Lafayette to New Orleans

Day 12

The usual, up around 5 am. It's the first eggnog of the season for me. I can think of worse 

things to wake up to. Update the blog and do the 3 S's. Since the breakfast bar isn't 

open till 6:30 am, I might as well get it done. 

Breakfast of champions. I got my yogurt, and, even the coffee wasn't that bad,  actually

I just forgot to bring the instant Starbucks to the breakfast bar. It's a really nice motel, very

reasonably priced, in a decent neighborhood, and recently renovated rooms. If only all

my motel stays could by like this. Tomorrow's hotel is a little more pricier.

It's at this time that I realize that I left my long-johns and thermals, plus a couple of

t shirts at the last motel, in a drawer. Hopefully it won't get too cold for the rest of the trip.

The t shirts I'll miss though. Anyway, I pack up and make sure I have everything, and head

off. I actually head off around the time I want to. Unlike every other day on this trip, the

day starts off with fog, a rather heavy fog. I'm lucky today, as the first part of today's ride is

only around a 45 minutes to Avery Island. LA.


The Tabasco tour.

I found out about this tour from doing my research, and some of the people who I

follow on YouTube, have visited and recommended it. It's a nice and quite place, that,

and I'm here at 9 am when they first open.

Admission is $6 to get in. You get a self guided map and 3 mini Tabasco bottles.

Display's of different products, and videos on the history of the island and Tabasco.

                                          The evolution on the labels, wow, riveting stuff.

They have a full bottle of Tabasco from 1875, it kinda makes you wonder what it tastes like.

Everything is marked out well, so I'll head down to #2

Still better than the rattlesnake warnings in the Southwest. I'm not sure, but I think I saw

one yesterday as roadkill. Poor bear.

Part of the art scattered around the grounds.

I guess were are far enough south that you can grow bamboo. Who knew, not me!

Kind of a demo greenhouse for growing different types of peppers. I'd thought there would

be a bigger aroma of peppers in here, but not really.

The barrel museum, the first thing is the aroma, oh, is it nice. I'm not a big hot sauce fan, but

it smells really good in here.

This will explain how Tabasco is made.

 Everything you need to know about Tabasco sauce

The mash spends 3 years in those barrels, but the smell here is incredible.

To be honest, that was the best part of the tour.

After spending 3 years aging in a barrel, the barrels are emptied, the mash is strained to

remove the skins and seeds. Then distilled vinegar is added to the mix, and into these mixers for

around 1 month.

I guess the Queen likes her hot sauce!

From back in the day.

As Avery island is today.

If it's not rattlesnakes, then its alligators and bears.

That's one solid piece of salt, and no, I didn't lick it. Though you know someones kid

has.

Working in the salt mines, these guy actually do!

The capper, this line was down for something wrong at labeling. One further back was

whizzing along.

Italy, your sauce is on the way.

Some of the world wide products that use Tabasco.

Sumo Tabasco, hot, hot, hot!

Yep, selfie time!

It's a shame it's not on, I would have played it, and yes, I checked around back to plug

it in.

That's the end of the tour. I'm actually surprised on how compact everything is. It's not a

huge facility for what you think the brand would have. But also it only takes around 4 steps

to make. Now I'm over to the gift shop.

Lot's of different sauces and products for you to buy, and taste, as they have a tasting

booth in store as well.

I spent around $40 here on souvenirs, it adds up fast.

I'd like to thank Chris Armstrong for the coon hat, he said, he had it laying around in

his basement. Just kidding, though I remember not so long ago these were real.

I rather like the clock, though sadly, no room.

They have a restaurant next door, it being 10 am, its a little to early for lunch. But the

sign says "Cafe" and I could use a coffee, so I head inside.

I guess it is!

Guess what, they serve breakfast. A buttered biscuit, with pepper barrel crawfish etouffer. This Tabasco factory tour is rough.

That was really good, and very reasonably priced. I'm full now.


So I pack up all my souvenirs and get ready for my ride to New Orleans.  The weather

today calls for slight chance of rain on and off. So hopefully I'll be ok. Most of the

way, it was ok. I'd get a few drops, then nothing. But just outside of New Orleans is

where it got interesting. It would start up for a bit, then stop. I decided at this point

to fill up the bike before getting into the city. Now for the fun stuff. It poured, though

at 60 mph you don't actually get to wet on the bike. But I got wet enough. The only

bonus, is it's almost 80 degrees out, so you don't mind as much. Traffic was a bit bad,

and with the rain, made it interesting. The one interesting thing about the rain was

watching the rear tire cool off, and the air pressure go down a few psi on the TPMS. 



Once in New Orleans, the rain stopped, well,

long enough to unload the bike and check in. Parking the bike though, it started up

again. I think I got more wet going to the parking garage at slow speeds than on the

Interstate at highway speeds. The rain stops and I head out for a walk down to

the French Quarter.

The mighty Mississippi river. Big and wide. They bring cruse ships up here to dock.

The bridge I just went over, and it kind of means the difference between the eastern and

western US for me. So I finally made it to the east.

Lot's of walking for me.

The french quarter is much bigger than you think it is. Anyway I'll be back tomorrow

to explore some more. Friday night should be fun.

First time I've seen one. A self serve Starbucks machine in the food court. I ended up

getting dinner here. Deep fried craw fish, with a few sides. It was good. I head back to

my hotel. Have dinner, watch some TV and sleep.


Today's mileage  166 miles or 267 km

Total for this part of the trip

2548 miles or 4100 km