Decided to hit the interstates to make time and distance. Signage within Charleston, SC was poor but didn’t get lost.
When 17 hit I 95 in Georgia, the bike was set for 130 K in cruise control mode. There is a nice by pass around
Jacksonville, FL, going on AIA and 301 to I 10 west. That day was hot and long with 1200 k and a few late day sprinkles
from heat and humidity. Stayed outside of Mobile, AL, on the west side. Saves rush hour traffic the next day when
everyone heads to the city.
In going for dinner that evening, I had three large tumblers of ice tea, could not eat all of my meal (that never happens).
Went to store and bought bottles of water and orange juice. Finished orange juice before bed. Woke up the next morning
without ever getting up once. It was like when I was in my 20's and could drink a six pack and sleep all night, but
sometimes I left my hard contact lenses in, ouch. The boy was a little dehydrated that day.
Stayed on I 10 through Biloxi, Ms, and into Louisiana and went around New Orleans. Leenie and I went down one year
on the Natchez Trace to New Orleans. It is a limited access road like the Blue Ridge Parkway (BRP), but not as scenic
but well shaded. Just past Baton Rouge, LA, I 10 become a continuous raised bridge for about 30 miles (50 K) over the
Atchafalaya Swamp. You can only marvel at the engineering feat and the struggle to build this in the 1950's. The
gulfcoast is largely low land with a rich plant life and wild life. In pockets, it is also highly industrialised, with factories
and refineries with lots of oil and gas offshore platforms visible along the gulfcoast. You know you’re south when there
are armadillos sleeping (euphemism for dead) along the roadside. One can also see why there is so much damage from
flooding due to hurricanes when they come on shore in this area.
Still going west on I 10 with lots of construction, through Beaumont, TX, and into Houston where my friend, Bert and his
wife, Pat, live. I make it into Houston before rush hour and found his house by 3pm. Its 35 C. I kill time by giving the
bike its first wash on this trip, buy some refreshment, climb over his fence and sit it the shade on his front porch reading
until he comes home.
It is great to reconnect. Bert and Pat are great hosts and have a new house, which they had built about 3 years ago. We
did a side trip by car to Galveston, which is on the gulfcoast and a seaside city. Nice not to wear a helmet for a few days.
We catch up on old stories, current issues and realize that even though much time has passed we each have traits that are
part of us and makes for instant familiarity. This is a true gift in a long-term friendship over many years and with
infrequent contact. Always looking for the local blues music scene, they take me to a bar featuring a zydeco band. Got
the CD. It’s a jumping’ place, packed, dance floor outside, lots of families, place runs from 6 to 10 p.m. Handful of
white folks in the place. Dancing is like compact jiving with continuous hand holding during spins and steps. I could get
into this. Zydeco tunes tend to go on for 5 minute or longer. Lots of dancers have little terry clothes in their pocket or
belts to wipe off the sweat. It’s hot, steamy, cloths are clinging and the beer goes down easy. The men are wanting and
the women are willing. This could be the start of a good story, sorry no confessions.
Joe Fecht Gulf Coast
Galveston, Texas
Oil & Gas Platforms on Gulf Coast
Johnson Bayou, Louisiana
(7)