31 Oct – 2 Nov, 2008
This article contains the stories of the Sandies "in their own words" of their time on the Sandollar Motorcycle Club's annual Low Road Tour into Louisiana from the Florida panhandle
Da Skwirrel Low Roads It
I now know why folks come back with a glow of happiness on their faces when they return from the infamous Low Road trip.
Absolutely wonderful folks hosting the herd of cats known as the Sandies. The warm welcome and homey feeling is second nature to them since they themselves are the Leweezeeanna Sandies...Doc Pat and Brenda and their brood of Sandilings.
The weather a bit nippy but clear.(Cold is not an excuse for not riding.)And what better an excuse to ride than to travel from Fl to LA
The house is set in the woodsy land with comfortable privacy.The main house..oh my gawd ..is so beautiful. Made of hewn logs that fits right in with the nature that surrounds it.To the right is the newly built accommodations that these fine folks had constructed for multiple guests.Of course I must mention that bodacious staircase inside the main house..made of the split logs for steps and logs for the railing.
And then they fed us! Oh my gawd the food!!!! So much..so good!!!!
The atmosphere is so relaxing it was as if I was a part of the family.
.
Next day we all take a nice ride exploring the roads of LA. We all eat breakfast (finally had a beignet).Then as we are at a Village full of shops (oh yeah baybee), Chris and Maryann discover they have a flat tire.Our hosts acquire a means for their bike to be trailered to a bike shop. Guardian angels were looking after them...considering the flat could have happened while riding on the roads and plus the good fortune of having bike shop opened. While waiting on the repair, we have lunch at a Mediterranean like restaurant.Was fun and very informative as we discover how much Brenda really likes chicken.
Later the rest of the Sandies meet us at the shop and we continue riding .Got to ride the longest bridge..Ponchatrain that was so cool!!!!! Never realized just how big the lake is. Gonna go see the 9th ward in Nawlins. The road down there was full of holes and lumps. One hole so deep that Dave and Tina, riding infront of Chris and Maryann, just about disappeared in one of the holes. Bam! goes their bike with such force that their cooler pops open and a beer bottle smashes on the ground. Our driving skills lets us all avoid hitting the broken glass. However.... Poor Chris got his cheek dinged with a small flying shard. Well I still consider him having a lucky day..considering it could have hit his eye etc.
All in all I had a wonderful time meeting great folks and enjoying company of old and new friends. This is a trip definitely not to be missed. I will be back.
Da Skwirrel
Last month some Sandies headed off to La. (no, not Lower Alabama) to DocPats to help build some cabins. The whole bunch of us together hadn’t swung a hammer in anger in years. Well, all but one of us. Robbie seemed to know which nail to hit and when. But the rest of us just had fun using the nail gun. Up until one bounced off the wood in front of me and poked a hole in my T-Shirt. No blood drawn so it was all good. At the end of that trip there were comments on how well put together the fine homesteads were. This last trip was to prove that right. Staying in the fine homes in the air was enjoyable. Cool weather and no bugs contributed greatly to the enjoyment I’m sure. Last trip we had indoor movies. Not so this time, outdoor theater time for us! We just have to pick our movies a bit better. 30 year old movies and stinko new movies just aint gonna cut it. If this was a commercial theater there would have been popcorn thrown at the screen. But I digress. The movie atmosphere was very nice with a fire, roasting marshmallows and the smell of the occasional burning marshmallow filling the air. As the evening wore on, we chatted and talked about the coming day. Finally we hit the sack and were very thankful our gracious hosts provided warm covers and a heater for each cabin. Well, two out of three cabins anyway. The center cabin, the Bachelor Pad, didn’t have heat the first night. There was rampant speculation on how the guys in that cabin stayed warm. Draw your own conclusion on this one. I aint saying nuttin!
