Leaving Galveston was not easy. I could have been very comfortable there for a few more days. Victorian architecture, beaches, great people and food. Anytime I stay more than a night it becomes a little more difficult to leave. I was even invited to a Thanksgiving dinner from a group of people I had met.

I had a little bit of a setback the previous night and lost my advertising links and revenue. Accepting that and getting back on the road has a therapeutic effect. I was also looking forward to Louisiana and getting into a new state. I purposely kept the mileage down because I was in need of a haircut, wash the Tiger and do some laundry. I was also craving some Cajun Gumbo!

I left on the Bolivar Ferry out of Galveston at 9 am. The ferry is a free state service that connects Galveston Island the the Bolivar Peninsula and is a continuation of highway 87 North. Straight away road that runs through summer beach home communities and fishers are parked everywhere with lines or nets in the water.

Oil and gas refineries, offshore platforms, pumping stations and other related industries are present in Port Arthur  and visible off the coastline as you enter Louisiana. Intercoastal waterways are crossed by expansive two lane bridges that rise out of nowhere. Amazingly, the beaches and bayous are pristine. The mix of enormous wildlife refuges and parks with industry is curious but effective. I encountered my first alligator warning road sign!

I got into Sulphur, Louisiana at 2 and rode around town looking for a barber, wand wash and an authentic looking Cajun Kitchen. By 5:30 I had found all three and headed back to the motel to start laundry and eat my gumbo. The haircut is high and tight but I did spend two hours in the barber shop listening to hunting stories and thick accents.

Today I am deciding whether to make a two day ride to North Carolina. I met and talked to a Hells Angel who worked on the ferry. A great guy who was very enthusiastic about me going and riding the “Tail of the Dragon” in the Smoky Mountains. I spoke with another rider this summer in Idaho who had said exactly the same thing. The changing autumn colors and the ride are a must. It is a two day ride from here and I can then wind south down through the Carolinas. It would mean interstates for two days and three states, which I can revisit on the way back. Decisions, decisions….