Wow! A great day in every facet. Riding was great: no mechanical problems, the weather cooperated (clouds and wind at our back), and the pavement was good (barring a few gravel stretches). 106 miles and good spirits abounded today, and we even saw some zebras (that's right zebras the pic is on the twitter feed). And we topped it all off with an amazing dinner at Dupuy's Oyster Shop. If you are ever in Abbeville, LA I highly recommend it.
The interesting tidbit for the day happened at lunchat C'est Bon in Mermentua, LA. The only thing that I can compare it to is the scene from Animal House where they walk into the Dexter Lake Club to see Otis Day and the Knights. The record scratches, music stops, and all heads turn to the crew of frat boys walking in. In short, they were not expecting us to walk through those doors in our tight-fitting cycling gear and moustachces. Heads turned, confused and possibly threatening glances were thrown our way as we made our way to order. I am sure jokes were made and snide comments whispered, as the outsiders made our way to fill up on a Cajun lunch. It reminded me of a quote I read recently: "With heaps of overly specialized gear - gloves, shoes, biking jerseys - most cyclists realize that every day on the road is Halloween. Plain and simple, its wearing a costume each time out of the gate…We're neon signs, stylistically impaired wonders blinding pedestrians and fooling small children into thinking that the circus is back in town" (Joe Kurmaskie The Metal Cowboy: Riding Outside the Lines). We were happy to provide the entertainment for these folks (who were actually very nice to our faces). These weren't the first occurrences of this kind and surely won't be the last, but future cities of Louisiana beware...the circus is most definitely coming to town.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Monday, July 11, 2011
Day Two: Feel My Heat
Start: Gulfway Motel in High Island, Texas
Lunch: Lil Kim and Big H Seafood & Grocery in Port Arthur, Texas
Dinner: Cajun Charlie's in Lake Charles, Louisiana
End: Holly Island, Louisiana
Today's biking distance: 82 miles
Total biking distance: 170 miles
Well, let me begin by being frank (you can still be you......zing!): a lot went wrong today. Let's take a look, in bulleted list form no less!
But tomorrow's another day. And the guys are likely to log 100+ miles tomorrow. Wish us luck!
Support Vehicle Music:
Radiohead - The Bends
Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - Pershing
The Roots - How I Got Over
Surfer Blood - Astro Coast
Robert Randolph & the Family Band - Unclassified
Frightened Rabbit - The Midnight Organ Fight
Boogie Nights* - music from the original motion picture
*today's blog entry's title, in addition to referencing the rough weather conditions down South, is borrowed from the best of Dirk Diggler's songs. Unfortunately, it's nowhere to be found on YouTube, so Dirk Diggler's 2nd greatest song will have to do:
Lunch: Lil Kim and Big H Seafood & Grocery in Port Arthur, Texas
Dinner: Cajun Charlie's in Lake Charles, Louisiana
End: Holly Island, Louisiana
Today's biking distance: 82 miles
Total biking distance: 170 miles
Well, let me begin by being frank (you can still be you......zing!): a lot went wrong today. Let's take a look, in bulleted list form no less!
- While the guys enjoyed a relatively pleasant morning of wind at their backs and clouds shading them from the sun, I was driving through a torrential thunderstorm.
- While trying to find a good lunch spot, my hopes were risen to great heights by the sign of a small cafe, only to be dashed upon further inspection (it was boarded up). It's sign read "Richard's Cafe: Where It's All Gravy, Baby"
- We settled on a grocery/seafood joint called Lil Kim & Big H. It had neither the hip hop diva or heroin.
- Immediately after Jason ordered his lunch, the power went out...on the entire block.
- Since we had cash, and they don't need electricity to fry seafood into oblivion, we still stayed for lunch. But that lunch was accompanied by some sort of alarm sounding every 17 seconds or so. We called it the "EVERYTHING'S FINE" alarm.
- Of course, once we finished eating, the power came back.
