Ride Day 44

I left my hotel in Ville Platte with the same misty fog hanging in the air as I had yesterday. I enjoy the misty look it gives Louisiana. It seems to fit the image I have in my head for swampy southern Louisiana. I saw some great old oak trees today on my ride but I could not get any good pics of them because the traffic was too heavy and I did not want to sit around and wait for a break in traffic to take a pic. I rode hard today on the flat roads that only have a few small hills on them, riding about 15-18mph. I enjoyed the first 20 miles which was through the area near Chicot State Park.   The park is a mixed wet and dry forested swampy area with a couple of lakes. There was almost no traffic on the roads. I saw lots of wildlife on my ride today, deer, fox, opossum, turkeys, squirrels, birds and livestock. I like seeing all the beautiful horses grazing in the misty fields. I have tried to get a pic of the cattle with cattle egrets sitting on them but the damn birds are too flighty to get close enough for a good pic. Such is life. There were fields of corn and beans instead of rice and crawfish ponds. I still saw some crawfish traps in the swamps and ponds though. I took a wrong turn today while I was spacing out enjoying the world roll by as I rode. I did not mind the error as I enjoyed the extra miles. I stopped to ask a local farmer where I was and how do I get back to my route. He pointed right to where I thought I was on my map and then offered to drive me back to my route. I accepted his offer and we had a nice chat while he drove me the 8 miles or so back to the main route. He raises cattle and farms feed for them and also to sell. He was a very nice friendly guy and I enjoyed his company, He seemed pleased to meet me and hear a bit about my ride also. I gave him my web name and he said he would look me up and read more. After I was back on the route I ate a half pound burger and fries before riding on. I have a hard time eating sufficient calories to keep up with my daily caloric burn. I am also really trying to eat healthy but I need to eat the high calorie foods too. I drink a lot of fluids including water, juices, V8, and I eat apples and oranges almost every single day. I also munch carrots while I ride. Sometimes I share them with the horses which the horses go nuts over. The only negative for me today was I had to ride through smoke because they were burning off the fields before they plow them and the smoke started to give me some asthma problems. I was able to shake it off without needing to use an inhaler but I did not like the sudden breathing problems. I am camping in an RV park tonight and might not ride tomorrow. Sunday almost everything around here closes so I don't have as many options to buy cold drinks and food as I ride plus my tired old body could use the rest I think. I have tried to take days off before but I just get too bored and get on my bike and go. So I may or may not ride tomorrow. Next week has some thundershowers in the forecast but as long as it does not say tornadoes I will ride. The rain might feel good as long as there is not too much lightning striking close to me.