Flash Floods

No photos today as I have been caught by the flash flooding in the south of the States. I have managed to avoid the storms over the last few days but got it today. I am in Guntersville in Alabama and the TV keeps switching to flood warnings. I will be sleeping with my bike gear on tonight for a quick escape. I have also looked out my water-wings. Apart from that this is a very nice area on  Lake Guntersville and I am about to go to the bar to forget about the weather. Got interviewed by the local paper this afternoon which went well. Thanks to Donny at the Boondock Bar and Grill for setting that up. Hope the folks of Guntersville can drop a few dollars into the charity Paypal on the website. The website for Guntersville is different  to many websites advertising resorts as the headline is very accurate…….Water, Water Everywhere! http://www.guntersvilleal.org/home/index.php  Tomorrow to Nashville…hopefully!

Natchez Trace Parkway

Now in Alabama in a place called Muscle Shoal. I travelled through Mississippi using the scenic and historic roadway called Natchez Trace Parkway. Extending 444 miles through Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee, it begins in Natchez, Mississippi, and, generally following a Native American trail in a northeasterly direction, ending near Nashville, Tennessee. It passes through the Mississippi cities of Jackson and Tupelo and crosses Tombigbee National Forest in Mississippi and the Tennessee River in the northwestern corner of Alabama. Established in 1938 and administered by the U.S. National Park Service, the narrow parkway covers a total area of 81 square miles. There is a strict 50mph speed limit which makes you slow down and appreciate the forest and manicured fields that skirt the road. Not much to say about Muscle Shoal other than the Mexican Restaurant is very good. Photos: Natchez Trace Parkway and yet more of a Scottish influence.

 

The Giant Causeway

No, I have not landed in Ireland, this is the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, Louisiana. This is the longest bridge over water in the entire world, spanning 23.9 miles from Metairie on the South Shore to St. Tammany Parish on the North Shore.  The original span opened to the public in 1956 as a two way, two lane bridge.  In 1969 a second two lane span opened, substantially increasing the bridge's safety when each span became a one way, two lane route for many commuters.  The parallel spans are 80 feet apart and seven crossovers connect the spans for use as pull-over areas for  emergencies. (The causeway even has its own police force). Each span has a road width of 28 feet. Over 30,000 cars cross the Causeway bridge each workday. There is a $3 toll on one side of the bridge in one direction and it was in the north side…so no toll. As for the lake…technically this 610 square mile body of water is an estuary, not a lake, because it connects to the Mississippi and has salt-water content. It took over 25 minutes constant riding to cross. Nice weather up until I reached here when the heavens opened. Good timing! Now in Forest, Mississippi and heading toward Tennessee tomorrow.

 

The Big Easy

Another great place to visit. Got the full tour of the French Quarter last night thanks to Mark and Susan who gave me the grand tour. Mark is an ex Military cop and Susan was in the army too. Great laugh…thanks folks. Did the tourist trail today and loved the place. Live blues and jazz everywhere and ……..yes….karaoke?  Also had lunch in Bubba Gump Shrimp Company  dedicated to the movie Forest Gump. Worth a visit if in N.O even if it is just for the Shrimp Cajun and Garlic Basket. Weather is good today but very humid. Heading north tomorrow. Attached- some photos from around the city.

 

New Orleans - French Quarter

Arrived in the pouring rain…nice now thankfully. Went to the last known address of a long lost uncle here in the city. Unfortunately he died some years ago but I got a lot of stories from the neighbours and it appeared he was a well known and liked character. He died before hurricane Katrina which wrecked his house. The new owner Patrick and his wife invited me in for something to eat and could not get over that fact that “A dude from Scotland came to their house on a motorcycle”. Nice couple. In a hotel in the French Quarter (new Orleans Courtyard Hotel) which is really nice with secure parking for the bike and a lovely pool. If you visit Louisiana make sure you go to the tourist office and get hotel coupons as they give massive savings on normal hotel/motel prices. It is similar in Texas but they will call the hotel and book it for a reduced price. Here for 2 days as it looks like a  pretty cool place to be. Will take some photos tonight.

Lafayette - Louisiana

Lafayette is the center of the Cajun culture in Louisiana and the US. Lafayette has a strong tourism industry because of the Cajun and Creole cultures of the surrounding region. The Cajun cuisine is one of the most distinctive cuisines in the US, and perhaps because of the Cajun reputation for good food, it has one of the highest numbers of restaurants per capita of any U.S. city. I sampled the famous Blue Dog Café and it was superb. Apart from the grub and the music Lafayette is just another American town with little else going for it. Tomorrow New Orleans along the Interstate 10 and toward the bayous.