- After lunch, the sun came out and wreaked havoc, creating water concerns for Brennan and Jason, and most tragically, shortening my trip to the super cool fort we saw on the side of the road, a.k.a. Fun Island Depot!
 |
| the graffiti-riddled sign made it seem less fun....so did calling it a Depot. |
- To celebrate the end of the day's run, the guys excitedly ran into the Gulf of Mexico...and proceeded to get covered in dirty seaweed and random trash.
 |
| somehow, you can still see their disappointment (even with their backs turned) |
- Despite our attempt to spend our night in the whimsically-named Hackberry, Louisiana, the one motel (which was also a marina) appeared to be abandoned.
- We thought our bad luck streak had ended with our dinner choice: Cajun Charlie's. It had crazy crap on the wall. I had a trio of fried duck appetizers. There was a Wall of Fame even better than the one from last night**. Everything was going great, especially when we saw the standing stuffed alligator (not unlike the one from Hook...you know, the one who (SPOILER ALERT!!!) eats Dustin Hoffman at the end). And we were pumped when the waitress agreed to take our picture with the gator. But, as we learned throughout the day, things were just meant to go wrong. She cut the gator's head off in the pic. Rat farts.
  |
| See how happy we were...then we saw the piss-poor crop job |
 | ||
| Today's mystery Wall of Fame member |
But tomorrow's another day. And the guys are likely to log 100+ miles tomorrow. Wish us luck!
Support Vehicle Music:
Radiohead - The Bends
Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - Pershing
The Roots - How I Got Over
Surfer Blood - Astro Coast
Robert Randolph & the Family Band - Unclassified
Frightened Rabbit - The Midnight Organ Fight
Boogie Nights* - music from the original motion picture
*today's blog entry's title, in addition to referencing the rough weather conditions down South, is borrowed from the best of Dirk Diggler's songs. Unfortunately, it's nowhere to be found on YouTube, so Dirk Diggler's 2nd greatest song will have to do:
Simple Pleasures
So yesterday, I got about as philosophical about riding a bike as I will get. The post was a little self-indulgent, but true nonetheless. Today my feelings on why we do this trip, though unchanged, are also a little jaded by a difficult day. With heavy legs, Brennan and I set out this morning from High Island, TX with grand ideas of making it to Port Arthur, TX in record time. The sky was overcast, the wind was at our backs and all was going well until about mile 18 - our paved road turned to gravel (not unlike last year's ride), I got a flat tire as a result, and then we hit some pavement that felt like we were riding on a rumble strip (that bumpy thing in the shoulder that makes noise under your tires when you cross the yellow line). For those of you who have never ridden on rough pavement it is like riding in mud. It slows you down 5-10 mph depending on how bad. But, I digress. Hey, that's what we signed up for. A little rain-saoked, we made it to Port Arthur right as the lunch places were opening up, and found a quaint little mom and pop seafood deli called Lil Kim and Big H's (a nice ring, no?). More to come on that in Ryan's blog...more poor luck continued.
After an hour of eating, refilling, and re-lubing, we headed out for the second half of the day, an easy 35 or so miles to Holly Beach, LA. Not. So. Easy. The sun was out, no clouds, wind at our sides and slightly in our faces, and hot very, very hot. A different kind of hot though, like riding in a sauna. I don't think I underestimated the heat, but I definitely overestimated my preparedness for it (my wife was right). As we rode our refreshed legs soon became tired and heavy and the heat began to take a toll, and one thing popped into my mind, a quote by JFK, "Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of riding a bike." Normally, John, I would agree with you, but I doubt he has ridden 85 miles through Louisiana in July. As my I pedaled, my anger for JFK's comments grew, as did the pain in my/our legs. We decided a break was needed and sought refuge beneath the piles of an abandoned beach house. To our surprise there was a picnic table (a little bird poo-ridden, but it would do), and we proceeded to plop down. Then we proceeded to lay down, and enjoy one of the simple pleasures that JFK overlooked - the nap. There are few things that give me more pleasure than an afternoon nap. Perhaps, the former President's quote was just missing a part because the bike ride and the nap go hand in hand...or at least they did today.
