Day 8 / Austin To New Orleans Ride May 23, 2015

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This morning was actually chilly. It was wonderful, but a bit windy. After the first 9 miles, we had warmed up enough to loose our jackets.

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While tossing over my jacket to Phil, I lost my balance and couldn’t get my foot unclipped. I toppled right over. I landed in perfectly soft grass so it was hilarious. It kept me grinning for hours. I put my chain back on and we pressed on.

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The first part of the day we passed through Baldwin and Franklin, Louisiana. These little country towns left me feeling nostalgic about the northeast Georgia mountains I grew up in. We heard wind chimes and smelled sweet gardenias as we rode down tree-lined streets.

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We rode further and ended up alongside water. We passed huge manufacturing facilities and shipyards.

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We continued on through the Attakappas Island area. The environment got progressively more swampy as we went on. We saw four alligators that had died and been dried to a crisp from the Louisiana sun. The temperature started to rise and I felt crispy myself by that point.

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This is the first of three major bridges we crossed today. It had the lowest incline and largest shoulder. It’s been a while since we’ve had hills so it was an extra challenge.

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We ended up finishing 70 miles today. I can’t believe we arrive in New Orleans tomorrow! Our goal is to wake up early and finish early.

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