| Levee World |
| Why did he take his "Chevy to the levee"? Reading about it won't enlighten you, but it may get you there. I've had this old article on the site, "A Trip Around the Basin", for a long time and it never had any readers. No one ever asked any questions about where I went or the things I saw. This amazed me. Why wouldn't everyone just be blown away by the spectacular places those roads skirted and needed to know more. I think it's Grand Canyou-atosis. Boom, there it is. How much can you do with it being but a mortal. So, twenty minutes later you're through looking and it's time to move on. The other day I rode from Catahoula down to Centerville on the levee road, sometimes on top, and sometimes below. It was rough in some places, the dried remnants of stuck or slipping trucks were evident along the way. Grading has gone wanting, I suspect, due to state and local budget cuts. The unpaved parts will be unpassable in wet times. Sure you could do it by car or pickup, now, but you'd feel guilty about mistreating your machinery, especially if it was a little wet. In that situation, I'd forgo portions of the route myself. "Seen one levee, seen them all". Oh, no. Levees have bends and "what's around the bend" is cause enough to be out there turning them. Then there's the line, "I've got a cruiser and it's too big and heavy for riding on unpaved roads". I can understand that. But, I've seen Harleys climbing mountains over bolders. It's all in how crazy you are. I am not advocating "crazy", but in a pinch it is amazing what you can do. I'm not advocating anyone purposely put themselves into a pinch. That's why I'm writing twin articles. One for onoffers and one for hardsurfers. There are those like me that will include about 10 to 20, or 30, maybe 40 percent of their riding on gravel or dry dirt roads. I'm going to take them down the levee staying true to its couse. Then for my "pavement only" friends, I'm going to show them some of the stuff they are missing but give them a great road route to touch base with the levee to see what's on the other side using "civilized" crossings. In this first outing we are going down the North Henderson Levee from US 190 to I-10. Or, for the roadies, you're going from Port Barre to Henderson (to be written later), or maybe I'll take you all the way to Berwick. The first thing that amazed me about the route is that you can feel the altitude dropping going south, but do not fear, you won't need any chewing gum to "pop" the ears. Maybe so, Carl says his ears pop crossing I-10, which we'll do. Another thing. Probably some of you "off roaders" are thinking, "he's sending us into the swamp with no civilization around. Wrong. Between US 190 and 90 there are at least 6 exits with gas, food, bait, and your brand of pop available. There are a bunch of landings and dance halls. I count at least 6 bars. The levee is not a lonely place. It is the local's playground. You'll see people riding 4 wheelers, fishermen, and campers all along the route. On my last trip the road was blocked by a Boy Scout leaders truck. He moved it. Any idiot knows there are idiots riding the top of the levee. We're allowed to since having us ride elsewhere only creates problems. On with the ride. Oh, while I'm thinking, I wanted to tell you that the Henderson Levee is one of the last remaining long distant "on top" rides you can get away with because, I think, in most places there is nothing on the other side but swamp. Deep, dark, foreboding swamp. Kinka like looking over the precipice at the Grand Canyon. |
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