A HOT DAY IN BAYOU COUNTRY

Today was a good day to ride shotgun in the sag. My cervical bone spur is screaming at me, the weather is too hot and humid to argue and it's a friggin' 96 mile day.   When I heard about the two major suspension bridges everybody had to climb, I crossed myself and said "Bless my Soul."    Anybody who says that people In the South aren't friendly haven't had the experience we've had. When a police vehicle spotted a group of cyclists about to climb the bridge ramp, he put on his flashers and provided escort in one of the auto lanes?  I don't think it happened because we are 29 gorgeous babes. I think it happened because they are just plain nice.    It's now around 11:00 a.m.   I'm sitting in the van listening to the guides worry about the condition of the day and how it will affect "their girls"  who are on the road and spread out over 20 miles. And the spread only gets longer as the day goes on.  Man, its hotter than hell and the humidity is really high.  Fortunately when biking, you create a little breeze and even though it's only a little, it really helps. Drinking electrolytes in  water every ten or fifteen minutes is mandatory.  As I  wrote yesterday, there are a number of experienced riders on this trip, but there are also those who've never done a tour before.  And the type of experience varies too. A four day bike tour on Cape Cod is not the same as a 2 month cross country or a 40-day epic ride up the Mississippi like this one   Moving on ---- it's now 2 pm and the van is waiting at 60 miles to see who needs to be hauled in and the sag is still out on the road servicing riders. There is no way in hell I would take on this level of responsibility in a day like today. OK here come a bunch of riders, looking tired and hot, but their spirits are high and they will continue on. Carol, the guide, reminds them of the upcoming bridge and the importance of not riding it alone. The caution was well taken since the riders need to be in the left lane because they will access the bridge from that lane. Moving on --- it's now 4 pm and all the riders have checked in at 60 miles. About ten have decided to bag it and ride in to the motel.  So, we all hop in the van and schlepp people to the Holiday Inn Express in Port Allen! Louisiana.  When we arrived, a few of the very fast riders were already here and waiting for the van so they could get their luggage About 15 minutes later my biking buddies arrived and showed me their bike computers while others showed me their temperature gauges: k100 miles, 100 degrees and 86% humidity.  I am so impressed and at the same time I'm not sure I could have done it (or would have wanted to). What surprises me is the different fuel needs these people require. While I would be drinking water mixed with electrolytes and downing electrolyte pills, some of the gals are just drinking straight water. However, at 60 miles one girl arrived very dehydrated and had to be iced down.  She lives in a part of the country that seldom sees temperatures anything like this. So, what did i do from 7 am until 5 pm besides work on this blog?   Well, besides helping Guide Carol navigate the van and find the perfect parking spot to wait for riders,  I helped Chef Lynne cut vegetables, fruit, shred cheese and made guacamole for tonight's fantastic tostada dinner.  But otherwise it was a pretty dull day and I was very envious of my fellow riders even though they were out there riding in that heat.   Tomorrow is another day, but a very short one at 35 miles as we head for a town north called New Roads, Louisiana Sorry, but I still can't post photos but I'm hoping that an app I'm about to buy will change that. Sent from my iPad