hppants
Well-known member
I recently spent 3 ½ days camping and riding Central and South Louisiana, along with Southwest Mississippi. The getaway presented itself not a moment too soon, as I was getting a bout of cabin fever from several weeks of cold and wet weather. I know you Yankees are thinking that someone from coastal Louisiana hardly should complain about cabin fever, but this is my ride report. You can write whatever you want in yours.
I was joined for the trip with my good friends John and Mike. The 3 of us have shared many miles and smiles over the years and we always look forward to our 2-wheeled adventures. John and his wife were nice enough to welcome me into their beautiful home on Friday night. Mike was dealing with a nasty respiratory infection all week, and on Friday morning decided to back out of the ride. However, he texted me during the day Friday, and I could sense that he wanted to change his mind. On Saturday, I was pleased to hear he did re-consider and decided to meet us at the campground.
We camped at the Rocky Springs Campground on the Natchez Trace near Port Gibson, Mississippi. Camping on the Trace is free, but sites are often hard to get. Not so in the winter, as we found a nice relatively secluded place to pitch our tents. On Sunday, John was planning to go back home early, as he had to report back to work on Monday. However during breakfast Sunday, like Mike the day before, I could sense that John was re-considering his plans. With a little arm twisting, John decided to ride with us part of the day before heading home. Mike and I camped Sunday night and took the long way home on Monday, arriving safely late in the afternoon.
By Deep South standards, the weather was cold. Overnight lows were around 30 degrees, and each day it warmed to the mid 60s. As such, we took plenty of time in the morning for coffee and conversation before plugging in the heated gear for the days’ adventure. The star gazing at night by the campfire was epic, as high pressure offered an unlimited clear ceiling all weekend. We had no rain and cloudless skies with plenty of sunshine and for mid-January, you’ll get no complaints from me.
For myself, the ride was about 925 miles over the weekend, and my beloved FJR ran like a top, with the odometer crossing the 58,000 mile mark somewhere along the way. We avoided the interstates and even major highways like the plaque, opting instead to travel along the curvier rural back roads. Some of these roads were very familiar to us. Others we traveled for the first time.
But the back country is where the good stuff always finds us. There, in those fields and farms, people exist like no one is looking. We see them at their best – relaxed, proud, and uninhibited. They give us a chance to peek into their world. Some of them wave to us, communicating non verbally that we are welcome and they approve of us. We get to see their architecture, their livelihood, and their culture, and I greatly enjoy this part of any adventure. You can’t do this from the couch in the living room watching PBS documentaries. Even the best high definition televisions only give you 2 dimensions. To experience that 3rd important dimension, one has to immerse themselves in it. Breathe and smell it. Hear and taste it. Feel it. Live it.
The 3rd Monday of January is Martin Luther King Day. Dr. King lived his life with passion and without conviction. He was not afraid to take risk for his beliefs, and he paid the ultimate price for it. Dr. King came from a time when people existed in a world of civil unrest. Ironically, my friends and I chose to observe his holiday with … civil rest.
I hope you enjoy the pics.
Day 1 – Lafayette, Louisiana to Pollack, Louisiana, approximately 125 miles.
I packed my horse the night before, but took the pickup truck to work as I had meetings for my obligatory ½ day Friday workday. Unfortunately, they were the kind of meetings one can’t wear riding gear to. No worries, I managed to get through the morning and was home by 1:00 pm. An hour later I was packed and I kissed the wife goodbye, promising to ride carefully, eat gluttony, and drink feverishly. I know she would expect nothing less. With plenty of time, I ride very familiar curvy state highways with great tunes coming through my ear buds and warm sun shining on my westward side. An hour or so later, I stopped at a volunteer fire station somewhere in St. Landry Parish to drink some water and stretch my legs.
This is Bayou Beouf, lined with huge Palmetto Plants.
The sugar cane and soybean fields have long been harvested, and the green rye grass planted for erosion control is a welcome site.
I cross under I-49 and turn onto Hwy 115, another windy desolate favorite of mine that follows Bayou Toureau. The absence of any traffic is calming to me.
