The Home Stretch

Another night of creature comforts in a Hotel served us well.  We headed down early for the continental breakfast then Terry and I headed down the road.  Yesterday was a 110 mile day and today was only 56 miles so we had a short day.  Terry and I rode along the river road for awhile but the levee was high and you really could not see the river.  Then we saw some cyclist go by riding on the levee so we figured it was paved so thought we would give it a try.  It was worth the adventure.  There was some construction going on but the view was better and it was doable.  As We rode closer to New Orleans we began to see more and more cyclists.  Must be the place to ride if you are a local as we saw a group gathering in a parking lot below.

The morning ride was educational to say the least.  The amount of mfg. that goes on. It is pumped directly into barges over the top of the levee with large pipelines.  It went on for miles and miles it was amazing!

Then I dropped out to join Dave and drive just south of  New Orleans to St. Bernard State Park. That was the finish for the day. It was a gorgeous park.  St. Bernard was devastated during Katrina but it is looking healthy from what we can see.  Terry's wife Jan and their daughter Sara had flown in yesterday so they drove to meet us at the end.

Terry continued on the levee and then entered in the City of New Orleans.  The streets were pretty quiet when he came through the city.  It was about 9:30 am in the morning and the city was still asleep.  Then he rode south to meet us but the traffic proved to be a bit of challenge.  Traffic was not so courteous and they were driving to close for comfort.  He arrived at the park around 10:45 am safely so it all ended well.

We all then packed up and headed to the French Quarter for some good seafood and culture.  We checked into the hotel and met with the Fox family.  We did wonder around in the French Quarter a bit just enough to see Jackson Square and the street artists.  Had lunch at the Acme Oyster House and then walked the riverwalk back to the hotel.

We are so relaxed we almost forgot we had a blog to write and pictures to post.   Almost!

Well tomorrow is the home stretch!  Bittersweet it will be!

We have heard rumors that some of you are trying to comment but they are not showing up on the post.  It may be a compatibility issue with your computer I am not sure.  Or just type it in as anonymous and sign your name at the bottom and see if it shows up.  Thank you for trying anyway! We do love to hear comments for sure.

Curious to see what the last stretch has to offer for scenery!

Terry, Dave & Julie

Day 22 Pictures

Industrious river

Dripping Spanish Moss

Yeah Rose you are a Saint!!!

Trolley car in New Orleans

Major Port just South of New Orleans

Ship navigating up the Mississippi River

When we are to old to pedal this will be our next mode of transportation

Lunch at the Oyster House in New Orleans

Jackson Square

Biking through the Bayou

Well we are now officially on the luxury leg of our trip.  No more camping.  We are thoroughly enjoying the air conditioning and lack of mosquitoes in the evenings.  We are getting a good nights sleep and some fine vittles.  Last we night we ate at "This ain't your Mama's Cafe"  they did serve alligator but we declined and went for the poboy sandwiches.  They were huge!

We woke in Livonia, LA this morning well rested.  Terry snuck out the door early and headed down the road alone once again.  Dave and I lagged behind to do our chores and have breakfast at Penny's Diner.  Then off to chase Terry down.  As we drove through the Louisiana back country I was so mad at myself that I didn't rise early and ride with him as the scenery was something to behold.   Tree lined windy roads along waterways, old lift bridges, a tree house the size of a small garage built in a big old tree, charming small towns and lets not forget to mention the fabulously newly paved roads.

We also passed Madonna Chapel. It is the smallest chapel in the world. They have one service every year on Aug. 15th to celebrate the assumption of the Blessed Mother. If you should find it locked when you want to visit the key is in the mailbox.

He had ridden approximately 52 miles before we caught up with him.  He was having trouble with the air leaking out of his back tire.  So he was in need of a new wheel.  We ran into some road construction but it was short lived.  I then decided I would join him and see if I could take in some scenery too.

