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I had to go help someone who lives about 45 miles from New Orleans. I left on thursday of last week and returned on Monday. I may have gone overboard, but i packed a light weight pack with a tent, sleeping bag, lights, stove, freeze dried food and all of the other standard multi-night back packing items (first aid kit, camp soap, water...). I also brought a bunch of water in an ice chest.

I made sure that I bought gasoline about 100 miles or so. Few things i noticed during the trip.

1. The closer you get to N.O., the more refugees you see.
2. A lot of gas stations were out of gas. You really had to hunt for gas late at night or early in the morning.
3. I saw people buying large plastic laundry soap containers to dump out and use for gas cans. I hope the HDPE plastic held up to gasoline.
4. Gasoline was only 2.55/gallon in Louisiana. On monday when i exited on Hwy 146 in Baytown, it was $3.16.
5. I was in awe that pretty much every town between New Orleans and the Texas state line more than doubled in size and I wasn't caught in a single traffic jam.
6. The news coverage in Baton Rouge was much better than the national news.


One thing that i have decided is that i never want to be in a situation where i have to wait for evacuation with 30 or 40,000 others. I will have the means and the supplies to walk out or float out. Better yet, i'll leave early and bring those means with me.

I didn't have to open my pack while i was there, but i did feel more confortable knowing that i could out last most if i needed to.