Big Daddy proved to be as pleasant and entertaining a person as imagined. Here he is with his hair and beard dyed orange as part of a personal fund raising bet he entered into and fulfilled to raise money for the animals.
An old school biker who together with his first wife fostered more than sixty foster kids back home in Texas, he proved to be a great companion in his newly adopted home of New Orleans. Here he is sporting the tattoo on his right leg that inspired the pins. (He's also something of a Saints fan.)
We did the predictable touristy things and some not so touristy, getting a first hand tour of the ninth ward and a first hand introduction to some out of the way restaurants. In total we had about twenty bikes show up, with about thirty people. I have to say that although I did a lot of walking and even got a museum tour in, most of my time seemed to have been spent planning where to eat, eating, talking about what we just ate and then planning the next meal. As used as I am to having fine restaurants available, New Orleans sets a new standard. We stayed in the Garden District, not 'downtown' and ate most of our meals at restaurants within a few blocks walk. We only repeated on restaurant. I'm going on a diet as soon as I get back.
New Orleans just keeps bouncing back. While the Bourbon Street scene is not my idea of fun, the French Quarter is still a charming walk, and still offers cafes and restaurants that are worth visiting.
> And of course, the Old Man River is still the nerve center. We spent part of an afternoon just sitting by the river watching the freighters moving up and down the river. Non stop commerce.
Reluctantly, I got back on the bike with the rest last Monday to head out and home. With a small number of others that could afford the extra time, I followed Big Daddy to his favorite spot for Red Beans and Rice, a New Orleans Monday tradition. But after lunch, there was no longer any excuse, and Mountain Rick and I saddled up and headed west.
Coming down into NOLA Rick and I kept to the side highways as much as possible, and we did the same thing going out. Avoiding the industrial crunch of Baton Rouge altogether, we headed West through the bayous and cane fields of south Louisiana. The smell of an occasional sugar refinery sure brought back memories of Honolulu during the fifties and sixties when it still had a cane refinery. Rural Louisiana is cane, fishing and oil, in what seems like an about even mix to the observer. Not so South Eastern Texas.
Crossing the state line that first night away we were immediately aware that it is oil, oil and oil that drives this part of the world. Coming into Beaumont TX for the night, the air is saturated with the perfume of the oil refineries. Again, everywhere we stay we are accompanied by workers occupied in some fashion in the oil business. I wish I'd had the chance to photograph it, but I will always remember the "Welcome to.." sign over one town was actually hung from three foot diameter refinery pipelines that crossed the Freeway exit from one gigantic facility to another.
That second day also was another reminder of the size of this place. We did 601 miles between breakfast (first light) and dinner (after dark) and we're still in Texas. We hole up in Fort Stockton at a very pleasant Best Western motel. West Texas is more open range and cattle....mostly open range!
The next morning we cannonball 250 miles into Las Cruces where we have lunch and I bid farewell to MountainRick who turns north up I- 25 towards Salt Lake. It has been nice having company, but at times its a bit like trying to dance with a partner who dances to a different tune! Its nice being back on the road alone. From Las Cruces I aim the headline down I 10 West towards Phoenix, where Elizabeth and Kathy await. Alas, I run out of energy or they have plans that night, take whichever version you like -- but I stop 140 miles short of Phoenix after a 530 mile day and gratefully crash for the night. After, I must add, finally locating a car wash and using it to knock the bulk of road grime and insect build up off the bike. (Best Westerns are really cute, I have to say....Harley has a deal with them that provides us with a discount, but with some the agreement goes further and includes the provision of facilities to wash the bikes. A "deal" by the way that saves thte motels a lot of money in towels not being used for the purpose. This Best Western clerk checks me in and then says 'wait, I have something for you" ....She comes back with a hanky sized towel for the bike. Looking at it and at the bike sitting there with 5000 miles of dirt and grime, I say " Could I have a glass of water?" At least she told me where the car wash was.
That night I woke up with the chills and shakes. I self diagnose dehydration. It hasn't been that hot, but Its has b been warm and winding and I'vee been riding for two days with my mesh jacket for best ventilation...I haven't been very good though at hydrating. The next a.m. therefore, I sleep in, find some gatorade, and head into Phoenix leisurely after a good breakfast. We ehad a very nice visit, and then I took off for home this a.m. I write this from the desert town of Mojave, having circled around the LA basin by heading north off of I 10 into Palmdale. Still have about 500 miles to go to get home, so its to bed early and up and at em early. Today was fantastic desert riding, going from Yucca to Saguaro to Joshua Tree environs in one day. Pretty spectacular.
There is a lot more riding to do to see this country. I was going to work in a side trip from PHoenix up to the Grand Canyon today, and then head home via the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada, but the threat of that nevada deterred me. Predicted low for the South Rim was going to be 32 today, with even lower temps forecast for the Tahoe basin. At a minimum, this would curtail my riding hours....at worst, well you don't want to know how an 850 pound Harley handles the snow. So I either chickened out, or left more roads and rides for the next time--take your pick, I'[m cool with either.
What a trip - I love reading your posts. I'm also seriously impressed with your ability to do 500-600 miles in a day (day after day) on a motorcycle!
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