In the heart of western Louisiana. We had been warned of more dogs here mostly because we are cycling on less busy highways. We’ve already encountered a few prior to today, and the new device for this TransAm – the high decibel mini air horn – is quite effective, especially when cracks in the road don’t bump the button while it’s hanging on your bike or you grab it and shoot it into your hand instead of into the air. From here through Texas, I will be carrying it “side holster” in the left pocket of my bike shorts! Already had to use it about 5 times in first 30 miles this morning, and then more the rest of the day.
Beautiful cycle on a quiet Saturday morning through ag country and Chicot State Park with an arboretum and the largest natural lake in LA. Road surfaces were favorable too! Coffee at a cute shop in Ville Platte.
Unfortunately Steven’s bike broke a spoke on his front wheel 😩 41 miles in. The past few days of rough patches of road will do it to a bike!! He and Jody had to drive all the way to Lake Charles to a bike shop for repair. Mission accomplished!
Roadkill today: raccoons, armadillos, snakes, skunk, turtles and frogs. I was not expecting to cycle through miles and miles and miles of rice patties and crawfish ponds! At mile 66, the rain found us. We temporarily took refuge during a squall under a Simplot trailer parked next to a crawfish pond. Then onward to our country Airbnb via some wet gravel roads. 74.9 miles, 650’ elevation gain. Last night in Louisiana! My aches and pains are slowly going away.
Thankfully squalls are usually short.
TransAm Cycle 3.0 
the air horn sounds like a useful tool
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