Our lunch spot was in Donaldsonville a small town along a little waterway.  We parked in the lot of a restaurant that happened to be closed at the time, but had outdoor seating overlooking the waterway in the back.  Terry went to checkout the waterway when he yells come quick.  So I rush over to see that he is pointing at an alligator gliding down the waterway with the current.  Kind of creepy!!!

We passed The Nottoway Plantation which is the largest Antebellum plantation still in existence.  It is open for tours and is also a bed and breakfast.  We met a nice couple visiting from Germany here.  They are touring the US for a month.

 The Oak Alley Plantation was a spectacular site also.  The front entrance was lined with Live Oak that were 100 years old when the plantation was built so they guestimate the trees to be over 200 years old. We had seen many of these large oak trees along the way but now thanks to Chris & Joe Trabeaux  we know they are called Live Oaks. Thanks for helping us out!!

The people you see walking down the lane in the Oak Alley Plantation photo we joked might be the owners of the plantation, but we soon discovered they were touring here from Orlando.

Traveling further south we were to cross on the ferry or the bridge. Dave and I decided we would take the bridge and head to check in at the hotel while Terry continued on to catch the Ferry. When he got there the gal told him it had closed down in July due to lack of funding.  The landing was by a post office where Terry struck up a conversation with a gentlemen with a truck asking him for a ride back 8 miles to the bridge.  He politely agreed so they loaded up his bike and off they went.  By the time they had gotten to the BIG bridge where he was to cross the gentlemen was generous enough to deliver Terry right to the hotel.   They unloaded his bike and we continued the conversation for 15 or 20 minutes more.   Sharing information and teaching us of the landscape here in Louisiana.  His Name is Dap.   Which stands for David Allen Powell.  We salute you!!!!!

Shortly after arriving at the hotel Terry gets a call from Mike Ankenny, Jon Erichson, Ernie Hammero, & a friend from Kansas,  They are down here gator hunting and stopped in to visit with us. They are hunting just down the road about 25 miles from us.

Then we decided we needed to order in pizza as time was running thin.  We still had laundry, blogging, airing out the damp tents that have been up in the car top carrier for 4 or 5 days now,(probably getting moldy), and showers.

 Back to the days of late night blogging.

Terry,Dave & Julie

Day 21 Pictures

Barge taking short cut to Mississippi River through swing arm bridge

Nottoway Plantation (Near Donaldsonville LA)

Full service general store (Check the date of expiration on all products) 

Plantation workers living quarters

Home owners of Oak Alley Plantation HA,HA HA!!!!!!!!!

Oak Alley front entrance

Another Plantation down the road

DAP brings Terry Home

Rough Riding Road Report

Woke this morning in beautiful Natchez MS.  Terry started out this morning as the lone rider as Dave's knees finally said NOOOO MORE!   On the road by  6:30 am.  He rode down canal street to get on the bridge to cross over the Mississippi into Louisiana without the posse.  

  Dave and I lagged behind a bit to drive around the scenic city to look at architecture.  I would love to show you some pictures of  Natchez but the battery in the camera died. Wouldn't you know it.  Then we too crossed over the bridge and did our morning chores of gas and ice.etc.......

Down the road we went for the morning chase to find Terry.   We traveled on some back roads with mediocre blacktop.  Then the road  turned to brand new blacktop smooth as glass.  I thought wow Terry must have really made some time here and I was a bit jealous.   Then it quickly turned to rugged terrain. The fairy tale had ended. The road was patched, cracked, split, bumpy, pot holes, you name it. Hang on to your teeth.   And I am driving this.  I couldn't imagine what it must have been like on the bike.

We finally caught up to him about 36 miles out.  I decided to join him before it got to hot.  Today's route was out in the open with no protection from the sun.  We rode on levee roads that are considered hwy's but it is a stretch.  We were to be on this stretch of hwy for quite some time.  We then turned onto another road and that was just as bad if not worse.  We decided it was best to ride on the shoulder.  It was a smoother surface but it was full of debris, gravel, retread chunks, sticks, glass, etc... 

