In 2010 The Bike Hermit took his first bike jaunt in Texas. Titled Texas Buckaroos, his adventure is well chronicled on crazyguyonabike.com. Since then, I have heard about his trip pretty much Every Single Day; how amazing this part of Texas is, how friendly the people are, how we need to move to Texas, how Boise is actually hotter and colder than Alpine – you name it, I’ve heard it. Being who I am, my initial reaction was there is no way I am moving to Texas. Those who know me know that I tend to balk when others rave about certain places or things – yes even when The Bike Hermit is the one doing the raving :). After a few years of his pushing Texas I finally let the brain crack open and began to soften to the idea of at least going for a visit. It took a few years to line up all the stars but suddenly the idea was becoming a reality. Originally we planned to go in early 2015 but with everything slipping into place we decided we’d planned enough and we’d just go for it. Again, to those who know us, this should come a no surprise.
From the start of our Texas Bike Ride I vowed to have no agenda, no expectations and to allow each and every day unfold of it’s own accord. A little self congratulations are in order as I think I came pretty darn close to achieving that goal. (okay there may have been a few moments and there were some very choice words thrown around on a particularly nasty section of Glenn Springs Road in Big Bend National Park) But as always when riding, it got better.
Everyone approaches bike touring in their own way. We all have our little rituals and habits. One of mine is to make up songs as I ride. My theme usually involves what ever I see or experience on the the ride. During our 3 weeks in Texas I wrote a great little riding ditty. My singing is totally restricted to riding my bike with Jim either way out in front or somewhere behind me. I can carry a perfect tune, as long as no one is listening. Here are the words: (the tune is The Heart of Saturday Night by Tom Waits)
Little Yellow Flowers growing by the road, tucked in with the cactus and a flowering yucca plant too.
Bike riding in Texas, having a marvelous time.
Got the wind at my back, the sun in the sky, riding along with my favorite guy.
That’s why I like Texas, have a wonderful time
So, what do I think of Texas? I will answer that with, we are busy planning the next trip. As the standard response from a certain someone. “Just listen to the Bike Hermit and all will be fine.” West Texas is a country unto itself. I am a lover of wide open spaces and certainly got my fill of beautiful, quiet, rugged country.
Are we moving to Texas? Well that move, if ever, is certainly a longs ways off. I look forward to doing quite a bit more Texas bike pedaling and have many more places to explore. The isolated beauty, while amazing to visit, may become a bit tarnished if I were to experience it day in and day out.
You can never go back – a mantra of mine for sure. I believe one will never have the same experience twice so when we do go back, I will once again embrace the adventure with no expectations and just look forward to enjoying the beauty Texas has to offer. Have a wonderful time.
As the Bike Hermit is deep into his remodeling project, Sky King jumped at the chance to do some great slow pedaling with the ladies. This turned out to be a perfect way to enjoy spring weather, work in bird watching and be reminded that life is about the journey, not the destination.
Pelicans In Flight
Lisa, Julie and I spent hours exploring the Snake river along State Highway 30 just south of Hagerman, Idaho and then more hours at Bruneau Sand Dunes. Our only goals were to have fun and enjoy the abundance of waterfowl. Spinning along we never passed up the opportunity to stop, grab the binoculars and take in the views. We took advantage of soaking in the pool at Miracle Hot Springs – even admired the alligator.
Waking up to the sound of Thousand Spring’s waterfalls made for a delightful start to our ride.
Thousand SpringsFashionably dressed bird watchers
Being open to meandering lead to sweet surprises. One of my favorites was observing the Heron’s working on the nests in the rookery. There were at least two dozen birds nesting in a compact group of trees. Would be fun to come back and watch “hatchling” flying lessons.
Heron Rookery
Riding anywhere in Southern Idaho in early spring, means laughing at the yellow bellied marmots and their insatiable curiosity.
soaking up some sunchecking us out
Finally no birdwatching trip would be complete without the harrier hawk in the sky, a few ducks in the pond and the beautiful wax wings.
Marsh Hawk at Bruneau Sand DunesHold still so we can take a picture
Okay, I must confess that when Kurt stopped in the Cave in January to fill us in on the planned adventure we both thought he was nuts. Of course some people think we are nuts as well so that is fair. Kurt and his 9 year old daughter are traveling cross country riding a Recumbent Trike and a recumbent tag-a-long. Check in with them on their blog. Send them best wishes and encouragement as the weather gods have been blessing them with quite a bit of rain 🙁
If it looks like they will be passing through your neighborhood, consider offering them a place to stay or good ideas on things to see.
