Yesterday and today were the best days yet! Yesterday we spent the first 30 miles winding our way through the country next to a Bayou. We finished the day crossing the great Mississippi River. I had told Rob that I wanted to stop just before the river for a photograph, so he dutifully got a flat tire about a quarter mile before the bridge. After he fixed the tire, we were able to pose for a pic.
Today was even better. The entire day was on back country roads. Where in TX we rode out in the mornings to the sounds of roosters and freight train horns, here in Louisiana, we rode through the Audubon Forest to the sounds of birds chirping and crickets humming. The grass was so sweet we could smell it. There was a light cloud cover the entire day, making for perfect bicycle weather. We literally rolled 68 miles through the countryside.
And, surprise, surprise, yesterday I got a text from my second cousin, Beth, who coincidentally lives only 40 minutes south of where we were riding to. She said she’d love to bring her family up to see us ride through. So, I gave her the coordinates, and, at the end of the bridge rolling in to Franklinton, there was the entire Smythwood family cheering us on! What fun! We caught up with the entire family for about half an hour while the rest of the riders gathered, and then Beth and two of her daughters joined us all for a pizza dinner. It’s these little things that make the ride all the more special.
Tomorrow is our last day in Loozyana — we’ll be in Mississippi by the end of the day.
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