Day One

7/21
Day one started at 4 this morning. We were on the road by 5 with the sun still an hour or two in the future. The drive was largely uneventful.
We stopped for lunch at a rest area near the Eglin AFB and ate in the shadow of a Blue Angel. We remarked at how cool the day seemed. The eeriest thing, though, was how empty it was there. It is a popular rest area and at high noon should have been packed with travelers at noon in July. It was rather a stark comment on the economy and how it has changed our priorities.
Aside from the (apparently) usual traffic jam around Baton Rouge the afternoon drive went well, although we encountered quite a rainstorm in Louisiana shortly before reaching our Lake Charles destination.
The hotel, where we have stopped several times in the past, has obviously been feeling the pinch as well. The pool was "closed for the day," the room seemed slightly musty, and the parking lot was nearly empty. The front desk was gracious as always, and we were just grateful to be done for the day.
Getting a second wind, we decided to save the microwavable leftovers we'd brought from home and head down the road to Steamboat Bill's for fried catfish. Things were quieter than on our last visit (on a Saturday rather than a Tuesday) but still busy, friendly, and deliciously satisfying.
Back in the room we didn't waste too much time getting to bed for the night. Sure it was still early (and an hour earlier for us due to the time change), but it really had been a long day, and we had another long day ahead.
Lights Out.