Today started out just as cold as yesterday ended, and maybe even a little colder. However, this time I was prepared. A base layer of a silk long john top, fleece lined jersey, leggings, wool socks and gloves. You would think I was biking in Michigan and not Louisiana. The good news is that it warms up after tonight – I just hope not too much. Anyone that has ever biked with me knows I hate it when it gets hot.
We rode on Old US Highway 190 today for about 5.5 miles. It is now on private property, and the owner opened up the gates on both ends so we could peddle through. We did this to avoid riding on the newer highway that didn't have a shoulder for us to use for this particular stretch. The road started out nice and then really deteriorated. That is why some days our average sinks within a short time; you have to ride slow to avoid the potholes and rough places (which also goes for so much of the shoulders we have to navigate). At mile 54.7, we crossed the Mississippi River. That bridge was one of the most spectacular bridges I have ever bike across. For now, second only to the Mackinaw Bridge back home in Michigan. I will never forget the times I crossed that bridge with Doug and he so graciously let me take the outside lane! LOL
Tonight, we are staying at a Girl Scout Camp called Camp Marydale. We will be here for two nights as tomorrow is a rest day. I need another rest day as I am beginning to question why I wanted to bike over 2900 miles – couldn’t 2000 have been enough?
Stats from the day:
Start city: Opelousas, LA
End city: St. Francisville, LA
Miles: 67.58
Total miles to date: 2100.28
Pedaling time: 5 hours, 32 minutes
Avg. speed: 12.2
Feet climbed: 866 (flat)
Fatigue factor: 6 out of 10 (10 is the worst);
Wind: start: NNE 11 mph; end S 2 mph
Road condition: 3 out of 5 (1 is the worst)
Temperature extremes: 41 at ride start (feels like 35), 55 at ride finish
The first of two bridges we crossed today.
The beginning of the private road we used.
Janet, Queenie and GeePa navigating the potholes and gravel.
More of the private road. I think the building on the left was the location of an old scale station.
Shout out to my family back home in Livonia, Michigan. I never knew there was another Livonia!
Bridge number two for the day, and this one crossed the Mississippi River. It is deceiving from this angle and it was at least a mile long.
A view from the bridge. Unfortunately, my photo from the middle of the bridge was blurry.
Our chef, Anne, grilling several different kinds of sausage for tonight's dinner, including alligator/pork sausage.
