We woke to VERY heavy overcast skies. Chance of thunderstorms and heavy weather starting at 8:45am. Got to pack the rain gear today!!!

Speaking of water . . . not sure this little runabout would stay upright with the weight of that Johnson on the back!!!

So true . . . FUNNY!

Jim . . . didn’t know you had an office in TX . . .

. . . all disputes settled in the rocking chairs out on the porch????!!!

More great flowers today . . .

. . . just growing wild on wooden fences!!!

Fresh from last night . . . still warm !!!

Nice . . .

. . . this was a nice setting too. Living the good life in TX.

 

What an entry to this home . . .

The thistles are starting to pop . . . lots of black butterflies’ with yellow markings visiting them. Every time I got off the bike to take a shot . . . they would fly away!!!

Creative use of a pallet. Texan’s are very proud of their state and have the state flag displayed EVERYWHERE!!

Got to get in close to see all the detail.

We are back in the Sam Houston National Forest today, where there is an active pine management program. In a year or two, one will never know this was a clear cut!

Got to check if these are termite or wasp mounds. They were everywhere in the ditches today!!!! They are actually built by crayfish. Read all about it here: Crayfish Chimneys.

Really nice new species we saw just before entering Kountze, our home for the night . . .

Funny steeple at the courthouse . . . like it was never hoisted to the top!!!!

Our home for the night, The Relax Inn. Might be sort of difficult since we only have one bed and a rollaway . . . but GREAT

colors AND we beat the rain!!!

The 60 mile ride got us into town about 1:00pm . . . so happy hour began about 1:05pm!!!!

We always compare stories of the days ride and Margie won today by showing the ‘mouthing bruise’ she got from one of the dogs that came out after her today. Lot more dogs since we have arrived in eastern TX. The further east we go . . . Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, the more we will probably see coming out onto the road to visit and say HI!!!!!

Today would be one of the bigger days we have had in the last several days. 85 miles from Kountze to DeRidder, our home for the night.

We all left at 8:00am, it was already 73 degrees, you could cut the humidity with a knife and it was VERY overcast . . .

. . . but DIRT WAS CHEAP!!!!!

We’ve been seeing more lumber mills the further east we travel in TX . . . the raw product . . .

. . . the finished product. Heading to a Menard’s or Home Depot near you.

. . . but NO bodies in the trunk!!!!!

Here is a new species of critter we can add to our roadside menu . . . course it may have been just ‘playing possum’!!!

No time to visit . . . but must be a beautiful place!!!!

Not sure what happened to Sambo Gary, but I bet he was a nice guy!!!!

mmmmmmmmm . . . lost in translation????

This was a sad moment we all shared as we rolled across this bridge and saw a puppy lying on the shoulder. I went back to check him out, saw no blood, but didn’t get too close in case he might have snapped at me. Had a VERY sad look on his face. By the time I got to the end of the bridge, Linda had called 911 to report the pup. Denver Tom was a mile or two back and by the time he crossed the bridge, there was no pup. He either had been picked up, had not been hit and headed back to the pickup we had seen at the boat landing on the left, or had been rescued!!!

This guy didn’t make it across the road . . . and had been ‘mummified’ (nice teeth though) !!!!!

‘Johnny Yuma was a Rebel . . . he roamed through the west’!!!!

We road through the village of Thicket today. Right outside of Thicket was, ‘The Shire’, a new sub division . . . somebody’s dream that didn’t work out so good!!!

We stopped for a break in Buna . . . missed the Redbud Festival  . . . by that much!!!!

. . . but if you need a prison uniform . . . Buna is your place!!!

Say this three times fast . . . it’s fun!!!!

This ‘Dead End’ road ended up being VERYYYYYYYYYYYYY  short!!!

We’ve seen LOTS of thistle, the last week or so, just getting ready to flower. This guy was actually growing it as a crop!!!

