According to Katherine: Day 39

A day in Louisiana -- new agriculture and new accents! Breakfast (oatmeal) was at 6:00 a.m. We rode out at 6:45 a.m. when the temperature was in the mid-70s -- and had morning traffic in Lafayette for the first four miles! Since it was an 87-mile day to St. Francisville,  Marge and split the SAG duties.

I cycled 45 miles in the morning, while she drove the SAG Wagon, and then we switched. Mine was a gorgeous ride amongst acres of wheat about a month before harvest time and fields ready to grow milo. When we exchanged conversation with the locals, their delightful Louisiana patois was evident from the first sentence.

I got off the bike briefly at 10 miles for an energy bar and energy drink. I rode and ate that bar for a little way. I'm learning! I stopped for a water refill and some cheese at the 20-mile SAG.

Beautiful swamp!

At 30 miles, I stopped briefly for more protein and energy drink. I felt really strong! It was a fast ride for me, too, because we were all meeting up to cross the narrow 3.5-mile Morganza Spillway -- a low, flat bridge of sorts. I stopped very briefly. Our group of riders rode two abreast, and we escorted them in the SAG Wagon with blinkers flashing. They were grateful for the security from the traffic whizzing by; we were grateful for the opportunity to keep them safe.

We were close behind with blinkers flashing. 

At the end of the Spillway, Marge began her ride. The afternoon was very different from the morning. We saw hay growing up the side of the levees.

Hay just harvested from the levee. 

We crossed the Mississippi on a ferry, which will be replaced when a 16-mile suspension bridge opens in August, and ended the day in the bucolic and historic town of St. Francisville.

It's a six-minute ferry ride across the Mississippi.

Cyclists come off the ferry.

Four of us were housed in the lovely old St. Francisville Inn. The rest stayed in the Butler Greenwood Plantation B&B. While theirs is a fairyland about three miles out of town, we were thrilled with our digs.

The magical entrance to the Butler Greenwood Plantation, where 12 of our group stayed.  

Bernie Cullen, past president of WOCN (from 1991 to 1993) and Linda Kelley Davis, a WOC nurse from New Orleans, had driven over two hours to be with me. We enjoyed Café au lait and a good visit before we had to return to the Plantation for dinner with our group.

Every tired cyclist would be rejuvenated by a visit from Bernie Cullen and Linda Kelley Davis -- I sure was! They were so generous to drive the long distance to welcome me to Louisiana.

Just before dinner, the clouds that had been darkening and cooling the afternoon to the low 80s delivered a 10-minute thunderstorm. It cooled and refreshed the air, without causing inconvenience or discomfort to anyone!

There was a 40% chance of rain today.

Linda prepared hamburgers (veggie burgers for Lisa and me) on the grill, potato salad, slaw and three kinds of Blue Bell ice cream with chocolate sauce. I ate two scoops of vanilla, and one of chocolate mint with chocolate sauce over it all. And I didn't feel guilty for very long!

Marge and I were in the bed by 9:00 p.m., looking forward to our rest day and I, looking forward to more catching up with Bernie and Linda.

2,213 miles behind us. 887 miles to pedal. 19 days to go.

Dr. Jeter Day 39 on Polyvore.com