The Great River Road
  
 

Day 08

June 2

  
     
     
   
  Since the motel only has foo foo stuff for breakfast, I figure Ill give Mickey D's a whirl. After all, it's pretty hard to mess up hen fruit and pig meat.  
   
  Knowing the portions will probably be a bit on the small side, I double up my order so I'll get plenty.  
   
  Then it's back the motel and getting SweetTreat ready to roll once again.  
   
  Once again I get to see plenty of farm land but no sign of the river as far as I can tell.  
   
  But I see the sign so I know that I'm back on the hunt.  
   
  Occasionally I will see the river's presence today ...  
   
  but not for long as it's back out into the farm lands. Which not bad as there it very little traffic to deal with and the views are nice and green.  
   
  Soon I cross over into the last state on the Great River Road. So far, Minnesota and Iowa have done the best job in marking the Road, with Missouri and Arkansas falling way behind. We'll see how Louisiana holds the torch as I head toward the Gulf and the end of the Road.  
   
  So far so good but this is just the start.  
   
  And then here comes another temptation - but not much of one.  
   
  I rejoice when I finally get to see my old friend the river.  
   
  And I will see several beautiful estates like this one in today and tomorrow.  
   
  But a road heave wakes me from my reverie as both mirror covers ...  
   
  pop off the bike. Fortunately they are tethered so I just have to pull over and reattach them. I also inspect the wheels as the bump was severe enough it could have bent the rims. I don't understand why, but it seems the roads in Louisiana seem to have as many 'heaves' as the roads up in the frozen Northeast.  
   
  As I get it back together, I see a sign that I really do not want to see when I am trying to follow a specific route.  
   
  But you just have to play the cards that you are dealt since you are not the dealer.  
   
  At least there is an interesting tree trim along the way.  
   
  Finally I'm back on track and making my way toward Denham Springs, my 'home' for the next two days.  
   
  Once again the river has disappear from sight but I know it's out there somewhere.  
   
  Finally I come upon it and some interesting structures.  
   
  These appear to have been built and maintained by the US Army Corps of Engineers.  
   
  As I get close, the signage tells me their purposes. It is the old river control structures as the might Mississippi has changed its 'routes' over the years and the old routes still have to be managed for flood control purposes. The river goes where it wants to, not where man wants it to go..  
   
  Now that I am in low country, the river will be hiding behind levees for the most part.  
   
  It would be nice if the public road ran along the tops of the levees but that is unfortunately not the case.  
   
  And in this area there are lots of refineries as that is a major industry in the state of Louisiana.  
   
  My motel for the evening is a bit off the route, so I have to slab it to get there.  
   
  I chose this one because the mileage was about right, I knew I could get to the end of the road and back here in one day, and there were several good restaurant options within easy walking distance.  
   
  One of the dinner options is Duke's, a seafood and steakhouse which I will avail myself of tonight.  
   
  It is absolutely delicious and I feast on what is before me.  
   
  I am able to hold forth until I achieve complete submission of what was set before me. Or should I say complete obliteration ...  
   
  Tomorrow I should reach the end of Great River Road and be able to be back here at a reasonable hour. With a full stomach I drift off into a pleasant land where mirrors do not fly off of motorcycles.