Cycling Louisiana's Tammany Trace: One of My Favorite Days on a Bicycle

Quick Take: My bicycle ride from Lubbock, Texas, to Pensacola, Florida, included hundred-mile days, dangerous storms, summer heat, and plenty of unexpected challenges. Yet one of my favorite days from the entire trip was a peaceful ride along Louisiana’s Tammany Trace, where a gentle rain, two unexpected conversations, and an alligator that never appeared reminded me why I love bicycle touring.

A peaceful day on Louisiana’s Tammany Trace became one of my favorite memories from the entire ride to Florida.

When people hear that I rode my bicycle from Lubbock, Texas, to Pensacola, Florida, they usually assume my favorite memories involve the biggest accomplishments. They imagine the hundred-mile days, crossing state lines, surviving the summer heat, or finally reaching the Gulf Coast.

Those moments were important, but they are not necessarily the ones I remember most clearly. Looking back now, one quiet and rainy day on Louisiana’s Tammany Trace may have been one of the best days of the entire trip.

A Bicycle Tour Filled With Difficult Days

There were plenty of difficult days during that ride. I spent long hours cycling through intense heat, battled traffic, and had several experiences that could have ended much differently.

One of the most frightening happened while I was camped beside a high school in Bowie, Texas. A violent storm seemed to appear almost out of nowhere, and there were reportedly around 5,000 lightning strikes in the area. Rain began falling so hard that water started rising around my campsite, and I eventually had to call the police for help.

That night remains one of the scariest moments from any bicycle tour I have taken. You can read the complete story here: the night a storm and rising floodwater forced me to call the police.

By the time I reached Louisiana, I had already ridden many hard miles. That may be one reason the peacefulness of the Tammany Trace affected me so deeply.

Finding Louisiana’s Tammany Trace

I had stopped on a sidewalk and was studying the maps on my phone, trying to figure out exactly where the trail began and which direction I needed to go. While I was standing there looking confused, a woman came out of a nearby art gallery and asked whether I needed help.

We began talking, and what started as a simple request for directions became one of those unexpected conversations that often happen when you travel by bicycle. A person on a loaded touring bike tends to attract attention, and people are often curious about where you came from, where you are going, and why you decided to ride there.

I have learned that the people you meet can become as memorable as the places you visit. I wrote more about that in The Day I Almost Quit — And the Strangers Who Carried Me Through

After talking with the woman, I finally found my way onto the Tammany Trace. Almost immediately, the entire feel of the day changed.

After studying my maps and receiving help from a woman outside an art gallery, I finally found the trail.

No Cars, No Traffic, and No Need to Watch My Mirror

After spending so many miles on highways and public roads, the trail felt almost magical. Tall trees shaded the pavement, the surrounding landscape was green and peaceful, and for once I did not have to constantly listen for traffic approaching from behind.

There were no cars crowding me, no narrow shoulders to worry about, and no large trucks passing a few feet away. I could relax, look around, and enjoy the simple sound of my tires rolling across the pavement.

It was one of those rare days when I stopped thinking about how many miles I still needed to ride. I was not racing the clock or worrying about reaching a certain destination before dark. I was simply enjoying where the bicycle had taken me.

Riding the quiet, tree-lined Tammany Trace was a welcome change after so many miles on busy highways.

Stopping at Bayou Lacombe

Eventually, the trail carried me to a steel bridge crossing Bayou Lacombe. The water was calm, and beautiful homes sat along the shoreline. It was the type of place that made me want to stop, lean my bicycle against the bridge, and take a few photographs.

Bayou Lacombe became the setting for one of the most memorable conversations of my tour.

As I stood there enjoying the view, a woman was approaching from behind me, and she happened to be a Louisiana game warden called a Trace Warden. I was a bit taken by surprise but was happy to have another person to chat with.

We ended up talking for close to half an hour. She told me about Bayou Lacombe, the surrounding community, and some of the history of that part of Louisiana. It was another completely unplanned conversation, but it became one of my favorite memories from the trip.

Waiting for an Alligator That Never Appeared

Before the game warden left, she pointed across the bayou toward a grassy bank near one of the homes. She told me that a large alligator often climbed onto that exact spot to sun itself.

Naturally, I wanted to see it. I stood near the bridge with my camera ready, watching the grassy bank and hoping the alligator would make an appearance while I was there.

The game warden pointed toward this grassy bank and told me a large alligator often came there to sun itself. I waited, but it never showed.

I waited for quite a while, but the alligator apparently had other plans. It never appeared, and I eventually had to get back on the bicycle and continue toward the next town.

Oddly enough, I was not disappointed. The conversation with the game warden had already made the stop worthwhile, and the search for the missing alligator became one more small memory from a day filled with them.

A Gentle Rain Made the Ride Even Better

Not long after I returned to the trail, rain began to fall. After what I had experienced in Bowie, Texas, rain could have made me nervous. This was completely different, however. There was no violent thunder, dangerous lightning, or sudden flooding.

It was simply a gentle and refreshing rain. The temperature cooled, the trees seemed greener, and the sound of raindrops falling around me made the trail feel even more peaceful.

