Day 1 - Houston to New Iberia, La

Day 1 - September 26, 2008


260 miles
(Click on pictures to enlarge)




Must be going on a bike trip. Woke up at 4:00 a.m., 4:30 a.m., 5:00 a.m....you get the point. Agreed to meet Bobby J at his hotel at 9:00 a.m. Boy, by 8:30 was I ever ready to go.

It was just a perfect day for riding. Cool morning to warm afternoon, starting out in the mid-60s and ending in the mid-80s. Very low humidity. Wanting to avoid the slab as much as possible we left Houston and took US90E through the thriving metropolises of Dayton, Liberty, and China, Texas to Beaumont. Rode the slab a little way to Vidor then took US12E riding north of I-10 through DeQuincy, Kinder, Eunice, taking I-49 about twelve miles into Lafayette from Opelousas. Meandered through Lafayette to Hwy182 taking it on into New Iberia. No surprises, no problems, no pressures, just a great day of riding.

I was pleasantly surprised at the roads. I took this same route as far as Kinder about three years ago and there were places that would rattle your back teeth. Evidently some of that hurricane money the feds have been throwing around over here finally made it to Louisiana roads. And they say there's nothing new under the sun.

Well, Murphey's Law came true yet again tonight. After checking into the motel, Bobby and I headed down 182 to get something to eat. A little history is in order. Bobby J is one of those no helmet kind of guys. He absolutely hates them; won't wear them unless forced. I, on the other hand, religiously wear my helmet, thinking something needs to be between my head and hard pavement. It's just a theory, but I think a good one. Consequently, over the years I've given Bobby a fairly good ration about not wearing his.

After showering (one of these days I'll keep my promise and describe bike ride showers to you), we were going to eat at a place a couple of miles down the highway. I, for once, decided to forego my helmet and "ride like Bobby J."

We discovered upon arriving that New Iberia is having it's annual Sugarcane Festivel, with all sorts of festivities planned for the weekend. Hearing this, we decided to ride to the center of town to scope it out. Turning a corner, confronted by several policemen directing traffic, imagine our surprise when one yells out, "Hey, where's your helmet?" We continue on and turn another corner where, yet again, a couple of policemen were posted and one of them yells out, "Pull 'em over and get your helmets on." By now we are starting to understand that Louisiana has a helmet law, something I never care about because I "always wear my helmet," right?

So here's the hilarious part: guess who has a helmet in his bike and who doesn't? You're right. Bobby J had one in his tour pak, you know, where it's been the entire trip. Mine? Well, for almost the entire trip, it's been on my stupid head, but, no...not now...now it's back in my motel room.

Okay, so we park the bikes and go down to where the festivities are happening. There's a "boat light parade" scheduled for the bayou, and a rock band (of sorts) playing down by the water's edge. Beer purveyors, and sausage sellers are opening up everywhere, but, after a few minutes, we decide we need to get out of there and back to the hotel to be one with our (my?) helmets.

Bobby J puts his on and leads us out. At the first turn a cop yelled out, "Hey, get a helmet on." I waved sort of a "Yeah, yeah, okay" over my back as we motored away from him. We go down a couple of blocks and turn on the road going back to the motel. About a quarter of a mile from the hotel the police had cordoned off one lane designating it for turning to the county fair grounds where more excitement was to be had during the Sugarcane festival. This afternoon we'd gone through there in the right lane because it leads to the hotel parking lot just down the road. Bobby J, of course, didn't have a helmet on then, and you couldn't throw a rock without hitting a cop, but, of course, not one of them said a damn word. Of course not, Bobby J is riding without a helmet.

Tonight, however, Bobby J has a helmet on. And I don't. So, you guessed it, I stayed in the right lane only to find it now totally blocked allowing only right hand turns, and with a phalanx of cops awaiting me when I pulled up and said, "Hey, I messed up, can we go straight?" The cop to whom I addressed my question, nodded in the affirmative and moved out of the way to let us pass just as one of his buddies said, "Hey, where's your helmet?" At this, I came to a stop and told the first cop, "I don't have it...we just found out you have to have one and mine is in that hotel over there, we're heading back to get it." The other cop meanwhile was on the verge of copping an attitude (pun intended), when the nice one said, "Where you from?" I said, "Texas," and as his buddy leaned around to look at my tag, he said, "Okay, go on through." I thanked him profusely and pulled out as quickly as I could before the "bad" cop decided to get back in the act. I pulled into the motel with Bobby J cracking up...in laughter, not on pavement as would be just...as he had been for the entire ride back! When last seen he was headed to his room with a shit-eating grin on his face.

Tomorrow: A zydeco breakfast to start, then who knows?