Sunday October 9, 2011, 88 miles (142 km) – Total so far: 797 miles (1,282 km)

This was also a day of bridges. We traversed many of them with some being double bridges. Most of them were very long with good scenery. This is the third day in a row where we immediately were met by a bridge. We enjoy the morning challenge to get us warmed up for the day. Most of the gulf coast ride was on wide shoulders or an excellent beach walkway that goes almost the entire length. There is some sand covering the walkways where we walked the bikes since I am kind of scared of it after my fall. There were also areas where we mixed in with the traffic. It was all cool with most of the drivers understanding and giving us thumbs up. At some of the red lights people would roll down their windows and talk with us. There were two guys that passed us then pulled over and wanted to talk with us. One of the guys was very interested and was planning a bike trip. So I gave them my contact card that has this journal’s address and also Jocelyn’s. About an hour later we were on the beach bike path and there was one of the guys. He had gone home to check out my journal. Well, he had to return to tell me he was also born in Oxnard, California, he is also 58, and his name is Mike too! So we compared notes on growing up there. What a small world. Anyway, he said at our pace we should make it to Slidell, Louisiana today and gave us great directions since we didn’t have a map. Mike, we arrived here at 6 after 88 fun miles today!

Once we entered Louisiana we passed many beautiful Bayous. What a beautiful area along US 90. We then went on to 190 to get here. US 90 continues to New Orleans but we decided to not go there. I just bought a Louisiana map so will see where we head next. What an adventure – not knowing from one day to the next where we will be. I am completely out of my element and loving it! Yesterday I forgot to write about an encounter with a car on one of the shoulder-less roads. As the car passed by the passenger stuck his arm out of the window and pointed across the street. We looked over there at a cemetery. I guess he meant we were going to die. Strange.