Rich Schega and I checked out of our deli / gas station / truckstop / motel in Kentwood - these Louisianans have certainly mastered the art of multi-tasking - and we pouted when we discovered that the nearest Waffle House was 20 miles away. We tried the breakfast burrito combo at Sonic and were pleasantly surprised. They definitely packed enough fat and grease into this baby to last me for 50+ miles of cycling.
We also made sure to drink as much sweet tea as we could handle. Sweet tea may not be the only thing I love about the south, but it's definitely in the top five.
Our first rest stop was the town of Clinton, which struck me as a cozy, charming little town. As I looked around the town, I imagined it looked pretty much the same back in the 50's - except there probably weren't as many Hondas and Toyotas driving on Route 67 as there are today. The town square was dominated by an impressive looking courthouse. Looking for some sweet tea, we popped into a shop called Feliciana Delights, where we met the owner and her son, as well as another lady, and the pastor of a nearby church. All were charming, and very interested and supportive of what Rich and I were doing. The owner treated us to some sweet tea and pecan pie.
By the way, in this state you have to say 'pecan' with the emphasis on the second syllable, or else they will escort you off the premises. Should have taken a language guidebook with me before coming here.
Our next destination was the Louisiana War Veterans' Home near the town of Jackson. This facility is run by the State VA, and is the oldest such facility in this state. Rich had arranged the visit with Mrs. Jonna Ellis, who has worked here for more than 20 years. This visit was a wonderful experience, and many of the residents and workers clapped and held up welcome signs for us as we entered the building with our bicycles. Rich said he didn't realize how open and supportive the residents would be. Many of them were eager to talk about their experiences, and one veteran spoke to Rich at length about how he drove the American flag through Paris in his jeep on the last day of World War II. Even the veterans who were normally not chatty really opened up today, according to some of the staff members.
Before we left, we were presented with an envelope containing some donations, as well as a basket of Ponchatoula strawberries, which Rich and the veterans assured me are the best in the world. We were both moved by the experience of being in the presence of these veterans, and were also impressed with the dedication of the people who work there as caregivers.
Our final stop for the day was to be Rich's home near the town of St Francisville. Rich kept me motivated with the promise of his legendary smoked ribs. I've always been a big fan of ribs, so I didn't argue and proceeded to pedal as fast as I could. When we reached the house, Rich showed me the machine he uses to prepare smoked meat. It looked like a large metal storage cabinet. Charcoal goes on the bottom level, water above that, and the meat above the water.
While waiting for the smoke machine to heat up, I met Rich's wife Amy, and their three children. Rich and Amy were high school sweethearts, and they dated throughout Rich's years at the military academy.
Rich also showed me some amazing photographs of his home and old neighborhood, which were totally destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. He grew up in the town of Chalmette (residents of this town are known as Chalmatians!), not far from New Orleans. Rich believes that his town and others in the affected area will never recover, and after looking at his photos I would have to agree with him. Most people lost everything they owned. Imagine losing all your furniture, clothing, photos, and everything you accumulated over the course of a lifetime, not to mention the place where you grew up. After the storm, Rich had 24 family members living with him in his home in Baton Rouge for a month.
Well, it does take several hours for meat to be smoked properly but it actually works! We didn't eat until late but it was worth the wait. I had never had smoked ribs before and I hope this isn't the last time I get to try them. I devoured as many ribs as I could before my legs gave out and I had to go to bed.
Day 23: April 14, 2007
St. Francisville, Louisiana to Opelousas, Louisiana
Distance 62.8 miles in 4h 54m
Total Distance: 1,067 miles
The day started looking like it was going to be another day of horrible weather, similar to those around Easter . Thunderstorms, lots of wind, and just a cold nasty look to everything. The good side of this would have been a day of rest at Rich's home eating waffles and watching TV. However, toward the latter part of the morning, the weather started to clear up and we got a late start around 1pm.
