Sometimes, Indecision Can Save Your Life

Location: Farr Park RV Campground (El 25 ft); Baton Rouge, Louisiana

all pictures taken with Nokia Lumia Icon 929 cell phone
(click pictures to enlarge)

First off, I changed the layout of the blog. I haven't done anything to the layout since I started it about 2 years ago. With this change, I'm creating a wider body which I hope makes it easier to read and post pictures. We will see. Let me know if I should go back to the old layout. 

As I said in the first New Orleans post, I intended to stay in New Orleans for only 5 days but extended my stay by 3 days. I extended my stay because I couldn't decide which campground to go to after New Orleans. I knew I needed to be in Baton Rouge by the 26th or 27th so that left me 5 to 6 days for a stay somewhere in between those two cities. My thoughts were to find a campground half way between New Orleans and Baton Rouge along the Mississippi River and explore some of the old plantations along the River Road. I couldn't decide between a campground near Donaldsonville on the west side of the river and another campground about 10 miles away near Convent on the east side. Both campgrounds had their own good and bad traits and with a bridge crossing at Donaldsonville, either would be convenient for exploration. I just couldn't decide between the two. That was strange because I usually get a "good vib" about a place just by researching it. That "good vib" has been right many, many more times than it has been wrong and I have learned to trust it. I didn't know what to do so I decided to do nothing and stay put, thus the 3 day extension at Bayou Segnette. My plan was to skip the middle stay all together and get to Baton Rouge a couple days earlier than originally planned which I did on the Wednesday, the 24th. 

My indecision may have saved my life since the campground I was considering in Convent was the Sugar Hill Campground. It may not have made the news elsewhere, but a tornado blew through that campground last Tuesday evening. RV's were scattered everywhere. Some blew up like a bottle of pop that had been shaken up while others were sitting on top of other RV's. It was a mess. A couple people had died and one was missing. I haven't heard if they found him or not, but would be surprised if they haven't. Thought and prayers for them and their families.

Aerial view on the day after

Aerial view

Early on the morning after

Dogs searching the wreakage

The picture says it all

If I had not extended my stay in New Orleans, I may have been in that campground. I have dodged death a couple times in my life and each time was sobering. It was no different this time. Someone upstairs was keeping an eye out for me as usual. It was interesting in the way it was done this time. By simply making me indecisive, they knew I would stay put which was the safest place.  

Like I said, I got to Baton Rouge last Wednesday. The campground is a city operated park just off the River Road. It is conveniently located to the convention center where I will be attending the conference next week. The sites are water/electric only with 30 amp being the largest electrical hookup. The 30 amp is fine with me since I shouldn't have to run both A/C units at the same time. I will be running both electric heaters but shouldn't need both on high at the same time. I will be here 8 days which is the same amount of time I stayed at Bayou Segnette. As it was then, it will be on the upper end of my waste tank capacity, but I am sure it will all work out fine. 

I haven't done much exploring since I got here. I went into town the second day and planned to visit the State Museum but couldn't find any parking within several blocks. As I was driving around looking for parking, I noticed a crowd of people on the steps of the Capitol Building and realized it was some kind of ralley which sucked up all parking. I decided to get groceries and a haircut instead. 

I did go back on Friday and visited the museum. It was worth the $6.00 entrance fee and was an enjoyable couple hours. I intended to also visit the old State Capitol Building but as I approached it, there were at least a dozen school buses parked nearby. Literally hundreds of children were running all over the grounds and going in and out. I did not stop.

The River Road about 20
miles south of Baton Rouge

My campsite at Farr Park.
It was a little wet on the first
day but dried out quickly.

A submarine from the Civil
War found in Lake
Pontchartrain

A sign of the times during the heyday of Huey P. Long's road building years. It was a good idea, but Concrete Pavement shouldn't have been used on some of the roads. They are still causing problems today.

The sign as you enter the 3rd floor. Notice the big crawfish on top. They are much better than lobster any day.

State Capitol Building. The tallest capitol building in the country. 

Ya'll take care of each other. I'll Cya down the road.