Riding around the back roads of LA was fun and entertaining. I was riding super six and Skwirrel was directly ahead of me. As the day went on Skwirrel was carving the curves pretty good. I had to scrape pegs to keep up with her Magna several times. She has certainly come a ways from when she entered the Sandies. They grow up so fast nowadays you know. Everyone was really enjoying the ride when we stopped for breakfast. Cris and Mary Ann B found a flat tire on their bike. Sure glad DocPat had a trailer handy. Skwirrel and I stayed with them as they headed to the dealer to get it fixed. Several hours later, after a repast at some furrin eatin stablishment, (editors note: A Lebanese Restaurant ) we were back on the road. A short trip to the cabins, via very nice roads didn’t take long. No sooner were we all fed, (mighty fine food too! Thanks Brenda!) And put to bed, it was time to head for the house. The next day we headed out and traveled across Lake Ponchartrain via the causeway. That is one very long bridge. I hadn’t been on it since the 70’s. Coming through New Orleans, we encountered plenty of nasty traffic. Several close calls convinced me to never take a group through there again. But the route along the coast was entertaining. Damage from the recent hurricanes was evident still as the 9th ward passed by us. Some new bridges have been built and new pavement laid. But still the sheer amount of damage was staggering. I’ve seen N.O. under water and this is an improvement but it is far from fixed. Personally if I lived under water it would be in a submarine. But that’s just me. As we headed to Biloxi, we gassed up and parted ways with some of the Sandies. Several of us headed down highway 90 and found some more damaged areas. The highway through Biloxi and the area is still under renovation. Most of the homes along the beach are still gone but some are new and some are being rebuilt. This area will survive but it will take time. Passing through Mobile and then on to Pensacola via I 10 was uneventful. The rest of the trip was just one of those “lets get home, the heck with everything else” things. Once again Skwirrel and I arrived home and the pets were still alive! The dog greeted us with licks and hugs and the birds squawked. All happy to see us! The cat ignored us and went back to sleep. SpectreSteve
Flats and Glass and Curling Irons…Oh My!
It all started of innocent enough. Nice cool morning, plenty of sunshine and surrounded by best folks in the world. The perfect beginning to what was going to be a fantastic weekend. Or so I thought. As we left Joe and Eddie’s, I couldn’t help to really look forward to what would be mine and Mary Ann’s longest ride to date. Headed out on 98, we only hit a little bit of traffic. We made a brief stop in Pensacola and took off again. The first thing that told me that things were set to go awry, was, we made a left, but there was a perfectly good Krispy Kreme Doughnuts on the right…and we didn’t stop. I had to hold back the tears for the next 15-20 miles.
Once out of Florida and into Alabama, things were looking up again. It was a great ride and I was enjoying every moment. Mary Ann was having fun counting all of the McCain/Palin signs. I guess I should mention the one Obama sign (think someone left it in that person’s yard as a joke).
We were on some really nice roads with beautiful scenery. We finally stopped to eat at the Rocky Creek Catfish Cottage. I love seafood, but not a fan of catfish. So I just left that to other folks to eat. Overall, it was a great lunch and a nice break from the bike seat.
It was getting warmer, so removed a layer of clothing for the rest of the ride. Once again, we were on some nice roads. Only one slight delay for some road construction, which came up at the worst time. Someone had to use the bathroom. ME! I was really considering running off into the woods. But we finally got going again, just had to ride past where they were laying fresh asphalt. We got through that and stopped a little further down the road.
Once I took care of business and gassed up the bike, I noticed George showing off his athleticism. Doing a handstand over a trashcan. Bravo, received a perfect 10 from the judges. It was then I realized that he had enjoyed his lunch so much; he wanted the other store patrons to see what he had. Hmmm Hmmm, catfish puree`. Actually I felt bad, he looked really green around the gills.
Once our fearless leader was feeling better, we were back on the road with Steve in the lead. Getting closer to Pat and Brenda’s, felt this stiff breeze and out of the corner of my eye, George is doing a flyby. It came as a bit of a scare because it was the world’s quietest flyby ever.
We got to our destination and had a very warm welcome from Pat and Brenda. They are two of the nicest people you would ever want to meet. Special thanks to them for their fantastic hospitality. We got the cabins set up and beds put together. And then proceeded to watch one of the corniest movies ever…thanks JoeJoe.
