Huston to Lafayette via Galveston.

Day 11

My body has finally adjusted to waking up around 5 am. Which gives me plenty of

time to get ready, pack, and do the blog.  I'm doing my research on going to visit the 

USS Texas Battleship today, only to find it's closed for repairs. 

Here's the link for all the info:

Problems with the USS Texas

So with that closed, what will I do, I decide to take the long way to Lafayette, LA, which

is where I'll be spending the night. First stop is to fill up the bike up at Buc-ee's, which is

a Texas institution. This is the biggest gas bar you will ever go to. It's the next exit on 

the Interstate from my motel, on the way back to Galveston.

There are cashiers all over the place to take my $10 to fill up gas. When you tell them

which pump you are at, they pull it up on video, to make sure you have the right pump

number. The best part, is I went in a different entrance and got my change from a different

cashier.

Now I'm thinking Buc-ee's isn't going to be running out of ice very soon.

Your starting to get a idea on how big the store is, and this was taken for the middle of

the store.

The bay behind the main one has "Pure gas" without ethanol added to it.

                                                 Can't get away from Christmas now, can I?

You name it, they can make it. You can grab pre made, or use the computer to have it

freshly made.

                                                             Plenty of soda fountains.

Beef jerky, hell they have beef, pork, chicken, turkey and more. JerkyRus.

Forget you bait, they got that too. You see lot's of people fishing right off the Interstate.

Girls, feel neglected on your beer cozies? Buc-ee's has got you covered.

For $40, you too can go crab fishing or whatever they call it. Fresh crab everyday.

Believe it or not, I didn't get anything, because it has to be real special, or real small to

make it in to the trailer. Though I have bought and shipped stuff before. From here it's down

into Galveston to pick up the ferry, to cross Galveston Bay. The plus here is, that you

don't have to go up through Houston to hook up with Interstate 10. Once into

Galveston, the stop lights are timed, that, as you approach them, they all turn Green,

amazing. The only place that has come close way NYC in the 90's, when I drove my

P2 there after a run. Steve Abrams put up a few of us for the weekend. There they

just turned green all at once and you went as fast as you can until they turned red.

I make it the the ferry terminal, and joined a line. Not more than 5 minutes later we are

boarding.

All parked, and just waiting for the loading to finish so I can go upstairs.

Looks like a full ferry, but the bonus is that after loading we head off.

Out to the sea air of Galveston Bay, the temperatures are around the 70 degree mark.

Lot's of ferries if they need it, and sometimes they do, with up to a 2 hour wait on long

weekends and holidays.

Everything covered, in case the weather changes. The ferries are 24/7, 365 days of the year.

Oh, and they are free.

 A Museum with a old destroyer and a sub. Too many things to see, so little time.

A nice view of Galveston, TX from in the middle of the bay. I have seen cruse ships here

before.

The ferry going the other way and meeting us at the half way mark.

My last day in Texas, you are a great state and I shall return sometime. Some great motorcycle

riding, and some chilly mornings.

Just hanging around waiting for some dock to open up.

You know me, gotta get in that selfie, from the upper deck!

All great voyages must come to a end, and we're on the other side.

This is why I came this way, the Gulf of Mexico to my right and no traffic on the roads.

Temperatures are in the mid 70's, what more can you ask from your vacation.

More selfies, and the never ending coast.

I hit Port Arthur and look for somewhere to eat. I decide to try Chick a flick, or whatever

it is called. It's the only place that I've ever been to where a chicken Cobb salad is cheaper

then the chicken sandwiches. So I go with the Cobb salad. It was good, and you still get

the chicken. It's now 1 pm, so time to hit the road. With the time change, it gets dark around

5:30 pm.

Since I'm going to be running along the coast and I'm at 1/2 tank, I decide to fill up. Notice

anything different about the prices? My bike takes 89. But at $1.40 more a gallon, the old

girl is getting regular.

Well, that's it for Texas, time to say hello to Louisiana.

I checked before crossing, Louisiana has a helmet law, unlike Texas. It's warm enough

for the beanie.

Another ferry, but this one I didn't know about. We waited 20 minutes for this one to come

back. This is where I got eaten alive by bugs. I'm still itching.

Yes, I actually saw one while riding today, in a pond next to the road.

Finally making it across. Today's journey ends in Lafayette, LA. This is because tomorrow

I will be going on the Tabasco factory tour down the street. That should clear out those

sinuses.

I check into my motel, which, wasn't easy to find, but I don't mean location. You really

have to check out those reviews before booking. There are some real dumps in Lafayette,

but tonight's motel isn't one of them. Then I head over to Wally world for some supplies

dinner. Tonight's frozen dinner was Richard's Cajun favorites, Crawfish Fettuccine. It

was pretty good. There was just your usual fast food places around the motel. I have

dinner and start writing the blog. Plus catch up on some downloaded TV, Prodigal Son.


Today's mileage 288 miles or 463 km

Totals for this part of the trip

2382 miles or 3833 km

or only around 1200 miles to go to Key West, Yea!!

Me thinks someone was being a little light-handed in Wallyworld.