Lafayette, Louisiana

I have embarked on what I hope will be a 4 month, 17,000 mile motorcycle ride through the US and parts of Mexico and Canada to visit family and friends and to benefit Children International.  Please consider supporting me – learn more here Will's Charity Ride for Children International - PledgeIt

April 27, 2024

Erath, Louisiana 4,812 miles from home.  Today I visited the Museum of Art of Southeast Texas, the Brick & Barley bar in Orange, Texas, got to the Vermilionville Historic Village too late to go in and then arrived at Rene & Travis' house, met their son Zack and we went to eat some local crawfish at T-Bob's Seafood (Boiled crawfish, crabs, & shrimp).  I met Rene's cousin and other family and relatives. I ordered the crawfish “spicy.”  Halfway through my nose was burning.  Tomorrow Travis and I are going to ride around and he's going to show me the sights.

Travis and Rene treated me like family.  After the crawfish dinner, the next day Travis toured me around Erath and we visited the Rip Van Winkle Garden which is on Lake Peigneur and the Tabasco factory.

In 1980, Lake Peigneur in Louisiana experienced a catastrophic collapse due to a drilling mishap. Texaco was drilling for oil when their drill punctured the roof of a salt mine beneath the lake. This caused the lake to drain into the mine, creating a whirlpool that sucked in equipment, barges, and even trees. Miraculously, no lives were lost, but the event drastically altered the landscape and ecology of the area.

Just hanging with the crawfish.  Travis was showing me around and we stopped at a country store that just happened to have a few extra crawfish doing yoga.

Travis, my local guide

Apparently in Louisiana, they have daiquuris to go.  I got a banana daiquiri and with that came a "shot!"

My hosts in Erath, Louisiana, Rene &Travis.

Renes cousin and Travis' son Zack.