Update 3/25
Day #33
Today: Shreveport, LA, to Ruston, LA (87 miles)
Total miles: 1801
Tomorrow: Delhi, LA
The rain stopped overnight, and we awoke to clear skies and a temperature in the mid-50s. We departed Shreveport at 9:30 AM after a great breakfast prepared by Bart who wanted to make sure we were well fortified for our trip. Sue has been giving me a hard time because I always write about riding conditions (hills, etc) and the weather (wind speed and direction), so today I'll try to mention something else. How about people? Well, we've been very fortunate to be able to visit the children of my sister Mary and her husband Walter. First, in Chandler, AZ, and then in Shreveport, LA; all three of their children and all nine of their grandchildren. Also, we continue to meet great people along our route. Everyone we meet is interested in our trip and wants to find out what motivates us to do this (that is another way of saying that some people think we're crazy). Now, how about the countryside along the way. Well, obviously as we have progressed eastward from the more arid western part of the country, we have observed quite a change in the vegetation. We are a little early for the full display of wild flowers (blue bonnets, Indian paint brushes, etc), but we have seen the beginnings. In East Texas and Louisiana we have seen lots of dogwood (even some pink ones) and wisteria along the roadside, and lots of azaleas around people's houses. We now see the full spectrum of types of trees, including all kinds of deciduous trees and lots of pine trees.
By the way, the route was relatively flat, although we did have some roller-coaster areas, and the wind was from the southeast at about a steady 10 mph, as usual, a head wind.