on which I followed the F&A from New Iberia to Baldwin and
then back to the Lydia area. I thought it was as boring as a rainy
day in a tent. Since you liked it, I see that as license to spew more
pictures and my interpretations of them. Your notes of encouragement
have succeeded. I went to the vault to see what old shots of La.83, Baldwin
to Lydia I could find. La.83 drops off of old and new US 90. at Baldwin
It dips west and goes into west New Iberia. I haven't done the New
Iberia end that much and it seems vaguely unfamiliar when I try
to draw up a vision. I think I remember seeing a sign to it off of
La.14 if you want to look. Back to the subject at hand.
Alright, I'll admit it, I'm sitting in a dripping tent right now and
this is the best I can come up with to prevent stir craziness. So,
I may ramble to use up my and your time. If you skip ahead it
won't hurt my feelings. I'm getting my yayas and I don't need
to know if you are getting yours.
La.83 is a mini La.82. 82 is a grand tour of Louisiana's southwestern
underbelly. 83 is a small sample. But 83 offers 319 which actually
lets you see a little open water. At Cypremort Point, one side is West
Cote Blanche Bay and the other is Vermillion Bay. The following will
be a few old pictures I took along 83 and none of Cypremort Point
or La.82.
First, since I mentioned La.82, here it is. Click the map to enlarge.
But, that's it, you don't get anymore than the map.
It features Rutherford and Holly Beach, both unaffected by the oil
spill as far as I know. Rutherford is basically empty, though the last
time I went I was carried off by sand flies. But, that's history and
I thought I was, too. Everyone should ride 82 before it falls off into
the Gulf. Parts near the western end have already. The
Everglades have nothing on this stretch plus there is a neat visitor's
center on La.27 and a ferry at Cameron where 300 bikers once crossed
at one time setting a world's record and challenging the Olympics to
list ferry riding in numbers as a new gold metal sport.
Where was I? Oh, La.83.
The first group will be structure I find either interesting or attractive or both.
A farm house near Baldwin.
Isn't it gorgeous.
The Freetown Methodist Church
I once had its age, accept that it is old. Towns named "Freetown"
usually meant there were free "people of color" there instead of
them being slaves somewhere else.
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Freetown is west of Glenco.
On the east side of Glenco is this home.
On the west side of Glenco was this place that was once a home.
This was once a country store. Then a disco, then nothing but
an old store with a hard luck story.
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The grandson or great grandson of the builder now runs this place.
It is opened in the cooler months, so said. It is on 83, just west
of Lydia.
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Right down the road toward New Iberia is this place.
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Heading back to Baldwin, this is the place I showed you on the last
page of the F&A ride. It has sense seen hard times and no love.
It is now practically overgrown.
Sorry to end the structure segment on a downer. Let me see
what more I can add.
To elevate the mood, here's this.
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It's the US Gov spy balloon at Glenco. What located them at
Glenco has to be an intriguing story.
I guess they are located out of MC or they were forcedout of MC?
Anyway, they are in Glenco, now. I visited with an officer that
worked there and he said they were looking at Cuba. I asked why
were they using Glenco instead of Key West. He muttered some-
thing about the general's girlfriend, but he couldn't expand on that.
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Past Weeks Island the road enters the marsh. This part of 83
is "new". To get to Weeks Island you once had to go through
Baldwin or Sorrel. Jacque's mom lived in New Iberia but taught
the miner's kids in Weeks Island. She had quite a trip each day.
Here's the scene from the Bayou Patout landing. On the last page
I showed you the bridge.
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It was from there I saw a huge swamp fire.
Lighting is the usual culprit. I found the source. It was a trash fire
started by a guy named Lightning.