We Got Guts!

Day 38
Silsbee, Tx. to DeRidder, La.

We were camped at the Red Cloud Rv Park last night, and as luck would have it, so was the group from Adventure Cycling. We talked some last night and this morning before we headed out for the day. There are some amazing people with amazing stories in their group, from a mother son team doing the crossing to the man with double cochlear implants. It was awesome to meet and talk with them all. We stopped at a local Walmart for breakfast(McDonald's in the store). Emilio set out already and is going to wait for us in Buna.

The roads today are starting out well, we are on Rt 96, and it has a nice surface and wide shoulders. We made good time to Buna - about an hour where we met up with Emilio and Adventure Cyclings group. We rode together for a while and soon found only a couple of riders ahead of us. The wind was blowing at us so Emilio, Karman and I decide to try a pace line to get through the day. We each stayed in front for a mile, then moved to the back. In no time we had caught and passed all the riders and found ourselves 6 miles from Merryville, and at the restaurant we were looking for to eat lunch.

The riders we passed arrived within minutes and we all sat and had an extended lunch, and got to learn a little more about each other. I was able to explain the "semicolons) theme of the ride and the causes I am riding for. I handed out cards for all to look over and we all exchanged information, as they were all staying in Merryville while the three of us were heading to DeRidder since we were doing so good timewise.

We ate and headed for the border....the Louisiana border. Finally a new state. Texas officially took up 1/3 of the entire trip. I have as much left to go as I travelled in Texas, thats a big state!

Arrived in DeRidder, La. and found the campsite for the night. The Manager was not there, he had gone to get supplies for a workman on site, rather than wait, we headed with a couple of others to an RV Park listed on the older Adventure Cycling maps....Pleasant Hill RV Park. When we arrived we found the cutest little Rv park, complete with TeePees that sleep 2 with air conditioning and tv(they are really made of wood), to a little western town looking building that has 2 showers a bunk room,laundry facility, kitchen(2 sinks, pots and pans, and refrigerator) Cable TV, and WiFi throughout the park. I would recommend this over all others in the area that we saw!!!!
Jennifer (the on site manager) and her daughter Lilly are the best hostesses, and make you feel very welcome. They love bicyclists and even have a scrapbook of many visiting bicyclists form over the years!

As the days go on I am finalizing my arrival into the New Orleans area. As I get more concrete date I will post for all to see. The way points are changing a little as I go and find I am able to travel farther, but I remain on the Adventure Cycling route until DDW in New Orleans. Then I will again head towards the route and continue to St. Augustine, Fla.

18 days to go until St Augustin, Fla!!

Todays Garmin information is as follows:

Day 38 Silsbee, Tx. to DeRidder, La. by wegotguts at Garmin Connect - Details