Day 105 & 106 Opelousas to Erwinville LA – 44 Miles

12/16/2014

The Jacuzzi bath at the Country Ridge BnB relaxed my aches and helped me sleep. I woke up almost completely repaired. The breakfast that awaited was a country quiche with fried apples. I had additional cereal to add extra fuel to my body. It was a quick meal since we needed to hit the road. Before we left the Bed and Breakfast, we picked a tangerine and a few kumquats from the trees on the property.

I adorned my feet with my beat up Saucony shoes one more time. I’m sure most of the outsole was left on the roads of Texas but I couldn’t keep wearing shoes that injured my legs. The weather was warm enough for shorts. At least I would be comfortable while I labored away on the road.

The frogs, bugs and wild animals kept me company along the country roads. Of course when I met up with the 190/Acadian Trail, loud vehicles chimed in. The trees receded a bit and the gravel widened. Big homes disappeared, and within moments, I was again crossing bridges. As my sweat dripped onto the road, I looked at all the shells on the ground. It struck me that they had lined the roads from my first steps in the state. I guess much of the state had been under water at some point. It made sense that some of the swamp areas might have dried out or that rivers changed the direction of flow. At one of the exits along the trail, Crystal found us a great parking spot next to a bayou. The silence was surprising considering the proximity of the highway. It would the first night out of another couple without accommodations.

Monday started early. I skipped the hot meal in favor of a hot chocolate and peanut butter and jelly. I also downed a chia packet with juice. It was enough to kick start my day. Another set of old shoes would be put on my feet. I figured I needed to start rotating the used pairs that had been problem free. It was a better option than using the new shoes that brought injury to my body. The moment my feet touched the ground, a bead of water hit my arm. I looked up and the clouds seemed friendly. Louisiana had been great for weather. Was day 106 the day the warmth ended? Luckily the storm never materialized. The trickle lasted but a minute. When the droplets stopped the path was paved with sunshine. I’m sure I left a trail of sweat.

The town of Livonia provided us with a breather and an actual breakfast. When I opened the trailer door. The scent of grilled bell peppers drifted out. She was in the process of flipping a veggie omelet. I savored each buttery bite as I rested my legs. We decided to take the pressure off the legs for a couple hours before hitting the road. When the running did resume, nature’s beauty was on display. Graceful cranes glided beside min in what seemed like slow motion.I ran strong until the town of Erwinville. The sun was setting earlier each passing day and on this day it was dark at five. We waited for dinner time to begin looking for authentic Louisiana cuisine. While the gumbo continued to elude us, we did find a delicious dinner at KQ. My mouth crunched a few plates of seasoned and fried vegetables. I restored the carbohydrate reserves in my body with a baked potato. Perhaps the gumbo would be found in Baton Rouge.