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| Straight Roads |
| I bought a new bike for the first time in centuries to celebrate the new century. The first thing I did with the big street bike was to take it to the top of a levee and ride with the birds in the wind. The emblem for that brand of bike was a bird, so I figured it could fly with them. Seems it could. Levee riding is a wonderful experience. If stopped, have all your excuses ready. Though probably you won't be unless it's by some federal guy from Arizona. Most places it is acceptable becaue the law realizes it is safer having people who want to ride on a levee, there. |
| Henderson to Catahoula levee. The Basin Article |
| Straight accentuates beauty in many cases. The more you can see of a pretty thing the prettier it is. Oak and Pine Alley is prettier because it is more. I bet the owner's bride thought so when she saw all those spider webs dusted in gold hanging over head during her wedding procession. I wonder if the spiders had been dealt with prior to her ride. Gold or not, big spiders could be a bummer. I didn't see any. We have some huge spiders. Banana Spiders. I've run into some on my dirt bike and the first time it was horrifying. I wonder if they are a legacy of the Alley? |
| Oak and Pine Alley, La.96, east of St. Martinville Also from the Basin Article, |
| Below is Kansas Rd., no kidding. It is on the plains south of Crowley, near Ebineezer Rd. Like the levee it is a peaceful ride, lots of birds and wind and stuff you can see far off. People out here often wave, even to a motorcyclist. They are either friendly or bored. Straight roads give me more time to look around since driving isn't taking up much of my attention span. The ditches stay in the same place, I can see what's coming from behind, which allows me to just stop and take a picture without having to pull over, something that is difficult at times. The land appears to be plain and mundane, not it's people. Their zest for life is best seen in their celebration of Mardi Gras. That hardworking farmer you meet on his tractor or combine coming down the road does let loose at times. He'll be the one wringing the chicken's neck while raring his horse with refreshment in the other hand, screaming ah-eeeeeeeee allon! |
| Often there are straight roads through the forest. They can stay straight just so long and then they have to turn. When they do, you are presented with a whole new vista, or not. It's like waiting for your income tax return. You know it's coming but not when, and it could be what you expect or not. Straight roads are like a thick mystery novel. Ok, I'll stop. |
| Kansas Road Visit the Plains |
| Winn District, Kisatchie Forest, east of Winnfield |
| The ultimate straight roads, the Interstates. My way home after meandering forever on the back roads, squeezing every moment form my outing, letting supper approach perilously. In an hour, I'm home, retracking six hours of lost. Sometimes beauty can be found in function, this slab can be quite pretty. |
| Below is a picture sent to me by Henry, aka, CopCop, by some. The line of bikes are his friends returning form a trip across Lake Pontchartrain. New Orleans riders often use the Causeway to access the great riding on the Northshore and up into Mississippi. New Orleans is water locked and initial trips to better riding is required. The Causeway is the last stretch home. It is the longest bridge in the world at 24 miles. It is patrolled but does have a reasonable 65 mph speed limit. It can be closed because of fog or high winds. It is another case of La. Highway Roulette. How you got somewhere might not be available for your return. |
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