Started on Wednesday we was suppose to leave our
house @8 am but did not get out until 930. Our first
stop was at the Quick Trip right up the street. We
fueled up and took off down the road. At 17 miles in
to the trip we had to stop and put on rain gear we didn't
hit our window of opportunity this morning.
After suiting up in the rain gear we ran a 110 more miles where we had to stop to go pee . We topped off the gas tanks, and 34 miles after that we went from 64 to 89 so we had to stop to peel off the rain gear. We packed up rain gear and I went to hit the button and the Squaw but she did not start. You could here the computer all come to life but when you hit the button to start the engine she would just click.
I called Heritage Indian in Roger's Arkansas. Johnny the service manager talked a few minutes to me saying it was either battery or starter solenoid. And told me how to get her going no matter which one it was. Wooly had rode up the street to an auto part store to get a jumper box, and when he got back that got her going. When I talked to Johnny I asked if he had both parts in stock, he had checked and did. So we back track off our route 90 miles and rode straight to there .
Before finishing paying my bill the service tech ask if I could wait a minute he wanted to talk to Indian
After suiting up in the rain gear we ran a 110 more miles where we had to stop to go pee . We topped off the gas tanks, and 34 miles after that we went from 64 to 89 so we had to stop to peel off the rain gear. We packed up rain gear and I went to hit the button and the Squaw but she did not start. You could here the computer all come to life but when you hit the button to start the engine she would just click.
I called Heritage Indian in Roger's Arkansas. Johnny the service manager talked a few minutes to me saying it was either battery or starter solenoid. And told me how to get her going no matter which one it was. Wooly had rode up the street to an auto part store to get a jumper box, and when he got back that got her going. When I talked to Johnny I asked if he had both parts in stock, he had checked and did. So we back track off our route 90 miles and rode straight to there .
Before finishing paying my bill the service tech ask if I could wait a minute he wanted to talk to Indian
about a concern he had about my bike. He asked
if I could hang around he wanted to look at some connections, of course I said yes as I want my
bike running right. Come to find out that either the alternator or regulator was starting to go bad. So he said the Squaw should make it there and back with no problems. He was to order in both parts and have them ready for my return trip.
We made it to Fort Smith Arkansas that day not very far at all. But by the time we got there it was 8 pm and I needed food also the sky was filling with lighting. I figured hell tomorrow is another day. So we stop and eat dinner at Logan's steakhouse, and got a room at the Hilton inn right behind it. The check in girl Amber, let us park our bikes under the portecochere. We only did 305 miles on day one bit we had budgeted into our time 2 and a half days and tomorrow was another day.
Day two's starts in Fort Smith Arkansas. It starts off with meeting some riders from Mexico headed to Harley's 115th anniversary party in Milwaukee. After starting my menstrual cycle. Something that had not happened in 11 months. I found myself in the middle of the night getting up to go buy tampons I was not happy and thought God really does hate women. About 7 I get breakfast and coffee and loaded up bikes and headed out around A8:30.
if I could hang around he wanted to look at some connections, of course I said yes as I want my
bike running right. Come to find out that either the alternator or regulator was starting to go bad. So he said the Squaw should make it there and back with no problems. He was to order in both parts and have them ready for my return trip.
We made it to Fort Smith Arkansas that day not very far at all. But by the time we got there it was 8 pm and I needed food also the sky was filling with lighting. I figured hell tomorrow is another day. So we stop and eat dinner at Logan's steakhouse, and got a room at the Hilton inn right behind it. The check in girl Amber, let us park our bikes under the portecochere. We only did 305 miles on day one bit we had budgeted into our time 2 and a half days and tomorrow was another day.
Day two's starts in Fort Smith Arkansas. It starts off with meeting some riders from Mexico headed to Harley's 115th anniversary party in Milwaukee. After starting my menstrual cycle. Something that had not happened in 11 months. I found myself in the middle of the night getting up to go buy tampons I was not happy and thought God really does hate women. About 7 I get breakfast and coffee and loaded up bikes and headed out around A8:30.
