An eerie ride

Wednesday night I decided to join my club for an evening ride to a Bike Night in Metairie. It was so wonderful to put on my leathers, mount up, and ride in the cold wind. The wind was a steady 15 mph out of the North with temps at about 48 degrees F. Six of us (Doug, Michael D., Mitch, Dave, Poncho and Me) met at Lafitte's in the French Quarter. Our ride took us through some of the deserted, dark streets in the uptown area that had flooded. It was so eerie to pass from a brightly lit, lively area through this wasteland filled with mounds of debris and abandoned cars and refrigerators. Arriving in Metairie was like finding a living oasis at the end of a dark journey.

At the Pitt Stop we met up with Diane and Julie and walked around looking at the leather displays and the bikes. This event usually contains about 250 bikes (Before Katrina). There may have been 100 last night. But despite the cold and the disaster, people were there, drinking beer, eating hot burgers, and talking about bikes. We left this venue and traveled to another spot, a bar called Southport. There we snacked on red beans and rice, talked a bit more, and then took off for home.

I had another ride through the devastation, in the dark and alone. Once again I felt this eerie sensation and just wanted to pass through the area as quickly as possible. I switched to the Interstate at Carrollton Ave. and crossed the Crescent City Connection with relief knowing I was headed back to civilization.

Doc