Throw My Brain in a Trainicane and ......

Sometimes we don't make the wisest decisions.

This afternoon was one of those times but I'd done it before so I knew when to stop and reel it back, 

I figured.

Still, it was mighty stupid.  Stupid is great if you can get away with it.

Some of my best times have been acting stupid. Eventually you run out of stupid luck.

Motorcycle riders, well the smarter ones, know that 

riding a bike out into 30 mph cross winds with gusts  up

to 30 mph is not real intelligent.

If you don't get blown over going down the road you 

can get blown over standing at a stop light. In 

fact, "stopped"  is the most vulnerable you can get 

in a lot of situations. I can name 10.

Now that I've established myself as stupid, can I 

tell this afternoon's story? I'm already two pictures behind.

I told my wife, since she was going to visit her sister, and 

I so hated to miss that, I was going to take a putt.

I knew the wind would be terrible but I was Joe 

Biker and could handle it. I have before, a while back.

The mind blanks out traumatic situations. 

That is why we keep repeating dumb stuff.

I took off and while on the last bit of Mudd Ave. I heard  the horns.

I whipped up Buchanan and ran along the train up to the 101 yard switch.

 I positioned myself down by the recycle plant and shot a few.

 I discovered that I could follow him into the yard by using the alleys along Cameron. (Scott Rd)

I love gritty industrial shots.  I caught him with the Lafayette power plant in the background.

I can't get a good picture at the yard. .

I think I'd see BNSF 5285 later.

 I thought he'd tied up so I went on out to West Switch where there

was a CSX train getting ready to depart. I knew he was 

there since I'd heard Kathleen tearing the conductor a 

new one about hanging out. The last I heard they were

"testing the engines".

Here they are "testing".

Far shot.

 Close Shot

Dude must be holding a tester in his hand.

Far

 

 Close.

 Bwana, the train is that a way.

 I wasn't hanging out while they fooled around.

I went west to Debonaire St. and looked around.

This place had to be serviced by the railroad at one time.

These pillars had supported something.

I'll bet it was a gravel something.

 What looked like a counter was out by the tracks.

I wonder if it's a big door opener for the yard?

 Here's backing off a little.

 This is looking back toward Cameron.and the pillars.

 I stepped out near the tracks and shot down the line  with the zoom getting close to boiling  over.

 I kicked it a little more.

The CSX and its Moe Lasses crew were still sitting.

I kicked it again.

It seems that other trains were waiting also.

 I cannot believe these came out. I was literally being blown about while standing there.

 I retreated after someone stopped to see if I was alright.

Here it came.

 I asked if he wanted to race. He said to bring it on, so I did.

Duh.

He beat me to Scott. 

I beat him to Duson.

From Duson to Rayne, sometimes riding next to the train for protection from the wind, I had reservations 

about my mission in life and whether I was straying with this self gratification route.

 I chose to go no farther. Past Rayne there are only rice fields until Crowley. It is insanity in the wind.

Besides, there is a bridge over the tracks. I was not going up on it.

What could have been a race for the ages was over.

I bid him a good journey and goodbye.

The ride back, not being under pressure, was uneventful.

The wind blew, but it was no trainicane.. 

 Back at the Yard, two old tugs sat it out.

I'd go home and do the same.

On the way home the rain started.