The next morning we set out for breakfast. Got to ride some more great roads and see some great sights. We stopped for breakfast and I made the mistake that I was about to pay for in a big way. The poor waitress slipped (fortunately she didn’t hit the ground), and what do I do, I laugh. Needless to say, I waited for my breakfast. As everyone was done and walking out, I was still waiting. Then Pat comes in and tells me that I have a flat tire. Word to the wise, never laugh at a waitress when she slips. Being in Louisiana, she must have had a Voodoo Princess in her family and put a hex on me.
While everyone else got to go on a nice ride, Pat, Brenda, Steve and Sharon stayed with Mary Ann and I. I think Sharon just stayed to do some shopping. We finally got the bike towed to the shop, but would have to wait awhile to get it fixed. We ended up at a Lebanese restaurant (Which I got there by way of a nice Corvette). By now, I’m sure that everyone knows that Brenda likes chicken. The food was good, and Pat ended up with a good ol’ American hamburger off the kid’s menu.
We got back and they said my bike would be ready in about 45 minutes. They gave us a tiny piece of metal about ¼” long and the width of a bread tie (I thought for sure it was caused by a hot curling iron). Just my luck, a darn bread tie does me in. Everyone showed up at the shop as they finished the bike.
We got back to Pat and Brenda’s and showered and relaxed for a bit. Again we ate like kings. Pat makes an excellent Frozen Screwdriver. After everyone was done eating, we kicked back around a couple of fire pits and watched the new Indiana Jones movie. Just a great evening.
Sunday morning, we get up and head out to breakfast. Nice little place to eat, it was an old drive in. And once again, my luck continued…last one served and I had the runniest fried eggs ever. After breakfast, we thanked Pat and Brenda again and hit the road.
It was a nice ride down to the Causeway into New Orleans. Mary Ann likened riding across the Causeway to riding a horse, and I would have to agree. Once into New Orleans, we were coming up on the exit for I-10. I thought we were going to go right by the exit, but in the smallest of openings, we turn right across another lane of traffic and onto the ramp. I never knew Mary Ann didn’t like Mack trucks sharing her seat with her. But we made it. What could go wrong now?
As we were riding through the Ninth Ward, Dave and Tina hit a bump and the lid of their cooler flies open. Now Dave knows that I don’t drink and drive, so I’m pretty sure he was just trying to pass me a beer for later. But the damn thing flies up in the air and hits the ground, so all I get is a little wet and a piece of glass hitting me in the face. Now I know what else could go wrong. By the way, thanks to everyone for making sure that I was ok.
Once we get back on the road, we rode through Gulf Port, nice ride along the Gulf. We split up in Biloxi. Some folks stayed on the interstate and some of us jumped on 90. It was an enjoyable ride home, ‘cept it got a little cold as the sun set.
With everything that happened, it was still a great weekend and I look forward to doing it again. I just hope for a little better luck. Cris
Low Road Tour
First, I’d like to dedicate this ride to a good friend, MSgt Mike Tindall, USAF retired. Mike passed away from cancer in Feb 08. He was a skilled motorcyclist who loved the outdoors – miss you Mike!
George, being the gracious road captain he was decided to push the start time back from 0600hrs to 0700hrs because of the forecasted cool weather (especially for those of us who don’t ride loungers with heated grips/seats) – good call indeed. We meet-up and ride out promptly heading west on 98 towards Louisiana. The weather was absolutely perfect – a little cool but almost no wind and not a cloud in the sky – it couldn’t be a better weekend to ride. We press on around Mobile and head into beautiful two lanes with almost no traffic, some curves, some hills, when it hits me that I need to take a pit stop…soon (could be all the water/juice I drank on an empty stomach). I keep thinking that George will stop and I wasn’t close enough to motion the need…I was almost to the point that a tree was looking real good, when we rode up to a gas station that I wasn’t sure was even open. A quick signal left, while pointing with my left arm, hoping that Chris & MaryAnn behind me wouldn’t ride up my tailpipe, I whip in and make the dash. With some dignity left intact, Steve, Chris & MaryAnn (thanks for stopping to make sure all was well) and myself play catch-up to the rest of the group. In Ms, we stop for lunch at an all-u-can-eat catfish house…some of the cutest waitresses I’ve ever seen, anyway, some give me grief because I order a grilled chicken salad. Regardless of what some may think, I too love to eat but I do need to maintain the ability to fit into my uniform, at least for another 5 months or so. We press on and almost arriving at our destination, we’re stopped by road construction – all take the opportunity to stretch our legs and talk about the ride so far. As we’re finally cleared to proceed, we pass through a toxic cloud of asphalt and tar from the road crew. I guess that smell, combined with the catfish our leader had for lunch nearly did him in. Poor George was hurling in a gas station…we were worried about you George, but like the boss he is, recovered and we arrived at Docs and Ms Brenda’s. As before, they are both absolute perfect hosts and did I mention their beautiful log cabin home? Very nice. That night, The Comb and I shared a cabin and I later learned we were the only cabin without a heater…it got COLD! No, not cold enough for that but damn cold. Needless to say, the next night, I found us a heater. Saturday’s ride was perfect as well – rode through scenic, curvy Louisiana back roads, passed historic mansions along the river front and back to Docs.