Customer and friend Wendell came in the other day with his new Salsa Fargo “adventure” touring bike. As we were talking about places to go with such a bike he mentioned the Owyhee Uplands Backcountry Byway (which sounds much better than the local name of Mud Flats Road).
Here is a mostly dirt road on mostly Bureau of Land Management real estate connecting Grand View, Idaho and Jordan Valley, Oregon through the Owyhee Uplands, one of the largest areas of un-fragmented sagebrush habitat in the West .
The Byway can be reached through Jordan Valley, Oregon 80 miles southwest of Boise or through Grand View, Idaho 70 miles southeast of Boise. It is 103 miles between the two towns, 74 of those miles on unpaved surfaces. I’m sure it could be ridden in one grueling day but that is not the point. Experiencing what’s out there is the point. Three days and two nights one way seems reasonable.
2 or 3 options present themselves:
1) drive to either Grand View or Jordan Valley, leave a car and drive to the other end. ride the Byway and shuttle back to the start.
2) drive to one end and do the roundtrip.
3) start in Boise and ride the loop.
There are no services between Grand View and Jordan Valley. There is water along the way but it is best not to drink it without boiling it or treating it first. If chosing the first option above it might be possible to stash a cooler loaded with extra water and food and other refreshment at some point along the route and retrieve it when shuttling back. If taking the second or third options provisions will need to be made to either boil or filter or otherwise treat enough water for drinking. Carrying enough for even three days would be awkward and heavy.
Wide, stout tires will make the loose, rocky washboarded sections more comfortable. I’m thinking 700c x 42 or 26″ x 2.3 or 650b x aswideaspossible. Of course a fatbike such as the Pugsley or Moonlander deserve serious consideration. 4 to 5 inch wide tires inflated to 10 or 12 psi would float over the rough stuff and track straight in the loose gravel and sand. Then they could be pumped up to 20 or 25 psi for the paved sections.
Above Shoofly Canyon. BLM photo
Camping is allowed in non-designated areas on BLM land. But if you choose to do this, please remember to stay on established roads and trails, “leave no trace,” and “pack it out.” Along the Byway there are parcels of private land and the BLM recommends purchasing one of their surface management status maps available for a small fee from the BLM (208)-373-4007) Ask for the “Triangle” section. Respect private property and avoid trespassing. There is one developed campground at the North Fork Recreation Site about 32 miles from Jordan Valley.
The road is sometimes impassable from late November through March due to snow. The surface will also be slick and messy if it is wet and that would be no fun. Daytime temps in the summer can reach triple Fahrenheit digits and the nights in the high desert can be cold anytime of year. So, plan accordingly.
With all those caveats in place I can say that the more I have researched this, the more excited I am to ride in and explore this area. We have lived in Boise for over twenty years and, until we got touring bicycles, never made the effort to see some of the amazing, remote areas in our back yard. The byway overlays several different vegetation zones – riparian zones along the rivers, the sagebrush steppe, salt desert shrub landscape and juniper woodlands. The Owyhee Canyonlands are home to one fifth of the world population of native California Bighorn Sheep. There are over 500 thousand acres of designated wilderness areas in the Owyhee Canyonlands. One half. million. acres. You have some ‘splorin to do, Lucy!
How much does it cost to go bike touring? Well, I guess it depends on the person(s). Some people can travel for next to nothing by eating store bought food rather than at restaurants and by stealth or wild camping wherever they happen to end up at the end of the day. Websites like CouchSurfing and Warm Showers connect travelers with people who are willing to provide a couch or a yard or even a bed.
Russ over at the Path Less Pedaled recently did this interview with Heidi Beierle who rode her bike across the country and wrote her master’s thesis on looking at bicycle tourism as an economic development tool for rural communities. While not specifically about how much it costs to do a bike tour she does delve into that aspect.
httpv://youtu.be/X-XwCoOKHoQ
My recent 6 day and 5 night ride from Portland to Idaho broke down this way:
Food – $116.00
Mostly from grocery stores, with the occasional restaurant stop thrown in. Works out to about $19.30 per day.