Now getting closer to John’s house near Pollack, Louisiana, I stopped to watch the sunset behind the Kistachie National Forest. The winding road ahead makes my mind wander excitedly about the adventure that lies ahead.
I pull into John’s house about 5:30, and he arrived from a long day at work about 10 minutes later. We officially kicked off happy hour over conversation. John’s wife Connie prepared a nice baked chicken with potatoes and veggies and uncharacteristically, I forgot the food ****. You’ll just have to trust that is was delicious.
After dinner, we freshened our cocktails and mosied to the back yard to enjoy a nice fire and conversation.
Connie’s youngest son entertained us with some left over New Years’ fireworks. I tried to snap a few pictures, but my efforts brought true meaning to the phrase “Shot in the Dark”.
Cheers to you my friend.
Meanwhile the horses have been stabled proper. John’s shop is well insulated and heated.
He collects some really cool “shop art” and I enjoyed liked at it.
This one gave me a chuckle.
He’s got all the proper tools.
We chewed the fat a while until the fire died down and called it a night.
Day 2, Pollack, Louisiana to Natchez Trace, approximately 325 miles.
I’ve been dealing with some vertigo lately, so getting to sleep last night was a “spinning” experience. Perhaps that ¼ bottle of Crown Royal didn’t help things very much. Regardless, eventually I fell asleep and woke up refreshed and ready to go.
At 29 degrees, all things are moving kind of slow at John’s house this morning.
With John’s bike packed, we departed around 8:30. Even though the campsite is only 100 miles away (give or take) as the crow flies, with all day to play, we ride a much longer loop through the piney woods of the forest.
The roads are desolate this morning and the air is crisp. We are in biker heaven.
Right about noon, we cross the State line at the Mississippi River into the historic city of Natchez, MS. There’s an area along the river called the Under the Hill Section, where old warehouses and river buildings have been converted to restaurants and tourist attractions. Seems every town in the south is doing this. Ole Man River is looking pretty turbid today.
We chose to eat lunch at The Camp restaurant. Parking the bikes on that unlevel driveway was a challenge.
One beer over a long lunch isn’t going to hurt anyone – Tin Roof Blonde Ale, very tasty.
John ordered tacos for his lunch….
….and I picked the brisket sandwich. Good eats!
I was joined for the trip with my good friends John and Mike. The 3 of us have shared many miles and smiles over the years and we always look forward to our 2-wheeled adventures. John and his wife were nice enough to welcome me into their beautiful home on Friday night. Mike was dealing with a nasty respiratory infection all week, and on Friday morning decided to back out of the ride. However, he texted me during the day Friday, and I could sense that he wanted to change his mind. On Saturday, I was pleased to hear he did re-consider and decided to meet us at the campground.
We camped at the Rocky Springs Campground on the Natchez Trace near Port Gibson, Mississippi. Camping on the Trace is free, but sites are often hard to get. Not so in the winter, as we found a nice relatively secluded place to pitch our tents. On Sunday, John was planning to go back home early, as he had to report back to work on Monday. However during breakfast Sunday, like Mike the day before, I could sense that John was re-considering his plans. With a little arm twisting, John decided to ride with us part of the day before heading home. Mike and I camped Sunday night and took the long way home on Monday, arriving safely late in the afternoon.
By Deep South standards, the weather was cold. Overnight lows were around 30 degrees, and each day it warmed to the mid 60s. As such, we took plenty of time in the morning for coffee and conversation before plugging in the heated gear for the days’ adventure. The star gazing at night by the campfire was epic, as high pressure offered an unlimited clear ceiling all weekend. We had no rain and cloudless skies with plenty of sunshine and for mid-January, you’ll get no complaints from me.
For myself, the ride was about 925 miles over the weekend, and my beloved FJR ran like a top, with the odometer crossing the 58,000 mile mark somewhere along the way. We avoided the interstates and even major highways like the plaque, opting instead to travel along the curvier rural back roads. Some of these roads were very familiar to us. Others we traveled for the first time.
