Livonia to Donaldsonville
Click the map for route details
Moisture
So you don't believe me when I say it is humid down here. How about this picture, taken with my camera about twenty minutes after leaving the motel room? The lens is still foggy. At 7 o' clock in the morning. How can it be that humid anywhere at 7am?
Early-morning foggy lens
It is not just moisture in the air, the entire land is wet down here. This is not too surprising, considering how low it lies, but even the puddles on the roads seem to be permanent, displaying healthy algae growth.
The route
Since I was not able to obtain a blood transfusion or testosterone cream (which really does not help anyway, as those who use it will testify) yesterday, I decided to make today and tomorrow two reasonably short days rather than trying to get to New Orleans all at once today. Turns out that was a good idea.
I left at sunrise, which, by the way, does not occur here until 6:23am, compared with 5:57am in Minneapolis—that is how far south I have come. The area south of Livonia is much more densely populated than that north of here and has a very different character. This is plantation country and oak trees are everywhere. Huge, old oak trees. In that, it is again a little bit like northern Germany, except that German oak trees are a little straighter, taller, sturdier, and more serious, as one might expect of German oaks.
Southern Louisiana: oak trees and sugar cane
Magnificent oak trees on even the humblest estates
Louisiana or Hexenberg?
Bayous begin
My main companion today was the Bayou Grosse Tete, which, if my French serves me right, roughly translates into River of the Unattractive Breast.
The Bayou Grosse Tete
Bayou is another weird word for something familiar, so perhaps this would be a good time to make a short list of essential terms the traveler in Louisiana should be familiar with:
- 3, 4, 5 mahls: 12 miles
- Bayou: River, but not quite
- Biscuits: Not cookies
- Grits: Do not order this menu item
- Levee: Dike
- Plantation: Farm that used to employ slaves
- Today's special: White beans (as opposed to red beams)
- Tweahlvnaafahyve: $12.95
Donaldsonville
Thunderstorms were threatening all day, I got caught in a little one, but the skies only really opened up just as I arrived at the Magnolia Motel in Donaldsonville. When I was checking in, several lightning bolts struck right next to the motel, and I sure was glad to be sheltered; it would have made for a very scary ride.
Donaldsonville, just in time
The weather report on TV confirmed that today was basically over, a long storm system stretched along the entire route that I had traveled and beyond. Plaquemine was one of the towns I passed through today.
Today's a wrap
The storm let up a little as the day went on, although a persistent drizzle remained. I decided to venture into Donaldsonville to see what it was all about and to do my laundry. Turns out that the only laundromat in town is not much to behold and I ended up hand-washing my laundry at the motel. If you are looking for a business opportunity in Louisiana, though, you might want to consider this.
Washateria for sale in Donaldsonville
I had not seen much of the Mississippi today, so it was nice to catch a glimpse of it on the other side of the levee in downtown Donaldsonville.
The Mississippi by Donaldsonville
Donaldsonville is pretty dead. There is activity on the river, but mostly poverty in town. The work that is being done around here is mostly done by outsiders, who stay at the Magnolia Motel, which was sold out after I booked my room. The locals seem to occupy themselves mostly with drinking beer and eating fried chicken on street corners. Perhaps they talk about the good old times, but I cannot imagine when those might have been. Donaldsonville's proudest places, in any case, are the two corners below, both in the historic district.
On the National Register of Historic Places
Historic downtown Donaldsonville
Road Kill Tally
Armadillos and opossums are still putting on a valiant fight, but I am afraid it is too little too late.
- Raccoon: 89
- Opossum: 61
- Snake: 36
- Frog: 31
- Skunk: 26
- Armadillo: 22
- Squirrel: 21
- Deer: 19
- Cat: 17
- Turtle: 15
- Groundhog: 13
- Bunnywabbit: 10
- Mouse: 7
- Fox: 3
- Lizard: 3
- Dog: 3
- Mole: 2
- Porcupine: 1
- Chipmunk: 1
- Boar: 1
- Bird: 124
4 comments:
I can't believe you're in Louisianna and not only eating grits and fried chicken! If you don't like grits, it probably means you don't have enough butter and salt on them. Much like popcorn, they primarily serve as a vehicle for these latter two items.
I agree with Gordon on his post; you've got to slather on that butter.
You may be too far south and east for this to be important now, but another key translation:
chafla = Atchafalaya River. Key landmark in the Baton Rouge area.
Additionally, to clarify the Bayou: Louisianians don't claim that the water actually flows in a Bayou, just that it's there, as are the alligators.
Oh, and make sure you eat some fresh boiled crawfish while you're there. Not on a pasta dish or some shit like that, peel the thing yourself.
I have had my share of fried chicken, it's always good, as is anything fried, of course. And you are right, I probably did forget to properly salt my grits after drowning them in butter.
Meanwhile, I thought of another term I meant to include in the list above: parish. You'd think it's a church thing, but around here it works fine for the state, too.
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