The Information Super-Frog

Thanks to all who responded.

Info from a friend who told of his friend who made the trip yesterday says that much of I-10/I-12 route is passable, with adiquate gas availible, so we may do the more direct route.

So any offers of a night's crash space for me & mshollie anywhere near I-10 from Baton Rouge through Lafayette or a bit west would be appreciated, and recipricated whenever New Orleans digs are back in visitable shape.

Saturday night we did the Krewe of OAK midsummer Mardi Gras street party & parade. One last bit of partying New Orleans style while there still is a New Orleans. Much smaller turn out than usual, as many had already left or were leaving; some folks exausted from boarding up their houses but showed up any way. Some of the stops weren't made; some bars and businesses along the routes were closed, though Maple Leaf, Carrollton Station, and Snake & Jakes were going strong. The golf-cart floats weren't there (someone said they saw the giant heads earlier in the day, but perhaps the giant disembodied heads of James Booker and Everet Maddox et al decided to evacuate or go into hiding on their own). Good party. Hollie was a bit tired for it. Beverly was seriously getting in to it, and Girgl clearly enjoyed it.

I had advised Bev and Girgl to head out as early as possible in the morning, and they left for Arkansas before dawn. Hollie and I head out about 40 minutes later, heading east on I-10 while most people were evacuating north and west. We'd been advised to avoid Pensacola Bay, and took inland routes from I-65 going north from Mobile, various smaller highways before connectinng with 90 and back on I-10 at Crestview Florida. No major delays once we got past Slidell, Louisiana.

Two other groups of people from New Orleans at the motel breakfast this morning here in Jacksonville.

If New Orleans joins Atlantis in the role call of legendary lost cities, we exiles will no doubt have Krewes and jazz bands going in time for Mardi Gras.

Hi from Houston.

Took 6 hours to go the first hundred miles.

Just heard someone who waited til Tues evening took 11 hours (driving all night) to get as far as Baton Rouge.

That's what happens when you evacuate a million people.

And on the positive side: Not only won't I get blown away here, I just had some good Tex-Mex for lunch. Mmmm.

Category 5 hurricane.
Not needed. No indeed.

NOLA.com weather:

" Cat 5 Ivan heads north, NOLA area on watch

"An extremely dangerous Category 5 Hurricane Ivan continues to move west-northwestward Monday afternoon, and southeastern Louisiana emergency officials are warning people of the increasing likelihood of a strike in our region. Residents in the lower parts of Plaquemines, St. Bernard and Jefferson parishes are being urged to evacuate voluntarily, and preparations for possible tropical storm conditions are in progress across the region. Mandatory evacuation orders could come as early as Monday evening."

This morning I did the last radio show at the station where the "dj" got to enjoy sunlight, as they started boarding up the windows as the next programer sat down.

If it heads towards New Orleans, Category 5 means "bug out and hope there's something left to come home to"

NOLA.com/hurricane