Trails, Tracks, Roads and Rivers

Jean Baptiste Le Moyne, Sieur de Bienville served as the French Colonial Governor of the Louisiana Territory. In 1698, Bienville and his brother, Iberville led a French expedition to the Gulf of Mexico and up the Mississippi River. While traveling up the river they spotted a red pole which marked the boundary of two Native…

Monday morning drive from Akureyri to Dalvik to catch the 9:00 o’clock ferry to the island of Grimsey; the only place in Iceland that extends into the Arctic Circle. Rough 3-hour ferry ride, not ideal for anyone prone to sea sickness. There were several such people on board. Did not envy the young woman in…

When I’m hiking I like to carry some hard candy in the waist belt pocket of my pack. Sometimes Jolly Ranchers. Worthers Originals on this trip. They come in such small wrappers; nobody would even notice them on the ground, let alone know it was me who discarded them. But I would know, and I…

Named after the Duke of Orleans who reigned as Regent for Louis XV from 1715 to 1723, the city was established by French colonists and strongly influenced by their old world culture. It is well known for its distinct French and Spanish Creole architecture, as well as its multi-cultural heritage. New Orleans is often referred…

I had my route planned out from Baton Rouge to New Orleans – walk down the River Road on river left. Visit Houmas House Plantation. Cross over the Mississippi River on Hwy 70 bridge to river right. Visit Oak Alley and Laura plantations. Then on to New Orleans. Google Maps says the distance is 82…