March 9, 2003

Sunday, March 9, 2003 Baton Rouge, LA to Huntsville, TX

Having driven I-10 in the past, this time I chose to take two-lane roads across Louisiana. My soundtrack was Car Wheels On A Gravel Road by Lucinda Williams. This was perfect music for driving through Louisiana on a sunny Sunday morning. The lyric sheet reads like a Louisiana road map: Lake Charles, Lafayette, Baton Rouge, Slidell, etc. In fact, it fit so well that I let it repeat when it was finished.

It was early in the afternoon by the time I arrived in Kountze, the seat of Hardin County. I have high expectations of Texas courthouses, so the Hardin County courthouse was disappointing. It was an ordinary, modern government facility. Since it was Sunday, the parking lot was empty, at least until I parked there.

Click here for The Big Thicket Ride

I drove north and west to Huntsville in the evening, adding a couple more counties to my collection. I ordered a pizza for dinner and slept soundly, quite exhausted after my longest bike ride of the year so far.

Artist of the Day: Lucinda Williams - Born in Lake Charles, Williams was the ideal traveling companion through Louisiana. Although she has lived in many places, she is generally regarded as a Texas musician involved in the Austin and Houston scenes. Car Wheels On A Gravel Road is an excellent album, as is her self-titled third CD, which has been reissued with a slew of bonus tracks.

Honorable Mention: George Jones - The Big Thicket Ride took me through Saratoga, the birthplace of this country music legend.

Return to Texas 2003: Day By Day