Wednesday December 15th

After morning coffee, we rolled the iron ponies out of their barn and saddled up for a ride to Baton Rogue (that's French for Red Stick).

Going the recommended route is about a 60 mile ride.  Fortunately, we never go that way on the bikes.

After filling the tanks, we pulled out onto the road and went straight instead of left.  Did a U turn in the Popeye's Chicken lot and got back on course.  Heading down Highway 44 or River Road, we once again rode along the levees that contain the Mississippi River.

You may recall our previous, and shorter ride along this road when we described the bonfires being built for the Christmas Eve celebration.  This second trip yielded more details.  For the first 7 or 8 miles the pyramid shaped bonfire logs were placed about every half mile or so.  Then as we got into the epicenter of the bonfire tradition around Gramercy and Lutcher, the bonfires were about every hundred yards.  The entire rum of bonfire logs waiting to be lit stretched over 20 miles.

One of the things we learned very quickly is that Louisiana rarely puts directions on their State or Parish (County) road signs.  So after riding through the towns of Uncle Sam and Union (yes, we are in the deep south), we came to the junction of highway 70, and the sign said just that.  So I made the turn that I thought would take me to the Sunshine Bridge, but alas, it ran along side the bridge and then joined 70 heading east and away from the bridge.  I needed to go west and across the bridge so we made U turn #2.  The bridge took us across the Mississippi and was obviously designed to accommodate the tallest of tall ships.  This thing was WAAAAAY up there. 

After crossing, we pulled over and agreed that we were getting hungry.  Instead of turning on to highway 18 we went a little further looking for food.  There was none, so U turn #3 took us back to 18.  Again, we needed to go west and the sign only indicated the number.  After about 4 miles, we made U turn #4.

Along our route, we saw a wide variety of sights.  Industrial plants with names like ADM, Dow, and Shell.  Next to these plants were stately plantation homes, shanty towns and modest houses all mixed together.

Outside the Cypress Cafe,
Donaldsonville, LA

Donaldsonville's historic district was exactly what you would expect from a southern small town.  Quaint and inviting.  The Cypress Cafe was one of several eateries on Railroad Street.  An old store with wooden floors and homey touches.  We each got the andouille and chicken gumbo and shared the fried catfish bites.  Since I don't speak southern, I could have sworn the server said the catfish doesn't normally come with frogs, but they put them on, but I wasn't charged for them.  No problem for me, I like frog.  Unfortunately, I misunderstood.  She said FRIES.  O.K. I like fries too!  Anyway, the gumbo was terrific as was the catfish.

Leaving town we headed west in search of highway 1 north.  Again no direction indicator at the intersection.  Of course I picked the wrong one and U turn #5 was completed.  The remainder of the ride went smoothly through mostly sugar cane fields.  Some of which were being burned.  This is how they harvest the cane.

Before long we were in Baton Rogue.  We made it.  Stopped for a drink and potty break then made the turn toward home.  The return trip was along Interstate and U.S. highways with directional markings.  I'm pleased to report that no further U turns were required.

All told we traveled about 170 miles.  It was great to get another long ride in.  It's been a while.