Our 1st stop was in Mena Arkansas to fuel. It was about 80 miles into South 71 which is a
beautiful road we've done many times. Nice and cool
and just a little bit of fog raising up when we started off this day. I knew to enjoyed
it because I know it would not last long. I was right by
the time we gassed up the bikes it was almost triple digits.
I wanted to stop in Texarkana for lunch but I never found a subway so we keep heading south on 71. In Fouke we stop for a Icee, it was refreshing but not really a good choice for the weather. Water or Gatorade would and should have been the only smart choice anyway after that we hit the super slap of 49 south.
We ran hot and heavy until we stopped in Shreveport
for a sandwich and to fill up. We keep be lining through Alexandria . This is where we hit a a nice shower what the Cajuns call a gully washer (A quick, very quick downpour). We did not even stop to put on rain
gear. The temperature drop from 99 to 84 what a relief. That did not last but a few minutes and then back to Tabasco ( hot and humid) the only stops from there was, Lafayette and Morgan City and that was basically stopping for gas and pee breaks only until we
I wanted to stop in Texarkana for lunch but I never found a subway so we keep heading south on 71. In Fouke we stop for a Icee, it was refreshing but not really a good choice for the weather. Water or Gatorade would and should have been the only smart choice anyway after that we hit the super slap of 49 south.
We ran hot and heavy until we stopped in Shreveport
for a sandwich and to fill up. We keep be lining through Alexandria . This is where we hit a a nice shower what the Cajuns call a gully washer (A quick, very quick downpour). We did not even stop to put on rain
gear. The temperature drop from 99 to 84 what a relief. That did not last but a few minutes and then back to Tabasco ( hot and humid) the only stops from there was, Lafayette and Morgan City and that was basically stopping for gas and pee breaks only until we
made it to Fuzz's house.
I did get us some what lost in Houma, I took it as a
sign we had been gone way to long from the bayous . I went across the bayous and down instead of down and across. Total 602 miles rain and triple digits. At one time I thought my mom was going to do a flop and drop from the heat. She has a very hard time with heat after her heart attack. We arrived safe and hungry but étouffée was ready and I was starved. I had not even unpacked when I smelled the food and wounder up to the kitchen. Had scarfed down a piece of garlic bread before I even found a plate. We spent the rest of the night catching up drinking and eating.
I unpacked most the bike talked till midnight took a shower and finally went to bed.
Friday day 3 and 4
You Cant Go Houma
Started with no coffee, no Prices grocery store , no New Gene up and fishing to get coffee from, things have changed shuttle things that made me sad.
After finally getting coffee talking on the back porch and something to eat. I made some phone calls, answered some e email and got drove to town to take to care of some business. The rain had finally taking hold and we could ride the bikes and get soaked or ride in the truck and bullshit some more, we choose the truck.
Had lunch with some friends @ big Mike's smokehouse. Grab some groceries and liquor in Bourge went back down the bayous to the house to do some catching up with friends we had not seen in way to long.
I did get us some what lost in Houma, I took it as a
sign we had been gone way to long from the bayous . I went across the bayous and down instead of down and across. Total 602 miles rain and triple digits. At one time I thought my mom was going to do a flop and drop from the heat. She has a very hard time with heat after her heart attack. We arrived safe and hungry but étouffée was ready and I was starved. I had not even unpacked when I smelled the food and wounder up to the kitchen. Had scarfed down a piece of garlic bread before I even found a plate. We spent the rest of the night catching up drinking and eating.
I unpacked most the bike talked till midnight took a shower and finally went to bed.
Friday day 3 and 4
You Cant Go Houma
Started with no coffee, no Prices grocery store , no New Gene up and fishing to get coffee from, things have changed shuttle things that made me sad.
After finally getting coffee talking on the back porch and something to eat. I made some phone calls, answered some e email and got drove to town to take to care of some business. The rain had finally taking hold and we could ride the bikes and get soaked or ride in the truck and bullshit some more, we choose the truck.
