On Sunday, I took another ride up into the hills north of Natchitoches. This time, to make up time I went up the interstate, close to the picture taken above. This is the old Allan-Marthaville Road. Long since detoured and re-routed. Which path did I take? Of course the old one. But not for long.

I spied a nice trail to my right that went down a pipe line. I didnt see any posted signs so I proceeded. This is definately not the place to be when wet.



I hate logging. Unfortunately, it looked like this area needed it... It looked like a lot of the pine trees had bugs. The others were just cut for timber, I reckon.


Where I came from...

Where I'm going...

It hasn't rained in a few days. I reckon there is a spring on top of the hill. The machines going back and forth probably helped heave the water out of the ground...

I picked up a cool little hitch hiker on the pipeline. I love praying mantids. I bought a cup of them one time from a garden supply store. You put them in your garden and they eat the pesky bugs that eat your crops in your garden. I had something like 100 in the cup. Had hundreds more the next year. The year after that... didnt see a one.


I hate ignorant rednecks who kill innocent snakes. This guy was in the middle of NOWHERE! Pisses me right off.... killing these awesome snakes. This snake was in the middle of no where with NO houses within miles. But, it was run over and rattles cut off and from the look of it, beaten with a shovel. It would have never hurt anyone.

This is a canebrake rattle snake, a subspecies of the timber rattler. This one is about as big as they get in the wild. This ole girl was probably 20 years old or older. Stupid ass rednecks. Its a shame people are afraid of animals so much smaller than them.


I had seen some horse tracks in the sand a few miles back... when I rounded a curve I was suprised to see these folks.


I had stopped at an intersection to consult the map, giving the folks time to catch up so I could ask them questions...The ol coger on the second wagon asked if i "needed the mules to 'rastle that ther bike." I said nah, i reckon i'm good. They asked what if I was lost... I told them I'm not lost but I dont know where I'm going... they got a kick out of that so I explained my trail and that I am just exploring new places to go and connecting more dirt. They were like... oh... alright!I asked what they were doing and they said just enjoying the sunday and out for a ride. (atleast I'm not the only one)They lived just up the road at the house in the photo... on a chicken farm. Chicken farmers.

I picked a smelly spot to stop... Chicken manure.



I wanted to check out a town I had never been to before to make sure they had gas just in case. Yep. $4.10/gal when prices are 3.90 elsewhere. Cool little general store. When I pulled up, the pumps had a little sign saying to double the cost when pumped. Cool.Onward.Was checking a "road" that showed up on my GPS. It was grown up and gated/fenced at one fork and sure enough on the other. It was fun and tight.Nice hog wallow on the Old Marthaville Rd



The fence. The GPS indicated the road went between those trees. Shoot. Turn around...And ride through this....



Miles later.... I thought this was cool... looked better in person for some reason.

Diseased chicken farms! Keep out. Makes you wonder what you are eating....