Lake Pontchartrain Biking - The Final Ride

What a great ride to end 2006 with! I just returned from an excellent 23 mile sunset ride biking along the south shore of Lake Pontchartrain on the full size Montague MX folding mountain bike.

With the Corps of Engineers project to raise the hurricane protection levees plodding along, access to the lake front bike trail is not currently possible from the Beach Club where I start most rides (in fact, access is difficult if not impossible for about 4 miles along the linear trail from Causeway Blvd to beyond the Elmwood Canal). I had to meander through Country Club Estates, cross the Elmwood Canal on the bike/ped bridge at 37th St. and ride another mile or so Northwest to the trail head near David Dr.

When I did hit the trail, the conditions were heavenly. In contrast to yesterday's constant rain and tornado/flood warnings, today was cooler and less humid. With the temperature averaging 60 degrees F, a 5 mph wind from the West and bright sunshine, the number of other riders and walkers on the trail was surprisingly low, allowing me to make excellent time.

Once I made the end of the trail, I had plenty of daylight left so I crossed the levee and followed the Old Hammond Highway into Orleans Parish. At West End, I turned North onto Lakeshore Parkway, passing 2 roadies, one drafting the other.

The Lake front is still in tatters from Katrina. The old picnic shelters were countless New Orleanians have held family cookouts and ate boiled crawfish or shrimp are empty, roped off shells. Although the seawall is intact, the storm surge ate out the ground from behind it so a huge, gaping ditch follows the length of the seawall. Only at the concrete plaza across from the famous but defunct Mardi Gras fountain did I see more than 10 people gathered. Very sad.

I rode as far as the "high bridge" over Bayou St. John. Looking down in the water, I could still see storm debris. I think it will be a long time before it's ever removed. I made it back to the bike trail with sunlight and enjoyed a beautiful sunset from the trail with the Causeway in silhouette. At that point, I hooked up the intensely powerful Quad star LED headlight from Elektrolumens, and rode the trail West to the detour at Lake Villa. I crossed the incomplete and gooey clay levee carrying the bike so it would not be spitting chunks of clay on me the entire ride home.

I rode Folse Dr. all the way to Al Copeland's to catch Big Al's impressive Christmas light display one last time. This year, Big Al's Christmas light theme was "Under The Big Top"; as usual, there were 2 workers out in front of the mansion handing out fresh cotton candy and popcorn for free. With a huge grin, I asked for a stick of cotton candy and rode home, eating it along the way. Sure am glad that cotton candy washes easily out of a beard :)