A call from Ryan, wondering where we were woke Brennan and I up about 15 minutes into our nap, but that was enough. That little respite from the sun, from the ride, from consciousness gave us what we needed to finish the last 19 miles, at which time, we took a dip in the gulf of Mexico (albeit a dirty little stretch called Holly Beach, it was kind of gross, but refreshing). Now not going to delve into philosophy or advice too much, but if you enjoy it; if it makes you happy it is a simple pleasure. Enjoy it...and more often.
After an hour of eating, refilling, and re-lubing, we headed out for the second half of the day, an easy 35 or so miles to Holly Beach, LA. Not. So. Easy. The sun was out, no clouds, wind at our sides and slightly in our faces, and hot very, very hot. A different kind of hot though, like riding in a sauna. I don't think I underestimated the heat, but I definitely overestimated my preparedness for it (my wife was right). As we rode our refreshed legs soon became tired and heavy and the heat began to take a toll, and one thing popped into my mind, a quote by JFK, "Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of riding a bike." Normally, John, I would agree with you, but I doubt he has ridden 85 miles through Louisiana in July. As my I pedaled, my anger for JFK's comments grew, as did the pain in my/our legs. We decided a break was needed and sought refuge beneath the piles of an abandoned beach house. To our surprise there was a picnic table (a little bird poo-ridden, but it would do), and we proceeded to plop down. Then we proceeded to lay down, and enjoy one of the simple pleasures that JFK overlooked - the nap. There are few things that give me more pleasure than an afternoon nap. Perhaps, the former President's quote was just missing a part because the bike ride and the nap go hand in hand...or at least they did today.
A call from Ryan, wondering where we were woke Brennan and I up about 15 minutes into our nap, but that was enough. That little respite from the sun, from the ride, from consciousness gave us what we needed to finish the last 19 miles, at which time, we took a dip in the gulf of Mexico (albeit a dirty little stretch called Holly Beach, it was kind of gross, but refreshing). Now not going to delve into philosophy or advice too much, but if you enjoy it; if it makes you happy it is a simple pleasure. Enjoy it...and more often.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Day One: Bikes, Ferries, and Automobiles
Start: Dave Weber's apartment in Houston, Texas
Lunch: Papa's Pizza in Galveston, Texas
Dinner: Al-T's Seafood & Steakhouse in Winnie, Texas
End: Gulfway Motel in High Island, Texas
Today's biking distance: 88* miles (if they would have done it in an hour, you would have seen some serious ______)
Total biking distance: 88 miles
*side note: Today, Brennan and Jason rode by a DeLorean multiple times. The first time, they texted me. 10 minutes after that text, I received another from my frined Jay back in Indy. It was a picture of...you guessed it...a DeLorean. I suspect it was the same one, and there is some sort of Indiana/Texas time travel taking place
Let's start with the night before Day One. Twas eventful. Twas, I say! Brennan's bicycle, which he checked as luggage when flying from Denver to Houston, was temporarily lost. Jokes were made that my flight, which for some inexplicable reason was stopping in Baltimore, would make it to Houston before Brennan's bike.
It did not. And sadly, the TSA took Brennan's CO2 cartridges, so he was in quite a pickle. And when they tracked down a bike shop, it was 2 hours after closing time. Luckily, the staff at Houston Bicycle Company were willing to open up shop, and even donated some CO2 cartridges without charge. Thanks, guys!
Instead, as we were minutes away from leaving Baltimore on time, the AC in the plane went out, we deboarded the place, were given our boarding passes back (in a scene resembling 2nd graders getting their bag of valentine's as the teacher calls each name out amid a hovering crowd), and just as the final person got their boarding pass back, the plane was fixed, we got back on the plane (I was proud to still get my trusty seat, 7A) and I got into Houston around 12:30 am. Brennan and Jason were sound asleep in our friend Dave's bed, which is where we shipped off from this morning.