The big event for the day was the crossing of the Mississippi River on a ferry that connects Saint Francisville with New Roads. Ironically I also passed the 1,000 mile mark near the Mississippi River , so that kind of makes things convenient for measuring purposes.
Rich, who knows this area a lot better than I do, recommended a change to the route I was planning to use. We would skip Avoyelles Parish (don't try to pronounce that) and chop a day off the trip (about 50 miles). After crossing the Mississippi river , we cycled along a body of water known as the False River for a good 30 minutes. This 'river' was actually a crescent-shaped lake, and it had once been part of the Mississippi River . When the Mississippi changed course, as it is known to do from time to time, this section was isolated from the rest of the river.
The weather was pleasant, boats were skimming the water, and we saw lots of nice waterfront homes. But the ambiance didn't last, and as the day continued, the weather got worse. Clouds gathered and it threatened to start coming down on us. Luckily we had an offer of lodging from Mr. Bradford Jackson in Opelousas. He and his mother rent out apartments to visitors. Bradford's father, the late Clay Jackson, graduated with the West Point Class of 1953 and spent 24 years as an Air Force officer. When Bradford heard about the Fallen Heroes Ride, he quickly wrote to me and generously offered us lodging in his town.
Rich and I were worn out after cycling through the windy weather over the past few hours. We got our stuff situated in the room and went out with Bradford to dinner to a place called The Palace Cafe, which has been an Opelousas landmark since 1927. It's known to Opelousans as the "World Famous Palace Cafe"! We all had Po' Boy sandwiches and though it was near closing time we got a chance to meet Tina, whose family has owned The Palace for the past 80 years.
By the time we finished dinner it was nearly 10pm. After being beat up by the wind we headed back to the apartment Bradford had offered us and lost no time hitting the pillow.
Day 24: April 15, 2007
iRest Day in Opelousas, Louisiana
I've come to the conclusion that Louisiana is the first foreign country I have visited on my cycling journey. By that I mean, yes, it is still a part of the United States , but it is so different from most of the other states I've been to in the south that it almost feels like another country. The foods are different, the accents are different, people's names are different, it is just a different culture.
Rich Schega and I had cycled for three days and today was going to be our fourth day. We had breakfast with Bradford's mother, Mrs. Mary Jackson, and she made us some fresh biscuits which Rich and I devoured with glee. It was interesting to listen to Mrs. Jackson talk about raising a military family in the 50's and 60's and we enjoyed the hour we spent with her.
Right after breakfast Bradford suggested that we should have a down day and tour the sites of Opelousas. Rich and I looked at each other and smiled; we had definitely done a lot of cycling for the last three days and were looking for an excuse to have a down day. We took Bradford up on his offer and he showed us some of the sites of the area. For any of you who have not visited Louisiana , I can recommend a visit to this part of the state. We stopped by the Steamboat Warehouse Restaurant in the nearby town of Washington for a drink. It is situated on the Bayou Courtableu - don't even try to pronounce this unless you grew up in this part of Louisiana . Next we paid a visit to the Old Schoolhouse Antique Mall, and walked through the open air market. We browsed through the different stalls and managed to try some of the exotic jellies, jams and relishes made in places like Pollock and Dry Prong, Louisiana . One of the flavors was called Jalapeno and Apricot Pepper Jelly, which was actually pretty good. In terms of specialty foods, the Cajun foods of this area deserve a special mention. At a drive-thru boudin (boo-dahn) stand, we sampled some of the boudin (spicy sausage mixed with rice), and cracklins (fried pork rinds with a little bit of the fat still on it). They were both tasty. I keep thinking that a lot of the things I'm eating around here can't be too good for you. But then I turn around and hear people talk about the longevity of some of the folks that live in this part of the state. I can only assume that it is a conspiracy by the manufacturers of cracklins to make people believe they can live a long time by eating this stuff. Bradford's neighbor is a 94 year-old lady who still drives her own car, and he also told us of another resident who rode his bike well into his early 90's. Maybe they are importing some of these folks from Armenia or one of those other places in the Caucasus Mountains near Russia where people live to ripe old ages.