 

Ducking and Diving

Went out on Caddo Lake again with Billy  who is dressing the duck hides for the start of the duck shooting season tomorrow. There are wasps nest in the hides that need destroying….scary…the wasps are not like ours they look like a Star Wars version. After this I went onto the dock on the lake to take some photos. After setting up a self timer shot using my Blackberry to prop up the camera on a rotten tree stump I removed the camera and the Blackberry went down the middle of the tree stump. I heard a plop at the same time as the stump was over water. Goodbye phone. I thought about diving in but remembered about the alligators. Later, when I was in the local restaurant telling my tale of woe a collection of volunteers took on the mission of retrieval. Using a broom handle, duct tape, grippers and a claw hammer it was discovered that the stump was dry inside and the mission began. An hour later and a hole in the side of the stump the phone was recovered. Thanks to all involved. Saved me some real grief. I have moved cabin for tonight and there is a horror movie being shot next door…some really interesting sights and sounds. Thought they were doing the soundtrack tonight but it turns out the crew and actors are having a karaoke….hope they can act better than they can sing. Billy and Dottie were going to give me some venison that Billy had hunted but they thought better of my cooking skills and the potential to burn down the cabin so they have kindly invited me to dinner tonight. A good photo of a turtle basking on a stump and Billy dressing the hide. The photo just before the phone went and one of the many dragonflies on the lake. If you are in East Texas this place is a 'must see' Contact Billy and Dottie Carter-168 N. Mossy Brake Road, Uncertain, Texas 75661. Telephone: 1 903.789.326 Email: info@spatterdock.com - www.spatterdock.com/

Some photos from the swamp

1.       Red Eye Turtle also known as the Red-eared Slider -The normal range for the Red-eared Slider in the United States is from Illinois to the Gulf of Mexico, and the East Coast to western Texas. It has been found in other regions, presumably because people released their pet turtles into those areas. It spends most of its time in or around water. Although it can be found in lakes and rivers, the Red-eared Slider prefers marshes, ponds, and slow-moving water that supply food and basking areas. In northern areas it will hibernate.

2.       Nutria Rat  size of my dog. - Nutrias are very docile animals, easily handled in captivity and curious in the wild. They are semi-aquatic rodents with webbed hind feet and appear to be equally at home in fresh or salt water, warm or cold. In the wild they are totally nocturnal. In captivity they seem to adapt their habits to those of their human companions. An interesting fact about nutrias is that the mammary glands of the female are located high on the back, NOT on the belly. This facilitates feeding the young in their aquatic environment. Nutrias are prolific breeders and one female can produce up to 150 young in 16 months and can breed the year round.

3.       The Plantation House – A fine example of plantation home in this area. This one is located about 10 miles from Uncertain towards Jefferson Texas.

 

Still Uncertain

Still chilling out and riding around this area. Great photographic opportunities. Met Martin and his wife Jan. Martin is from Edinburgh and now lives the good life on the lake with Jan. Also another two from England and relatives on a visit here. The locals are thinking we are trying to retake the colony. Also planning the next leg. Lots of recommendations but the southern Route 10 - Baton Rouge, Lafayette, New Orleans then north to visit our good friends Brad and Julie in Nashville - looks most likely. This route will take in the  Lake Pontchartrain Causeway which is 24 miles long and all the southern bayous. May call in to New Orleans for a day. Meanwhile, a bit of rest on my rockin’ chair on the lake. Some more pics from Caddo Lake. 1. The dock at my cabin 2. The refuge from mosquito or rain (not needed yet) 3. Water Lilly 4. Egret on the lake.

Little Uncertain

Justin, the US marshal told me of a place called Caddo Lake, a town called Uncertain and Billy and Dottie Carter at the lakeside. I booked in for the night and travelled the 13 miles from Jefferson. Amazing place with drooping vines and bayou style lake covered in Water Lilly and pond weed. The noises of insects and frogs/toads make it exactly as you would have imagined the  southern  swamps to be. I have a small cabin called Water Lilly with my private decking dock running out into the lake. I love this place and have booked another 2 days. Billy took me out on the lake last night and it is an awesome sight as the sun sets. Arranging some fishing before I leave….the Catfish here are very tasty!  Billy is also a Harley Davidson mechanic and has a cracking workshop with some re-builds and every Harley part you can think of. Thanks to Billy and Dottie for the great discount and the lake trip. Some photos attached. Bike-wise, the new tyres are scrubbed and my Garmin Zumo 550took another wee funny turn. It died completely as it had done in Berlin.  I have discovered if you hook up the USB to your laptop and start up the laptop then press the bottom 2 buttons on either side of the Garmin simultaneously then it restarts and is ok after this. Anyway it is back up and running. The bike is washed and still shedding Siberian dust. Why is the town called Uncertain? One theory is when cargo boats came down river cargo was clearly labelled for delivery to each town. As there was a literacy problem the company labelled the crates with decks of cards and the boatmen delivered as per the sequence of playing cards. Sometime due to falling into the river or other reasons the playing cards were washed off and all cargo without a playing card was delivered to the last port marked as ‘Uncertain’. Hence the name. Locals say however that the real origin of the name is uncertain?

