Loaded and Rolling. If you read my last offering, you got the jest of what this trip is about. If not, catch up. Getting to galveston has been nothing but wonderful. I pulled into Hammond, La. on Tuesday evening. I had met Charles Eldridge 5 months ago at my house. I played host for a pre party to Big Mountain Run and this man who I had never met or heard of showed up. When he pulled into my driveway he said "my bike is messed up". We wrenched on his bike for probably 30 minutes and then we made introductions... The bike always comes first.. That evening we shared stories, lies and some good home cookin and I knew right off that that this was a solid guy. We spent the next 6 days riding and partyin with each other in the Smokey Mountains. Chaz, as his friends call him, lives in Louisiana and when he heard that I was coming threw, opened his home and heart to me. Just a quick stop in the middle of the week but we shared some good conversation and some great grilled steaks. We started talking about his next trip to Tennessee and how his lovely wife would get along so well with my wife, Shelly. Early Wed. I was back on the road with a mind full of warm thoughts from the night before. My destination was set for New Iberia, La. and supper with my cousin David who was working in the area.
230 miles to go and I don't want no part of the interstate. That's usually not a problem but in Louisiana that becomes a major problem. See, not all the roads in La. go on forever. Many of them stop. That road that you would think goes around that great big lake,, it may not.. I decided that I would take the Interstate just far enough to get west of the Alachafalaya water basin. I have been in a boat in that area and I knew it would take a week to navigate it on a bike.. I love this area of the country. The natural beauty is very unique to Louisiana.. The people down here are full of life and have a wholesome sense about celebrating life. It's not uncommon for an ole man to get up from the diner table, grab a young girl and dance a jig to the live Zydeco music. These people understand "The Spice of Life." Dinner with my cousin was not only good, it was entertaining..
I'd say, other than the food, the best part of the area to me is this little Hotel that I found years ago.. It's called Hotel Teche, named after the Bayou that it is on. 1960's era cottages for $40 and the Bayou garden is the shit. I layed in a hammock watching the water for close to an hour. Not a sound could be heard but what mother nature could provide me. I was left to my own thoughts and the hope of tomorrow. I kinda like that place.
5am wake up and I go to load the bike as the rain begins to fall. Scratch my head and recalculate. 330 miles to Galveston. Why am I up SO early.??? Good time for me to take a nap. 930am and clear blue sky's. I smile at myself as if I have tricked the weather Gods, and I get on my bike and ride.. No interstate today. I set my coarse. South until I see water and then west. If a road goes south, I take it. Tomorrow, I'll tell ya how that worked out for me.
PEACE&GREASE.
No comments:
Post a Comment