When it finally came time to begin our journey back west, I started planning our route through the south. Being on the Gulf Coast, I knew New Orleans would be a place we would want to visit. I looked over the map and the calendar. We planned to leave Alabama on Sunday, February 19th. I noticed the following Wednesday was labeled “Ash Wednesday,” the start of lent. But if Ash Wednesday is on the 22nd, that means Fat Tuesday is the 21st, so the Bellers are going to Mardi Gras. We camped on the north side of Lake Pontchartrain, at Fairview-Riverside State Park. New Orleans is located on the south…