Departure time was 6:30am for Brennan and Jason, 8:00am for me. As I was cruising down a major highway (45 South), ditching the guys and their county road approach, Jason was quickly getting a flat tire around mile 6 (he would later wreck, making the flat tire seem like a mere hiccup). About 50 miles into the day, I had to pick up the guys, as the only way to cross into Galveston is to take said major highway (45 South). But rest assured, they demanded to be let out of the car as soon as possible so not to jeopardize the integrity of the trip.
Speaking of integrity, at our lunch stop in Galveston Bay, Brennan rubbed Jesus' moustache:
While eating lunch, we watched the 2nd half of the USA/Brazil World Cup match, but had to leave before the "GREATEST ENDING EVER!!!!" (I'm quoting every single person in my Twitter feed the 20 minutes after we stopped watching the game). From Galveston, we boarded the ferry, complete with flock of seagulls.....not that flock.....this flock:
From there, it was relatively smooth sailing (though the heat really started to take its toll). As always, I scoped out our stop for the evening, the Gulfway Motel, which instantly reminded me of the motel* that the crew from Bottle Rocket stop to hide out.
*not so fun fact: The motel where they filmed Bottle Rocket is in danger of being destroyed. This would be tragic.
We took a dip in the motel's pool-sized jacuzzi (did I mention it's hot here....94 degrees, people!) and headed to a taxedermy/restaurant in Winnie, Texas.
Cajun Cuisine was consumed. Random pictures were taken. Plans for tomorrow were made. Stay tuned for that...
Support Vehicle Music:
The Lemonheads - It's a Shame About Ray
The Rentals - Return of the Rentals
The Rentals - Seven More Minutes
LMFAO - Sorry For Party Rocking
William Shatner - Has Been
Vampire Weekend - Contra
Wilco - Wilco (the album)
Lunch: Papa's Pizza in Galveston, Texas
Dinner: Al-T's Seafood & Steakhouse in Winnie, Texas
End: Gulfway Motel in High Island, Texas
Today's biking distance: 88* miles (if they would have done it in an hour, you would have seen some serious ______)
Total biking distance: 88 miles
*side note: Today, Brennan and Jason rode by a DeLorean multiple times. The first time, they texted me. 10 minutes after that text, I received another from my frined Jay back in Indy. It was a picture of...you guessed it...a DeLorean. I suspect it was the same one, and there is some sort of Indiana/Texas time travel taking place
 |
| mint trays in Texas are weird |
Let's start with the night before Day One. Twas eventful. Twas, I say! Brennan's bicycle, which he checked as luggage when flying from Denver to Houston, was temporarily lost. Jokes were made that my flight, which for some inexplicable reason was stopping in Baltimore, would make it to Houston before Brennan's bike.
It did not. And sadly, the TSA took Brennan's CO2 cartridges, so he was in quite a pickle. And when they tracked down a bike shop, it was 2 hours after closing time. Luckily, the staff at Houston Bicycle Company were willing to open up shop, and even donated some CO2 cartridges without charge. Thanks, guys!
Instead, as we were minutes away from leaving Baltimore on time, the AC in the plane went out, we deboarded the place, were given our boarding passes back (in a scene resembling 2nd graders getting their bag of valentine's as the teacher calls each name out amid a hovering crowd), and just as the final person got their boarding pass back, the plane was fixed, we got back on the plane (I was proud to still get my trusty seat, 7A) and I got into Houston around 12:30 am. Brennan and Jason were sound asleep in our friend Dave's bed, which is where we shipped off from this morning.
 |
| the start of the trip |
Speaking of integrity, at our lunch stop in Galveston Bay, Brennan rubbed Jesus' moustache:
While eating lunch, we watched the 2nd half of the USA/Brazil World Cup match, but had to leave before the "GREATEST ENDING EVER!!!!" (I'm quoting every single person in my Twitter feed the 20 minutes after we stopped watching the game). From Galveston, we boarded the ferry, complete with flock of seagulls.....not that flock.....this flock:
From there, it was relatively smooth sailing (though the heat really started to take its toll). As always, I scoped out our stop for the evening, the Gulfway Motel, which instantly reminded me of the motel* that the crew from Bottle Rocket stop to hide out.
