the outer grey green layer fell off leaving the black inner layer which was then dried and used to stuff mattresses.
From here I knew there was going to be bad weather. I had a choice to stay here or head a few hours up north to a free campground. As a serious cold front was moving through, there was going to be strong winds and rain. I decided to go north as that forecast looked not as ominous. In the end. It was the right decision. Before the temperature dropped, I went for a dip in the water.
The next morning I stopped in Natchitoches which is the oldest Louisiana purchase settlements. It was a cute little town.
The hardware store is original as when it opened. It had so many cool things.
I also learned that this is where the movie Steel Magnolias was filmed.
From here I drove to Caddo Lakes State park. It was cold that day and the next. The weather though was good for hiking the upland and lowland trails.