Here is our FAVORITE sag driver, Karen. Always there with a smile, water and a tray of GOODIES!!!!

Great words . . . the Pentecostal’s and Baptist’s take the cake for clever sayings on their signboards!!!

WE HAVE FINALLY FLED TX!!!!!! We’ve been traveling the state since March 16 and NEVER thought we would get through it. It’s like it’s own country. When we entered, back in El Paso, we never saw a ‘Welcome to Texas’ sign, so I’ll use the one at the end of the state . . .

. . . Connie says goodbye to the great state of Texas . . .

The Sabine River . . . Texas on the right . . . Louisiana on the left.

However, LA is not too welcoming to visitors . . . this is the only thing that looked like a ‘Welcome to Louisiana’ sign we could find. Not sure what it means. Wonder if they are ‘Open for Business’ like WI????

I met Robin and Sharone, from New York, who needed a little break from their jobs and decided to bike the Southern Tier from CA to FL. I met them as they were traveling, west, back to Maryville.  Sharone’s knee was bothering him and he didn’t think he could make it to DeRidder for the night. Chances are we will see them down the road. The Michigan Boy’s are still one day ahead of us. We’ve lost track of Mark and Julie . . . where are you two????

Only two more miles down the road I met Stephen, from Virginia. Working as a butcher, he decided he needed a little break too, had saved enough money for a trip, so started biking west from New Orleans. He gave me some tips for our visit to New Orleans and I reinforced some of the info the Michigan Boy’s had given him about what he had to look forward to as we traveled west. Safe travels Stephen!!!

We might already be in the land of the ‘Southern Good Old Boy’ network . . . would love to meet Biscuit!!!

Now where was one impressive driveway . . . wonder what was at the other end . . .

After 85 miles we rolled into DeRidder, LA our home for the night. Gina and the girls headed for the bar . . . I had my mind on her other favorite stop of the trip, Dairy Queens. DeRidder, population 6,000, had EVERY KIND of fast food, junk food store one could think of, and at at one time a DQ, but it was no more. Wasn’t meant to be today . . . I’ll have an extra glass of vino!!!

Nice quiet night, there was some rain during the night but it was all over by the time we were ready to go to breakfast.

Short day today . . . or so we thought, so we didn’t head downtown until 8:00am for breakfast. The Waffle Shoppe,  had a LOT more to eat than waffles . . .

Including MANY variations of Biscuit’s and Gravy . . .

A great gang of waitstaff descended on us to make sure we were all stuffed . . .

. . . sausage patties as big as hamburgers!!!!

As we left town, I saw my first drive through Crayfish stand . . . they REALLY make it easy here to get your snacks . . .

. . . local ordinance?????

Good American’s . . . got the flag, the porch and the rocking chairs!!!!!

Not sure what this was all about . . . but I think I will pass on the Diaper Cakes (whatever they are) . . .

Freezer beef . . . not sure how it differs from regular beef, but No Hormones!!!!

mmmmmmmm . . . miniature rat terriers . . . can you say rats????

Allen Parish must be a REALLY small entity . . . Entering Allen Parish . . . and leaving the Soil & Water District, all in 25 feet!!!!

Another great name . . . Burl Cain!!!

We are evidently in a great canoeing area . . . lots of liveries. Not too busy on Easter weekend, though.

Our first sign of the word Cajun . . . here at Cajun Dave’s you can get whatever you need  . . . Cajun style !!!

Gina and Karen drove to Oberlin and rode back towards us. When I saw her, she told me there was a dead bobcat on the road, right on the outskirts of Oberlin. She is a GREAT kidder and I thought she was telling another fib, until I rolled into town and saw what looked like a BIG cat in the road . . .

. . .it was a big cat . . . a bobcat!!!!

Beautiful animal . . . with great markings.

Seemed to be in a ‘peaceful’ state. Linda, respectfully, pulled it off the road.

Hey look at that . . . another crayfish drive through as we entered town . . .