Some of the expressions are also different than what you would hear elsewhere. For example, you don't get out of the car; you "get down" from the car. Also, you don't go to the store to get groceries; you go to "make groceries". This has certainly been an enlightening visit!
Later, after our tour was finished, it was time for Rich to head back home. His wife and kids drove to Opelousas to retrieve their cyclist and take him back to Saint Francisville. It was great having Rich as part of the team for a while, and I greatly appreciate the time he took off to help me raise awareness for the cause. I hope he enjoyed the past few days as much as I did.
Day 25: April 16, 2007
Opelousas, Louisiana to Oberlin, Louisiana
Distance 52.1 miles in 3h 45m
Total Distance: 1,112 miles
Bradford, my host in Opelousas, asked me to stick around for a couple of hours this morning in hopes of getting some media coverage. In the meantime he treated me to breakfast at The Palace Cafe. The next time you are down this way, make sure you stop by this restaurant, a local favorite, and don't forget to sign their guestbook.
Afterwards we were visited by a staff writer from the Daily World newspaper. Ms. Yuwa Vosper interviewed Bradford and I about the Fallen Heroes' Ride. She took some photos and we discussed the highlights of the trip. After the interview wrapped up, I said my goodbyes to Bradford and his wife Cathy. Bradford went out of his way to make Rich and I feel at home, and he spent a lot of time with us. His hospitality makes me want to return to Opelousas someday.
Today's cycling conditions were ideal, I could not have asked for a better day. The terrain was flat and tranquil, and there was almost no wind, except for a cool breeze which made the ride a real treat today. I knocked out 50 easy miles and as soon as I got into Oberlin I found out about the mass shootings at Virginia Tech . It made me think of the localized nature of one's life. Here I am in one part of the country, enjoying a fantastic day while cycling through peaceful countryside; meanwhile in another part of the country, others and their families are having the worst day of their lives. It highlighted the fact that we really don't know what is going to happen from one day to the next, which makes it is so important to make every day count.
Day 26: April 17, 2007
Oberlin, Louisiana to Kirbyville, Texas
Distance 81.3 miles in 5h 36m
Total Distance: 1,194 miles
"I have seen my friends being eaten by alligators, and I have learned from their mistakes".
No, this doesn't actually apply to anything that happened on this trip...but I wanted to use that sentence somewhere in my journal at least once in my life. Now that I am leaving Louisiana and alligator country behind, this is going to be the last chance I get to make alligator-related statements.
My friend Mark from Winnipeg, Canada sent me that quote a couple of months ago. I doubt this quote was from personal experience, as I'm fairly sure there aren't many alligators left up in the Great White North. Nevertheless, Mark did give me some good advice to help me plan my trip since he completed a ride from Santa Fe, New Mexico to San Francisco, California a few years ago. Today I finally reached the Texas border. I crossed over the Sabine River which marks the border between Louisiana and Texas . The first place I pedaled through was the town of Bon Wier. It was just a tiny dot on a map. My knowledge of Texas history and geography is pretty shallow and I have no idea what a wier is, but I can only assume that this place is named because it must have been a French or Indian trading post known for the exceptional quality of its wiers. You know, you just can't get a good wier any more these days!
By the time I reached the town of Kirbyville, I had cycled over 80 miles. Now it was not my intention to ride this far today, but I'm starting to realize why people ride so many miles in the state of Texas. That is because there are a whole lot of miles with nothing much in them. Once I crossed the border, I didn't have much of a choice but to press on to the first place that had some kind of lodging or accommodations, and that was Kirbyville. Luckily, the owner of my hotel offered to drive me to the restaurant of my choice, so I decided to celebrate by going to Tia's Mexican Restaurant - "Home of the Big Bad Burrito". The sign peaked my interest and I'd been warned before, "never eat anything bigger than your head", but after cycling so many miles I gave myself the latitude to break that rule. After dinner I started to walk back to my hotel when Pam, the restaurant manager, offered me a lift back to my hotel. So, this was a nice first evening in Texas , getting a lift to and from dinner.
