Louisiana - Day 13

Lafayette KOA
Thursday, 14 February 2020

I spent the day in the campground.  I'd intended to spend most of it catching up on my blog, and I did manage to get a couple of posts done.  But I ended up spending more than half the day just trying to get driving directions for the routes I want to take tomorrow.  And because I was afraid my next campground might not get wifi coverage, I also got directions for where to go when I leave there on Sunday.

And I made arrangements for going to Shreveport next week.  David having very kindly agreed to forward my ballot for the primary, I had to get him an address to forward it to, and decided to stay at the KOA in Shreveport.  They're charging me $53 for one night, which I think will be the most expensive night I've had on this trip.  I told the KOA woman that and she seemed surprised, like every campground charges that much.

When I asked why the price was so much higher than advertised online, she told me LA tacks on a 15% sales tax to everything, including groceries.  But I've just looked it up and find she may be using "alternative facts."  According to both the state and City of Shreveport websites, the combined state and local sales tax in Shreveport is 9%.  Still steep, but not quite as breathtaking as 15%.  I'll check my bill when I get there.

male & female Bufflehead

This campground is built around a nice little lake with campsites around it on 3 different roads, which gives the dogs and me more room to walk around.  The lake has attracted several Mallards, and I'm pretty sure I saw a few Buffleheads, one of my favorite ducks.  It's not just that they're pretty and easy to recognize, but also they're the smallest of the ducks - 13" compared to a Mallard's 23" - so they look really cute.  The bird book says LA is in their winter range.

Although the campground folks tried to talk me out of it, I chose a campsite that was on the road closest to the highway - I-10 sits about a dozen yards from here (no exaggeration).  But it was the cheapest site they had, it was centrally located near the office and facilities, and because of the noise nobody else was going to camp around me, so less problem taking the dogs out.  I've learned to tune out most highway noise (though it was really noticeable here) and even find it helps put me to sleep at night, and otherwise it was okay.

The whole time we were here it was very chilly and very windy, which made it feel chillier.  I guess this is Louisiana's version of winter?

Even though today was just Thursday, campers began pouring into the campground.  A steady stream all afternoon of the sort I usually see only on the weekends.  My best guess is folks are taking the long weekend for the Presidents Day federal holiday, because they sure weren't coming for the balmy weather.