Mandeville, LA
The rain stopped. Overnight lower dew points and comfortable temps flowed in behind the front that was stalled over the area for the past few days producing all that rain. We slept comfortably and deeply. When my right eye popped open to a blue sky and bright sun blasting in through that small window right next to my pillow, I knew it was a “new day” and there were new explorations awaiting us today.
After coffee and a simple breakfast I readied the bikes for our day on the Tammany Trace recreation trail. We keep the bikes under covers during rainy days and I’ve recently started keeping the bike seats in the car and plugging the hole in the frame with a rubber plug. So, covers off… seats replaced… done. Tire pressure usually needs to be topped off after a couple weeks of non-use too… done. And then there’s the bike bag that mounts on Dar’s luggage rack… done. And for good measure and because these bikes are so abused by being in the elements almost all the time, I lubed up the moving parts with BO-Shield… done. And before we knew it, we were ready to head out.
Because the Tammany Trace runs right past Fontainebleau State Park we just rode out the park road and hopped on the trail. The plan was to ride the trail through Mandeville and continue north from there to the little community of Abita Springs. I thought it’d be about 12 miles each way, but distractions and wanderings added a few extra miles to the total. We ended the day at 27.1 miles for the day.
This area is heavily wooded in it’s natural state and the dominant tree is pine of some sort. And heavy recent rains left ditches and streams filled with water. But it was a comfortable and enjoyable ride on the all asphalt trail. Spring is well underway here in the south with fresh scents and blooms all over the place. We stopped and checked out the Mandeville Harbor area and a depot redevelopment that’s now a covered open area where a farmers market is held rain or shine every Saturday morning.
At the other end of our trail ride we found the Abita Brew Pub which features the craft beers of the Abita Brewing Company. They have an outside dining area where we enjoyed a beer or two, a big lunch, and wasted away a portion of the afternoon. Explorers like us have a responsibility to maintain our strength with proper levels of nourishment and healthy liquids.
Abita Springs is a town rich in a history that reminded us of our home town of Beaver Dam. Both had natural springs with waters that were thought to be healthy, even medicinal, and with healing properties. People flocked here from crowded cities to enjoy the country and absorb some of the healing effects of the waters. Huge hotels were constructed and a resort-like atmosphere resulted. There’s an historic district in Abita Springs where much of the architecture from the early days has been preserved. After our extended lunch, we explored the center of town before heading back to the Bus-House.
We got back about 5pm with some sore muscles but had really enjoyed the day.
T
