Month: March 2016

Today is the first day of the Cycle Zydeco 4 day ride and John Jensen’s significant Birthday!

After a quick breakfast we gathered for a mass start because several of the roads at the start of the race are very busy – and that shortened the time the sheriff needed to block off the intersections.

At the mass start

One of the Point of Interests along the route

There were a number of interesting things along the route today. A brewery (samples), a sustainable farm, a goat farm (goat cheese), and a number of others.

We stopped for lunch in St. Martinville and had great food – but it took a long time to get to our table. After lunch the weather looked threatening – but held off for a while and then started raining. Not bad but enough to wet things down. We were almost to the end of the ride when the Birthday Boy lost pressure in his back tire.

Calling for help

After a quick tube change we all arrived in Breaux Bridge. Some of us sampled the food at the end of the ride (crayfish, corn on the cob, and roasted potatoes) and others chose to refrain. We left our bikes in the corral – and took the shuttle back to the Windham Hotel in Lafayette. After a quick shower we jumped in the hotel’s van and headed to dinner at Dark Roux where we celebrated the Birthday Boy Big Time – we had help from afar – Herb and Ruth sent champagne, and Erik and Megan sent a tequila shot for John and some wonderful deserts for everyone.

Toasting with the tequila shot

One of the delicious deserts – liquid nitrogen cooled milk with fresh baked cookies from the oven!

Stay tuned for what happens tomorrow. It may be weather dependent.

We had breakfast at the Wyndham Garden Inn and then headed out for the Swamp Tour on a local
wilderness preserve. The guide was very informative and showed us lots of alligators and birds
and all aspects of the swamp/bayou/lake we visited. After a great lunch at Pats Fisherman’s
Wharf in Henderson we headed back to Lafayette and checked into the bike ride that starts
tomorrow. We had a Cajun/Creole catered dinner at a local theater in Lafayette, Zydeco dance
lessons, and a local Zydeco band – then back to the hotel. Tomorrow we are all doing a 42
mile ride with a mass start at 9:30am with Lunch in St. Martinville, and the finish in Breaux
Bridge. Normally we would have dinner near the finish – but it is someones “special”
birthday tomorrow – so we have reservations back in Lafayette for the BIG celebration!

Picture from yesterday – Dinner at the Blue Dog Cafe

On the Swamp Tour Boat!

Blue Heron

Alligator

Lunch!

After Starbucks stop.

Lunch in Paris!

Motley Crew

After a quick breakfast at our hotel we left Perry, OK shortly after 8am and headed to Stillwater, OK for the nearest Starbucks. We caravanned to Paris, TX where we had a wonderful BBQ lunch at Scholl Brothers. As we continued further south and east towards Lafayette, LA the temp got warmer, and the grass and trees got greener and greener. Finally at about 7:45pm we made it to our destination. We connected with most of the rest of our group who had flown into New Orleans and driven to Lafayette, or Dick and JoAnn who had driven from Louisville, KY. After catching up we all piled in the Hotel Van and went to dinner at the Blue Dog restaurant nearby. Yummm!
Tomorrow we do a swamp tour in the morning and get ready to ride on Thursday.

Paused at a rest stop in Arriba, CO

We left shortly after 7:00 am – headed to the bagel place and then onward to Perry. We chose the I70 to Salina and I135 south to OK route for the first day. Lunch was in Colby, and dinner was in Perry, OK. Staying in a Holiday Inn express in Perry. Tomorrow we do it all again ending up in Lafayette, LA. Just 4 couples driving in 3 cars. Hinks, Switzers, Jensens and Guilfords. Everyone else is flying or have already driven. Susan had to go be with her Mom, but Rick is still riding. WordPress is having issues with IOS 9.3 so may have fewer pix for a while