Knowing you're almost out of Texas! Nah, not really. Texas was great. The people are incredibly friendly and getting down to the gulf coast was glorious. The terrain in Texas was very psychologically challenging because it was such flat and straight road for miles and miles CAR BACK and miles and miles and miles. And miles. Besides that, Iz and I both have been battling some kind of sickness for the last three days. As a final send off out of Texas, we had two flats within the first three miles this morning! It was bad enough last night for Iz [from being sick] that we discussed postponing CAR BACK the trip or him going home and finishing later. Just thinking about not finishing the trip together put a small wave of depression on us both. For some reason today though, even with being sick, we're both feeling much better and anxious to push onward to New Orleans for Mardi Gras this weekend. Loosely I think we'll make Gainesville FL by the ides of March. I'm sure we'll take some time off there and then take a leisure couple days to pedal on to the Atlantic coast. CAR BACK. We're now over 1800 miles into the trip. The news article in Victoria was great, they misread my odometer and posted online that I had clocked 57,112 miles-Oops, they missed the decimal. It was 5,711.2 miles...I'm five miles away from 6,000 on my touring bike though.
Louisiana today! Finally!! Its amazing how quickly the culinary fare has CAR BACK changed with the departure from Texas. Already a strong Cajun/creole influence and I love it! I'm really looking forward to eating crawfish, frog legs and alligator!
Finally got some real hazing late yesterday evening. I'm a little surprised that more hasn't happened but grateful that CAR BACK we're still traveling safely. First, a huge, typical redneck [compensating for something] truck rolled by going the opposite direction and we got a redneck yell "Get off tha rOad!" Not uncommon. Second, I watched a low rider make a u-turn and as they passed the passenger pegged me with a 1 ounce souffle [little plastic cup] of ketchup. I guess if they got a laugh or smile from it my day and life were a success for having been able to CAR BACK provide a moment of laughter to a simple mind. If I could have convinced them to stop however, I would have offered a meal and/or a drink too. Maybe some french fries. Like the saying goes "If life gives you ketchup, fry up some taters." Oh wait, isn't it something about lemons...? Oh well.
So, we were just informed of the only known pink bottlenose dolphin that lives in the Cameron Parish area, hope we spot it while pedaling along the coast.
Oh, a little story: The day after we left San Antonio, one of our tent pole cords broke. I re-laced it with some p-cord but that didn't hold well or function properly to keep the pole taut. Finally, yesterday we found a store that had a tent shock cord replacement kit. Getting into wetlands were mosquitoes come in large black clouds, its very nice to have a smooth functioning tent. Literally, even with being expedient we must have had 76 sanguine seeking suckers in the tent last night. Buying bug spray today!
It has become fun to watch people's mouths drop when they nonchalantly ask something like "so how far you guys pedaled?" and we respond with "oh, 1800 miles" or maybe "where you guys riding to?", "ah, St. Augustine Florida." "WHat!?!" "Yep, Florida...pretty easy really. Just one pedal stroke at a time." Then something like, "dang! I couldn't ride my bike around the block." "Sure you can, just one revolution at a time. Anybody can, you just have to make a choice." "Well where do you stay at night?" "Any where that we can find dry ground to pitch our tent." In fact, tonight I think we'll be camping on the beach, listening to waves crash. I'm sure I'll have to live near an ocean at some point in life. CAR BACK.
Alright, enough rambling for now. Hopefully another CAR BACK update with the impending Mardi Gras!
Just One Revolution! Blog on the philosophy of our trip coming soon.
"Bike On!" -quote from a guy working on his car on the side of the road- I loved it :-D
well,
ReplyDeletehappy to hear that the sickness you both have are starting to go away. sorry to hear about the two flat tires on your starting day in eastern texas. and the angyr drivers are in every state just have to bypass by them and pay them no mind. Happy to hear that you all are now in Louisana, hope you have fun at the mardi gras. heard it's the best party ever, hear and have fun with the town and the people. Get a dosage of that that sweet southern hospitality.
If life gives you ketchup, fry up some taters." had me laughing so hard. The lemon saying is "When life gives you lemons make lemonade". And the constant CAR BACK in sentences had me rolling. :'D. Well have fun see you soon. God bless.
Cafe du Monde in the French Quarter. I did some hunting. This seems the place to go for beignets. It's been in operation since 1862 and is open 24/7, so you can hit it up whenever you roll into town :) Make sure you take pictures with you mouths covered in powdered sugar. Classic! Have fun.
ReplyDeleteWelp, It seems like your adventure is going "SWELL!"
ReplyDeleteBut Being sick does not seem too good. Do you know what the sickness could be????
At that, sorry to hear about ya'll catching 2 flats back to back.. BUMMER:~(
But until then, hope you make it back safely to Florida without any complications!
Oh yeah, have fun in New Orleans!!! I know you will enjoy yourself there.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/4927224/Pink-dolphin-appears-in-US-lake.html
ReplyDeletePlease say hello to the dolphin for me! Perhaps, also check out some tide pools. Take pictures. Make critter friends. Don't step on pointy things.