Blog 4/10/10--The good, the bad & the ugly

The good: dinner,  the weather (but not the wind), some of the roads,  and finally--after two weeks in Texas--making it to Louisiana.  But there was an awful lot to like about Texas, including some great roads,  great food and warn,  caring people.  We'll be back.

The bad:  too much convenience store food,  some of the pavement, how my butt is feeling after too many hours and too many days in the saddle, and how my legs feel towards the end of the ride each day lately.

The ugly:  30 miles on the shoulder of US 90 and cross wind when there aren't enough trees to block it.

We spent a lot of the day in or near the Big Thicket National Preserve,  an aptly named area where the trees and bushes are thicker than anything I've ever seen.   Apparently various sorts of ne'er do wells have hidden therein over the years,  but to do so,  at least in April they'd have, to put up with gnats, a zillion gnats,  and most likely skeeters and several other of Mother Nature's mistakes.  The moment we'd stop they'd commence the attack.   The only relief was to keep riding.

Bluebonnets made a bit of a reprise today,  which was nice,  and there are some pink and red flowering bushes that put lilacs and forcythias to shame.

Our location tonight is DeRidder, which appears to be largely a company town for Boise South paper products.   It possesses a nice courthouse and,  in a town of 5000, a terrific Thai restaurant right next to our motel.   To say we were ready for a GOOD,  sit down,  healthy meal understates matters rather substantially.  Way too many of our calories have been from convenience stores lately.

We have learned that if energy and attitude allow, it pays to look at most,  if not all,  the motels in the towns we frequent.  Today the third try was the charm.  The first left Kathy queazy, the second was pricey and only near a steakhouse.  Often we can tell within a few seconds of walking in the door--the proprietor's demeanor tells plenty.

We are two or three days from the Mississippi River,  another big milestone, and the weather forecast is great for blue sky if not tailwind.

Doug