We got to the Oberlin Inn, which ended up being probably the worst place we have ‘tried’ to stay. Conference in session . . .

. . . the rooms had a bad stench and the second floor was a ‘residence area’. There was a guy sitting on the steps that looked like he was in the process of being evicted. A group decision to reload the vehicle and head to the next town, 30 miles down the road . . . Eunice. It will put us 30 miles closer to Lafayette too, as we head for New Orleans.

I met Echol who was heading west from West Palm Beach, FL. He sold his house and plans on being on the road for the next ten years. He’s heading to San Diego and then on up to Alaska!!!!

. . . and has a unique ‘third wheel’ he pulls behind his bike. The wheel can be used as a spare for the front too!!!! GREAT idea. He says he can’t feel it being towed behind.

Everybody seems to be drinking chocolate milk for a ‘recovery drink’. Looks like you could jump right in this river and bath in chocolate milk. Must have been some heavy rain in the area to produce this much sediment runoff.

mmmmmmm . . . wonder what they are brewing in this chemical plant on the shore of this crayfish farm.

As we rolled into Eunice, we also entered an National Heritage Area . . . nice!!!!

Nice mural welcoming us to town . . . big Wisconsin game tonight!!!!

Day 35 cont’d . . . with less than 2 minutes left in the nail biter Wisconsin Badgers game last night, Linda came flying into our room to announce the girls were changing rooms because they had BEDBUGS in their room located right next to us. Margie had been under the covers and suddenly broke out with the itchies and welts began appearing on her arms and back. Howard, the hotel owner, had said the rooms on the second level were evidently ‘better’ and offered us all a chance to change rooms.

We pulled our beds out to check the ticking on the mattress for the telltale frass and critter bodies and found this treasure trove of goodies . . .

. . . and the tell tale sign!!!! We packed up all of our gear and headed upstairs to find a room that seemed ‘safe’. Howard said he didn’t understand what had happened because he sprays once a month for bugs. I told him maybe he needed a new kind of spray because , ‘’it obviously ain’t workin’ !”.  By 10:30pm, we were all hunkered down again. I think everyone slept on top of the quilts last night!!!

Easter Sunday and by 7:30am I was off to 8:00am mass. I had called the night before to make sure the mass schedule had not changed for the holiday. It was darn right neighborly for them to remember that and lay out the ‘red carpet’ for me (to match my new red hair of course!).

Typical C & E situation. Arrived 20 minutes early and it was already standing room only because of Catholic’s who only attend twice a year, Christmas and Easter!!!

On the way out of Eunice, on the way to Lafayette, I saw this sign. They must use really tiny cement overshoes to get rid of the buggers!!!

Parlez-vous français?

mmmmmm . . . not too scenic right here. This is only the second drilling rig I have seen on the whole trip. The other in TX!!!

We are in an area heavily involved with crayfish farming. The farmers construct bermed barriers, similar to cranberry growers in WI, and plant a special crop in the interior. Here is one that must need ‘refurbishing’. It’s a hey day for egrets!!!!

Once the ground cover is established, the enclosure is flooded and these crayfish traps made of screen are installed. They look like giant bobbers!!!!

Who knew!!!!!

As I turned onto Schultz Rd from the main highway, I realized the road was 5-6 feet below the water level in the crayfish ponds . . . Rain forecasted today . . . hope the barriers hold or I will be crayfish bait!!!!

No counties in LA, they call them parishes. You can see above which parish spends money on their roads and which does not. Generally, the roads have been terrible since we entered LA. Every gas station seems to have a ‘casino’ affiliated with it. Not sure what they do with the tax revenue but I don’t think they are using much of it on roads!!!!

It stared lightly raining as I headed towards Lafayette, nice riding though. Riding alone today, the sound of rain gently bouncing off my helmet cover and the lack of traffic almost put me in a therapeutic trance . . . Home of KP !!!!!