But the back country is where the good stuff always finds us. There, in those fields and farms, people exist like no one is looking. We see them at their best – relaxed, proud, and uninhibited. They give us a chance to peek into their world. Some of them wave to us, communicating non verbally that we are welcome and they approve of us. We get to see their architecture, their livelihood, and their culture, and I greatly enjoy this part of any adventure. You can’t do this from the couch in the living room watching PBS documentaries. Even the best high definition televisions only give you 2 dimensions. To experience that 3rd important dimension, one has to immerse themselves in it. Breathe and smell it. Hear and taste it. Feel it. Live it.
The 3rd Monday of January is Martin Luther King Day. Dr. King lived his life with passion and without conviction. He was not afraid to take risk for his beliefs, and he paid the ultimate price for it. Dr. King came from a time when people existed in a world of civil unrest. Ironically, my friends and I chose to observe his holiday with … civil rest.
I hope you enjoy the pics.
Day 1 – Lafayette, Louisiana to Pollack, Louisiana, approximately 125 miles.
I packed my horse the night before, but took the pickup truck to work as I had meetings for my obligatory ½ day Friday workday. Unfortunately, they were the kind of meetings one can’t wear riding gear to. No worries, I managed to get through the morning and was home by 1:00 pm. An hour later I was packed and I kissed the wife goodbye, promising to ride carefully, eat gluttony, and drink feverishly. I know she would expect nothing less. With plenty of time, I ride very familiar curvy state highways with great tunes coming through my ear buds and warm sun shining on my westward side. An hour or so later, I stopped at a volunteer fire station somewhere in St. Landry Parish to drink some water and stretch my legs.
This is Bayou Beouf, lined with huge Palmetto Plants.
The sugar cane and soybean fields have long been harvested, and the green rye grass planted for erosion control is a welcome site.
I cross under I-49 and turn onto Hwy 115, another windy desolate favorite of mine that follows Bayou Toureau. The absence of any traffic is calming to me.
Now getting closer to John’s house near Pollack, Louisiana, I stopped to watch the sunset behind the Kistachie National Forest. The winding road ahead makes my mind wander excitedly about the adventure that lies ahead.
I pull into John’s house about 5:30, and he arrived from a long day at work about 10 minutes later. We officially kicked off happy hour over conversation. John’s wife Connie prepared a nice baked chicken with potatoes and veggies and uncharacteristically, I forgot the food ****. You’ll just have to trust that is was delicious.
After dinner, we freshened our cocktails and mosied to the back yard to enjoy a nice fire and conversation.
Connie’s youngest son entertained us with some left over New Years’ fireworks. I tried to snap a few pictures, but my efforts brought true meaning to the phrase “Shot in the Dark”.
Cheers to you my friend.
Meanwhile the horses have been stabled proper. John’s shop is well insulated and heated.
He collects some really cool “shop art” and I enjoyed liked at it.
This one gave me a chuckle.
He’s got all the proper tools.
We chewed the fat a while until the fire died down and called it a night.
Day 2, Pollack, Louisiana to Natchez Trace, approximately 325 miles.
I’ve been dealing with some vertigo lately, so getting to sleep last night was a “spinning” experience. Perhaps that ¼ bottle of Crown Royal didn’t help things very much. Regardless, eventually I fell asleep and woke up refreshed and ready to go.
At 29 degrees, all things are moving kind of slow at John’s house this morning.
With John’s bike packed, we departed around 8:30. Even though the campsite is only 100 miles away (give or take) as the crow flies, with all day to play, we ride a much longer loop through the piney woods of the forest.
The roads are desolate this morning and the air is crisp. We are in biker heaven.
Right about noon, we cross the State line at the Mississippi River into the historic city of Natchez, MS. There’s an area along the river called the Under the Hill Section, where old warehouses and river buildings have been converted to restaurants and tourist attractions. Seems every town in the south is doing this. Ole Man River is looking pretty turbid today.
We chose to eat lunch at The Camp restaurant. Parking the bikes on that unlevel driveway was a challenge.
One beer over a long lunch isn’t going to hurt anyone – Tin Roof Blonde Ale, very tasty.
John ordered tacos for his lunch….
….and I picked the brisket sandwich. Good eats!
