Blue Boat Home

[posted to the Wheeled Migration Yahoo Group on 1/29/2005]

I stayed dry through the night of rain, but my gear got soaked.  I resolved to make it a short day so I could dry everything thoroughly before using it again.  But then I decided to visit a library before everything closed for Sunday...

The Gulf was astonishingly calm today.  I mean, I've seen bigger waves on Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis.  You would think a body of water that size would have big waves even on a calm day, but apparently the islands offshore reduce the wave action.

Today's forecast didn't *begin* to describe what happened... there were supposed to be scattered showers, but instead it rained all day long, and the wind was fierce.  I had a strong headwind most of the way into Mississippi, but it was worst whenever I came near a lake, which happened a lot...

The campground was very brightly lit all night, for security.  I draped the space blanket, which I assumed to be opaque, over the top of the tent to try to blot out the light, but some came through.  Between that and the sound of the nearby highways and railroad tracks, I slept poorly.  I woke around 4:00 with chills and put my hat on.  With it over my eyes and earplugs in my ears, I finally slept soundly until 7:00.

The campground was very brightly lit all night, for security.  I draped the space blanket, which I assumed to be opaque, over the top of the tent to try to blot out the light, but some came through.  Between that and the sound of the nearby highways and railroad tracks, I slept poorly.  I woke around 4:00 with chills and put my hat on.  With it over my eyes and earplugs in my ears, I finally slept soundly until 7:00.

I had an easier time getting back into New Orleans from the state park than I had getting to the park last night, because the road had a paved ditch most of the way, and I was able to ride in that.  I took a different ferry that went straight downtown from Algiers, where many of the Mardi Gras floats are made.

I rode into downtown on Canal Street, which is a wide boulevard with streetcar tracks down the center.  I saw another bicyclist riding down the streetcar right-of-way, so I tried that and found it much easier than riding in the lanes of traffic.

[posted to the Wheeled Migration Yahoo Group on January 26, 2005]

I should have known better than to write you folks after having a bad day... my friend Joni once told me that "The only difference between a comedy and a tragedy is where you choose to end the story." By writing when I did, I left you with the impression that things are going badly, when really I just had a lapse in my usual good fortune!

I was in no hurry to join the rush-hour traffic on US-61, so I watched two Buffy reruns over breakfast.  I followed 61 through some scenic bayous -- with generous shoulders all the way -- until I reached the suburb of Jefferson.  There I joined the River Road for a while and finally got up on the levee, where a paved bike path took me most of the way into town.

I left the Haymakers' shortly after sunrise, having planned a couple possible routes for the day, determined by where motels were available.  One would have me cross the river on a ferry and stay the night in Donaldsonville, which is only 1/3 of the way to New Orleans from Baton Rouge.  The other route stayed on the east bank and took me as far as LaPlace, about 2/3 of the way to New Orleans.

I rode into town this morning and got to church well before the 9:30 service, so I rode to the nearby bike shop to see when it would be open. Come to find out it's closed Sundays, so I just went back to church.  I introduced myself during the first service and then settled in to socialize during a pancake breakfast fundraiser for the youth, who recently attended the Houston Rally.