Scratching The Itch

This year, Thanksgiving was a breeze for us. We took the easy way out and went to a local restaurant. After dinner, I watched football and snacked all afternoon. By early evening, I was itching for something to do on Black Friday. My wife and daughter started plotting their shopping extravaganza, and I made it abundantly clear that I was having no part of that. Well, to be more accurate, I didn’t have to say a word. They know I’m not going shopping on ANY day, let alone Black Friday.

I wanted to go fishing, so I called my dad to see if he was interested. Unfortunately, my dad was pooped out from cooking and cleaning dishes at my sister’s house. I remember those days. I went to bed and slept on it.

Friday morning, I woke up to a cloudless sky and about 38 degrees. But as soon as the sun broke the horizon, I could feel its heat and knew that it would warm up nicely. I felt like riding, but I also felt like fishing. So I packed the bike with my fishing pole and a lunch and scratched both itches.

I hope you enjoy the pics.

By the time I left the house, it was about 8:30 am and around 45 degrees. I plugged in the heated liner, but never turned it on. I rode south on Hwy 82 to Abbeville and stopped to buy some shrimp.



They had some nice 10-20 count shrimp for a good price, so I bought a few pounds and stuck them in my soft chest to cook this evening for dinner.

I stayed on Hwy 82 heading southwest toward the coast. By mid-morning, the temperature is warming up well and I’m enjoying the ride. The crawfish farmers are already setting out their traps, even though it’s a bit early for that.



This is Suire’s grocery, and it has been open for as long as anyone can remember. They have delicious plate lunches and if I was even the slightest bit hungry, I would have stopped to eat.



This farmer is flooding his field. He doesn’t have Black Friday off. It seems that a farmer’s work is never done.



This is a natural gas compressor station. The product comes in to our coastline via pipeline from off shore, where it is pulled out of the ground. It is pressurized at the compressor station and sent up the line to places all over the country.

I crossed the intracoastal canal and the view from on top of the bridge is pretty good today.



As I get closer to the coast, the topography changes a little. Here, there is more water and the coastal marshes are a special place to visit.



The road here is very straight, but I’m enjoying the scenery so much that it doesn’t matter. I creeped up to the Harley and staggered behind him politely. After a quarter mile, he moved over and waved me around. We waved at each other as I passed.



I slowed down in the village of Pecan Island, which is mostly comprised of some duck hunting and fishing camps. These are raised high above the ground in preparation for hurricanes.



I stopped at the Pecan Island Food Store and filled up my bike. I didn’t really need gas, but these fine folks gotta eat too, so I threw them a little money. The Harley couple stopped too and we talked a bit.



The Harley rider didn’t know what to make of my bike. He never seen one like it before.



I got back on the road heading west. It’s a great day to ride.








Great day for birding, too. The Louisiana coast is one of the best places to watch birds during the Fall and Winter months. This Cooper’s Hawk has a great vantage point from which to watch for prey.



Pretty quiet at this fishing camp this morning. The tide is still going out, so I’m hopeful for good luck at the spot I’m heading to.



Obviously, this is not Yosemite or Mount Rushmore or the Blue Ridge Parkway. But it’s still beautiful in its own rite.



This bicyclists is ATGATT. Well, sort of…..



I crossed the Mermentau River and the tide has slowed down, but I’m here, so I’m going to fish it anyway.



All of these bridges along the coast are turntable styled, to allow for water vessel navigation.



I stopped to fish here, just off of Pumpkin Ridge Road. This is a little off shoot no name bayou that feeds into the Mermentau. I’ve had good luck here before.



Plenty of birds here too. This red tailed hawk is hovering over what is surely a field of mice.



I baited my hook and caught a few small redfish within a few minutes. Things got slow for a little while and just when I was contemplating moving on, my cork sank abruptly. I set the hook and landed this nice redfish.



I like the composition of this picture, but I think it’s a bit over exposed.



This bulkhead makes a great picnic table for me.



After lunch, I fished for another hour or so, and only caught a few small ones. The peace and solitude was nice, though, and I had a great time with my thoughts.

It’s early afternoon, and the weather has warmed up to about 62 degrees. So I’m going to take the long way home. South Cameron High School is the home of the fighting Tarpons!