*not so fun fact: The motel where they filmed Bottle Rocket is in danger of being destroyed. This would be tragic.
We took a dip in the motel's pool-sized jacuzzi (did I mention it's hot here....94 degrees, people!) and headed to a taxedermy/restaurant in Winnie, Texas.
Cajun Cuisine was consumed. Random pictures were taken. Plans for tomorrow were made. Stay tuned for that...
 |
| nothing cures exhaustion like upward dog! |
 |
| not sure which dog pose this one is |
 |
| Al-T's had a wall of fame...could someone please tell us who this guy is?! Obviously, we love his 'stache. |
The Lemonheads - It's a Shame About Ray
The Rentals - Return of the Rentals
The Rentals - Seven More Minutes
LMFAO - Sorry For Party Rocking
William Shatner - Has Been
Vampire Weekend - Contra
Wilco - Wilco (the album)
Why do we do it?
Over the last three trips I have, several times, asked myself, "Why do Brennan and I put ourselves through a week-long fitness review composed of grueling hills, or 30 mph headwinds, or 98 degree heat?" The obvious answers are the ones probably going through your head right now: we are crazy; we are idiots; we, through some masochistic predilection, enjoy punishing our bodies. All are plausible and probably (at least a little) true. However, as I zoomed through the midwest in my car 1000 miles to Houston, I realized that Ernest Hemingway was spot on when he said, "It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle." Now while we are not conquering any massive hills, you definitely gain a better appreciation for the smaller (and often unnoticed) things that this country has to offer - little mom and pop stores, seemingly seedy motels, and watching Gulf tides roll in, things that never get a second glance at 60+ mph hour, become intriguing. I wouldn't go so far as to say inspiring, but something as simple as a water tower in a small town becomes a goal, a destination, a pivotal landmark. Slowing things down to say 16 mph makes you take notice of a lot more. Bottom line: America is big, and we have driven through tens or hundreds of thousands of miles of it. We still talk about things that we passed, places we stopped, and things that we did. I can hardly say that about drives to Chicago, St. Louis, Houston, Charleston, or Kansas City. Getting to the destination is great, but getting there really is the best part.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Costello's Face: America Decides!
One of the most important decisions that go into our trip revolves around the style of moustache to take in to the week. In 2009, I went with a different style each day of the trip. In 2010, I stayed with one style, primarily out of laziness.
But this year, I'm taking a page from modern television and letting America decide! (Fox, feel free to contact me into regards to my new show pitch, So You Think You Can Grow Facial Hair)
Now, before I reveal the three choices America will have (and please note, by "America" I mean "the 12 people that read this blog"), I came across a rather interesting chart that not only reviews a variety of styles, but charts them according to trustworthiness:
Now, I'll be the first to admit that this chart has flaws. I hardly think Burt Reynolds is more trustworthy than Honest Abe. And ever since his turn to the dark side as Hollywood Hogan (not to mention his suspect behavior on Hogan Knows Best (more like Hogan Knows WORST!!!! Am I right?!?!)), I refuse to believe that Hulk Hogan can be trusted more than a homeless man...or a werewolf.
But, the chart did help me settle on three styles that I'll ask you all to vote on. Each style will come with a celebrity endorser, as well as a picture of myself sporting the look, so you can have an accurate idea of what the world will be looking at for the next week:
Option #1 - The Friendly Mutton Chops
Recently worn by Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, this style seems to focus the eye on the beauty of the chin (one of my face's strengths if I say so myself)
Option #2 - The Horseshoe
Alright. I know I just bashed Hulk Hogan, who is the icon of this style. But he redeemed himself during his brief, yet humbling appearances on Brooke Knows Best.
