Travel with Tobey and Sue: February 10, 2019 - Simmesport to Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Before you read today’s blog this is just a reminder – if we don’t have cell service and/or internet, we are unable to post the blog. I write at the end of the day and it posts immediately to the website. If you have signed up to receive the blog via email (Follow By Email), the email is sent around 12:30 AM and you should get it when you turn on your computers in the morning. If you don’t get an email, we probably didn’t have internet service. Be patient - they will come together the next time we post.

Day 41 Cross Country Bike Trip

We were up early and headed back to where Tobey stopped riding yesterday to begin today’s ride. It was 46 degrees this morning when Tobey started off about 8:30. It was cool, but not frigid. The horses in the field across the road all came to the fence to watch him get started!The small hills all along these back-road highways are man-made levees. Interesting to see.The goat on the right was bouncing off the one on the left as I drove near them. It looked like they were having some Sunday morning fun! Shortly after passing these goats, the fun for Tobey and I ended because I am having trouble with my phone not having service.Tobey had me take a “scenic” road while he stayed on the main highway. That wouldn’t have been a problem, except I got back on the main road and was ahead of him not knowing that and had no way to contact him. We were supposed to meet in 10 miles and I couldn’t find him. Long story short, we finally were able to get together almost 20 miles later when I finally got phone service. I was a bit panicked and he was a bit tired! We finally connected near New Roads and got back on track. To top everything off – the scenic road wasn’t that scenic!!

We both passed on this road going by a huge flood spillway area. There were two birds in the nest, but only one shows up in the picture.At New Roads I did go ahead and head to Francisville to get our lunch from Francis Smokehouse and Specialty Meats. It was another of the restaurants Tobey checked out while planning the trip. Once I had the food, I turned around and went back to meet Tobey. We had to cross the Mississippi River on the John James Audubon Bridge and I got to go over it three times! Once to get to the restaurant, once to catch up with Tobey who had actually made it to the bridge, and once to turn around and meet him on the east side of the river! Phew. The bridge over the Mississippi is the longest cable-stayed bridge in the Western Hemisphere! The entire bridge has four lanes, approximately 2.5 miles long, and opened in 2011.I did see a barge on the Mississippi as I was crossing. (It’s not easy taking pictures out the side window while you are driving!)There was a good spot to park just east of the bridge, so we had our lunch and let Tobey rest. He had ridden 40 miles before lunch! We had pulled pork, beef brisket, sweet potato fries, corn pudding (yummy!), bread and a Boudin ball. Boudin balls are pork and rice sausage that is formed into balls which are then breaded and deep-fried. The barbeque sauce that came with the meal was a mustard-base – different than what we are used to, but very good. Everything was delicious and there was plenty, so we ended up with leftovers!The temperature warmed up after lunch and Tobey was able to switch to shorts and a lightweight jacket, so that was helpful for the afternoon.Traffic picked up as we got near Baton Rouge, but I finally had cell-service so we were able to keep in touch. We ended the day around 4:30 and are staying at the Hollywood Casino, right on the river. We can see barges moving up and down the river from where we are parked. It is located a few blocks from the state capitol building and governor’s mansion. We don’t have time to sight-see tomorrow, but we will come back this way on our return trip.