Had lunch with some friends @ big Mike's smokehouse. Grab some groceries and liquor in Bourge went back down the bayous to the house to do some catching up with friends we had not seen in way to long.
It is strange not to have New Gene and Mark telling tall
tales usually beer in hand and the laughter of stories
only growing louder. Believe me those two would have
anyone rolling in the isles. Both are now deceased
and both our either entertaining the Angel's or scaring
the hell out of the devil.
Actually looking back on the last couple of days this trip was more like a family reunion then a funeral but the Cajuns are that way with life and death. It is always about the good times never about the bad.
I am calling this section of the trip "you cant go Houma ( pronounced home a) but in reality you can always go home you just cant expect Houma to stay the same. I am sure it is that way for anything and anywhere in life. Case and point Prices was a little grocery store right on the other side of the bayou. People actually came down the bayou to buy the head cheese or get one of their po- boy sandwiches and believe me Cajuns always celebrate with food so for people to purposely come down the bayou to grab food is a honor. Anyway they burned down a few years ago and the owners being in their elderly years decided to retire rather then rebuild. No trip down here was ever without me getting a pound of head cheese that usually Peanut had to stash for me and club crackers and calling that and a few strong drinks dinner.
Some if not all of the Cajuns look exactly how I remember like time almost stands still here. But when
Actually looking back on the last couple of days this trip was more like a family reunion then a funeral but the Cajuns are that way with life and death. It is always about the good times never about the bad.
I am calling this section of the trip "you cant go Houma ( pronounced home a) but in reality you can always go home you just cant expect Houma to stay the same. I am sure it is that way for anything and anywhere in life. Case and point Prices was a little grocery store right on the other side of the bayou. People actually came down the bayou to buy the head cheese or get one of their po- boy sandwiches and believe me Cajuns always celebrate with food so for people to purposely come down the bayou to grab food is a honor. Anyway they burned down a few years ago and the owners being in their elderly years decided to retire rather then rebuild. No trip down here was ever without me getting a pound of head cheese that usually Peanut had to stash for me and club crackers and calling that and a few strong drinks dinner.
Some if not all of the Cajuns look exactly how I remember like time almost stands still here. But when
you look around at the landmarks, the homes, the
boats even here time marched on. Two piece of land
that I had my eyes on for building on when I come back
are now sold and one is developed with 4 houses on
it. The land always caught my attention because of the huge old oak and pecan trees. I could always see those tree lining up and down my drive way. With the Spanish most hanging down, branches stretching out to the heavens and the ground. Sad but like anything you snooze you loose.
As this was mom first trip here we took her down all the way to Grad Isle. All the traffic was heading out preparing for Gordon but we were heading down. We walked on the public beach and gathered some sea shells as mom had never been to the Gulf of Mexico. Then we finished going down the road till there was no more road. We watched as the helicopters was carrying in off shore guys at of the way of Gordon. We watched as all the boats was going inland and hoping to cross to the levee side of the bayou for some kind of protection from the storm. All but one, he like us guessed one more trip out might not be too bad. We stopped at Artie's and had a bloody Mary and then headed back to Montegut.
Getting ready for the return trip is bitter, nothing is sweet about it. There are people I barely got to hug at the funeral. I never got to sit and drink and catch up with or get to reminisce about days gone by. Hopefully next trip will be one of those trips where time has no play in plans.
The Sad Trip Home
The journey home stated with trying to outrun tropical storm/hurricane Gordon.
We left the bayous late in the afternoon stopped at Peanut the widower's house it was almost 5:30 before we hit the super slab to get us out of the bayou's. When we hit 90 west it started to sprinkle on us. I though funny me and the heavens are crying over leaving here.
The day before we left the bayous the flood gates were closed which left all rainfall just coming on what
was already saturated land. It was time to get the
hell out. We gave our love, give hugs we cried a
little with Peanut and we hit the super slab trying
it. The land always caught my attention because of the huge old oak and pecan trees. I could always see those tree lining up and down my drive way. With the Spanish most hanging down, branches stretching out to the heavens and the ground. Sad but like anything you snooze you loose.
