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Summer Road Trip_2014 DayThree

Sunrise over Lake Charles Louisiana is choked with chemical and refinery plants belching thick smoke out over the water...not exactly a pretty site. We are well rested, the bikes are clean (never leave the parking lot without cleaning my bike...I usually do it right after climbing off for the day, but I was toooo tired last night), and we are ready for Texas.

One exit past the hotel, we leave I-10 and pick up 90 west; yet another wonderful old road that the interstate has sucked the life out of.  There is a 'gentlemens club,' with a sign out front advertising 25-30 sexy women....I'm guessing if you can find 25 sexy young women in Lake Charles, you would be lucky, let alone ones willing to dance topless off highway 90.  And I was fascinated with the varying 25-30; perhaps after daylight and you had a chance to sober up, at least five would not be so sexy afterall.  Funky old 'filling' stations sit abandoned, or lay claim to antique stores selling bits and pieces of a bygone era. I-10 should have been an indication of the condition of the secondary road....but nooooo, I had to do it. The road is a challenge, but you have to overlook that and enjoy the ancient oaks that shade the asphalt and the sweet, fragrant scent  of magnolia blossoms.  

Before I had a chance to sample the homemade boudin balls....we had crossed the Texas state line! The sign at the welcome center cautioned us to beware of snakes...which reminded me of the trip my girls and I took around the Gulf coast to see the sea turtles. We are went out to Galveston Island to camp, the girls were all excited to swim, we head over the dunes and on the boardwalk are signs warning of poisonous snakes!! 

We took SR69 north out of Beaumont; decided we didn't want to go through Houston, just up and over on backroads to Austin.  The posted speed limit in Texas is 75mph....either a.) Texans got somewhere to be and want to get there, or b.) they prefer all visitors just get around the great state as fast as they can. Even on the secondary roads we squeezed the throttle and hauled as. 

SR69 is a wonderful ride through the SamHouston National Forest. As soon as we connected with SR190 west, I spied Manny's Shrimp Boat restaurant...their specialty was Boudin Balls! Since I didn't get any in Lousiana, I honked at Paul and motioned for him to turn in quick! What a great choice; obviously a Cajun transplanted to east Texas! Funky decor, great waiter, decent prices. Theres spicey, then theres Cajun spicey!  The Boudin balls had my eyelids sweating! Standing in the parking lot reapplying sunblock, I hear thunder coming from the direction we intend to go....we dug out rain gear and checked the radar....the severe weather we missed yesterday caught up with us! The sky was extremely dark and the wind was blowing in sideways, not to mention the temp had dropped several degrees!  We set out into the belly of the beast...I really hate riding in the rain, but sometimes its necessary. Cautiously we made our way across Lake Livingston and down to Huntsville. By the time we got to Bryan and College Station the sun was out, we stopped to take off rain gear (once you are damp and the sun is out, you start feeling like a leftover in damp rain gear).   I check my phone messages and realize I am being asked to interview for a Reading Coach position on Tuesday!!  I have to call and let the secretary know its not gonna happen!

21 and 290 west are fabulous roads; we trucked along at 75 mph and rarely saw another vehicle...didn't even see any bikes on the road!  Rolling hills, vast ranchland, and tiny towns like Dime Box and Old Dime Box which were not even wide spots in the road, they just warranted a slower than 75mph speed limit! And the best was the Whoop Stop just before we hit 290 west to Austin.  

We arrive at the Holiday Inn in Austin in intermittent rain; anxious for a hot shower and some Texas BBQ at Stubbs in downtown Austin!  Thank you God for safe travel today!

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