I turned north on Hwy 27 and stopped at the Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge headquarters. The latest cold front has blown in thousands of Canadian geese.



This was something to see.



Farther up the road, I turned East on Hwy 14 and stopped in the small village of Bell City, Louisiana. All day, I’ve enjoyed virtually zero traffic, as I suppose everyone else ran to the big cities to shop.



This is a flock of maybe 1000 black and white Ibis’s. They were just magnificent to watch.



Now heading generally north and east in the direction of home, I stopped in Lake Arthur to drink some water. The city park here has some beautiful live oak trees



I took the short walk on the pier and enjoyed the solitude of this peaceful lake.



From Lake Arthur, it was a pleasant 45 miles back to the house, with the sun behind me.



Back at the house, I fried up a couple dozen of those shrimp for my wife and I. She enjoyed hearing about my adventure. I was a great day.

Stay thirsty, my friends…

Nice report as always Pants, did you keep that Redfish?

Gunny, thanks pants. Nothing but grey here today.

Thanks for sharing some sunshine with us 'pants!

Got a little seat time today too...cold ride but always good to take in a few local twisties.

--G

Well done my friend. Always good to see, read, imagine places never before seen by the dcarver eyeballs.

John - I actually brought my fillet knife and planned to clean one or two for dinner that evening. But when I found those nice shrimp at that price, I bought as much as I could fit in my small soft ice chest and that left no room for fish. So I left the nice one on the grass for a couple minutes hoping that someone would drive by so that I could offer it to them. When no one showed (it was real quiet at that spot), I released the ole girl back into the water with big thanks.

Carver - this is the time of year to see my home. The weather is mild and dry and there are a ton of options. If you (or anyone else) ever get the itch, please come on down and give me a holler. I'd be most happy to show you around. As previously mentioned, it's not the most picturesque place in the world. But every place has it's nuances, including here. In my travels, I've learned that every place has something to offer. There is still much left to see, and I hope desperately to see it all.

"The latest cold front has blown in thousands of Canadian geese."

Canada geese, not Canadian geese

Otherwise, great RR. While I might not relish the thought of riding in the deep south from June to September, I am insanely jealous of anybody who has a reasonable expectation of being able to ride all year long! (You can always do a more northerly excursion at the height of the heat and humidity but we Northerners are pretty much locked in once the snow flies and temperatures drop to single digits and below.) Not to mention the salt, sand, slush, ice etc...

I got out for a nice run yesterday (250 miles or so) but I suspect it may be the last time until late March! Bike got a bath, a top-up of non-ethanol gas and a shot of fuel stabilizer.



Canada Goose

"Carver - this is the time of year to see my home. The weather is mild and dry and there are a ton of options. If you (or anyone else) ever get the itch, please come on down and give me a holler. I'd be most happy to show you around. As previously mentioned, it's not the most picturesque place in the world. But every place has it's nuances, including here. In my travels, I've learned that every place has something to offer. There is still much left to see, and I hope desperately to see it all."

Click to expand...

I feel the same way about our deserts. Others see blah. I see fascination and wonder. I just may take you up on your offer. First must rehab the wonder knee.

RossKean said:

"The latest cold front has blown in thousands of Canadian geese."Canada geese, not Canadian geese

Otherwise, great RR. While I might not relish the thought of riding in the deep south from June to September, I am insanely jealous of anybody who has a reasonable expectation of being able to ride all year long! (You can always do a more northerly excursion at the height of the heat and humidity but we Northerners are pretty much locked in once the snow flies and temperatures drop to single digits and below.) Not to mention the salt, sand, slush, ice etc...

I got out for a nice run yesterday (250 miles or so) but I suspect it may be the last time until late March! Bike got a bath, a top-up of non-ethanol gas and a shot of fuel stabilizer.

Canada Goose

Click to expand...

The Canada Geese are a real nuisance here in CA. They come down here and shit all over our golf courses and eat everything in sight. I once heard the farmers in the prairie providences pay hunter to shoot them. Apparently they ravage the grain crops there.

They are beautiful birds but a pain in the ass if present in their usual numbers. Goose shit in parks, golf courses and beaches. Coliform contamination in lakes too.

Great RR and pictures.

Black Friday shopping for peace of mind. Good stuff Pants.