I kept riding beneath the trees while the rain slowly soaked my clothes. I was wet, but I was comfortable, relaxed, and enjoying every mile. Instead of ruining the day, the rain became part of what made it special.

The gentle rain made an already peaceful ride along the Tammany Trace even more enjoyable.

Reaching the Next Town in the Rain

By the time I reached the next town, it was still raining. I was tired and soaked, but I remember feeling completely content. It had not been the longest day of the tour, and I had not accomplished anything that would look impressive on a mileage chart.

Instead, I had ridden a beautiful trail without worrying about cars. I had received help from a woman outside an art gallery, spent half an hour talking with a game warden, waited for an alligator that never appeared, and finished the day riding through a warm Louisiana rain.

At the time, I do not think I fully understood how much that day would eventually mean to me.

Old Photographs Brought the Memories Back

Years passed, and some of the details slowly faded. I could no longer remember the name of the trail, the bayou, or exactly where some of the photographs had been taken.

Then I began looking through my old pictures. I saw the Tammany Trace sign, the tree-lined pavement, the bridge across Bayou Lacombe, and the grassy bank where the game warden said the alligator liked to rest.

The memories came flooding back. I remembered how peaceful the trail felt after so many difficult highway miles. I remembered the gentle rain, the conversations, the scenery, and the feeling of reaching the next town after such an unexpectedly wonderful day.

It is strange how memory works. I rode several days of more than 100 miles during that trip, but many of those miles now blur together. I may not remember every highway, every rest stop, or every town, but I remember exactly how that day on the Tammany Trace made me feel.

The Best Days Are Not Always the Longest

People often think bicycle touring is mainly about covering long distances. For many years, I probably thought that way too. I measured trips by total miles, long days, difficult climbs, and how far I could push myself.

After more than five decades of cycling, I have learned that the miles eventually become less important than the experiences. That is one of the lessons I shared in What a Lifetime of Cycling Has Taught Me.

The best day of a bicycle tour does not have to be the hardest day or the day with the most miles. Sometimes it is simply the day when you slow down enough to notice the trail, the rain, the people, and the world around you.

That quiet day on Louisiana’s Tammany Trace did not look extraordinary on paper. Looking back now, however, it may have been one of the most meaningful days I have ever spent on a bicycle.

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The Cycling Gear I Personally Trust

If you have been reading The Old Guy Bicycle Blog for very long, you know how important safety, visibility, and health are to me. My goal is not simply to ride farther. It is to stay healthy and safe enough to continue riding for as many years as possible.

The products listed below are not random recommendations or products I selected simply because they are available on Amazon. They are products I personally use on my own rides and have trusted through thousands of miles of cycling.

Some of the exact models have changed since my ride across Louisiana, but my approach has remained the same: make myself easy for drivers to see, protect myself from the sun, watch the traffic approaching from behind, and use equipment that helps me return home safely.

Bright Cycling Helmet

A brightly colored helmet places visibility at the highest point on my body, making it easier for drivers to see me above parked vehicles, roadside vegetation, and other obstacles.

View a bright cycling helmet on Amazon

Colorful High-Visibility Cycling Jersey

I prefer colorful jerseys that stand out against the road and surrounding landscape. A cyclist wearing bright colors is much easier for a driver to notice than someone dressed entirely in black or dark gray. I buy Bergrisar because I like the length. Not all jerseys have the length that this one does. I also like the reflective strip along the back bottom of the jersey.

View my colorful cycling jersey on Amazon

Garmin Varia Rear Radar

The Garmin Varia alerts me when vehicles are approaching from behind. It is especially helpful on rural roads, where I may not hear an approaching vehicle because of wind noise or road conditions. There are updated choices such as one that has a camera. The link below is to the one I own.

View the Garmin Varia rear radar on Amazon

Take A Look Rearview Mirror

My Take A Look mirror works together with the Garmin Varia. The radar alerts me that something is approaching, and the mirror allows me to see the vehicle and judge its position on the road.

View the Take A Look cycling mirror on Amazon

Cateye Front Safety Light

I use a flashing front light during the day, not only when riding at night. A daytime light can help drivers notice a cyclist sooner, particularly at intersections or when a vehicle is preparing to turn across the cyclist’s path. There are lots of choices but I have had mine since 2014 and it is still reliable.

View the Cateye front light I use on Amazon

UV-Protective Arm Sleeves

After spending decades riding beneath the West Texas sun, I take sun protection seriously. UV sleeves protect my arms without requiring me to continually reapply sunscreen during a long ride. The ones I use are long enough to cover from armpits to my gloves. Not all arm sleeves are long enough.

View my UV-protective arm sleeves on Amazon

Bright Cycling Socks

Bright socks may seem like a small detail, but the constant motion of a cyclist’s feet can attract a driver’s attention. I consider them another useful part of my overall visibility system.

View the bright cycling socks I wear on Amazon

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. I only recommend cycling products that I personally use or have firsthand experience with. Thank you for reading and for supporting The Old Guy Bicycle Blog.