Option #3 - The Push Broom
As the sherpa of this trip, I will often find myself bartering with and smooth-talking motel clerks in the hopes of getting a lower rate. There's nothing friendlier than the Flanders!
And so, at the top right of this blog, you'll see a poll, allowing you to vote for one of these three choices.
Choose wisely. My upper lip depends on it!
But this year, I'm taking a page from modern television and letting America decide! (Fox, feel free to contact me into regards to my new show pitch, So You Think You Can Grow Facial Hair)
Now, before I reveal the three choices America will have (and please note, by "America" I mean "the 12 people that read this blog"), I came across a rather interesting chart that not only reviews a variety of styles, but charts them according to trustworthiness:
 |
| click to enlarge |
Now, I'll be the first to admit that this chart has flaws. I hardly think Burt Reynolds is more trustworthy than Honest Abe. And ever since his turn to the dark side as Hollywood Hogan (not to mention his suspect behavior on Hogan Knows Best (more like Hogan Knows WORST!!!! Am I right?!?!)), I refuse to believe that Hulk Hogan can be trusted more than a homeless man...or a werewolf.
But, the chart did help me settle on three styles that I'll ask you all to vote on. Each style will come with a celebrity endorser, as well as a picture of myself sporting the look, so you can have an accurate idea of what the world will be looking at for the next week:
Option #1 - The Friendly Mutton Chops
Recently worn by Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, this style seems to focus the eye on the beauty of the chin (one of my face's strengths if I say so myself)
Option #2 - The Horseshoe
Alright. I know I just bashed Hulk Hogan, who is the icon of this style. But he redeemed himself during his brief, yet humbling appearances on Brooke Knows Best.
Option #3 - The Push Broom
As the sherpa of this trip, I will often find myself bartering with and smooth-talking motel clerks in the hopes of getting a lower rate. There's nothing friendlier than the Flanders!
And so, at the top right of this blog, you'll see a poll, allowing you to vote for one of these three choices.
Choose wisely. My upper lip depends on it!
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
The 2011 Big Easy Moustache Ride - So It Begins
The 2009 Kentucky Moustache Ride was a 3-man expedition through the hills of Kentucky. Brennan and Jason recruited me because (a) as a teacher, I have summers off and (b) my laziness and disinterest in exerting energy made me a perfect candidate to drive the support vehicle. From our trip to the Maker's Mark Distillery to our stay at the greatest motel in the Midwest, the Old Kentucky Home Motel, we had a blast exploring Brennan and Jason's home state, ending at Lebowskifest in Louisville, KY.
And so the following year, how appropriate that we chose my home state to trek through! The 2010 Indiana Moustache Ride added a fourth member, Jason's dad, and our trip from Cincinnati to Chicago ended at the hallowed grounds of Wrigley Field, where we had the pleasure of watching the Reds destroy the Cubbies! We also got a taste of fame, as our arrival to Wrigley was mentioned by Marty Brenneman during the radio call of the previous day's game.
And so here we are, less than a week from our 3rd trip. This year, we'll explore the South, traveling from Houston to New Orleans. We return to the original 3-man team of Brennan, Jason, and myself, and we'll be greeted in New Orleans by a group of pals to revel in a long weekend in the Big Easy!
Many people ask why we do this trip? And why the moustaches? The easiest way to answer, I suppose, is the sheer joy we get from being idiots. But perhaps we'll find a deeper, more enlightening purpose this year. You'll just have to stay tuned to the blog to find out!
While there are many details that have yet to be solidified (including specific roads to take), we do have a tentative plan as far as each day's stopping point:
Day 1: Houston, TX --> Winnie, TX
Day 2: Winnie, TX --> Cameron, LA
Day 3: Cameron, LA --> Abbeville, LA
Day 4: Abbeville, LA --> Thibodaux, LA
Day 5: Thibodaux, LA --> New Orleans, LA
View 2011 Big Easy Moustache Ride in a larger map
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