We once again saw lots of farm land. Today we saw some tall stalks and couldn't figure out what it was.  It was definitely a crop of some kind as there was fields of it.  We saw some workers in a field next to it so we stopped and asked.  It was sugar cane. They first plant the field with soybeans and then when that is harvested they plant sugar cane. There was a plant down the road further which we did not go see.  

The church you see in the photos was built with hand made bricks, The stained glass windows had come from Europe.  It first started out as a mission in 1848.  

Today we rode on a bridge over Old River.  It had a huge long lock for barges to pass through.  The bridge was a draw bridge and we were standing right in the middle of it trying to take a picture when an alarm went off.  We quickly scurried to the get off the lift section of the bridge.  We then proceeded to try to take the photo from another angle when a man came scurrying up to tell us we could not take a picture of the lock.  It was a government order.  Your homeland security at work.  It was a huge structure and there just happened to be a barge coming through too although we did not stop and wait to see it pass.

The huge tree in the photo with the long reaching arm we do not know the name of yet.  We will however know it before this trip is over.  It was magnificent!

Still looking for a Dairy Queen.

The picture you see of Terry's backside is to show you what I really see as I am riding everyday.  He is doing all of the heavy lifting.  Breaking the wind and pointing out the obstacles in the road so I don't hit them.  It was amazing that we did not have a flat tire today.

Coming down the home stretch now!

Dave, Terry & Julie

Day 20 Pictures

Morning on the Mississippi

Into Louisiana

A church built from hand made bricks in 1848

Cobble stone blacktop or alligator hide

What Julies really sees on her daily ride

Above ground burial vaults

Sugar Cane crops in Louisiana

Sugar cane farm hands

Anybody know what the name of this tree is? Send us a comment if you do

A gift from the gods!!!

We woke up this morning early once again and headed down to the continental breakfast at the hotel.  Which I love because I don't have to cook.  Yippee for me!  Today we enjoyed a typical southern breakfast of fresh fluffy warm buttermilk biscuits with sausage gravy. I also had the best cup of strong coffee.  It was delicious! Great way to start the day here in the south.

Dave and Terry took off down the road on another sunny morning.  They started the ride on some beautiful country roads with livestock and rolling green hills.  Traffic was picking up as people were going to work but they were headed in the opposite direction so it was not bad.   Narrow,curvy, sweeping roads with no shoulders.  Roads were in good condition.  Especially compared to yesterday.

Then they turned onto the Natchez Trace Parkway.  The cycling gods were shining down on this day. The roads were smooth as could be and there was absolutely no traffic except for the park employees.  The parkway was impeccably maintained. There was absolutely no litter and all of the ditches were mowed .The scenery was gorgeous with canopied roads protecting us from the sun with long sweeping curves with gradual climbs and descents.  It doesn't get much better than this.  We were on this parkway for 50 miles.  Not exaggerating.!!!  When we turned to get off the trail we were saddened to leave it.  Truly unbelievable!!! The trail stretches 444 miles.

    The trail was first used by the Indians and then trappers, traders, Europeans and early settlers.  The trail connected the Tennessee, Cumberland and Mississippi Rivers. Meriwether Lewis died on this trail when he was the Governor of Tennessee while he was on his way to Washington DC.  Some say he committed suicide and some say he was murdered.

We ran into a park employee having lunch along the trail the same time we stopped for lunch.  He recommend that we stay in Natchez because this side of the river is higher and has a lot of History.  It is the oldest City on the Mississippi.  He also recommended our dinner spot. The Pig Out Inn.  We finally got our BBQ! YUM!   We are also staying in the old Historical Natchez Eola Hotel downtown just blocks from the river.  We took a walk along the river to see the views from the bluff and then a little walking tour on the way back to see the old river city and it's architecture.

Well time to put lady Antebellum to sleep so she can rise early once again.

Terry, Dave & Julie