Pearl River Canal (Edited 2012)

This paragraph is a 2012 update of this 2008 ride report.

This portion about an old lock on the Pearl River  is an 

an example of what I once did which was to ride around 

aimlessly and take pictures of what I found pretty or interesting.

I was starting to get heavily involved in historic railroads.

This portion of the ride fed into a report on the GMO RR.

I have sense separated the two events because they have 

nothing to do with each other besides happening in the 

same general area.  This one deals with "pretty" and "interesting".

It required no research or dealing with people on any level, 

always a roller coaster ride.

I'm headed back to the peace, tranquility and simplicity of those outings.

They will go something like this:

I left the Folsom area at about 2:30 and was just going down to the Pearl for a few parting shots before I left the area for a while. I will no longer have my base camp so close to the river or to Mississippi. This is a sad time.

Nevertheless, the ride wasn't sad, and in fact, it was super on most levels. I'll first post the map so you'll have an idea if you are at all familiar with the furthest eastward reaches of southeast Louisiana. The Pearl River is where LA stops and MS starts. The Pearl lives up to its name, nothing further needs to be said. For those who have frequented Two Wheelin' LA and MS for a while, you know there are probably six visits to this same place on those pages. If possible, there will be more. But, this is this one. The spot below is sacred to me. It is overlooking the Bogue Chitto River Valley La.437, south of Enon. It is one of the gates I used to enter a world that few get to experience.

These pages I do are a Karma thing. I figure if I keep sharing these trips, I'll be able to keep making them. It's that simple. You thought I was generous? You're living in Disney Land. Earl taught me about Karma. Back to this place. It is where I throw my watch in the weeds and return to find it on the way back. Yes, there are a few that I didn't find, the one my wife gave me and another one. The another one was not a problem. There's an old movie where the lead actor throws away his watch, ever see it? It was a pretty cool gesture but he was nevertheless tormented by time. Gestures are gestures, like these writes ride reports.

 The watch graveyard.

 Head east of La.16 from anywhere and when it stops at Sun,

look for the road marked Lock No.3. Go east slowly because it is also the road to the Sun Police Department. They took over the Lock Master's house. More on them later. On the way to the lock and the Pearl look from side to side as you will be going slow enough to do that. Right? This scene is seen several times along the way. 

  Then you get to the lock grounds and immediately you'll want to rush down for a good shot. Pardon the litter everywhere. More on that later. The lock is what qualifies this ride for the History Hunt Blog. It is no longer used. I need to do some research on why it is here and why it is no longer functioning. There are 3 locks on this canal that bypass the meandering Pearl and I guess they could have made Bogalusa a booming port, which they didn't. The gates stay closed or the river would drain and someone would be in trouble. 

 I walked to the landing where some guy was having a tantrum with a cell phone. He jumped in his truck and flung gravel leaving. My timing was great, I could have been where he was headed. Maybe his wife found his watch when she was looking for hers. I hope she didn't find mine. Next, I went down the trail that follows the river north. 

  Here's a shot back into the back swamp opposite the river. No skitters yet! I was going to show you more but Rio is waiting.

   Here's the finishing beauty shots.

  

 Now, what was I going to say about litter and the police? Sorry you missed the rant but that's what it was and basically worthless. All it netted was some woman sending a note saying simply, all in capital letters, "WE LOVE LOUISIANA". I really don't know what her implication was, but I do too, even when some of her cousins disgrace us. Maybe it was when I said I'd bout had it with LA. I suppose I should have targeted the culprits instead of making a such a strong, broad brushed statement. But, bubbas, people from out of state don't research the culprits, they blame us all for the filth they see everywhere. And, Walter, when you throw a 6 pack's carton in the bed of your pickup, it flies out onto the road. Course you know that, didn't you.