A fat man in a small box

Howdy,
Well I just got back yesterday was gone for 12 days and logged a total of 2378.6 miles. We left NC up I-26 to Asheville then hit I-40. It was hot then but nothing like what was coming up later. Cruised steady on into Tennessee, stopping at Sevierville/Pigeon Forge to go to Smokey Mountain knife works. Personally I am a sucker for sharp pointy things and that place sure is full of them. MAde it through Nashville,stopping for supper at the Loveless Cafe. The Loveless is something of a Music City legend, best country ham and biscuits around. I always did like breakfast for supper. Made it on down to a state park about 100 miles out of Nasheville, Cuba Landing and sacked out. I got this really fine hammock for fathers day. Made like a real upscale version of the old jungle hammocks. Weighs less than 3 lbs, and is bed, mattress and tent all rolled in one small bag. Next day after some camp stove coffee headed to Memphis and then on up to Covington. TN to see some friends. Tattoo Tommy and I go back about longer than dirt. I hadn't seen him since he lost a foot when a cage pulled a hit and run on him a while back. Fortunately the prosthesis guy he had is also a biker...so he is back on his Heritage again.
From There we headed South on I-55 down into Miss. Camped at Holmes county state park a bit north of jackson Miss. Real nice place. Clean showers and grounds and reasonable 14 bucks a night for tent camping. Next day went to Jackson saw a few folks I know and turned West. A few hrs later was back in Monroe, LA. I had a tattoo shop there for a dozen years before I headed up to NC. The Harley stealership there is Bleu Bayou..... well wasn't impressed. It was time for the Dynas 5K check and they were too busy to accomodate someone on the road. No biggie. I bought some oil and a filter and headed across the river to West Monroe and Squirrel and Sherrys Cycle shop. We have been friends for at least 20 years. Squirrel is a retired patch holder and him and Sherry have been together for almost another 10 before I met them. Really great folks and treat ya straight up. Thier shop is Old School all the way, feels and looks like a bike shop. We went to dinner and had some of the Big Tops excellent fried chicken and jambalaya, then changed the oil etc. Saw Ben who used to own the Harley dealership (not a stealership as Ben was one of the old Harley dealers) he is back riding after some health problems and doing good. He had his new son in law with him getting ready for the honeymoon ride to Sturgis. Who says tradition is dead?
Left there headed back towards Jackson cutting off at Utica which is a short cut to I-55 South and rolled into Nawlins that evening. Was staying with some friends in Kenner out by the airport. We talked bikes and drank beer til the sun was coming up, crashed a few hrs and headed for the quarter. Now I haven't been home since Katrina. **** was that a bitch. Things are picking up again. Most of the chains and big companies are doing business. And if you owned a home and had flood insurance you will survive. But if ya rented or were a small business....welcome to starting all over. There are jobs out the wazoo. Burger King is paying 10 - 12 bucks an hr with a 3K sign on bonus if ya stay 6 months. But where to stay? motels are sky high. ( a place we always avoided like the plague because it was just a brothel and crack house is advertising rooms for 70 bucks a night. Yeah what was a 15 dollar motel is charging 70. And apparently getting it. No apartments available period. So ya can work but ya cant sleep.
The quarter was where I ran amuck as a kid and young guy. Seeing all the business closed was sad. And in other parts of the city they aren't even thinking of rebuilding. Mark my words there is gonna be all kinds of growth there...but the wrong kind. All new condos and fancy hotels and the like. A lot of that property was just too close to the quarter so it will be slick and packaged and have no soul. But the money changers will get richer. (End of sermon)
Sat night we threw down with WC and some of his friends. Ribs, dirty rice, pulled pork, 2 fried turkeys, catfish, about a ton of new potatoes and corn boiled in crab boil, slaw and deserts to make ya slap your mama away from the last piece. Miss Helens bananas foster cheescake , **** if we weren't both married I would have proposed. WC has a pool so we hung out in the water and drank Abita Amber and had a time.
When I finally left Nawlins I headed East on I-10. I used to live in Chalmette, now it's a ghost town. Strange to see malls and shopping centers on one side of the interstate Apartments and houses all on the other....and totally deserted. It looked like one of the science fiction movies where the guy wakes up and everyones gone....spooky.
On down I-10 to Mobile and head north on I-65 that carries you into Montgomery and ya hit I-85 into Atlanta. Spent the night with T and his old lady. T is a Somoan Harley mechanic. With T ya don't need a bike lift. Just hand him beer and he will hold the ****ed thing up for ya. BIG GUY. The from Atlanta took I-85 to I-985 towards Gainesville that becomes 23 and ya hit 123 off that over into South Carolina. Up into Wallhalla and Gowensville and finally home. Well where I stay now. Yes I am a Nomad, but Nawlins will always be home.
Your probably wondering by now about the title. A fat man ina a small box. Notice I said "we" a lot of time. My old roady and brother Big Bob was with me most of the way. He wanted to make one last run. So I took his ashes, in the small box his son had made for them and when I hit the Mississippi river in Nawlins I took and scattered them. Only two things he loved riding his Harley and piloting that river boat he had captained for years. So he made that last run with me and now he is back with his beloved river.
Ride Free.....

Sory for your loss bro. But i commend you for your trip and remembrance towards your brother. Man, hope my wife will scatter my ashes in the same fashion but up on the mountain we got married on. Peace man, Michael

Sounds like a good trip. Sorry about your bro.
Tnicean

Hammock

The name of the swing is Hennessy Hammocks. I have a link to thier website if CD says it's ok to post it...

Next round I have I'll remember Big Bob as well. Sounds like you've had, and still have, some great Bros GreyBear. Here's to you, and them, and more health in this life.

scoot

Post away.

God I feel like such a Yankee after reading this. I need more free time to get over your way for a ride…….. it’s killing me.

I gotta see this Hammock. Sounds great. Maybe I should buy the hammock and get a job at Burger King in Nawlins, sell this stupid house and life large. One for me and one for the bike and F*** everyone else.

You did your brother proud. I hope my brother does the same for me.

hammock site

Here it is thanks CD for allowing this......

http://www.hennessyhammocks.com/


Ride Free.......