A couple weeks ago when we had 3 guest riders the amount of activity and humor increased more than 3 fold. Therefore, we looked forward to this week when 3 more guest riders joined us for our 6th week. Chris Hitchcock, Walter Ginn and Liz (my wife) arrived this weekend for the 400 or so miles of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and part of Florida riding. They brought along some better weather, as it actually warmed up to the high 60’s on our first day's crossing of the north shore of Lake Ponchetrain on our way to the Gulf Coast. After much complaining, our “ride to eat man”, Chris, was rewarded with a large lunch after 50 miles of cool, smooth and flat riding. That was later followed up with a great seafood restaurant for dinner. Liz also hit an all time high for a day by crossing 50 miles. The group is lively and fun. 5 is better than 2.
The scenery continues to change west to east. We have moved out of farming country, Louisiana style. Gone are the rice fields and sugar cane, cows and horses. We have even passed the oil refineries strung along the Mississippi, and moved into the America I had almost forgotten – strip malls, fast food, condos and residential developments. There still are some long quiet stretches with forests and a few houses, but more and more we are seeing the urban sprawl take form around the larger cities like Baton Rouge and New Orleans. We have also said goodbye to the chicken fried chicken of Texas and taken up seafood as the main course. Even the convenience stores sell seafood like shrimp, crawfish and gumbo like a Big Gulp.
As I sit here in my 32nd hotel in 38 days writing this, I have tried to remember the amusing names of some of our hotels. Oh, we have stayed in some of America’s finest chains you all know and love but I thought I would share with you some of the more unique places we stayed in the last several weeks: Bay Inn, Jacumba Hot Springs Spa, Brawley Inn, Sheffler’s Motel, Heart Bar Cabin, Fort Hancock Motel, Captain Shepard’s Inn Carriage House, Outback Oasis, Sabinal River Lodge, Hunter House Inn, Blanco County Inn, Plum Creek Lodge, Oak Motel, Coldspring Sunday Houses, Skippers Inn, Hotel Cazan. And over the next 10 days we will be staying in: Gulf Breeze Cottage, Backup Cottage, Sittin on the dock of the Bay, Emerald Sands Inn, High Springs Country Inn, Lochloosa Harbor Fish Camp.
The names are good but the experiences are better. The journey has been amazing from so many perspectives. I thought by now that it might be routine and a bit boring, but everyday has had its own challenges and rewards. Wouldn’t change any of it.
Map to date: http://www.mapmyride.com/route/us/ca/san%20diego/664128927358764647
Thanks for following…Carl
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