hppants
Well-known member
I spent the day yesterday like most weekends, riding my motorcycle looking for something, everything, and nothing all at the same time. Most weekends, it doesn’t matter where I go. I’ve seen everything around here there is. I just want some time to myself with my music and inanimate horse. Some time to decompress, forget about my burdens, and feel some wind.
I rode about 450 miles for the day, which was a tad more than I usually go for a local trip, especially with this relentless heat and humidity that simply refuses to give it up. We’ve had 5 months of this now, and I know I speak for millions when I say we’re done. We’re so done, it’s indescribable. We need a cool front to reach down here, and we need it in a bad way.
But yesterday, I had special reason to ride a bit more. My friend Craig (aka “NTXFJR”), who resides in the DFW area, texted to let me know he and his son would be riding for the weekend, and asked me for some East Texas and Louisiana roads they might try. I offered to escort him through some of my favorites, and was pleased that he accepted my offer.
We had a good time. Hope you enjoy the pics.
I woke up feeling a little off, with a small headache and not much appetite. On the other hand, my bike looks ready for the day’s adventure.
I chose a route through southwestern Louisiana that I don’t see very often. In this part of the state, rice is the primary crop. I stopped at this railroad warehouse, which I believe is used to load dried rice. The low light behind me is making for some good pictures.
Across the highway are some rice fields. This is what they call the second crop. The rice is cut for the first time in July, and while there is still plenty of summer left, the fields are re-flooded within an earthen levee and the rice grows up a second time. The second crop doesn’t yield as much as the first. Here, the fields have been drained again and this second crop will be cut soon.
I mounted up and rode along Hwy 190, holding speed with this train, which was kind of cool.
West of Kinder, I accelerated a bit ahead of the train and then about 10 miles later, I stopped at a shady rail crossing. The gravel was soft so I had to use my center stand.
I wanted to photograph that train up close in the good light. Every heard the saying “straight as a rail”? I think I know where that phrase comes from.
I waited for about 15 minutes, more than enough time for that train to catch me, but it never did. Maybe it stopped in Kinder for some reason.
I turned north toward DeRidder and run through some fields of small pine trees, and stopped to photograph this peaceful pond. I imagine paddling around there in a canoe with my fishing pole and a small cooler of icecold beer.
Further up the road is Bundick Lake, where the light was just right for some pretty good Bike ****.
In DeRidder, I hoped back on Hwy 190 heading west toward the border. This area was widely flooded by Hurricane Harvey. You can see evidence of this in the dirt line among the branches
But time heals everything, and the sandy beaches on the banks of the Sabine River are exposed once again.
And on the other side of the river, I’m in Texas!!
Just inside the border is a shady picnic area that I like to stop at and drink some water.
I’m meeting Craig and his son in Newton, Texas. Since I’m running a few minutes early, I rode around the town and looked about. The old courthouse has been restored and looks beautiful.
Craig and his son Mark found the meeting place just fine.
We talked a minute and decided to get on with it. I led them north on Hwy 87.
I detoured on Hwy 1414, which is a nice curvy east Texas highway, and then resumed on Hwy87 through the Sabine National Forest, which is also a very nice road to ride. We crossed the Sandy Branch of Toledo Bend.
Father and son in tow, everyone looks to be enjoying their ride.
In Milam, we stopped for lunch at a favorite place of mine. Craig rides the blue 2016 FJR and his son has Craig’s former bike, a 2004 FJR that he put a nice black paint job on it.
Fried catfish all around – can’t go wrong that that lunch here.
Chocolate cake is included in the price.
After lunch, we crossed Toledo Bend Reservoir on the Pendleton Bridge
Then we ran generally east though the Kistachie National Forest. I stopped at this old country store. I’ve been here many times and it’s a cool place with a bunch of old stuff lying around.
We continued east through the forest, stopping at the longleaf vista. In Louisiana, anything higher than 50 feet is considered an “overlook”.
We chewed the fat a while, but it’s getting to be mid afternoon and everyone is pretty hot and sticky.
Craig has ridden his 2016 FJR over 30,000 miles in about a year, well done, sir!!
Mark didn’t have the saddle bags for his bike, so he back packed his stuff. Plenty of back muscles on those young whipper snappers!! All kidding aside, he’s is a fine young man, and I enjoyed being with him yesterday.
We got stopped by some road construction, and by now the sun is wide open and we are drying out like raisins.
Not quite like that dry Texas heat, eh Mark?
I turned around and doubled back to I-49 and we ran a few miles to the next exit, where we found a gas station and bought some water. Now its 4 pm, and they’ve got hotel reservations only an hour away to the north. I’m 125 miles from home to the south. So it seemed like a good place to break away. I gave Craig my State map and wished them well.
Still not feeling quite right, and dehydrated a bit, I decided to just hit the slab, turn my tunes up on my ear buds, set the cruise on 85 and burn it home. It was a good ride.
For my wife and I, our strongest desire has never changed. We wanted to raise kids to be good people. We wanted them to feel safe. We wanted them to be educated and independent thinkers, but know that they could always trust us to support them. But most importantly, we wanted them to grow up to be happy and enjoy their life, wherever it takes them.
