HISTORY HUNTS WAREHOUSE: Rails in the Boeuf Valley

This is a 2013 edit of a 2009 ride report.

Days and days have passed. Rain, then cold, then rain and cold, but mostly rain. I really don't mind because I'm prone to being lazy and lethargic. I consider the bad weather an aid to my life style, an excuse to carry on. I can stare at the computer and stare at the tv even when they are off. No problem. Not many know this because I regularly produce an epic tale covering some interesting super human achievement on the backsides of a motorcycle accompanied by glorious photographs which solicit oohs and ahs and an occasional guest book notation along the lines of, "man, you rock". Most don't realize my ride reports were stolen from tour documentaries shot around the world. I rent them, then copy each, edit, and send them on to you. I recently rented this one called "Long Way Round". I'm trying to whittle it down into a day ride. You'll get the report when I'm done.

While I was reviewing LWR, I got three emails in succession. One was from Al apologizing for not being able to go on a ride today. Then I got the email where he suggests a ride today. I didn't even ask. He continued prodding me to go anyway. He said I had no excuse with my Arctic ready riding gear which Mark, the previous owner, swore by. Speaking of, then Mark D. wrote. His note was postmarked at some obscene time of the morning and he said that he was headed out the door. I knew I'd have to take a ride. If not, I'd have to put up with all of his glorified adjectives accompanied by exclamation marks and :> ) faces with no ammunition to fire back.

I can be prodded, but it takes time. I finally got away at 12:30 and headed north, being one of the 3 easy directions I can take. The other 2 require an investment in time and miles before the riding even gets interesting. With darkness falling so soon, they were out of the question. And, of course the earlier rain would limit any intense riding down gravel or dirt, those being way too chancy on a top heavy bike. I would have taken the DR but I worried about the constant wind attack. Sitting still, it would be coming at 17 mph from the north. It was probably in the low 60's. Mercy help me, where was I?

If you remember Taxi, you remember Jim. I just had a Jim-Moment.

That was probably way too much explanation for a few pictures. I'm not that use to taking pictures and they are not very good. Nevertheless, I have to when I actually do something so I can remember what happened on that certain day when I did it. I guess I could twitter myself?

Would that work? I have no idea as I have no desire to "follow" anyone and I disdain ride reports. I don't even reread my own which explains a lot.

I've been beating around the bush. This one is

going to be a little different.

On this outing we don't go that far, but we'll see some different stuff.

Page 2

I'll have to hurry. I have a rule stating that a previous

outing's report must be written before another ride can

be taken. I have few rules in my life. I was told I must

have at least one so that's the one I chose. The others come

and go. Most are forgotten.

On with this quick one.

At the end of Delcombre Road I was stricken by the beauty.

We have so much green down here that brown is a rarity.

Winter lets the brown out. Notice the standing water in the

furrows. We are saturated. Far off in the distance you can

see a truck. While I was there it moved off. I'll bet it was the

last load of cane to go to the mill. I'm sure it was an exciting

moment for the farmer and his hands. Sure was for me and

I don't even know them or farm.

Here's the view from my rear view mirror.

North of Cecelia there are roads that connect La.347 to

La.31. This is Cecil Watkins. It has just received a new

layer. But, it lost something, the large hump that marked

the crossing of the Missouri Pacific Railroad tracks which

had come from New Iberia and were headed to Port Barre.

History has taken another hit. Parents are no longer required

to explain to their children why there is a a big hill on the road.

Motorcycle riders no longer have a great ramp from which to

launch. Cecil Watkins Rd was named for one of the early

farmers who migrated to the Huron Plantation area.

He was lured here by the noted Dr. Knapp.

Yes, the humps were perfect. The most perfect, and highest, was

the one near Parks next to "The Tracks" bar. You could

always depend on a good and approving audience there. My

BSA Victor 441 was the machine for that job. Landing was

always a crap shoot, but what the heck, if you crashed, someone

would buy you a medicinal beer.

This one in Pecanier is not as high, but for example sake, I shot it.

Upon landing, I didn't see 20 slow children playing.
"Slow Child at Play" could explain me.

From there I rode up to US 190 and then west to Port Barre.

At Port Barre, I purposely rode straight north through

town looking for the fire station, the previous location of

one of PB's many railroad stations. I think there were 4

at one time. Anyway, it is not on La.103, the main drag that

crosses the Courtableau.

For a change, I went west into Washington on 359. I might

mention to any motorcycle riders that still read this thing

that La.359 from La.103 to La.10 in Washington is a very good

ride if speed is not your thing. The scenery is gorgeous, but

the road does have its dangerous issues in spots in the form

of large lateral cracks caused by the road falling into the bayou.

At night they could kill you. I guess they could kill you in the

daytime, too. At least you'd see some pretty before you bit it.

Leaving Washington I headed east on La.10 until La182

broke off and headed north. I followed it for the 1000th

time. It's a farm road with a new surface and great riding.

