Day One

After about 4.5 hours of driving (unless I get caught up in Houston traffic), this looks like a nice little burger joint to stop for lunch. I checked out some reviews, and while some mentioned the uncleanliness of the place (I don't care), everyone raved about the burger. Melanie L. wrote that it's "everything a good burger SHOULD be. Messy, flavorful and slightly overwhelming." She also mentioned the fried okra. Cheeseburger and fried okra? People get ready.

I'm looking forward to driving on this bridge on I-10 in Louisiana, known as the Atchafalaya Swamp Freeway. It's an 18.2 mile bridge over the Atchafalaya river, making it the 14th longest bridge in the world. It spans the Atchafalaya River Basin, which is the largest swamp in the United States, according to History.com. Something interesting about this swamp is its inhabitants. In the 18th century, a group of French colonists were expelled from Acadie, which is part of present-day Nova Scotia. These people, known as the Acadians, relocated to the Atchafalaya River Basin, and proceeded to create what's known as the Cajun culture of Louisiana, with its distinct food, music, and dialect. This relates to my theme of jazz music that was a large part of Ellison's life and inspiration.

It will only be about 3 hours from Beaumont to Baton Rouge, but I would like to make a stop at LSU's campus, if only to look around. One interesting monument is Memorial Tower, erected in 1923 as a memorial for Louisianans who died in World War I. Inside there is a rotunda covered in bronze plaques bearing the names of the 1,447 soldiers from Louisiana who died in the war. There is also a military museum. This stop doesn't necessarily pertain to Ellison or the Tuskegee Airmen, but it will be interesting to see the campus of LSU, and a piece of southern history in Memorial Tower.


My final destination for my first day will be the great city of New Orleans. Seeing as I am looking to experience Ellison's love for jazz, I would not be justified in stopping in this city for a while. I will be staying at the Ritz Carleton, for the main reason of listening to the musical stylings of Jeremy Davenport, who will be playing with his band. Davenport, like Ellison, is a trumpet player (he also has a smooth jazz voice, making for a relaxing night of soft jazz, with a few drinks of course. Here is a clip of Jeremy Davenport's "I Thought About You."