A Jewel called Jefferson

Jefferson has a population of 2,200. It is a town tastefully preserved and has changed little since 19^th century. You have the magnolia coloured typically southern mansions and the neatly spaced cottages with traditional porches and it is said that porch-sitting is an art in this town. Horse drawn carriages still trundle along the streets. This seems to attract the Harley Davidson crowds and their bandana wearing late middle age wannabe tough bikers. The place is worth a visit. Tomorrow…..Uncertain!

Jefferson, Texas

Ben suggested Jefferson as a place to visit in East Texas. I am here for two days and am heading out onto the Lake O’ Pines for a wee sail tomorrow. This is a beautiful place and I foresee many photos. I am near the border with Louisiana but reluctant to leave Texas as it is such a cool place. Went for a quick pint tonight and met…yes you guessed…Justin, a US Marshal in charge of this area. Got some good ideas re the local area and he is from Oklahoma so good info for there too. Update tomorrow with photos.

New feet for my bike

Called in to Lone Star BMW in Austin Texas. This is a top outfit and fitted me in without a problem. Got two new Metzler Tourance tyres as having done 12k miles they were on their last legs. Got a 15% discount on tyres and labour. There was a ‘Fish Fry’ on at the dealership to raise funds for fans for people who could not afford air conditioning. Met some bikers fron Austin and …yes…another motor patrol officer …Officer Monroe of the Austin Police. Great experience and service at Lone Star BMW.

Austin Texas

Sorry that there has been no blog for a couple of days but I have been busy. I have had a great time at Dan Cohen’s place in Austin. Lovely Texan food, hospitality and football. Yes, I went to see the Longhorns with Jeff and Tim. This was a college game against University of Louisiana. This is not a premiere league game but was attended by 110,000 people at Texas Uni’s stadium. It is not just a game…it is a show. Great experience! Get to a game if you are over here. Also fitted in Louie Mueller’s BBQ in Taylor just outside Austin which is a fantastic meat experience and should not be missed. Thanks to Dan, Tina, Jeff Tim  and Hank for such a memorable visit. Austin is the State Capital of Texas and a population of over 750,000 and growing. In fact it is the fastest growing city in the USA and has been for a few years. It is a major business centre and home to Dell computers.They also call it the live music capital of the world.

Stephensville

In Stephensville which is about half way to Austin where I am meeting with Ben Cohen. Small town but guess what…karaoke at the only bar. Attached is the Brat pack from here singing ….My Way…Thanks to Nathan, a student from here and Ben, a soldier from US Army just back from Iraq and now at college here.  Good student, good soldier…crap singers!

1966 Mustang-Route 66 Travellers

As promised a couple of photos of the two old pals , one from Hertfordshire now living in new Zealand and the other from Illinois. They met at school when they were kids and got together years later to so Route 66 on a 1966 Mustang. Some car.

Back in Scotland

Today I returned to Scotland, Scotland Texas that is with a population of 432 people. Apart from the population  the most obvious difference was the weather…..35degs and sunny.

Wichita, Texas

After a fantastic run in 30 degs I arrived at Wichita, Texas. Well, this is not the most rocking place in the world. In fact the downtown area is like Edinburgh’s Seafield. Having said that I did find somewhere with live music. Found the falls eventually and photo attached. Ended up at the local Doctors today after being bitten by some sort of insect in Colorado or just having a blocked vein ….who knows but there is fang marks on my leg. Anyway the Doc was called Finbar and after seeing my name I got treated for the grand Irish price of $35. He told me if anything emerges from my leg to go to a doctor…..No problem! South tomorrow. Bikewise, the fuel gauge is knacked, otherwise all well. The  Laminer Lip extension on the screen is great for tall people. I should have put it on at the start. The two Touratec Bags attached to the  protection bars at the side of the tank are great and hold lots of stuff in a low position…worth thinking about.

Route 66 -Shamrock, Texas

Came down the US83 from Garden City through Oklahoma and into Texas. Now
in Shamrock which unsurprisingly is very Irish but for the fact that it is
a dry county....no alcohol! The feature of this town is the tastefully
preserved 'U Drop In' Cafe and Gas Station, a sand coloured Art Deco
masterpiece. The pumps still show 79C per gallon but alas..no gas! You can
also drive 4 miles of the old 66. Talking two guys travelling along Route
66 (or what is left of it) in a cherry red 1966 Ford Mustang. Pics
tomorrow, I hope, when he takes the cover off. Been invited to Austin, TX
to meet one of the friends of Zigy who was a fellow presenter at the HU
Convention in Colorado. Deciding the route as I want to see Lake Texacoma
and Fort Worth. Photos- Unidentified creature (Name it please) 2. U Drop
In Cafe 3. Seasoned Traveller passes on experiences at HU Convention