Chris somehow rolled over a twisty tie and got a flat on his rear tire (that still amazes me!) so they missed the Sat ride, but were good sports about it. We settle in for the evening with an outdoor, fireside movie – a perfect way to end the day. Next morning, Sunday, we head home via the Causeway over Ponchatrain – was my first time ever crossing the world’s longest bridge on a moto – nice! Hit I-10 in New Orleans and somehow avoid being run over before we can exit on 90 and press through hurricane ravaged real estate. I leave the group in Gulfport and take 90 on to Mobile, where I pick-up I-10 and ride it to Pensacola, then 98 again on home. Lessons learned: The more I ride with this group, the more I respect them. Beer and a busted bottle does not ruin your ride, just ask Chris. Scenic roads beat super slab any day of the week. Doc Pat and Ms Brenda are the perfect hosts. For our road captain, whatever we pay you isn’t enough because the route was absolutely perfect. Great ride…if I’m still in the area next year, I’ll be on it again.
Deuce
The trip was great. Who cares if it took 10 hours to make a 5 hour drive. We started out at 7 a.m. I was so worried I was going to freeze my Butt off even with all the layers of clothes I had on. Instead I was just fine. There was so much to see. There were many McCain signs I counted along the way. Not too many Obama, But yet he won. I just loved looking and watching. It is amazing how much more you can take in riding on the back of a bike that you would of not seen, smelt or felt in a car. We stopped and had lunch at a Catfish house. I myself had a hamburger. I’m not sure if it was the catfish George ate or the smells in the air, but he was sicker then a dog. He was sick enough to not finish leading.
When we got to Pat and Brenda's, I was in love with their house. Who could not love their house. I do have to say I thought it would be odd at first staying at someone’s house that you have never met. Pat and Brenda made us feel right at home. The next morning we where going to go out and have a good LA breakfast with Beignet’s and Café-au-lait, they where yummy. For some reason Cris was last to get his meal. I wonder if it had anything to do with him laughing at the server that slipped. The group had this great ride all planned out. I couldn’t wait. Well I thought I couldn’t wait, but the flat on our bike told us we where going to miss it. Pat had a friend’s daughter come pick up the bike. She was a sweet girl. Steve, Sharon, Pat and Brenda were so nice to stay with us while we got it fixed. I wanted to make sure we didn’t miss out on a lunch so I asked what there was to eat, while the bike got fixed. We ended up at a Lebanese place to eat. We found out there JUST HOW MUCH BRENDA loves chicken. By the time the bike was fixed the whole group was done with their ride and met us back at the shop.
Even though we missed the main ride for Saturday. The trip home was great. I loved seeing the houses one the water. It was just like watching “The Waterboy” movie.
Sunday we were going to leave out at 8, but then SOMEONE got a hair up their butt and decided to leave 30 mins early. Oh well I was ready. We stopped for Breakfast, and Yep Cris was last to get his food again. This time the eggs more then just runny. YUCK. The ride home took us over the causeway which ran over Lake Ponchatrain. It was kind of felt like riding a horse..The faster you went the more you bounced.