Camping – $34.00
The most expensive night was $24.00 for a KOA. Two nights of wild camping for nothing and two nights in state parks at $5.00 per night. Average = $8.50 per night.
I also bought some fuel for the stove and some batteries and a memory card for the camera, but if I amortize those expenses over the life of those items it works out to pennies a day. For this trip I FedEx’d the bike to Portland and that cost $67.83. Shipping the empty box back home cost $30.35. The cheap airline ticket to Portland, bought far in advance, was about $60.00.
So the total cost for the six day vacation with all the expenses thrown in was about $300.00. If I just look at the time when I was on the bike, and don’t count the flight and shipping expenses, the six days cost me about $150.00 or $27.80 per day. Pretty cheap therapy methinks.
Guaranteed on any bike tour, you are going to sweat. Ending the day with a shower is one of the ultimate rewards on a bike trip (ranks right up there with a cold beer). On our recent tour on the Olympic Peninsula we spent each night at a campground but still ran into unexpected issues with using the showers. Many campgrounds have “pay as you play” showers so be sure to tuck quarters into your pannier. We arrived at one site “afterhours” and discovered they didn’t take quarters but used tokens that needed to be purchased from the camp host… Well hell, what to do. From previous trips we have devised a great technique for impromptu showers, we call it the two water bottles and a camp towel trick. Simply heat water, pour into two water bottles. At the campsite that had the shower but needed tokens, I took my water bottles, Dr Bonner’s liquid soap, my camp towel and my bike shorts into the shower stall. I wet my hands, applied a small amount of soap and lathered all the priority body parts that need attention. Then I used my two water bottles of warm water for rinsing. While not as deluxe as a 3 minute shower, it takes the sweat layer off and I can sleep comfortably.
Why the bike shorts in the shower? We travel with two pairs of shorts and every night apply a small amount of diluted Dr Bonners to the chamois of the shorts worn that day and rinse well. The shorts hang off the hammock for the night and if still damp in the am are securely draped over my sleeping bag for the days ride.
As noted we travel with hennesey hammocks so no tent for a private spit bath, No worries, the rain fly makes a nice shower curtain for the two bottle shower.
A rainfly can double as a shower curtain
In addition to the camp towel and Dr Bonner’s, two other must have items I tuck into my pannier – Nutrogena Face Towelettes and baby wipes. Both have travel packs. It is nice to grab a face towelette and get the grime off and baby wipes … well let’s just say what did we do without them.
Crack….Thump….Whoomp
I’m flat on my back on the ground.
“Are you OK?”
“Yeah, I’m OK…….are you OK?”
“Yeah”
For all of the trees around here, most of them are massive cedars and they are too big to tie the hammock straps. Earlier, I had tied one end of each hammock to what turned out to be a rotten stump of a tree, with the other ends going to separate trees. The weight of both of us in our hammocks was too much for the remaining roots and the whole thing pulled out at ground level and fell neatly in between us. Sky King had retired before I did and I tried not to think about what might have happened if her weight alone had been enough to pull the tree over, because I imagine it would have fallen on top of her. A rude awakening to say the least.
We scuttled around with the headlamps on to retrieve our sleeping bags from the wreckage and we spent the rest of the night under the stars. I felt dumb, but I don’t think that will happen again!
It’s less than 20 miles to the Clinton ferry from South Whidbey Island state Park, and US 525 has a nice shoulder. A short diversion on Newman Road from Freeland provided a quite ride until the junction with 525.
A few miles outside of Clinton a parking lane appears which is meant for vehicles waiting for the ferry and we coast past a long line of cars which, according to the signs, will still not be on the ferry for another hour. And when we get in line to buy our passes the woman in the car behind us tells us it is free for bicycles going back to the mainland. So we roll right to the front, rejoicing in one of the very few moments when a bicycle has more rights than a car.
In Texas they call them courtesy lanes. I don't think they had cyclists in mind but they are nice riding.
I would give directions to the multi use path, or MUP, system from Mukilteo, but I’m still not sure how we found it. I had directions printed off of Google Maps but after talking to a driver at the fruit stand where we stopped who said, “I’ve been delivering here for 15 years and I’ve never heard of Natures Path Road” we abandoned those and used the Droid to find another route. But after getting well and truly lost again we stopped at a fishing tackle store where we were told how to get to the Burke-Gilman trail. We got a few miles closer using his directions but still had to rely on the Droid for the last few miles.
