garrett's blog

This great post reminds me of last week when the power went out and everyone was out on their porch, walking around, and greeting neighbors they never see because they are glued to the tube. A small town that usually seems dead was suddenly alive. This reminded me of the passagiatta (evening stroll around town) in Italy, and how I could never figure out how to actually make it happen. Until now. Cut the cable TV from 5-7pm every day.

Removing a fence in 100 degree weather in rattlesnake country may not be the most glamorous job, but our SCA interns at Padre Island make it look easy.

The exclosure fences are part of a thesis for a New Mexico State graduate student. The study is complete so the fences need to be taken down.

Story and Photos by Garrett Allen

Rollin' on the Bayou. Interstate 10. Windows down. Rollin'.

What a great two days with an amazing group of SCA interns. Waveland Mississippi received a round house kick from Katrina, but groups like SCA, Bridge and The Corps Network restore hope. The constant reminders of The Storm still echo but the healing continues.

My two days with the Waveland team complete, time now to head back to New Orleans and catch an early plane to Corpus Christi and Padre Island National Seashore. It's a relatively short drive West on I-10 back to New Orleans. I should get back to The Big Easy and find a place to stay, but I can't drive anywhere without stopping to take photographs. Especially on my first week in the Bayou. Especially at sunset.

Something about this exit and this part of the Bayou made it impossible for me to drive any further. The off-ramp goes nowhere. Swallowed by the Bayou and Katrina, the road that was, is not. Another marooned paddle boat, common sight to me at this point. Not so common--a burned out SUV followed by a burned out bus of considerable size. For some reason the car is stopped and I am already taking photos. Weird.

Swinging to my left I startled two skulking birds. They discard their carrion and lift off across the swamp. Turning back around, an abandoned dog rolls out from under the SUV and saunters my way. Stray dogs, vultures, and shelled out SUVs? At this point if the ghost of Louis Armstrong came around the corner I would probably just say hello and continue on. This has got to be the strangest on/off ramp to nowhere that I have ever seen.

As much as I'd love to, I can't hang out and wait for Lewie, I got a plane to catch.

Rollin'.