We made it to New Orleans. That was another adventure, but we made it . Back on the road..I thought things where going to run smooth again, when all of a sudden Dave and Tina start to throw beer bottles at us. HAHA ok they didn’t throw them at us. They just hit a bump in the road, which made their cooler pop open and out bounced a beer bottle, water bottle and ice. See we used are skills and didn’t over react and just got through it. Even with a piece of glass popping up and hitting Cris in the face. I had not known it till over a week later that when we stopped to make sure everything was ok, we where in the 9th Ward. That is when Sharon was trying to get gas and it would not work so she was fussing at the pump.
We rode for a while longer, while different people at different times went in different directions. All in all it was a wonderful ride.
So if asked if I would do it all over the same way, I would say Yes. You can’t beat great people, great food (well besides Cris’ runny eggs and Georges catfish) And mostly a great ride. I guess I will just have to go back next year and do the ride I missed out on.
PS…My curling iron didn’t have anything to do with the flat. Mary Ann
It had been a couple of years since I last made the low road tour. Probably took me that long to recover from the last, or I had to wait for the statute of limitations to expire in Louisiana before returning. I'm not sure which. In typical Sandollar, style the trip over was great despite the chilly temperatures on departure. George had a nice route laid out keeping us off the super-slabs as much as possible. Despite his great road captaining, I was ready to stage a coupe when he passed a Krispy Kreme Donut shop with the "Hot Now" sign blazing. Some things just aren't right and missing that artery clogging delicacy is one of those. Luckily he recovered some credibility with a stop for lunch at a great catfish restaurant. The food was great. Some of us felt a little out of place. I estimate the average age of the lunch crowd at somewhere North of 75. We arrived and you would have thought it was opening shopping day on black Friday. People were racing to stake claim on the newly completed sleeping quarters on stilts. I took one look and decided that I would hate to try and crawl up or down those steps in the middle of the night. Anyway, I had brought other arrangements. So while the screaming herds were staking claim to a chunk of floor somewhere and making sure there was electricity to plug in their various night time gadgets, I was pitching my tent. Within 10 minutes I had the tent up, air mattress inflated, bag unrolled and gear stowed. Everyone took bets as to how many times Scooter would pee on my tent. He was a perfect host choosing to leave my tent alone in favor of marking the front wheel of Jerry's BMW. Brenda and Pat are the finest folks and hosts on the planet. I think their attitudes are exemplified by the sign hanging in Brenda's kitchen, "Friends are Everything". If you have great friends like Pat and Brenda you have a great life. As always the food was to die for. I keep dropping hints that I'm available for adoption. Even Munchkin out did himself with his upside down creations. Most of us were ready for an early crash on Friday evening. JoeJoe brought out the A-list films that none of us would ever admit to watching at home. Friday's award winning feature - Hot Rod. Staring nobody anyone had ever heard of before or after it's release. I can safely say this was the worst movie I have ever seen, and I've seen some bad one's. It was so bad it probably qualifies for cult status. Another round of beer please. After the feature film, I retired to the tent and became part of Wild Kingdom. I kept expecting to see Marlin Perkins. I'm a city boy, what the hell do I know about the country. There are all kinds of strange noises out there when the sun goes down. Overall very relaxing except for the retarded rooster that lives nearby. I thought roosters were supposed to crow at sunrise or something close. This dumb assed bird was crowing all night. As he got warmed up he initiated a chain reaction of dogs joining the night serenades. The coolest sound was the owl Saturday night. He was a hoot. So while others were struggling with the snoring of their room mates, I was enjoying natures music. Wild Kingdom indeed. I shall remember to bring a tent again for my next travel experience. Saturday morning we discovered that I stayed warmer in my tent than most stayed in the bunk house. Something about heaters in some rooms, drafts in others. Sorry, it's a one man tent. It really was very pleasant. Saturday riding was great as expected. Those roads along the bayou are awesome. The