Day 86 - Waskom To Bossier City, LA

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

I slept well last night. It was so warm there was no need for the sleeping bag, just the blanket. I was up at 6, and by 645, on the road. The goal today is to get to Shreveport and beyond if possible. By 7am, I was in Louisiana. It was already warm, and the humidity just hung in the air. My shirt, which never dried from yesterday, was already wet. The road was two lane, lined with trees....and it had a good shoulder for walking.

Today feels a little "funky". It's warm and humid, not much scenery, and maybe I'm still a little sad about leaving Texas. I've about decided I'm not going to like LA, even though I just got here. I passed through a small town named Greenwood. Other than 4 or 5 truck stops and some houses, not sure there was anything else.....at least not on Hwy 80. I stopped at one of the truck stops, inquired about showers, and was told it is $10. When I reached for my money, the person behind the counter told me to, "put the money away, and go use the shower". Hmmmm.....maybe I can learn to like LA after all? The shower did a world of good, and things were looking up.

On the way to Shreveport I passed the American Rose Center. I didn't stop, but it looks like a nice place to tour. It wasn't long until I was coming into the west side of Shreveport. There wasn't much to see for several miles, but then I passed the fairgrounds and the Independence Bowl football field. There are lots of historical cemeteries in Shreveport, one named the Star Cemetery. After that it was just walking, and most of the area was not very nice. I couldn't even find downtown, and was a little bummed about that. But I kept following the Hwy 80 signs. All of a sudden, downtown appeared ahead. Hwy 80 becomes Texas Ave, and goes down the main drag of town. And it's a very nice downtown, with what appears to be lots of restoration and lots of history.

On the north (or east) end of town, there is a new area called the Red River district. very modern and attractive, with lots of restaurants, shops, and casinos. Having a river flow through a town seems to be an asset. I crossed the bridge over the river, and suddenly I'm in Bossier City, sister town to Shreveport. Along the way I passed the Mardi Gras Museum. It was getting late, and I figured I would still be in the city when it was time to camp. So, decided to stay inside tonight because I don't know where in town I could camp. I asked about motels, and was told there are several, plus there's a mall along Hwy 80. I needed to pick up something there, so headed out.

Before long I was at the mall, getting ready to go into Dillard's, but wondering what to do about the cart. That's when I met Linda Mahanay, and her boyfriend Wesley Adams. Linda was sitting on a bench outside the store, so I asked her if she would watch it for a few minutes. She agreed, but had a ride coming to pick her up, but I wasn't going to be long. She saw the sign on the cart, asked about the walk, and then called Wesley to see when he would be there.....she had someone for him to meet (me). He had been at a business meeting, so didn't want to meet anyone new, but became interested as we talked. It wasn't long until he invited me out to dinner with them. They were staying at the Hampton Inn, so that's where I would stay, But I still didn't have what I came for, so told them I would meet them there.

When I came out of the store, it was almost dark. The road to the Hampton Inn had no sidewalks or shoulder. I tried to walk a while but it was too dangerous. I spotted a guy (Chris Davis) sitting in a church parking lot in a pickup. Walked over, told him where I wanted to go, and he agreed to take me there (it was roads I had already walked). So he did. I checked in, and before long was on the way to dinner with Wesley and Linda. Wesley is from Arlington, Linda from Houston......a really nice couple (those Texans still helping me.) We went to a place called "Herby K's".......open since 1936, and located in a place where you'd never expect a restaurant, it has enough atmosphere for a dozen restaurants......plus great food at a reasonable price. The type of place we should seek out when we travel.

After a great dinner and good conversation, back to the motel where I thanked Wesley and Linda for including me in their evening. Back to the room to do some computer stuff, and maybe wash a few clothes. Tomorrow I'll continue east on Hwy 80 toward Monroe, but for now, going to enjoy an evening inside.

The Pictures: I'm not sure Elvises' connection to Shreveport, but he has a street named after him. The other is from the bridge as I walked over the Red River.