Up again at our usual time (4:00 a.m.). Had lots of food to load up from the wonderful church people of the First Baptist Church.

Our riding today was a bit different, because of crossing the Atchafalaya Basin, where we cannot ride on the I-10 Interstate. We will ride to up near the Interstate, and load up the bikes. We got some very detailed instructions on the route up through Lafayette from Pastor Pres. That helped alot. Mary Ann, Charlotte and Sherri even stopped before 9:00 am for an ice cream at the only Borden's soda/ice cream cafe in the USA.

We all met near Breaux Bridge in the parking lot in front of the Tractor Supply Store. Both white vans, fully loaded, each with four bikes, four sets of gear, and 4 people! Headed out for the I-10, the major thoroughfare across the Southern US.

Atchafalaya Basin, or Swamp. The word "Atchafalya" is pronounced "ah - CHAF-fah -Lie-ah." It's a native American word meaning "long river." This basin is about 160 miles long. It is among the most culturally rich and ecologically varied regions in the US, home to the widely recognized Cajun culture as well as a diverse population of European, African, Caribbean, and native American descent. Cajun is the shortened version of "Acadian." Acadians were French, Canadians from French Canada, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and the Gaspe Peninsula of Quebec. Cajun is a unique dialect of the French language and numerous other cultural traits that distinguish them as an ethnic group. The area of the Atchafalaya Basin is informally referred to as "America's Foreign Country." It is the largest wetland and swamp in the United States. Located in south central Louisiana, it is a combination of wetlands and river delta area where the Atchafalya River and the Gulf of Mexico converge.

We crosed the Basin on the Interstate 10, on elevated pillars on a continuous 18.2 mile bridge from Grosse Tete (big head) to Henderson. This bridge is also known as the "Louisiana Airborne Memorial Bridge." It is a pair of parallel bridges , the fourteenth longest bridge in the world, by total length. There are two exits, one for Whiskey Bay and another for Butte La Rose. Speed limit is 60 mph. We stopped at the Welcome Center, and looked around. Saw a great 4 minute video about the area, and picked up a few information sheets. My favorite one had definitions of many of the Cajun words we just take for granted (ex. Creole, Bayou)

Got off the Interstate, and found our way to the surface road towards Baton Rouge. Gary's van group decided not to unload their bikes and ride, but Marie's group still wanted to ride . So we went our separate ways. Sherri and Mary Ann ended up riding 49 miles of the route. We ate lunch, then drove across the Mississippi River to the State Capitol. When he was Governor, Huey P. Long spearheaded the construction of a new State Capitol during the 1930's. Such irony, because he ended up being assassinated outside the Governor's office in 1935. He is buried on the grounds and his statue faces the Capitol. The Capitol isn't your typical domed building; it looks more like the state Capitol Bldg in Lincoln NE or the City Hall in Los Angeles. At 34 stories, it is the tallest state Capitol building in the US.

After we all toured, we had to find another cyclometer for Charlotte's bike, because it had fallen off. She got one right near the LSU campus, at a shop appropriately called "The Bike Shop,"

Headed for the home of Kathy McArthur in a gated community SE of Baton Rouge. Beautiful home on a golf course. Such hospitaility! Met Karen Paterson from the HD community in Baton Rouge. Great dinner with samples of game meat, chicken enchiladas, a rice dish, a crawfish dish ... all so typical of Louisiana. Cake, strawberries, and whipped cream too!

Heather, Hope, and Devon are staying at the next door neighbor's home, while Gary, Mary Ann, Charlotte, Sherri, and I are at the McArthurs.

The temps were very warm today. Hot and humid at 100 degrees.

Another day under our belts - 4 down, 9 to go.

Total route was about 65 miles. Found 25 cents of "Road Change," mostly in Lafayette.

Just as I was headed off to bed, I got a phone call from my friend Gerleine Schoonover. She told me the sad news that her only daughter, Gerri Ann, had just died from the effects of her Huntington's Disease. That is the second adult child that Gerleine has lost to this devastating disease. Please pray for those in the Schoonover family that remain behind,

With love from the road, Marie

PS. This is a photo of the riders, their hosts Jim and Kathy McArthur and Karen Paterson from the HD Support Group in Baton Rouge LA.