We left Cheryl and Ralph’s house a bit later than usual do to all the festivities.  I rode a couple of miles when I saw a tractor with a front end loader and a back hoe driving down the street ahead of me.  I noticed I was gaining on him and contemplated how I would handle the encounter if I caught him.  I would need a good straight to pass, and I wouldn’t want to have him catch me if I made the move.

Before I reached him three cars passed me and got stuck behind him on a curve.  I caught up to the cars to join the traffic jam.  The cars passed him but there was still a gap between us.  Then he must have seen me a kicked the throttle up a notch and started pulling away.  It is known far and wide that no self-respecting tractor would ever allow themselves to get passed by a nonmotorized unicycle.

On the next strait I noticed I was gaining on him again.  Just as I was getting close enough to consider my dilemma he pulled off onto another road.  I am a charitable spirit and will give him the benefit of the doubt that he had reached his destination, but there is a we bit of me that still thinks he may have pulled off to avoid the embarrassment of being passed.  Can you imagine the talk among the other farm implements in the barn?

Now this is a law I could get behind.

No sagging in Valle Platte. ,or as we say down south no slabbing

Apparently the engineers that build the roads in Louisiana did not have unicyclists in mind when they built them.  On all the sweeping curves there is a remarkable bank.  I just can’t reach enough speed to make use of it.  I feel like I am riding in a velodrome.

So far Louisiana have had the most curious residents.  They are always asking me about riding a unicycle and marvel at my riding across the country.  Unfortunately their dogs are just as curious and seem to be free to investigate anything passing on the road.  I was chased by dogs on five different occasions today.

While I was fending off dogs my crew was hunting big game.  See Joan’s armadillo pics.  She seemed to think since I started a little latter she could pick me up latter.  Fifty seven miles later.

Stats for day 67 (riding day 55) Rode 57.71 miles at 12.7 mph, Max=15.8 mph, Ascent=299′, Descent=305′, Max elevation=76′, Min elevation=5′, Ave heart rate=102, Max heart rate=127, Ave temp=75, Calories burned=1164, Total trip miles=2068