| The day was very Autumn-like. It was certainly not cool, but dry. Down here dry works for cool because half of our heat is humidity. . I began the ride as I am began this article, in a disarranged fasion. I wanted to do some exploring on an area I had previously visited years ago and about which I was very curious, the Bayou Boeuf Valley.The plan was to go to Central Louisiana's bayou country, in part, by way of Interstate 49. I wanted to do my investigating and still have time to watch the Saints after a return down the same Interstate drone. |
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| The Interstate and lasted between my entrance at Grand Coteau and my exit onto La.167 above Opelousas, or about 7 miles. That's my tolerance for Interstates on the bike. I exited 167 onto tiny Wilderness Rd, the old way to Chicot State Park which is above Ville Platte. I parked the bike on the side of the road and listened to the critters. I ate my goumet peanut butter sandwitch and drank the water I'd loaded last week when I had started out and the sky fell. No, I didn't look to see if my water supply was green. Sometimes you are just locked into a situation and you have to accept it. |
| The gravel road continued from the vacinity of the park to La. 167 south of Turkey Creek. Turkey Creek gets mentioned a lot in my future articles because it is a beautiful place and I've roamed it forever. It is in the forest. It is "high", sitting on the southern portion of the Kisatchie Wold. (a "wold" is an geologic uplift). |
| The ride would be one of transition. Time period to time period. This of course is very easy to do in Louisiana. Gravel roads and the small lanes follow the bayou's every move, put you in "that place" and your imagination embellishes the expected lying around every curve in the road. At 167, I headed north of Turkey Creek. I left the forest and entered cotton country. Below is a cotton field. The snowy white blossoms were just starting to bloom. |
| The tree line in the distance marks the hills and no doubt the route of a bayou. |
| La.167, north of the cotton field, crosses Bayou Boeuf. Bayou Boeuf is a Central Louisiana Bayou. It never reaches the Gulf. Its origin is north of La 28, between Alexandria and Gardner. Visit the Triumph Baptist Church and you will be there. |
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| US 71 |
| Cheneyville |
| Loyd Hall Plantation |
| 167 to Turkey Creek |
| Church |
| To Alexandria |
| To Bunkie |
| To the next page: |
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| bayou picture |
| cotton |
| The Route, Part 1 |
| Bayou Boeuf |
| Wilderness Road between La.167 and La.3042. |
| The bike is a 2ooo Jackal (Moto Guzzi) with standard lunch box open. The lunch box option has been offered to satisfy the fat old men that ride these things. I would be, of course, an exception to that vision. In the future she would become MzGuzzi in an attempt at making her an honest woman. |
| Evidently I was "taken" with Wilderness Road and kept popping shots. |
| Central Louisiana travel, Central Louisisana Motorcycle rides, Central Louisiana History,Bayour Boeuf, Pictures of bayous, Pictures of Central Louisiana, Louisiana Bayou Country |