Old Spanish Trail Pictures

   It's summer and people are planning on getting away because they believe that's the
only way to see new and interesting things. The pity is they don't even have an idea
of what's in their backyard. I know, I don't, still. That "need to know" is what keeps me
prowling these same old roads. After a while, I might have to read something to keep the
local thing going. But, so far, my own sleuthing and help from others keep the doors swinging
open. This ride is the result of a "dropped hint" being layed at my doorstep by Andy in Jennings.
I have learned that Andy gets intensely interested in things. The Old Spanish Trail in Louisiana
is one of his intense interest. I suggest it should be yours. It's a monument we have here in South
Louisiana that is just as important as "Route 66". Its simularity is obvious. The towns
along its way are reflections of its importance and later, its unimportance.
    US 90 has paved over the OST in most places. The old road is still sporadically visible.
    After picking up lawnmower parts, I found myself above Abbeville, it happens. I decided that
I'd had enough of the Prairie for a while and that I needed to smell some pine trees. It happen. I headed north through a vague area, vague to me. I think I saw Bayou Tortue. Oh, my GPS is broken so I'm just as blind as most of you as far as knowing where I am, or maybe worse since I've become a GPS dependent. I ended up in Morse and saw La. 92. Mike D. in Crowley had mentioned being on 92 last weekend and Ray Daigle had said he had used it to get home the last time he meandered through here. Seemed La. 92 was the "in place" to ride, so I had to go see if anything had changed on this really good La. road. No, it was still the same, great sweepers. There was a breeze provided by our stationary weather system which is lowering the humidity to where we have an inverted heat index, ie, it feels cooler than it is. It also provided the blue skies and good pictures. The camera likes light.
   La.92 breaks out onto US 90 west of Mermentau. I look at street signs, mostly for amusement, especially the new private property ones which are named according to the owners state of mind at the time of the naming. Anyway, I looked up and thought to myself, #$%&@. After saying that, only in my mind, I reflected on Andy's little tid bit he had passed on. I was going to do it, even though the gravel looked thick and I might just have to drag my feet for 20 miles to stay verticle.

Following the Old Spanish Trail,
US 90, Mermentau Cove Rd. to Rayne

I rode the first stretch without too much difficulty. I was with Mz Guzzi and she really snears at
gravel, especially dry dusty gravel that hasn't been used and is just laying there, three or four
inches deep. Think, "walking on ball bearings" and you you'll get the idea. Since I didn't have the GPS, some of my quoted locations may be completely wrong but I can't deny you this stuff just because I lack my usuall exactness. I came to what I thought was a ghost town. People travel all the way to

Colorado and Nevada to see great old ghost towns. Louisiana has her share and unfortunately the number is growing. All that was lacking was the wooden sidewalk.

I tried to get a picture of those side vents.on the building. They are a clue as to what business the building housed. Or, not. I really like the roof line on the one below. This was obviously "downtown".

There was a fence between the two buildings.

And a view from the other direction.

Mz Guzzi waited under one of those pine trees I wanted to smell. This was going great.