old steel bridges bring back great childhood memories. I think we met the most miserable person in Louisiana at lunch, our waitress. If she were to smile or even acknowledge a customer I think she would have dropped dead on the spot. At least the food was good. Glad she wasn't with us, we would have had to leave her somewhere, anywhere. Saturday evening the food was again great. Beer was flowing in some corners. Lies were being told and everyone was in a jovial mood. The choice of films improved with Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull. Another great relaxing evening around the fire. I don't remember when I headed for the tent, but I obviously made it because that's where I woke up. Sunday morning I had the tent and everything packed up before most were moving. Coffee to jolt the heart into action and ready for another ride. Unfortunately it had to be toward home. We took a very long scenic route that was excellent except for the near disasters near New Orleans. I think I finally got the Ford F-250 grill imprints removed from the back of my saddlebags. Last minute lane changes in bumper to bumper traffic is one experience I think I'll skip next time thank you. We finally made it home sometime in the late afternoon. Another great trip in the books. I don't remember the total mileage, somewhere over 950 I think I heard someone say. They were all great, and only 2 1/2 tanks of gas! Until next trip, ride safe. Tim aka: "Prince of Darkness"
The Low Road Trip. And this year was just another fun filled ride with great friends, good roads and lot's of wonderful food. If you can only make one road trip a year make sure you make it the Low Road, I promise you will not be disappointed. Thanks Pat & Brenda for being the perfect host & hostess as always. I really enjoyed it. Sam
Okay George says I have to pay the Piper yet again because I went on the ride or I don’t get to go on another Sandie ride. Well I have taken time outta my precious day off to sit down and do this so I hope this Piper guy (or gal) is happy. All I know is one day I’m going to find this Piper and we’re going to have a serious discussion on the social ramifications and the continuance of his/her good health to leave me outta this kinda stuff. Nuff said.
Well since George decided to shorten the trip to three days instead of the usual four (I guess he was going to miss his favorite soaps and didn’t want to fall too far behind in the story line) I decided to leave on Thursday and the Munchkin decided to join me. We met up in Navarre and headed North. The temperature was a balmy 42 degrees and we were headed North, into the cold, so lets just say we ain’t the smartest Sandies but if we headed South we’d be wet, soooooo (and we already did the East and West thing so we didn’t want to cover ground we’ve seen a hundred times. And yes I have ridden East to go West, it’s a Sandie thing don’t ask) where was I????? Oh yeah, the time you ask 7:30 AM AFTER the Sun came up, not the BUTCRACK of dawn like before (yeah I bet you thought I wouldn’t mention that, well you were wrong. And yes I’m still bitchin about it to George (I just like to annoy him, and I do it oh so well just ask him!!)).
The trip I laid out looked nice, some roads that I haven’t been on and places I’ve never seen. I showed George my route and he changed his, and I only used a 2D GPS (a.k.a. a map). No I don’t own a GPS, nor did I use Google Earth like some people (yes George I’m talking about you, and yes I always pick on George this way. Don’t worry he’ll pay me back later on down the line). The trip there was relatively uneventful. We saw a lot of woods, a house that was built like a castle using cinderblock construction, the oldest building in some Podunk town, and did the obligatory Sandie U-turn. Munchkin headed South just outside of Wiggins Ms. and I continued on to Doc Pat’s place.
When I arrived everybody was still working on the cabins trying to get them ready for the migration of my fellow Sandies the next day, so I took off my jacket and pitched in. We hung the doors and worked on bed frames until we noticed that we needed more stuff, so that would have to wait until Friday when we could get to the hardware store. Okay time to eat! And then the unthinkable happened, Doc Pat and Brenda asked me to sleep in the Big House and not the servants quarters, my status had been raised from a lowly Sandie to new heights. I could sleep where Sandie presidents, vice presidents, road captains, Joe Joe, and numerous other Sandies (except me) have slept (I guess I stink or something, they won’t tell me). But I declined, I decided I liked it where I was on the food chain (I got friends down here, and I like it).