We finally crossed Bothell Drive and were on the trail. A chatty Seattle cyclist lady gave us directions to the Sammamish Trail, but by thus time I was having none of it and decided to trust the Droid from here to Bellevue.
Finally, we are on the Burke-Gilman Trailmaking up some time......Please, Seattle, if it's not asking too much, more signs!The shiny, happy town of Bellevue
I have to give kudos to Seattle for their MUP system but I wonder if they could scrounge a few dollars more for some signage. Once we got on the Burke-Gilman we still were confused and took a number of wrong turns before we got to the Sammamish Trail and ultimately to the 520 Trail. But not before a detour over the Bridal Crest Trail, which is dirt and very steep. And then we literally were ejected onto a suburban neighborhood street with no idea where the trail went until we saw a bike rider appear from a barricaded abandoned road which was the access to the 520 Trail continuing toward Bellevue.
Once back to our starting point in Bellevue we both had to agree that this tour was a success. No mechanical failures and no major physical problems presented themselves. This is a spectacular part of the country. I really didn’t realize the extent of the rugged mountains and wilderness which exist so close to Seattle and which we could see in the distance every day of our ride. We plan to do some more bike touring here in the near future.
August 2, 2011 Each decision we make when bike touring is meaningful and can have an impact that is more significant than it might be if we were traveling by automobile. I have developed a habit of stopping at produce stands, grocery stores and restaurants if they look decent whether or not I need to right at that moment. I don’t know when the next opportunity will come and backtracking on the bike is often not an option.
That habit pays off this morning when we stop at the Boatyard Coffee Shop in, you guessed it, the boatyard in Port Townsend. A small loaf of made in house raisin and nut bread, sliced in half and served with cream cheese and jelly would supply the glucose drip I needed for the next few hours.
I did not follow my own rule when on Whidbey Island we passed by the Red Apple Market. We did not see another store the rest of the day. Not a major problem because we had planned on eating our emergency ration of food tonight anyway since it was to be our last night, but it was an inconvenience because we had no beer. As we were explaining our predicament to the campground host in South Whidbey State Park a fellow camper (who had a car) overheard us and offered to buy us beer in the town 6 miles down the road when they went later this evening. I made the exchange with the beer fairy later in the parking lot and we both felt as though we were doing something illegal. Pretty funny. Thanks, beer fairy!
Another ride on a big boat over to Whidbey Island. The landscape is a little different over here and the traffic seems a little lighter. Really nice riding on Whidbey Island, probably my favorite so far. Apparently this is a popular place for Seattleites to come ride. There is a nice 80 mile or so loop around the island from the Clinton ferry terminal. For us this was about a 28 mile day on the bikes.
On the 28th of July we drove to Bellevue, WA to attend a relative’s wedding. On the 4th we are going to Sky King’s family reunion on Snoqualmie Pass. In the intervening days we are bike touring. Originally I was going to post a journal on crazyguyonabike, but that site has been down today while I’m updating so I decided to post the tour journal here too.
Once we are in the bike touring mode and all our gear is readily accessible and we’re mentally and physically ready, it is easy to sandwich in a 3 or 4 day tour. It doesn’t take a huge amount of planning and we were going to be in Seattle anyway. It’s not as if a person has to quit their job or even take major time off in order to go touring.
On the 31st we rode to the Seattle ferry terminal and took the Bainbridge ferry. From there we started riding towards Port Townsend via Fay Bainbridge State Park where we spent the night. Getting to the ferry terminal from Bellevue was a piece of cake on the I90 Trail and the Mountains to Sound Trail. The 305 out of the town of Bainbridge Island has a beautiful, wide shoulder with a nice surface but the amount of automobile traffic is astounding. It was only about 4 miles to the turn off on Day Road but the relative silence was immediately apparent as soon as we got off 305. Then it was a couple more bucolic miles to the state park.
Fay Bainbridge State Park is a wedge of land opening to Puget Sound and holding back housing developments on both sides. Weathered, beam straight cedar logs are spread out on the black volcanic sand, but not in a jumble, rather aligned with the shoreline up to the high tide water’s edge. The view of the sound and Mt Rainier and the Seattle Skyline and the North/Canadian Cascades is nothing short of breathtaking.