I think all parents dream for this. I know my friend Craig does, and it was a pleasure to witness his dream come true.
Stay thirsty, my friends….
I rode about 450 miles for the day, which was a tad more than I usually go for a local trip, especially with this relentless heat and humidity that simply refuses to give it up. We’ve had 5 months of this now, and I know I speak for millions when I say we’re done. We’re so done, it’s indescribable. We need a cool front to reach down here, and we need it in a bad way.
But yesterday, I had special reason to ride a bit more. My friend Craig (aka “NTXFJR”), who resides in the DFW area, texted to let me know he and his son would be riding for the weekend, and asked me for some East Texas and Louisiana roads they might try. I offered to escort him through some of my favorites, and was pleased that he accepted my offer.
We had a good time. Hope you enjoy the pics.
I woke up feeling a little off, with a small headache and not much appetite. On the other hand, my bike looks ready for the day’s adventure.
I chose a route through southwestern Louisiana that I don’t see very often. In this part of the state, rice is the primary crop. I stopped at this railroad warehouse, which I believe is used to load dried rice. The low light behind me is making for some good pictures.
Across the highway are some rice fields. This is what they call the second crop. The rice is cut for the first time in July, and while there is still plenty of summer left, the fields are re-flooded within an earthen levee and the rice grows up a second time. The second crop doesn’t yield as much as the first. Here, the fields have been drained again and this second crop will be cut soon.
I mounted up and rode along Hwy 190, holding speed with this train, which was kind of cool.
West of Kinder, I accelerated a bit ahead of the train and then about 10 miles later, I stopped at a shady rail crossing. The gravel was soft so I had to use my center stand.
I wanted to photograph that train up close in the good light. Every heard the saying “straight as a rail”? I think I know where that phrase comes from.
I waited for about 15 minutes, more than enough time for that train to catch me, but it never did. Maybe it stopped in Kinder for some reason.
I turned north toward DeRidder and run through some fields of small pine trees, and stopped to photograph this peaceful pond. I imagine paddling around there in a canoe with my fishing pole and a small cooler of icecold beer.
Further up the road is Bundick Lake, where the light was just right for some pretty good Bike ****.
In DeRidder, I hoped back on Hwy 190 heading west toward the border. This area was widely flooded by Hurricane Harvey. You can see evidence of this in the dirt line among the branches
But time heals everything, and the sandy beaches on the banks of the Sabine River are exposed once again.
And on the other side of the river, I’m in Texas!!
Just inside the border is a shady picnic area that I like to stop at and drink some water.
I’m meeting Craig and his son in Newton, Texas. Since I’m running a few minutes early, I rode around the town and looked about. The old courthouse has been restored and looks beautiful.
Craig and his son Mark found the meeting place just fine.
We talked a minute and decided to get on with it. I led them north on Hwy 87.
I detoured on Hwy 1414, which is a nice curvy east Texas highway, and then resumed on Hwy87 through the Sabine National Forest, which is also a very nice road to ride. We crossed the Sandy Branch of Toledo Bend.
Father and son in tow, everyone looks to be enjoying their ride.
In Milam, we stopped for lunch at a favorite place of mine. Craig rides the blue 2016 FJR and his son has Craig’s former bike, a 2004 FJR that he put a nice black paint job on it.
Fried catfish all around – can’t go wrong that that lunch here.
Chocolate cake is included in the price.
After lunch, we crossed Toledo Bend Reservoir on the Pendleton Bridge
Then we ran generally east though the Kistachie National Forest. I stopped at this old country store. I’ve been here many times and it’s a cool place with a bunch of old stuff lying around.
We continued east through the forest, stopping at the longleaf vista. In Louisiana, anything higher than 50 feet is considered an “overlook”.
We chewed the fat a while, but it’s getting to be mid afternoon and everyone is pretty hot and sticky.
Craig has ridden his 2016 FJR over 30,000 miles in about a year, well done, sir!!
Mark didn’t have the saddle bags for his bike, so he back packed his stuff. Plenty of back muscles on those young whipper snappers!! All kidding aside, he’s is a fine young man, and I enjoyed being with him yesterday.
We got stopped by some road construction, and by now the sun is wide open and we are drying out like raisins.
Not quite like that dry Texas heat, eh Mark?
I turned around and doubled back to I-49 and we ran a few miles to the next exit, where we found a gas station and bought some water. Now its 4 pm, and they’ve got hotel reservations only an hour away to the north. I’m 125 miles from home to the south. So it seemed like a good place to break away. I gave Craig my State map and wished them well.
Still not feeling quite right, and dehydrated a bit, I decided to just hit the slab, turn my tunes up on my ear buds, set the cruise on 85 and burn it home. It was a good ride.
For my wife and I, our strongest desire has never changed. We wanted to raise kids to be good people. We wanted them to feel safe. We wanted them to be educated and independent thinkers, but know that they could always trust us to support them. But most importantly, we wanted them to grow up to be happy and enjoy their life, wherever it takes them.
I think all parents dream for this. I know my friend Craig does, and it was a pleasure to witness his dream come true.
Stay thirsty, my friends….
