hppants
Well-known member
If there is one thing I’ve learned in my 53 years of existence, it’s that PMS is a real thing.
Now get your minds out of the gutter. I’m not talking about that PMS. I’m referring to Parked Motorcycle Syndrome. Riders can ride in the rain. They can ride in the cold. But when the rain meets enough cold, and water turns frozen, all riders have to park it. And if you get your mail at a latitude far enough from the equator, at some point in the year, you’re gonna get PMS. As it turns out for me and my southern friends, we don’t have to worry about PMS. I can and routinely ride my motorcycle all year round. In fact, some of the best riding down here is in the middle of the winter, where our temperatures are moderate and the roads are clean and unoccupied.
But even though I don’t get it, having more than my share of yankee riding buddies, when it comes to PMS, I “get it”. Riders may discuss and write about riding all of the time, but no matter where you come from, the keyboard and the whiskey and the telephone can only take you so far. At some point, usually in the dead of the winter, those with PMS start getting antsy and itchy. They get frustrated and they get restless. They get envious of their southern brethren and sis-thren (I made that word up). After all, there is only one way to feel the wind. The only true cure for sea sickness is dry land, and the only known cure for PMS is to throw a leg over and dump the clutch.
One way to deal with it is to come down south where I am. Give me and my friends a chance to offer you some southern hospitality. Let us show you our cuisine, our history, our culture, and our people. Give us an opportunity to share our roads with you. We’ll take you on the backwater swampy byways, where the people have lived a sheltered life. They have been protected by the levees, both physically and philosophically. Down here, things are laid back, and we’d love to show you our southern way of life.
My good South Dakotan friend John, suffering from classic PMS this year, decided to do just that. He loaded his bike on the trailer, and trucked it away from the snow and ice south. After a side adventure with another friend in New Mexico and Texas, John made his way east to my home, where he stayed with me for a the weekend.
Another good friend Turk from northeast Alabama, while not suffering entirely from PMS, got wind of our shindig and decided to join us. I was honored to have them both. I gathered several of my local riding buddies for the occasion and we a nice time sharing miles, food, drink, and most importantly, laughs together.
I hope you enjoy the pics.
Day 1: Thursday, zero miles
John arrived to the house about 6 pm a bit saddle sore, but no worse for the wear. Soon after our salutations and greetings, I declared “Let the eating begin!”, and my wife and I took John to one of our favorite local restaurants.
There is going to be a lot of food porn in this ride report….
Wifey likes shrimp – tasty little critters if I don’t say so myself.
Bread pudding is a Cajun staple for dessert, and this variety wasn’t too shabby.
Culinarily speaking, a visit to see Pants is most assuredly NOT for the faint at heart!
Back at the house, I poured us each a sippie and John got to install his Cardo Comm system he had shipped to my house ahead of time. A good start to a great weekend.
Day 2: Loop ride from Lafayette, approx. 250 miles.
I slept well and while the coffee was brewing, I took an opportunity to check out John’s Bavarian extravaganza. This is a tall motorcycle built like a Sherman Tank.
I rustled up some vittles for our breakfast.
And before long, we were on our way!
I chose a simple loop ride that would take us through the back country and along some bayous. It’s a little warm this morning, but the overcast skies are helping and we’ve got the road all to ourselves.
I’ve always like the look of this barn. It’s weathered, but to me it looks fully functional and in great shape.
I’d give the ride TWO thumbs up, but that would leave me without a hand to take the picture.
It was nice. The roads weren’t terribly twisty, but we enjoyed the curves and even in the middle of winter, there is always some green to see.
Outside of Simmsport, I led John to this old bridge that was converted into a historic sight. I like bridges, and since I was leading, that’s where we ended up.
I think the metal work on these structures is so cool.
Pretty quiet on Bayou des Glaises today.
The old general store was converted into kind of a museum. We passed on that.
We rolled into Simmsport at lunch time. I’ve never eaten here before, but the owner seemed sincere so we gave it a shot.
