Water water everywhere...

Sunday I rested and looked at water...

Today was an 80 mile day and I hoped to try. But last night there was a huge thunderstorm which kept me awake, and this morning it was gray and drizzly and I come from Colorado, and I don't ride in the rain because I am used to dry riding. So eight of us filled the van, and set off to ride from Lake Charles in Louisiana to Lafayette, named after the French general who once marched through this state thinking that one day we'd all be speaking French and singing La Marseillaise.

It rained. Huge sodden fields of water spread out on either side where rice and other crops grow. Houses are built without basements but up off the ground. Acres of water stretch out and white egrets flit from place to place. The red bobbing tops of crayfish pots - like lobster pots - liven the grayness. It is extremely wet, damp, soggy, puddleful - everywhere. It is also flat as a Texas pancake after an elephant has sat on it. No low hills, no little rises, no hummocks, no slopes. Just flat like an ironing board.

As we drove along, the spray rose dramatically on either side of the van like a water-coaster ride at a water park. We sped through deep puddles. There was the quiet sloooshing of driving in rain, and I fell asleep in the van despite the conversation. We had a couple of stops, and then arrived at the Ramada Inn which is an excellent hotel, refurbished, and comfortable unlike the less than perfect place last night where I heard the rain beating on the roof above the ceiling - I was on the second floor - and this morning a chunk of ceiling had come loose and was hanging above the bed. Other people had problems getting into their rooms when keys didn't work, a lack of soap, and general careless housekeeping.

Lafayette is a much busier and livelier place than the other towns we've seen recently. It has modern buildings, a huge medical center, new hotels and stores and a bike store that didn't open until 1 p.m. so I didn't get there. Four of us walked to the nearby Starbucks where I had coffee and an egg sandwich, and then three of us went to Toons restaurant, an authentic local place, for fried catfish, French fries and soggy broccoli because we were hungry. We couldn't find beignets - the sugar-coated confections of Louisiana - but a man was eating two of them he'd bought from a pastry shop and said they were OK "but the best ones are in New Orleans." I'll have to wait.

I came back to the room and it was now hot and muggy - remember high humidity? I lay down on the bed to see what would happen,  and took a nap in the air-conditioning. It was great. When I woke up, I strolled over to Walgreens to buy new water bottles - I left mine in one of the hotels by accident! so I had to borrow spare ones on my last ride. I am now fully Prepared for Water. Riders are coming in - a couple got lost but everyone seems to be back. Tomorrow when we arrive in St. Francisville we are divided among two B&Bs and we'll hear how challenging the ride will be at the map meeting after dinner. A restful non-riding day for me and tomorrow I shall pedal on.