Friday was filled with running around getting things ready for the arrival (yes George likes to make a grand entrance). We fixed the things that needed fixin, and then the dodo hit the oscillating rotating device (shit hit the fan). Doc Pat’s Harley wouldn’t start (wait haven’t I been here before???). Yes this has happened before, but Doc Pat just got his bike outta the shop and the work that was done was right where the problem was. Soooo, in order not to void his warrantee with the shop we loaded it on the trailer and took it back. But before we left Brenda tells Pat “why don’t you just go and buy a new Harley?” Decisions decisions, I could tell Pat was tempted, but he wasn’t given up on his bike. At least not yet. So off to the shop we went. You know it never seems to fail that when you really need something it breaks, or gives you grief. Well to make a long story a little shorter they could not fix the problem and we left empty handed.
We got back in time to see the Sandie swarm over the cabins putting the things together that we were going to but got side tracked. Later I heard that Sam told everyone that if they didn’t put the bed frames and stuff together they were going to be sleeping on the floor. Ahhh, ain’t motivation a wonderful thing. One of Pat’s friends lent him their Harley so he would not have to rent one. Now that is a good friend, but I would trust Pat with my bike too, so. Brenda laid out a nice spread for dinner, so we all dug in until we could not walk. Then we just sat around telling lies and catching up with good friends.
Saturday morning came early and everyone eventually got moving, drank some coffee, and made preparations to get underway to head to breakfast (for those of you that read this stuff, you noticing a theme? Something to do with food, maybe?). We stopped for gas and Pat left the gas key on his loner Harley at the house, so I waited with him and Brenda until the Brenda’s daughter brought the key. We finally got to the Cajun Village and met up with everyone. While we were eating someone noticed that Chris’s bike had a flat rear tire. Now you know your in good company when the whole group isn’t going to leave the stranded guy until we know he is taken care of, you can’t buy that kind of friendship (you may be able to rent it for a while though). Arrangements were made to get the bike to a shop that was open, and most of the group left for the ride.
The day got warmer and it was a beautiful one, one that makes you glad you ride. I have been on these roads before with Pat and Brenda, and I would ride them again and again because they are some really nice roads. We ate lunch at a nice little seafood place, and then we hit the road again. We met up with Chris and his entourage at the bike shop, and they were just finishing up. Talk about good timing. From there we headed back to Pat and Brenda’s place for more food and telling lies.
Sunday came, and we had to pack up for the long journey home. We geared up and headed to breakfast (there is that food thing again). We usually stop at Paul’s in Ponchatoula, but Pat lead us to a different place. The food was good and so was the service. We said our goodbyes to Pat and Brenda and headed home. Some of the group headed down the super slab, and the rest followed George. I decided to follow George across the Causeway into New Orleans. The Causeway is a nice trip, but dealing with the I-10 traffic is another story. Needless to say no one got run over but we had some close calls. Finally George exits the super slab into, well lets just say not a very nice part of the city. As we were riding down the road I felt like a piece of meat at a buffet, thinking must go faster, must go faster, and then the inevitable happens……it seems that a beer bottle that was in Dave’s cooler on the back of his Wing fell out after hitting a big bump and shattered right in front of Chris and Mary Ann. And Chris got some glass in his eye, so we had to pull over. Chris and Mary Ann were not having a very good Low Road Tour to say the least. Well Chris got the glass outta his eye and we were on the road again. Luckily there wasn’t any real damage to his eye. So we headed home down some beachfront roads to Mississippi, there we split up and some took the super slab, and some continued on down the beachfront roads.
Things I learned:
1. Chris and Mary Ann had some bad luck but kept smiling, I’d ride with them anywhere.
2. If it takes you 463 miles to go 250 you must be a Sandie.
3. Sandie’s are eaters with a riding habbit.
4. 4 day trips are better than 3 day trips.
5. Pat and Brenda are still awesome hosts, thanks for everything.
Animal
Tina and I started at 5:22 in the evening. Hit the interstate ( high side) set the cruise at 75 on gps 80 speed odometer and 4 house later arrived at pat and brenda's house. After falling over a stump I couldn't see and after the laughter died down we went inside. Great roads, great host and near perfect weather. You have already heard about the adventures. Flat tire, glass , and a turn you could died for. I mean really died for. We were invited back for spring ride. When do we leave?
Duk and Tina
A good ride! The food was good The ride was good The people were good The couch was good JoeJoe