While in Bainbridge Island we hit the Safeway and bought beer and vegetables so we were able to make past primavera for dinner. This park only charges $5.00 per bicycle because they want to encourage that type of behavior and the showers are 25 cents for a minute and a half. Good place to stay!
Preparing to leave Bellevue.One of the best things about bike touring is these short breaks with nothing to do but relax.Almost to the end of the first 18 mile day!
In March of 2011 I rode across East Texas and Louisiana. I wanted to ride through south Louisiana into New Orleans but it was difficult to find information about cycling routes and the possibilities of getting stuck and lost in the swamps was a little too daunting and so I stuck with the Adventure Cycling maps of the Southern Tier. Since then I came across this guide originally posted on crazyguyonabike by Don Weinell and he kindly gave me permission to reprint it here. I really appreciate Don’s well researched and documented article. Sounds as though this could be a nice little adventure. So without further ado:
Note – 25 Apr 2011: I made a correction regarding the Wisner Boulevard Bike Path in New Orleans. It stops before the I-610 bridge, not the I-10 Bridge.
Note – 22 Feb 2011: I’ve changed the name of this article so that it will be more easily found by non-CGOABers doing a Google or Bing search.
I recently posted a link to Google Maps for an alternate route across south Louisiana. Unfortunately sometimes this link worked, sometimes it didn’t. So I’ve decided to embed the maps here and add more detailed explanations of the route. I’ve also deleted the other posting.
First, a few general comments about riding in south Louisiana:
While most of our federal highways have shoulders, very few state and parish highways do. If shoulders are present, they are usually poorly maintained.
Riding on the Interstates is illegal. The other main US highways across south Louisiana are US 190 and US 90. Both are busy roadways and should be avoided as much as possible by cyclists. East of New Orleans, however, US 90 is your only option.
Unless you are riding on the Southern Tier, chances are you will the first bicycle tourist most drivers here have ever seen. As a whole, our drivers are no less courteous than drivers elsewhere; they’re just not used to watching for cyclists. This means you have to be extra cautious around traffic.
Free roaming dogs are not nearly as common as they used to be, but in rural areas you still might get chased from time to time.
This may sound like a cliche’, but in south Louisiana, especially in southwest Louisiana, alligators really do cross the road (to get to the other side, of course). I can’t even remember the last time someone was actually attacked by a gator. Like all wild animals though, you should not provoke them. They are quite fast over short distances. Don’t try to get close to take a picture. Just let them cross and then you can be on your way.
Mosquitos, on the other hand, will chase you mercilessly. DEET is your best friend.
In southwest Louisiana there are still areas where cell phone service is not available.
I’ve divided the route into two separate maps; one for southeast Louisiana and one for the southwestern section. My comments are arranged as you ride from east to west. In downtown New Orleans, and in a couple of smaller towns, many of the streets are one-way. If you’re travelling from west to east, you may have to deviate one block to either side of the mapped route to accommodate the one-way traffic patterns.
Southeast Louisiana
Mississippi State Line westward to Lake Fausse Pointe State Park
Pearl River: The Pearl River forms the eastern boundary of this part of Louisiana. The US 90 bridge is located just west of Pearlington, Mississippi. The bridge doesn’t have shoulders, but luckily it’s flat, not very long, and usually doesn’t have much traffic.
The Rigolets: The Rigolets is the main water connection between Lake Pontchartrain and the Gulf of Mexico. Google Maps’ Street View still shows the old (and dangerous) drawbridge that was replaced after Hurricane Katrina. The new bridge is taller, but has nice wide shoulders and is much safer for cyclists.
Fort Pike: Built in the 1820s, Fort Pike protected New Orleans from potential invasions through Lake Pontchartrain. It is now a State Historic Site. Recent budget cuts have forced the closure of the park to visitors except by appointment, but you can get a good view of it from the highway.
New Orleans: Like any large city, there are good areas and not-so-good areas of town. My route through New Orleans will keep you out of the rougher neighborhoods, and still let you experience the flavor of the city that is uniquely New Orleans. The only way to enter the city by bicycle from the east is along US 90. This highway is really not too bad until you get into the city. The closer you get to New Orleans, the more congested it gets and the more seedier the surroundings become. The east side of New Orleans was flooded during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and the scars (more like open wounds) are still very visible.