Got to Rance, where I passed under the interstate. Interesting graphics . . .

. . . on both sides!!!!

North Carolina may be known as the ‘Land of the Pines’, but so far, I think of LA as the ’Land of the Doublewide’. This one actually looks pretty nice compared to most which were falling apart but usually had a BIG jacked up pickup in the yard with 1 or 2, 4 wheelers on a trailer. Easter Sunday so lots of folks out smokin’ something like this feller. Must also be the custom to rent these blow up play structure for all the kids coming over for Easter dinner. Saw a lot of them!!!!

So . . . what does one do with all the crayfish shells, eaten corn on the cob husks and every thing else that is not consumed in a crayfish dinner . . . how about just throwing it out the window of your pickup as you motor down the road??? (hopefully, without hitting any bicyclists!)

Now this photo REALLY doesn’t do this oil rig’s size justice to the size. It’s parked in someone’s back yard!!!! Looked like an off shore oil platform sitting in a hay field!!!

Funny . . .there was this sign . . .

. . . followed right down the road by this option!!!!

As I rolled into Lafayette, we obviously were not approaching from the scenic side of town. Mostly salvage yards and out of business shops. However, here was the Chevy version of the old Henry Ford story where you could get a Model A in any color, as long as it was black. With this Chevy dealer EVERY truck and car were white, and I don’t think they were for fleet sales!!!

Should have waited until I got to Lafayette . . .

Soon the route turned through a really nice and tidy residential neighborhood. Well tended gardens . . .

and lots of streets with vegetative arches!!!!!

. . . including this beauty!!!!

I passed through the University of Louisiana where the Alumni Center indicated most of the alumni must be doing just fine!!!!

Here was the ‘exclusive’ Petroleum Club. Don’t even think of just showing up!!!!

Ahhhhhh . . . home sweet home for tonight. Tomorrow we start our mini-vacation from the Southern Tier. We are leaving most of our gear in one of the rooms we are renting and heading to New Orleans, by vehicle, for a couple days of R&R. Stay tuned . . .

The Bobcat . . . revisted

While trying to fall to sleep last night after the bedbug Chinese Fire Drill, I got to thinking of the dead bobcat and how taken we all were with it, even removing it from the road and me commenting how Linda had RESPECTFULLY moved it to the shoulder. Funny how we have not given the armadillo’s, skunks, possums or the wide variety of other roadkill we have encountered the same RESPECT, as we cycle past, trying to avoid it. They all play a part in keeping the planet in balance which helps support our life as we know it. Even the cockroaches we encountered in Langtry. Even English sparrows have a place in the environment! Humans seem to be naturally attracted to things that are visually and behaviorally appealing and not so much to things that are not. There is a life lesson there somewhere . . .

Good thing we got in by 1:30pm. By 2:30pm it was pouring and rained all afternoon.

Today starts our mini vacation, from our Southern Tier ride, as we  jumped in Brian and Gina’s van and headed to New Orleans. Lots of bayou along the way and the water looked HIGH. Can you say mosquito heaven!!!!

Had to make a pit stop along the way . . .

so what better place to stop than Gatorville . . .

where Ms. Gator welcomed us all . . .

. . . and what a deal on the same wood we have seen, for hundreds of miles, laying on the side of the roads and in ditches. Looks like their inventory is not moving too fast . . .

We arrived at Creole Gardens where Gina, Brian, Barb and Tom are staying. Nice place, except for the outside showers and bath.

Great use of color!!!

Their place even has it’s own DJ and disco area . . . but only operating on Friday night . . .

Oh . . . and they do have certain ‘house rules’ . . .

Neither Hurricane Katrina nor the New Orleans street department can keep this oak from hanging on to dear life!!!!!!

Margie, Linda, Dan and I are staying down the street in another Inn. Margie and Linda get the lower level and Dan and I are in the loft. Nice place . . . quiet, too.

