May 1, 2021
Day 23 - New Roads to Opelousas
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We started our day with a visit to the Pointe Coupee Parish Museum, located in a historic house built by French settlers in 1760. We learned about the False River, which is an oxbow lake created when the Mississippi River changed course in 1722. What is now the lake was once the course of the river.
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The museum is run by Harry Portier, who gave us a tour and taught us about the history of the False River and the French settlers.
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All the home's artifacts are of the mid to late 18th century.
Kerry was correct about the crop we saw being sugar cane. Harry told us that the French originally grew tobacco and indigo, then cotton. After the boll weevil destroyed the cotton in the early 20th century, sugar cane was planted and has remained the area's primary crop.
The local roads from New Roads to US 190 were in very poor shape. Even where there was a shoulder, they were very uncomfortable to ride. We were so happy to get back on 190 today with it's nice wide smooth shoulder.
At one place, there was a four mile long bridge with no shoulder. There were two lanes in each direction and the traffic was pretty light. Every vehicle moved into the left lane to pass us. About halfway across, a car came up behind, put on his four-ways and acted as an escort for us the rest of the way across. It was a really nice thing for him to do. I didn't get a picture of him following us.
A few miles later, we came to this big bridge. It is the Krotz Springs Bridge over the Atchafalaya River. It also had no bike lane, but again traffic gave us plenty of berth to ride across safely.
Near Krotz Springs, a convoy consisting of four Louisiana state troopers escorting two large pieces of machinery passed us. They were stopped in Krotz Springs and I got a few pictures.
There has been a lot of rain here recently, with some minor flooding.
We have seen several oil wells in Louisiana. This one was pumping today.
Tomorrow was scheduled as a rest day and thunderstorms are forecast all day. We will enjoy that fortunate timing while we sit here and watch it rain.
Today's ride: 45 miles (72 km)
Total: 1,033 miles (1,662 km)
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