Bullard Avenue: There are several main roads that turn north from US 90. Bullard Avenue is busy, but it’s much better than Read, Crowder, or Downman. A couple of new chain hotels (Holiday Inn Express, La Quinta, and Comfort Suites) are located where Bullard crosses under Interstate 10.
Morrison Road: As your bones get jarred by the poor pavement of Morrison Road, you’re bound to think “There’s gotta be a better way!” Trust me, there isn’t. All of the roads in this area are bad. They were never great, but being under water for a week or two made them even worse. Also, for some unknown reason that defies logic, Morrison Road between Read and Bullard is one way (west) on the north side of the canal, but two-way on the south side of the canal.
New Orleans Industrial Canal: Three bridges cross the New Orleans Industrial Canal. One is the I-10 bridge, so that won’t do you any good. The second is the US 90 bridge. It has a pedestrian walkway, but the risks involved with just getting to the bridge far outweigh the benefits of the walkway. Your safest choice is the bridge on Leon C. Simon Drive, the one I’ve plotted on the map. It doesn’t have shoulders or a walkway, but it has less traffic and is in a somewhat safer part of town.
Leon C. Simon Drive: Normally I would have recommended you ride along Lakeshore Drive after crossing the Leon C. Simon bridge. Currently, however, there is so much construction around the University of New Orleans and Southern University that it’s impossible to get to Lakeshore Drive. So, for the time being, it’s better just to stay on Leon C. Simon Drive until you get to Robert E. Lee Boulevard. Continue west for a short distance on Robert E. Lee Boulevard until you get to Beauregard Avenue.
Wisner Boulevard Bike Trail: As you turn south onto Bearegard Avenue from Robert E. Lee Boulevard, the road changes names to Wisner Boulevard. You’ll see a well-marked, paved bike trail that runs between Wisner Boulevard and the canal. It ends right before the Wisner Boulevard bridge over I-610.
City Park: One of the great urban parks in the country. It was devastated by Hurricane Katrina, but private contributions are helping it to recover. The New Orleans Museum of Art is located within the park.
Esplanade Avenue: As you leave City Park and head towards the French Quarter, you’ll ride along Espanade Avenue. This road, like most of the roads you’ve been on so far, has two lanes in each direction separated by a median. On Esplanade, however, the outermost lane in each direction is pretty narrow. Most vehicles stay in the left lanes. Cars park along the street, so your biggest danger is probably from doors opening. There are sidewalks on both sides, but given the amount of pedestrians, it’s usually safer and faster to stay on the road.
French Quarter: What can I say about the French Quarter that hasn’t already be said by many others? As you ride through this part of the city, make sure you visit the French Market. You may also enjoy seeing the rare white alligators at the Aquarium of the Americas.
St.Charles Avenue: This is likely the second most well-known street in New Orleans (behind Bourbon Street). Downtown, St. Charles is one-way, but after a traffic circle it becomes two-way. Like Esplanade, St. Charles Avenue west of the circle has two lanes going in each direction separated by a median. In this median you’ll see the famous New Orleans streetcars travelling down the tracks. St. Charles Avenue is lined with restaurants, shops, and old homes. A lot of joggers use the median, dodging the streetcars occasionally, so most of the drivers are on alert.
Audubon Park: Another great greenspace of the city. It is home to the Audubon Zoo and Insectarium.
Mississippi River Levee Trail: This is the longest true bike path in the city, and the easiest way to leave New Orleans heading west. It begins at the south edge of Audubon Park, is paved, and extends 20 miles to Ormand Boulevard in Destrehan. As you leave Audubon Park on West Drive, it becomes one-way out of the park. Immediately after you cross the railroad tracks, you’ll see the start of the bike trail on your right. Pay attention; it’s not marked and if you’re watching other traffic you might miss it.
Bonnet Carre Spillway: While riding on River Road, you’ll pass to the north of the Bonnet Carre Spillway floodgates. During times of exceptionally high water levels on the Mississippi River, the floodgates are opened to divert water to Lake Pontchartrain. The idea is to reduce pressure on the levees of New Orleans. During dry periods, motorcyclists, ATVers, and mountain bikers enjoy riding on numerous trails within the spillway.
