FONTAINEBLEAU STATE PARK - MANDEVILLE, LA

What a day today was.  Left Bayou Segnette around 11:00 this morning and made a stop at a Walmart for some cat litter which I had forgotten to get.  The store was not on my route so I followed directions given me by the campground.  I found the store, got some other things on my list, then headed back to where I left my route. 

Got turned around and missed my turn so decided to set my GPS for my next campground destination which was only about 30 miles from my last campground.  I traveled on busy city streets for a few miles when my GPS indicated I was only 4 miles from my campground... when it happened. 

I came up to a ferry crossing and my mouth dropped.  This is not the way I planned to get to the campground.  Not sure if I could fit on the small ferry so I stopped and asked for help.  I was informed that I should not have any problems on the ferry.  I still didn't feel comfortable with that answer so I climbed over the levee to look at the landing.  There was no ferry there only cars waiting for the ferry to return.  I waited for a few minutes then decided I was not going to cross over in that manner.  I turned around and went back to the expressway where my last campground was. 

Continued to program my GPS for the next campground and it took me back towards the ferry landing.  Damn!!  So I programed the GPS for the third campground on my itenerary and skipped the one that I had planned to stay in.  I figured I could get to it another way on the way home.  That way it wouldn't take me to the ferry.

Crossed over the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway which is the longest bridge over water (continuous) in the world.  It is 24 miles long and always makes me sleepy when I cross it.  I think it is due to the constant hypnotic bump... bump... bump... of the highway as well as nothing to see but water.  My planned itenerary did not have me going this way.  But since I was coming from a different direction than planned I did have to cross it.

A lone sailboat.

Arrived at the FONTAINEBLEAU STATE PARK with no problems as the roads are well signed for this campground.  However, it took me 4 1/2 hours to go 90 miles due to all the problems with the GPS as well as city driving the whole time.  Went into the office to check in and met the most friendliest park ranger in the world.  She took the time to literally color code several maps in order for me to have my pick of some of the best sites.  Lovely woman.  She said if I decided to change sites to call her and she would send a park ranger out with new paperwork.  Wow!  I've never been treated so respectfully by a park ranger. 

Then she said the magic words, "You'll be close to the beach." 

I replied excitedly, "You have a beach?  I didn't know."

Paid for two days but I may stay longer.  If dogs were allowed on the beach I'm sure I'd stay a lot longer.

I used my map to find my spot and stopped to ask directions when a woman walked up to me as I stopped in the middle of the road.  It was the camp host Jessie.  She told me how to get around to my site in order to back in properly.

Got set up with no problems.  It's really nice and I'm on a large corner lot (#99) so no one is that close to me.

That whole area is my site.

Couldn't wait to get to the lake as the sun was setting and I just had to see the beach.  It was a good time to take photos.  The sun was shinning over the lake and it was just beautiful. 

It's like she could smell the beach.  She was pulling me along.  However, dogs are not allowed.  Poor little Xi Shi.... she didn't understand why I wouldn't let her go in the sand.

Those white things are water sprouts.

The fishing pier.

Heading back to the camper.  There are many live oaks dripping with Spanish Moss.

Really nice park.

Tomorrow I think I'll ride my bike around the campground and go out to the beach for a walk in the sand.  I hope my little doggie doesn't bark too much while I'm gone.

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