Now get your minds out of the gutter. I’m not talking about that PMS. I’m referring to Parked Motorcycle Syndrome. Riders can ride in the rain. They can ride in the cold. But when the rain meets enough cold, and water turns frozen, all riders have to park it. And if you get your mail at a latitude far enough from the equator, at some point in the year, you’re gonna get PMS. As it turns out for me and my southern friends, we don’t have to worry about PMS. I can and routinely ride my motorcycle all year round. In fact, some of the best riding down here is in the middle of the winter, where our temperatures are moderate and the roads are clean and unoccupied.
But even though I don’t get it, having more than my share of yankee riding buddies, when it comes to PMS, I “get it”. Riders may discuss and write about riding all of the time, but no matter where you come from, the keyboard and the whiskey and the telephone can only take you so far. At some point, usually in the dead of the winter, those with PMS start getting antsy and itchy. They get frustrated and they get restless. They get envious of their southern brethren and sis-thren (I made that word up). After all, there is only one way to feel the wind. The only true cure for sea sickness is dry land, and the only known cure for PMS is to throw a leg over and dump the clutch.
One way to deal with it is to come down south where I am. Give me and my friends a chance to offer you some southern hospitality. Let us show you our cuisine, our history, our culture, and our people. Give us an opportunity to share our roads with you. We’ll take you on the backwater swampy byways, where the people have lived a sheltered life. They have been protected by the levees, both physically and philosophically. Down here, things are laid back, and we’d love to show you our southern way of life.
My good South Dakotan friend John, suffering from classic PMS this year, decided to do just that. He loaded his bike on the trailer, and trucked it away from the snow and ice south. After a side adventure with another friend in New Mexico and Texas, John made his way east to my home, where he stayed with me for a the weekend.
Another good friend Turk from northeast Alabama, while not suffering entirely from PMS, got wind of our shindig and decided to join us. I was honored to have them both. I gathered several of my local riding buddies for the occasion and we a nice time sharing miles, food, drink, and most importantly, laughs together.
I hope you enjoy the pics.
Day 1: Thursday, zero miles
John arrived to the house about 6 pm a bit saddle sore, but no worse for the wear. Soon after our salutations and greetings, I declared “Let the eating begin!”, and my wife and I took John to one of our favorite local restaurants.
There is going to be a lot of food porn in this ride report….
Wifey likes shrimp – tasty little critters if I don’t say so myself.
Bread pudding is a Cajun staple for dessert, and this variety wasn’t too shabby.
Culinarily speaking, a visit to see Pants is most assuredly NOT for the faint at heart!
Back at the house, I poured us each a sippie and John got to install his Cardo Comm system he had shipped to my house ahead of time. A good start to a great weekend.
Day 2: Loop ride from Lafayette, approx. 250 miles.
I slept well and while the coffee was brewing, I took an opportunity to check out John’s Bavarian extravaganza. This is a tall motorcycle built like a Sherman Tank.
I rustled up some vittles for our breakfast.
And before long, we were on our way!
I chose a simple loop ride that would take us through the back country and along some bayous. It’s a little warm this morning, but the overcast skies are helping and we’ve got the road all to ourselves.
I’ve always like the look of this barn. It’s weathered, but to me it looks fully functional and in great shape.
I’d give the ride TWO thumbs up, but that would leave me without a hand to take the picture.
It was nice. The roads weren’t terribly twisty, but we enjoyed the curves and even in the middle of winter, there is always some green to see.
Outside of Simmsport, I led John to this old bridge that was converted into a historic sight. I like bridges, and since I was leading, that’s where we ended up.
I think the metal work on these structures is so cool.
Pretty quiet on Bayou des Glaises today.
The old general store was converted into kind of a museum. We passed on that.
We rolled into Simmsport at lunch time. I’ve never eaten here before, but the owner seemed sincere so we gave it a shot.