Reserve-Edgard Ferry: The Reserve-Edgard Ferry is the easiest and safest way to cross the Mississippi River. Unfortunately it only operates on weekdays from 5:15 AM to 8:00 PM. The ferry is closed on Saturdays and Sundays and sometimes due to weather or mechanical issues.
Gramercy Bridge: Heading east to west, the Gramercy Bridge should be your second choice for a river crossing. It is tall and long, but it does have wide shoulders. The shoulders, however, have diagonally placed reflectors on the pavement (obviously designed to force cyclists to play in the traffic). I would definitely consider walking my bike over this bridge. If, on the other hand, you are travelling west to east, do not pass this bridge by without first checking the status of the Reserve-Edgard Ferry. To get the latest ferry status, call 1-888-613-3779 for recorded information. Also, don’t get suckered into trying to cross the Sunshine Bridge at Donaldsonville; it’s a much more dangerous bridge for cyclists!
Oak Alley Plantation: Oak Alley is perhaps the most photographed plantation home in Louisiana. As you ride by, you’ll understand why. They have an inn on-site, and I’ve heard that they occasionally allow cyclists to pitch a tent on the grounds.
Cane Row RV Park and Truck Stop: Located west of the intersection of LA 70 and LA 3127, I normally wouldn’t consider camping at this spot. If you’re running short on daylight, though, this is the only campground anywhere nearby. Most of the campers appear to be semi-permanent residents or snowbirds. On the plus side, there is a restaurant and convenience store on-site.
Cajun Cabins: These cabins are on LA 70 at Bayou Corne (east of Pierre Part). They are mainly used by fishermen, but they have a few RV spots next to them. I’m sure tent campers would also be welcomed. The cabins are clean, and there’s a fishing pier that makes a nice place to relax after a hard day’s ride.
Pierre Part Store: This is one of the few small town general hardware stores that hasn’t been crushed under the heels of you-know-who. That in itself is worth a visit to buy something.
Lake End Park: A small, privately owned, well established campground on the west side of Lake Palourde. It might seem a little expensive (around 25 dollars I think), but it’s the only such campground near Morgan City.
International Petroleum Museum: If you’ve ever wanted to see an offshore drilling rig up close and personal, this is the place to do it. The musuem is located on the east bank of the Atchafalaya River in downtown Morgan City.
Lake Fausse Point State Park: This state park is located within the Atchafalaya River basin (the largest freshwater river swamp in the US). In addition to camping, they have excellent waterfront cabins. You can also rent a canoe and follow well-marked paddling trails in the swamp.
Southwest Louisiana
Lake Fausse Pointe State Park to Deweyville, Texas St. Martinville: This is the legendary home of Longfellow’s fictional heroine Evangeline. A monument and museum on the banks of Bayou Teche tell her story. Just north of town on LA 31 is the Longfellow-Evangeline State Historic Park. Here you can learn about the origins of Louisiana’s Acadian culture.
Avery Island: When you think of hot sauce, you think of Tabasco. And when you think of Tabasco, you think of Louisiana. Avery Island is the home of Tabasco. Here you can visit the actual factory and, depending on the time of year, watch the various stages of production. Across from the Tabasco factory is Jungle Gardens. The gardens are a great place to bird watch and see alligators. A 900 year old statue of Buddha forms the centerpiece of the gardens.
Delcambre: At Delcambre, you can go straight west on LA 14 to Abbeville, or you can follow my route south and back around to Abbeville. LA 14 is a four-lane highway with lots of traffic and a 65 mph speed limit.
Palmetto Island State Park: Louisiana’s newest state park, Palmetto Island is also slated to close in June, 2011, due to state budget cuts. Hopefully additional funds will be found to keep it open. Until then, camping, hiking, and cabins are available in the park.
Intracoastal Waterway: This man-made canal allows ocean going vessels to sail between New Orleans and Houston without actually getting into the unprotected water of the Gulf of Mexico. The bridge over the ICWW is long and tall, but a wide shoulder is present.
Pecan Island: Even though it looks like a town on maps, Pecan Island is actually just a concentration of homes and hunting/fishing camps that extends five or so miles along LA 82. One convenience store and several small RV parks are located in this area. Even though they are called RV parks, some are well suited for tents due to the parking spots being grassy.