Might be tricky getting down the staircase to the bathroom during the night. Depending on the degree of urgency, one could just slide down the pole!!!

It was 2:00pm by the time we all got settled in to our digs. Linda and I had a quick salad for lunch and headed to the WWII museum. The others walked down to Canal St and the French Quarter. Here is what happens when you cut everything off a ‘shotgun’ house but leave the end!!!! Funny!!!

The WWII museum is a must see in NO. REALLY well done! Rated the #4 most popular museum in the US, and #11, worldwide. It’s housed in three buildings, has two theaters, one 3D and one 4D (whatever that is).

The Higgin’s boat’s, played a HUGE part in the D-Day invasion and in the Pacific theater of action, were manufacturer right in NO by a small boat building company. Several General’s have been quoted as saying that with out it, MANY additional lives would have been lost during amphibious landings. It is one of many things that helped change the course of the war . . .

Full size example of the many versions manufactured . . .

. . . including he famous PT patrol boat. At the start of WWII, the US had the 18th largest military in the world. In 1940, our military budget was 1.8 billion dollars. By 1945, it was 81.5 billion!!!!!  Coming out of the worldwide depression, the US had virtually no unemployment during the war because of all the military material manufacturing. The start off the military/industrial complex!!!

One of the famous Enigma Code machines  . . .

. . . and a Norden bombsite that greatly improved the accuracy of Allied bombing runs.

Building two and three house the theaters and more exhibits. Overwhelming . . . information overload. Amazing how many fronts we operated on during the war and the coordination, logistics and politics that steered the course of the war.

Lots of great dioramas as you tour through the buildings. IT IS REALLY A MUST SEE WHEN IN NEW ORLEANS!!!! If you are short on time, skip Bourbon St.

LOTS of examples of war artifacts, of all varieties. Being interested in food and cooking, I made note of the Allies ‘mess’ operations. Big and functional . . . I presume, lots of one dish ‘hotdishes’meals . . .

. . . as compared to the Italian Officer,s private mess kit. Lots of equipment  . . .even came with it’s own folding table!!!! The Allies won the war but it t appears, at least the Italian’s, may have eaten better!!!!

Tonight, some of us chose to eat at Antoine’s, one of the grand old restaurants in NO. We took the trolley down to the French quarter and walked down Bourbon St to get to the restaurant. Not much has changed since I was last here 20 years ago, on a motorcycle trip. Still seedy, loud and vulgar.

. . . madhouse . . . many were already higher than a kite, carrying their drinks from one bar to another. We saw our first fight being broken up at about 6:30pm!!!! Lots of police around . . . they must REALLY get tired of this.

. . . of course I had to check in on my establishment to see how the days receipts were coming in . . .

Let the eating begin!!!

Soon Greg and Cindy joined us for dinner too . . .

The atmosphere, drinks, and food was DELICIOUS!!!! First white table cloth experience we’ve enjoyed on our journey!

My martini, Roquefort Salad Wedge, Sauvignon Blanc, Poulet aux Champignon, Pomme de Terre, Au Gratin . . . all made for one yummy culinary experience. (bad photos . . . camera was locked in the van and I had to use cell phone camera tonight).

. . of course I couldn’t leave without poking my head into one of the kitchens . . .

We retired to to Annie’s Annex, the bar associated with Antoine’s, to watch the Badger game. Three of us ordered mint julep’s to ease our minds regarding who was going to win . . .

. . . some were more worried than other’s and had needed more relieving!!!!! Go Badgers . . .

I was so jittery about the game, I had to order a ‘tummy calming’ piece of bread pudding to go with my mint julep!!!

. . . and so did the girls. Too Bad about the Badgers. It was an exciting game . . . but as in life, not everything turns out the way you would like it. The sun will still rise in the east and tomorrow will be another day. I did get a free Badger Bayou t-shirt from the Blind Pelican bar!!!!