As pointed out, the green is gone and the land had a new

face to enjoy. I found Cotton Patch Road. I thought

I could go south and explore the area next to the

old abandoned Southern Pacific right of way, but it dead

ended at a farm whose owner has taken over the old road.

Now, there's another case of history lost.

It was muddy anyway so I reversed. I hadn't taken

any pictures going in, but decided to ... going out.

Sitting atop the Bayou Boeuf bridge I saw these pilings

in the bayou. I think they are from a previous road

bridge, but you know me, I hold out the possibility

that they were from a railroad trestle. I know, I need

to face reality, they seem too wide. But, the bridge

might have served both rail and road travelers. I'll

pursue that argument in a minute.

The water was high everywhere. Bayou Boeuf is usually

constrained within a narrow bed. One question I do have

is why didn't this bridge, if a replacement for the other,

takes its place, or was at least closer to the old pilings?

It was a trestle. Take that to the bank.
Looks a little wide for a trestle, Steve.
There, I saved you doubters the effort.

Here's looking upstream. Big water.

Here's the road back to La.182. Notice how straight it is

and that it is elevated evenly.

Red is where I was.

Green is my imagined railroad route.

I also question why La.182 breaks away from the

railroad where the presumed branch would have left the

main line in a "Y" configuration. The road, by taking

a jag, would only have to cross the rails once and not

both legs of the "Y". I haven't had breakfast, so give

me a break.

I was at a place called Boretta. I'm thinking there was

a mill here (cotton?) as it seems to be a hub for farming on the west

bank of the Boeuf. From here the land tilts down to

the west, this land being elevated from the yearly flooding

of the bayou. Bayou Cocodrie is to the west.

The next railroad to the west was the Texas Pacific

which went south into Ville Platte. So, these farms and a

possible mill needed transportation. Bunkie and

Washington were the only large towns in the vicinity

and roads were not that good. I'll have to check the

Federal Writers Project book on Louisiana, printed in the

early 40's for info on this road back then, if it's mentioned.

Leaving the bayou on my assumed railroad bed, I saw

this farm off in the distance. This was probably a

rare opportunity with the crops down.

Zooming in.

There's the quintessential family farm. Notice the large

water tank next to the house. It may have been roof fed

but, probably not, being supplied by a well pump.

Forget that. It's probably a tractor fuel tank placed there

for some reason, maybe even after the house was abandoned.

Next I moved on to Whiteville. Alright, you PC guys and gals,

Whiteville was named after Mr. White, so back off, you

have no game here or there if you have the guts to start

something, which I don't believe you do.

From there I went east on WPA Road.

There's a hump out there in the valley of Bayou Wauksha

I like to visit. Sitting atop it I shot south. You can see the

bend the railroad took to the west. Next stop on the railroad

would be Garland Station as it was coming from St.Louis (La.).

and further to the north, Barbreck Station, covered in an

earlier ride with stunning pictures of the old plantation and

an extreme amount of research done by one of Barbreck's "family".

I guess it's map time.

Red arrow = Whiteville, I usually show the Whiteville Falls

but they were submerged.

Orange arrow = the abandoned Southern Pacific RR hump.

Purple arrow = what was St.Louis, where we will go.

Blue arrow = Bayou Wauksha (pronounced "walk shure"

by one narrow eyed cretin that tried to kill me driving a

Kawasaki Mule on the Barbreck Ride). I thought I saw

him again on this one, but then there were many trucks

pulling Mules which opens up another big question. I

won't pursue that here as it is a bit conspiratorial in nature.

Now that you know where you are going you'll have to wait until

the next page. The dog has gas and I think the heater is blowing

cold air. Might be time for a ride regardless of "rules".

Page 3

Back on page two I was on the hump looking south along the

the old Southern Pacific Railroad right of way.

Then I shot north looking toward St.Louis., at the end of the

purple arrow.

I thought about going down there but I wanted to look at the Wauksha first.

That is looking south. I'll add an interesting note here.

Notice that the water is reddish. One of Wauksha's

tributaries is Red Bayou which originates just north of

Bear Corner Road which is just south of Bunkie. You can

stand on the bridge across it on Bear Corner Rd. I'm

telling you, it's worth the trip. If you go a little farther

west on Bear Corner, you cross Bayou St.Clair. It is

Wauksha's other tributary. It's origin is up near

La.115 at Tanner Lake, just east of US 71 and Bunkie.

That's all up this way.

WPA is great primer for a lot of Louisiana geology. It crosses

a very low area which may have been the route of the Red

and Mississippi Rivers at one time. Of course I say that about

most bayous, but it's food for thought if you are interested.

WPA Rd comes out at Morrow, not to be confused with Moreauville.

There was a train station here on the old Texas &Pacific which

came from Melville through Palmetto and then turned

north at Lebeau and headed up US 71 to Alexandria. Along the

way, the T&P branch fromVillePlatte intercepted it at Bunkie.
I know, this extra infois priceless. Actually it is.

Again, I was at Morrow previously known

as "Morrows", a name the railroad dispatchers still use.
Customs die hard with train people.

Remnants of the rail glory days at Morrows.