Rockefeller State Wildlife Refuge: I’ve been visiting Rockefeller Refuge off and on for over 30 years. It is a remarkable place. Hurricane Rita (the other hurricane) in 2005 severely damaged most of the buildings. A few have been repaired, but many are still awaiting renovation or demolition. The refuge normally doesn’t allow camping, but if you visit the headquarters near the western boundary, and ask nicely, they will probably let you to pitch a tent overnight. Just remember that there are no amenities available. Also, if you get permission, try to ride out to the end of Price Lake Road. Depending on the season, numerous species of waterfowl may be seen.
Rutherford Beach: Where LA 82 turns sharply to the north towards Creole, you can cross the canal and continue west for one mile. Turn south onto Rutherford Beach Road and follow it around for 2.5 miles to the beach. Not much is left here since Hurricane Rita, but you have access to the beach. All beaches in Louisiana are considered public, so if you’re looking for a free place to camp, this is as good as any.
T-Boy’s Cajun Grill: Return back to LA 82 and head north to Creole. Located at the intersection of LA 82 and LA 27, this restaurant is very popular with the locals for two reasons. First, it’s the only place to eat for miles around, and secondly, the food is really good. My recommendation is the chicken and sausage gumbo. It’s among the best I’ve ever had.
Cameron: Cameron is the closest thing to an actual town in this area. It was almost wiped away by Hurricane Rita. A number of new buildings have been constructed, but the population is still far less than before the storm. Many empty foundations are visible. There is one motel in Cameron, appropriately named the Cameron Motel. There are no other motels within possibly 40 miles. I have heard, but I’m not personally familiar with this, that free camping is allowed south of Cameron near the jetties.
Cameron Ferry: This ferry is the only way to cross the Calcasieu River south of Lake Charles. North of Lake Charles there are two bridges along US 171, but neither have shoulders. The Cameron Ferry runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Holly Beach: At Holly Beach you have another major choice to make. You can continue riding west on LA 82 for another 26 miles to the Texas state line. This route through Louisiana is fine, but you run into a problem eight miles into Texas. The bridge over the Port Arthur ship channel is old, tall, long, and dangerous for cyclists. There is no shoulder at all, and the ramps are steep. This bridge is the only way to cross the channel. Unless you have a real reason to enter Texas here, you should definitely avoid this route. My recommendation is to turn north onto LA 27 at Holly Beach and cross into Texas further up at Deweyville. At Holly Beach, there is a small RV park, but no stores.
Sabine National Wildlife Refuge: Assuming that you chose to follow my advice, as you head north from Holly Beach you will soon enter the Sabine National Wildlife Refuge. About 2.5 miles into the refuge from the south, you will find a paved nature trail that leads westward into the marsh to an observation tower. Along this trail I’ve seen all sorts of snakes, alligators, nutria, rabbits, and a variety of birds. Again, make sure you have plenty of bug spray.
Hackberry: I’m not aware of any camping near here, but there are several small hotels in Hackberry that cater to hunters and fishermen. Some are nicer than others.
Delta Downs: This is a horse racetrack and casino, and not someplace you would normally think about staying. They do, however, have a nice hotel on-site. Delta Downs is located on LA 3063, about 2.5 miles west of Vinton.
Niblett Bluff Park: Niblett Bluff Park is the last good camping area before you leave Louisiana. It is a small community owned and maintained park located on Niblett Bluff Road, about 2.5 miles west of the intersection of LA 3063 and LA 109.
Sabine River: As you cross the Sabine River, you’ll leave Louisiana and enter Texas at Deweyville. The LA 12 bridge over the river has no shoulders, but it’s short, flat, and has only minimal traffic. If you continue west from Deweyville on TX 12 for three miles, then turn north on TX 87 and ride 31 miles, you’ll connect with the Southern Tier just east of Kirbyville, Texas.
So, that’s the grand tour of south Louisiana. I hope you enjoy your ride through some of the most ecologically and culturally unique areas of our state. From New Orleans in the east, to the marsh prairies of the west, south Louisiana has a lot to offer if you take the time to look. If you have any questions, post them in the guestbook and I’ll do my best to answer them.
But as always when riding, it got better. 
West Texas is a country unto itself. I am a lover of wide open spaces and certainly got my fill of beautiful, quiet, rugged country.
