Natchitoches Parish

After the ferry crossing, I came back into Texas at Port Arthur, wiggled up to Beaumont to hit Cowboy HD, then went back to Louisiana for two more dealerships before stopping for the night in Alexandria.

The entire gulf coast of LA is just oil. I could see 8 off-shore rigs at one point. Port Arthur, Texas, is just one huge refinery. And in Lake Charles, more evidence of devastating storm damage.

The drive to Alexandria was nice and uneventful except for one thing. At one point a hawk flew over me, low enough that if I had been in a cage [aka car] I wouldn't have been able to see him. He was fighting to stay airborne, loaded down with a black bird clutched in his talons. Beautiful.

I left the hotel--another dive of a Motel 6 but cheap--around 10:15 this morning. I've taken nothing but back roads, letting my GPS decide how to get me back to Texas. I'm so glad I did because I've just ridden through the Kisatchie National Forest along the Longleaf Trail Byway. Just amazing...and massive! The forest is 600,000 acres! It smelled intensive, the oily pine seeping into my nostrils. But I didn't leave my helmet up because the dragonflies were more like dragons! So huge I could see them coming and either dodged or ducked under the windscreen. What a beautiful road!

(More info: https://www.louisianatravel.com/)

So long [for now], and thanks for all the fish! ✌️

Day 16 mileage: 357.5 (total 4232.6)
HD Dealership Challenge: 3 (total 50)Read more