As this was mom first trip here we took her down all the way to Grad Isle. All the traffic was heading out preparing for Gordon but we were heading down. We walked on the public beach and gathered some sea shells as mom had never been to the Gulf of Mexico. Then we finished going down the road till there was no more road. We watched as the helicopters was carrying in off shore guys at of the way of Gordon. We watched as all the boats was going inland and hoping to cross to the levee side of the bayou for some kind of protection from the storm. All but one, he like us guessed one more trip out might not be too bad. We stopped at Artie's and had a bloody Mary and then headed back to Montegut.
Getting ready for the return trip is bitter, nothing is sweet about it. There are people I barely got to hug at the funeral. I never got to sit and drink and catch up with or get to reminisce about days gone by. Hopefully next trip will be one of those trips where time has no play in plans.
The Sad Trip Home
The journey home stated with trying to outrun tropical storm/hurricane Gordon.
We left the bayous late in the afternoon stopped at Peanut the widower's house it was almost 5:30 before we hit the super slab to get us out of the bayou's. When we hit 90 west it started to sprinkle on us. I though funny me and the heavens are crying over leaving here.
The day before we left the bayous the flood gates were closed which left all rainfall just coming on what
was already saturated land. It was time to get the
hell out. We gave our love, give hugs we cried a
little with Peanut and we hit the super slab trying
to out run storms as fast as we could. We made it to
Natchitoches Louisiana that evening. A quaint little town we used
to ride through and lot when we was working in Shrevoport. It has lots of history civil war and a french settlement preserve and lots of
Southern hospitality. Bill ran out of gas just as we turned off the highway, he coasted to the first gas station off the highway. After getting fuel, Bill went and grabbed some dinner for us all. I went and checked into a hotel. We ate some food, grabbed a hot shower and went to bed. 260 miles total but leaving
the family sometimes you just got to take your out and
go or you might not ever go.
Next morning we packed and headed north only this time taking the back roads instead of the super slab we took on the way down, after we got through Shreveport. First stop was Texarkana for gas. And then next stop was a pee break. We ended up in Fort Smith for the evening at the same hotel we stayed at on the way down.
With time to kill before parts had came in we decided to take some really fun back roads. We took 59 north out of Fort Smith till 220 east. We weaved our way through this mountain forest parkway till 74 east. We keep going past the super slab till we came to a road crew that had the small road shut down. They told us to go east and it would wind us into 71 north. Well let's say this did not quit work out . We ended up turning around and running the super slab to Heritage Indian from there. When we hit Bentonville we also hit rain.
Next morning we packed and headed north only this time taking the back roads instead of the super slab we took on the way down, after we got through Shreveport. First stop was Texarkana for gas. And then next stop was a pee break. We ended up in Fort Smith for the evening at the same hotel we stayed at on the way down.
With time to kill before parts had came in we decided to take some really fun back roads. We took 59 north out of Fort Smith till 220 east. We weaved our way through this mountain forest parkway till 74 east. We keep going past the super slab till we came to a road crew that had the small road shut down. They told us to go east and it would wind us into 71 north. Well let's say this did not quit work out . We ended up turning around and running the super slab to Heritage Indian from there. When we hit Bentonville we also hit rain.
A block from Indian we hit a downpour it soaked us in that little of time. The parts came in shortly after I arrived. The crew at Heritage really took good care of me and my bike. They even offered me a bike to ride but I just waited it out as it was raining and I really had no desire to go get wetter.
After my bike was done and payment made we hit the
super slab home. We did not even make it 10 miles
before we was in rain again. Good thing we put on
rain gear before we left Heritage. Anyway we made
it home safe that evening, only stopping for gas and pee breaks. I am really sadden about leaving as I miss everyone before I even hit the state line, and to be honest I still
wish I was down there. But reality calls and business waits for no one.
