A tour group of cyclists with French Louisiana Bike Tours heard all about us from their support van radio on their way to Fred’s. Their tour was out of Lafayette, and focused on Cajun culture.
After we left Fred’s, we rode with them to Eunice along backroads. The tour owners, Joan and Dick Williams, had invited us to have supper with them at, Posiers, the bed and breakfast where the group was staying.
We rode to Eunice with Art and Sharon Gabriel from Colorado. We worked up a real sweat trying to keep up with them on their tandem. I didn’t feel too bad after I found out Art is a Colorado state track champion for age 50. And they’re good dancers too. They are considering some form of early retirement, and life simplification, so they can have more time to travel and ride the tandem together. It is amazing how many people we are meeting who are re-thinking their lives, re-examining priorities, trying to ferret out the important things and moving, carefully, toward change.
The evening radio show was at the Liberty Theater, a beautifully restored old theater, part of the Acadian Culture Center, a National Park. The show featured two Cajun bands and was a live radio broadcast. It was also being videotaped for television in Lafayette.
They had an area for dancing up front and well, you can probably guess what couple was up there dancing pretty soon. Mais, oui! Laissez les bon temps roulez! Allons Danser! Our dancing wasn’t exactly traditional Cajun, but we don’t mind being stared at. But then nobody around here seems very shy either. We fit right in.
Later the master of ceremonies was interviewing some of the bike tour people and they told him about us and our 6700 miles on the road. He called us up and asked the usual questions, to the usual ooohs and aaahs from the 100 or so in the audience, and then he dedicated the next song to us; we had the whole dance floor to ourselves. It was a fast one and we really put on our best six-count swing. We made sure to throw in several “bumpers” (we swing back to back and double bump butts) to the great pleasure of the audience. Claire is such a ham!
After that show we had a great dinner (gumbo, spicy green beans, mashed potatoes, salads, boudin, cracklins, pig head-cheese; dessert was pecan, sweet potato and fig pies) at Posiers bed and breakfast. We got to know the people on the tour and the owners.
We met Bob and Claire on the Team Northwest Tandemonium ride over Sauvie Island mentioned on page 92.
Thanks for the memories, and the update on your own adventures. That last few days back to Sequim was bitter-sweet after more than a year on the road. We’ve never been the same; a good thing.
What a marvelous and beautifully descriptive article about a simply amazing woman – Karen Landis. I’ve had had the serendipitous experience to create and nurture a friendship with Karen after I underwent a hip replacement and three hip fractures and realized I needed to request the local “Meals on Wheels” service. And of course, if she didn’t have enough on her plate, Karen serves the Chino Valley community two days a week by delivering meals to people in my circumstance.
I loved Karen the first moment I met her. And when we started chatting I knew I had met a soul mate. I’ve been looking all my life for a role model, a hero, an amazing example of humankind. I don’t know if she realizes what an outstanding example she is of a strong, independent, intelligent, talented woman. Sometimes as women, we have a dentency to undervalue ourselves. But Karen, I want you to know you are the real deal. You are just so beautiful in your authenticity. And I a so appreciative of the value you have added to our environment by caring for the land and the animals under your watchful care. Your abilities and strength simply boggle my mind. And thank you for your loving service to me these past four months. You rock girl!