Route 66

I am now astride Route 66.  It's hard to imagine but the new driver's license tells the tale too vividly and unlike the old TV show,  it's in somewhat living color.  But our duty is to keep on keepin' on and that is what I'd do.  A short putt up the country would be my fare de jour.  Then I'd run by the wreck at Lawtell.  Mark had said there were still 3 hopper cars lying on their sides. I'd see if any progress had been made with that project.

Here we go down my Route 66.  Hopefully there will be many branches and intersections in a future.

 I was headed south. The rain was headed north. I did a U-turn and out ran it. On the way up I thought I'd heard that the L&D was working on the Alex Branch, a somewhat rare occasion. 

No, it was some MOW guys.

 It was still exciting as at 66 it doesn't take much to blow my skirt up.

 While in the partying mood, I moved to Alley 5 to check out the Lafayette Yard. It is the best place to do that. Then you have the beautiful Lafayette water tower and electric plant as backdrops.

 Then I headed to the main entrance to the yard.

 

 I went to Rayne and saw the rain ah comin' so I headed north enjoying the ghost of the Texas & Pacific RR as it rode along on my left.  We rode to just south of Church Point where I'd veer to the west to intersect US 190 west of Lawtell. These are rural scenes along the way which need little explanation.

 Old Highway

 Yes, Mardi Gras Beads

I was about to US 190.  Lawtell would be to the east. I hit it just right.

 I came out at the old Zydeco club.

 The cops had  some check point thing going so I skirted the top of Lawtell on a secret road seen above.

 The wreck pictures will be at the bottom of the page. From Lawtell I went by AKDN's business office and the SILX repair shop. SIlX was deader than a door nail. It was just after 3:00.

Here I did the obligatory panorama

The two working engines are on the left if they are still working.

 Out on the main road I zoom in on the  main track side of the yard.  There was that old Santa Fe that had been in Crowley and again seen in Eunice as it had been seen before in Crowley. 

East of Opelousas I ran down the Little Teche Rd.  Katrina still litters the landscape.

 The Little Teche is a beauty along this road.

 I took a clearer picture of that barn 12 years ago. That says a lot.

 At Port Barre I saw another Old Timer. I had to stop and say "Hi".

 Walter was his name. He said something about running down the miscreants that busted his shades.  He grinned when he told me of his plan.  I told him a few plans of my own with a likewise grin.
I wonder if he was a '47,  too.

 From Port Barre I took the Teche Road home.

 The Hayes still live there.

 There's a dog chained in that field that I will deal with.  Some people, some groups, are animals. These people may be related to Michael Vick.

 End of Ride. Too bad it left me more soured on people than usual.

Sometimes you find Route 666 out there and it's real, no Twilight Zone or Outer Limits.

Here are my ride-by wreck pictures. They start as I left Lawtell from the west and go east and then cut back up through the country, head back west, and run by one more time.

Two were still down. They appear so much larger prone on the ground.

That's It
I just finished and it's 8:13. How spooky is that!!!