Okay, so I finally made it to the Lone Star State and ate my first burrito. Now I'm looking forward to a good night's sleep after a long day of cycling.
Day 27: April 18, 2007
Kirbyville, Texas to Beaumont, Texas
Distance 67.6 miles in 5h 27m
Total Distance: 1,261 miles
I thought Texas would be hot by now, but instead it was quite chilly and I had to wear my wool sweater again. It is a good thing I brought this thing with me, as it has come in handy on some unexpectedly cold days. I said goodbye to Mr. Patel, the owner of the motel I stayed at; he told me a little bit about how he started in Bombay and ended up in Kirbyville, Texas .
I'm changing my route because of a Coast Guardsman, Petty Officer John Thomas - I think they call these guys Coasties - who wanted to cycle with me for a day. So I headed down to the Beaumont area instead of heading straight west as I had planned. I'm always happy when members of our armed forces are able to cycle along with me.
Before leaving, I called a bicycle shop in Beaumont called Bicycle Sports and they gave me some good advice on ways to reach Beaumont, and also how to continue by bike to Houston . I reached Beaumont and checked in at the bike shop to say thanks. I immediately noticed that the bike shop was adjacent to a Waffle House. This was the first Waffle House I've seen since Mississippi , so I knew my visit to the bike shop would be an auspicious one. I brought my bike in to the shop and met with the owner, Mr. Eric Bender. He and his crew checked the bike for wear and tear. They also invited me to go on a night ride with a group of cycling enthusiasts, which I accepted. The ride started at 7pm from the bike shop and it was a great time. There were about 20-25 cyclists and we cycled through the historic parts of town and some of the streets not far from the river. I enjoyed meeting the other cyclists. Even though the whole ride it was at night, we all had lights and traveled as a large group, so it was quite safe.
We also cycled by a large Exxon Mobile oil refinery. One of the cyclists used to work there and mentioned that this one of their largest facilities in the country. I noticed some very large fires coming from areas of the refinery and I was curious about that. He said that it was illegal and they were probably being fined at a rate of $1,000/minute for doing that. When I asked why they allowed the fires to burn, I was told that if they didn't then the plant might blow up. Well, I guess it is always good to have options. Just let me get out of Beaumont first before they decide to put out those fires.
Day 28: April 19, 2007
Beaumont, Texas
No cycling today since I arrived in this part of Texas a lot sooner than I expected. I also had an invitation for some press coverage, so I decided to stop for that as well.
On the Wednesday night ride, I spoke with a kindergarten teacher, Ms. Sheri Baden. Sheri teaches at the All Saints Episcopal School in Beaumont and she and her students have adopted some American soldiers serving in Iraq . When I told her what I was doing, she invited me over to her class. So I brought my bike over for 'show and tell' and spoke to the kindergarten students about my trip. It was a lot of fun answering all of the questions from the kids. I told them a little bit about the trip and my bicycle and they had about 100 questions for me.
Sheri is an amazing lady. She has been teaching kindergarten for 34 years, and a few years ago she was named National Kindergarten Teacher of the Year. But the things she is most proud of are the notes and mementos of thanks she has received from her students throughout the years. You can tell she is one of those teachers with an endless amount of patience and energy. In fact some of the students I met in her class are children of other students who she had taught over the years.
Sheri is an avid cyclist and this will be her ninth year doing the MS 150 from Houston to Austin. Her bike has over 26,000 miles on it! Sheri's students are definitely lucky to have a teacher like her. Before I left the school her students presented me with Girl Scout cookies and beef jerky. The whole visit was a lot of fun, and this was definitely a worthwhile stop. I ended the day with a late afternoon interview by Mr. David Ball from the Port Arthur News. Thanks to Petty Officer Thomas for arranging this.
