Day 8-The Big Easy

......before you read, read day 7 post

Steve's ass update........all reported well (Debbie's full-face shield in the lowered position full-time)

Sadly, the last day on the bikes. Rolled out close to 7am along I61, The Blues highway. Same route of travel as the day before, except we wanted pics of the Crossroads with the bikes. Oh, i forgot to mention...the day before while traveling back on I61 from the Crossroads, we saw a very interesting BB cue stand...it was a full size school bus, painted and turned into a rollin BB cue stand! Way cool.....sorry, no pics but just picture the Partridge Family in a blacked-out bus slingin BB cue! Crazy, man, Crazy......

Man Down! Incredible weather, 75 when we started, no rain, not very humid, just a perfect day to ride!! As we traveled back to Clarksdale, MS south along I61, it was so picture perfect, you could see forever along the green farmlands and trees. As we got off the main highway and rolled into the intersection where the Crossroads' memorial is located, it is shaped like a triangle. So.............I figured I would lead us into the middle of the triangle for a great picture with the memorial (I61/I49) in the background. All was going so well until I went to stop. Now keep in mind, the baggers weigh 900 lbs, unloaded, and I was rolling with Gloria, the full tour packed, and the bags at probably (me included) close to 1400 lbs!! (I know, I know, G needs to diet!) As i put my left foot down, it started to slide out along the loose gravel........and down she went, the bike, G, and me. I held on as long as I could, but I had to let her down. Steve, Debbie, G, and I righted our ship, no damage (I hope Eagle Rider isn't reading this blog). As we were lifting, all I could think about was the news stories when one of those 950 lbs. obese people have to be hosted by a crane and the walls cut out to get them onto the flatbed to be taken to the doctor....(weird). We took some great pics (but none of me and the bike down and out!) One strained groin and bicep later, we were back on the road toward N'awlins!

Again, great weather as we took the I49 for 260 miles south into the deeeeeeeeep south. We road through some magnificent farm lands and small little towns. As usual, we were waiving at everyone sitting on their porch, but for some reason, the deeper into Mississippi we road, the less people waived back. Our first stop was in Yazoo City, a town devastated by a tornado where an entire hill side was gone. Homes, buildings, signs, forest, everything "mowed" away. Steve described it as if it had be been removed by "God's finger."

Yazoo City is also where Steve could barely get off the bike due to what he described as a back problem, "something popped." He said it happened when we hit some railroad tracks about 40 miles back (personally, I think it was Mr. Wallet getting his revenge!) Debbie, hearing "something popped," got a big grin, but I had to explain to her that it was his back.....Gloria gave Steve some stretching exercises, and after some pills, a little h2o, and a miraculous recovery, we were back on the road!

Next stop, Jackson Harley. Ugly store, rude, uninviting employees, it looked more like a warehouse than a retail Harley. Steve has been trading dip dots (little metal Harley dipstick stickers) at every dealer along the way. At each one, they would either trade one for one, or if they were out, they would just give him one as a fellow Harley employee. Not this place, as the cashier told him, "I don't collect those things, sorry." So Steve just paid the $2.99. This was not a warm and fuzzy dealer, like LA!

We went down the street to eat at Hudgee's, referred by the cashier. That should have been a clue....OMFG! I can not do justice to how interesting (for lack of a better adjective) this place was. Full of locals, none of whom talked to each other, none of whom said hello or "how ya'all doin," and none of whom looked happy. It was like a scene out of Twilight Zone! We ate fast and before we left purgatory, I took a picture of "Hell's Bathroom" with it's sink that a had a rubber elbow and was falling off the wall with a hole behind it, and the toilet with no top lid........and also of "Hell's Kitchen" where the greasy food we consumed was prepared. Gloria got heartburn and we'all got the hell out of there!

Rolling towards N'awlins, we hit five minutes of rain. Got into Louisiana and onto a bridge that, no joke, must have been 30 miles long over what I think is either the Mississippi or Lake Pontchartrain (Feels like rain). Water, water, and more water. No wonder this place flooded! As soon as we hit that bridge, I swear the the humidity felt like a wall. But it was absolutely beautiful, as we rolled down Canal Street, and 2550 miles later, arrived at our destination.............New Orleans, N'awling, or the Big Easy!

At night, went to Bourbon street in the French Quarter and ate at Oceana. We stood in line drinking our Hurricane's (the girls had 151 Bacardi, but i didn't tell them). I had turtle soup and alligator sausage, and waaaayyyyy too many double Maker's and beers! Strolled down Bourbon Street (I got beads :) ) and back to the hotel. After a night cap we hit the sack. Great town.

This will be our last blog, as the ride has ended, although the vacation has not. Thanks for being dorks along with us. We have had a very memorable adventure and one that we suggest ya'all should duplicate (let me know, I'm in!). I'm planning the next ride from Miami to Maine, then through Canada down through the Dakota's and back (stop kicking me Gloria, and no, I'm not crazy!) Below are some totals:

Total Harley dealers (so far): Ten (10), with six to go
Total States (so far): Nine (9), with two to go
Total Miles, on bike: 2550
Total Injuries: Four (Steve: back and ass; Robert groin; Gloria, big ass mosquito bite on her cleavage)
Total Crashes: one half (Robert's dropped bike)
Total Divorces: None (so far)
Total Dollars Spent: Let's just say, the kids inheritance is dwindling rapidly.......

Now get out and Ride!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ciao..............