A cycling companion for two glorious days

Luckily I had a valve stem air leak and hence a flat tire.  As I began the arduous task of changing the tire which is larger than a normal tire because it is a touring tire, which makes it a tight fit a cyclist with panniers on his bike rolled by just in front of our Argosy.  We were at an intersection where there was a gas station and a country grocery store.  I walked to where the young man had stationed his bike about to enter the grocery store and asked if he was on a time limit then broached the subject of asking for help with the tire change.  This fellow's name is Andrew and he was gracious to help.  The strength he used just to begin taking the tire off the rim made me many times grateful that I had found someone to help.  The three of us visited while the tire was being changed.  This looks like an easy job if some one else is doing it. Andrew has been on the road since January beginning in San Francsico cycling down to Baja then into Mexico.  Andrew had his two brothers with him until three weeks ago.

I mentioned that I could not ride with anyone else because I am a slow traveler, but Andrew was not dismayed. We hopped on our bikes and began our ride. Andrew said he had been missing having people to talk to and could enjoy the company. Ditto. We agreed to continue the next day which had to be the most perfect temperature, weather, road conditions, not many logging trucks or other traffic,  just great.  I rode my most miles so far in one day at 54 and a half miles  We had meadow larks to begin the morning then red winged blackbirds and yellow winged black birds in the winter wheat fields.  Again several road kill Armadillos, one possum and two large frogs which reminded me of "The Triplets of Bellville".  We rode below a levee for much of the day though some parts were on top of the levee. Both days we had a number of dogs come for us, one took a bite out of Andrew's pannier only getting the strap in the end. During the afternoon of the second day we were passing a plantation looking house with acres of grounds.  A doberman pincher, which has been in the back forty, came at Andrew as if he were flying.  The owners yelled to the dog and I thought that was not going to help.  After running full tilt the dog made an instaneous right turn jumping into his fenced yard which had a locked gate and proceeded to run back and forth inside the gate to bark at us.  A comedy in the making.

David was free to drive on to New Roads, LA and not have the concern of staying closer to me and meeting up each twenty miles or so.  We arrived in New Roads, LA about three o'clock. This small town boasts river front views along the False River.  The False River used to be part of the Mississippi but rivers change course and man has been involved with that change.

Andrew is on his way to New Orleans, today April 2.  It was a morale booster to have a biking comp;anion and wish I had one each day.  Oh well, not this trip.