HISTORY HUNTS WAREHOUSE: 2012 Back to McKneely Spur Page 1

I always believed there was something intriguing about McNeeley Spur. It is in a place where intrigue could have easily occurred. Sigh, I have found nothing intriguing there. I've even gone to lengths, brazenly extending myself into a social situation, which I find over the top.

Mark did nothing to let McNeely Spur gracefully fade away. He wrote that on his last work trip he went by there and saw construction going on. He was vague and made me beg for any possible detail he might have. That was the second time recently someone has pulled that on me.

I was having mixed emotions concerning "McKneeley Spur" being disturbed.

I'd seen such a spur to the rail shops in Slidell remove which nearly brought tears.

He wrote back that the construction was on the north side of the tracks, not the south where the old spur is.

He next wrote that he and a buddy would be coming down the Henderson to Courtableau levee on bikes.

I put all that info together and decided that I would meet them somewhere on the levee on my way to McKneely Spur. That would be great even if a social situation. My only concern would be if the "friend" recognized me.

I got home and Mark clarified that their levee ride would be tomorrow. That would be why I didn't meet them on the levee today. That was fine. If I'd been detained by a bunch of levee talking I would have been caught in a terrible storm. I arrived home 10 minutes before all hell broke loose along with about 2 inches of rain in one hour. As it was, I was hit with rain drops that felt like hail. I reflected on Mark's hail story. I am glad I didn't hear it again on the levee, then think about it again in the rain.

First are the pictures of the levee ride. It was the first levee ride I've taken in a while. Back in the Two Wheelin' La. daze, my handle was "Levee Rider" as I have a real fondness for being high in the sky while overlooking a lot of Nature's finest, alone. Today, you can't ride atop levees much. From Arnaudville to Courtableau on US 190, it is the only way through. It is a classic though no river can be seen. It is the last line of defense against a raging Atchafalaya on the Basin's western frontier. I can understand the Corps reluctance to letting the public upon it.

Levee's are quiet places most of the time. To not interrupt, I'll be quiet.