May 3, the gathering of bikes in New Orleans

I am safely arrived, bike in tow, after a long adventurous drive from Houston yesterday. The drive included all east bound lanes of the Interstate being unexplainedly,closed, following a line of 18 wheelers hither and yon along lovely little two lane, small town country roads, praying that they were headed for New Orleans, Once the interstate was regained, 20 hours and 20 miles later, wrath of God skies ensued. The worst of the storm hit while I was inching across the Mississippi River and a steel span interstate bridge. The storm included flash bang lightining and thunder, right overhead, rain coming down "like a cow pissing on a flat river rock" and a bunch of drivers of gray cars riding in the pouring rain and mist without headlights on. Obviously Louisiana has its share of people unclear on the concept of survival while driving in the rain. The rain continued until I exited the interstate into the French Quarter. It being by now 6:00pm, the grid of one way streets was wall to wall in wandering pedestrians, mostly carrying big novelty drink glasses, and various and sundry groups of musicians, jazz bands and clowns, or people who felt like dressing up oddly and thus having an excuse to people and cars with beads. By now it was darkish and I ended up steering by the sight of the of the hotel in the distance and gut instinct.


So I made it intact and am restraining myself from running up to atheletic older women and asking them is they are bikers, and hanging out with my sister Kris. Later on today is the meet and greet and tomorrow we do the luggage weigh in, group photo thing and then we ride!


I just hope all of the weather was not a portent of things to come during the ride!