Starting Point - New Orleans Museum of Art in City Park
The Almonaster Train Bridge crosses the Industrial Canal
The Almonaster Train Bridge crosses the Industrial Canal
A jumble of overpasses marks our entrance to Almonaster Road in New Orleans East
Saturn Rocket Booster at the NASA Michoud Facility
Saturn Rocket Booster at the NASA Michoud Facility
Aging Bridge at Chef Pass on Highway 90
Aging Bridge at Chef Pass on Highway 90
Aging Bridge at Chef Pass on Highway 90
A view of Hwy 90 between Chef Pass and Fort Pike State Historic Site
Fort Pike State Historic Site
My ContourROAM camera set up to take 5mp wide-angle still images while riding
View from Fort Pike State Historic Site looking Northeast
The new Rigolets Bridge just north of Fort Pike State Historic Site
Pedaling donwhill against a nice headwind
Old Spanish Trail Road (Hwy 433) between Fort Pike and Slidell
Old Spanish Trail Road (Hwy 433) and our first tailwind
Old Spanish Trail Road (Hwy 433) view
Bayou Paquet Road in Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge
Bayou Paquet Road in Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge
Bayou Paquet Road in Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge
Bayou Paquet Road in Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge
Tammany Trace Rails to Trails at Bayou Lacombe
The bridge closes at 6:02 PM this day (official dusk)
Tammany Trace Rails to Trails at Bayou Lacombe
Tammany Trace Rails to Trails at Bayou Lacombe
The Lakefront at Mandeville, Louisiana
The Lakefront at Mandeville, Louisiana
Fontainbleau State Park is quiet on weekdays
Fontainbleau State Park a.k.a. Mosquitoville
Fontainbleau State Park trees ravaged by pine beetles and Katrina
Birdhouses for sale on Pine Tree Street in Slidell
Highway 433 vista.
Look real close on the horizon for the Rigolets Bridge left of center.
Hwy 433 view and just about to turn into a vicious headwind
Notice the Rigolets Bridge on the horizon far right
View from atop the Rigolets Bridge looking south.
No, I was not standing on top of the railing.
View from atop the Rigolets Bridge.
A strong wind would push us home from here.
Hwy 90 past new fishing camps. Hurricane Katrina took the old camps away.
Hwy 90 past new fishing camps. Hurricane Katrina took the old camps away.
Some color along Hwy 90
Weekdays are glorious and traffic free out here on Hwy 90 near Eden Isles
Me in front of the lens for a change at Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge
Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge is a great rest area for cyclists
Clouds stealing the show on Almonaster Road in New Orleans East
Clouds stealing the show on Almonaster Road in New Orleans East
Clouds stealing the show on Almonaster Road in New Orleans East
Back where we began - City Park ten steps from the art museum

The town of Mandeville, LA on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain is a great destination for a two day weekend camping trip to get away from the city. Fontainbleau State Park has loads of campsites, hot showers, a beach, and cold drink vending machines. Fontainbleau can be noisy on weekends, especially during holidays in the spring and fall. Weekdays are glorious and quiet. This trip we biked the extra 2.5 miles into the center of Mandeville for a sit-down meal instead of hauling a camp stove. In Slidell (roughly half way) is a truck stop with a Subway sandwich shop and any snacks or drinks you could want including Clif and Powerbars. I normally eat lunch there both days and stock up on sports drinks and snack foods.

The ride distance is 60 miles each way and takes me from 6 to 8 hours depending on how much birdwatching I do along the way as the route passes through three major wildlife management areas - Bayou Sauvage, Big Branch Marsh, and Fontainbleau State Park Peserve.