Todays ride followed a night at the Lone Star Rally which for us did involve a six-mile walk to the rally the night before. Sleep came briefly as you may imagine, a night of traffic on the beach front involving several thousand bikes was not really a quiet one, hey, how often do you get to experience a rally of this magnitude especially impromptu?
First stop of the day was the bay ferry from Galveston. We arrived early bathed in glorious sunshine, but we were soon followed by many many bikes all diligently parked eagerly awaiting the call to board the ferry, what a sight to behold. Talking to folk, the most common reaction we have had; you have ridden from where and you are from England! This was soon accompanied by ride safe, stay safe etc.
We have come across so many friendly people on this trip all willing to talk and pass time. At times I have to keep reminding myself what we are doing here – we are riding across America, a continent and that it is not a series of day excursions. We are embracing a string of cultures, seeing sights and ever changing landscape, also eating a great deal of food. Off the ferry we headed east, up the coast using the 124 towards Port Arthur, then across a huge bridge and along the glorious Gulf Coast, where we stopped on the shoulder to dip toes into the Gulf of Mexico then caught another ferry at Cameron.
Stopping at gas stations we sparked up conversations with the president of a local MC for retired Firemen and a 250lb construction worker, he told us his weight in a thoroughly entertaining conversation. With breakfast Tacos in hand he wanted to ride pillion with us to Florida, I laughed so much I was tearful.
Off in the gulf we could see oil-rigs, drill ships and shrimp catchers, how varied and industrious this stretch of coast line is. We also witnessed (up close) pelicans, dolphins and seagulls whilst on the Bay Ferry by the way. The coastal route whilst a longer route, is a great road, please do not be tempted with the interstate as you lose so much of what these back roads have to offer, tremendous scenery, polite and interesting people, who are just as much interested in you as you are in them.
I really doubt this interest would be the same if we were in cars though. The plan was to stop at Abbeville, but with the time we made from the previous day we rode on to New Iberia, checked into to a motel and headed out for dinner. Interestingly, I ate shrimp in Texas and steak in Louisiana, surely it should be the other way round?
Our next stop New Orleans, for a well deserved break and no doubt site seeing and drinks – Hurricane’s perhaps
Laner
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