Anyone Ride the Gulf Coast?

[Mr. Guy]

Hi All,

Trying to think about next spring. I'm thinking early to mid June, starting at Corpus Christi, Tx. and heading east on what ever road I can find closest to the gulf. After 6 days, pull out the maps and find a way home. Are there any must sees along this route or any must avoids. All random thoughts are welcome. This is just a thought at this point but might turn into a plan.

Thanks, Guy

P.S. Anyone might want to ride along?

[ImRubicon]

Already pretty warm in June along much of the gulf. JMHO

[mrprez]

Be careful riding through the small towns in La especially if you are on anything other than an HD! 5 under would be advisable in all towns.

[Trailace]

I have never did this and will be waiting to see your results. Good Luck

[Mr. Guy]

Be careful riding through the small towns in La especially if you are on anything other than an HD! 5 under would be advisable in all towns.

Is it really that bad, I know they have a reputation but I've found reality is usually different from reputation. I usually ride 5 under everywhere I go anyway so that shouldn't be a problem.

Thanks, Guy

[Flingshot]

I better stay away from there. I can't do anything under the limit.
I'd have to call my cousin Vinny to come get me out.
Posted via Mobile Device

[mrprez]

Is it really that bad, I know they have a reputation but I've found reality is usually different from reputation. I usually ride 5 under everywhere I go anyway so that shouldn't be a problem.

Thanks, Guy

Depends on the town. We had a guy over on the gl1800riders board who got stopped and the cop told him they automatically add on 10 over for jap bikes and that if he had been on a HD, he wouldn't have even been stopped! When the rider started to object the cop threatened to arrest him on the spot. The rider shut up and took the ticket. He is fighting it via other means.

[Mr. Guy]

Damn, I wonder if thats just near the coast or the whole state, I didn't realy want to go though New Orleans anyway. But I don't want to ride up the east side of Texas, across Arkansas and south down Mississippi either. Humm, what to do, what to do.

Guy

[mrprez]

I think it was down below NO. He wouldn't post the town but someone guessed it to be Golden Meadow. All that is nice riding down there, but gets kinda boring after awhile. It was all tore up pretty good during Katrina. If it were me,. I would ride Hwy 90 to N.O. and then stay on 90 through to MS and then ride along the coast until you get to Alabama. From there, I would shoot down to Dauphin Island and ride the ferry across the bay to Fort Morgan and then ride the coast hwy (98 I think) into Fl. I live in Mobile if you have any questions or need an escort!

[Black and Blue]

Hey, you folks are scaring us:eek: You are talking about places in the U.S. right?:confused:

[Mr. Guy]

Don't worry, every state has a small town or two that has 1 cop that has a chip on his or her shoulder and they make the bad reputation for the whole area. It might be Louisiana just has more than their fare share. After looking at maps today, it looks like most of that area is swamps anyway, maybe it would be better just to cross Arkansas into Mississippi then head to the gulf and go into Florida. I've ridden the Texas coast before many years ago. Like I said this is just a thought for now, the west coast doesn't sound to bad either.


Who knows where I'll end up.

Guy

[Flingshot]

Have you ever seen that movie deliverance?
Posted via Mobile Device

[Mr. Guy]

I FEAR BANJOS!!! :eek: :eek: :eek:

[Ironheadziggy76]

If you haven't been to the west coast here is what you have to look forward to on a bike.

http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w294/Ironheadziggy76/Img_0473_365_365.jpg

http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w294/Ironheadziggy76/Img_0479_368_368.jpg

http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w294/Ironheadziggy76/Img_0258_214_214.jpg

http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w294/Ironheadziggy76/Img_0243_203_203.jpg

http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w294/Ironheadziggy76/Img_0363_292_292.jpg

Nothing like the PCH! :D

[bluepoof]

I really enjoyed the parts of the Gulf I rode through this past summer (yes, even New Orleans, though I only stopped for lunch).

The coastal road (Hwy 90) between Bay St Louis and Biloxi, MS is still pretty torn up from Katrina and it's fairly slow-going due to all the construction.

If you're near the coast in Louisiana, there's good camping at Lake Fausse Point State Park. It's just north of Hwy 90, but you have to enter/exit from the north, unless you're OK with a few miles of packed dirt road.

Lake Fausse Point:

http://bluepoof.com/pics/may08/cache/25pct/IMG_0449.jpg

Levee Road heading south out of Lake Fausse Point:

http://bluepoof.com/pics/may08/cache/25pct/IMG_0490.jpg

Hwy 90 along the Mississippi Gulf (sand damage from Katrina and Rita):

http://bluepoof.com/pics/may08/cache/25pct/IMG_0535.jpg

[Mr. Guy]

I love this site, a guy from Kentucky is telling me about the PCH, and a gal from California is telling me about the gulf coast (I'm from Ok, we still say gal around here). Thanks Bluepoof, it seem you always hear the bad news, but rarely the good news. I was hoping someone could tell me a good story about Louisiana.

Thanks, Guy

[mrprez]

I wasn't trying to scare you away from La, I was born and raised there. Just a little warning about some of the local yokels. When coming into a town you really need to slow down!

[bluepoof]

The worst experience I had in Louisiana was getting eaten alive by mosquitos. :dizzy1: Bring your Deet if you camp!

[Mr. Guy]

Thanks John,

Thats good advice no matter where you are.

Guy

[Ironheadziggy76]

Guy, don't get me started on Cali. I have been there twice and if I ever get rich that is where I'm moving. We loved it that much! I went to San Clemente for my cousin's Marine retirement ceremony, and the wife and I went out for our 25th aniversary. We stayed in Napa, Monterey, and Lucia in the Big Sur area. She burned through 10 rolls of 35mm film and took almost 900 digital images! This is how she looked most of the vacation. :p

http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w294/Ironheadziggy76/Img_0370_298_298.jpg

[Mr. Guy]

To many roads, To little time, keeps comeing to mind.

Guy

[stevec14]

DEAR MURPHY: I RIDE THE GULF COAST AND LIVE IN THE TOWN OF GOLDEN MEADOW,LA. I RIDE A JAP BIKE (CONCOURS C14 08) I HAVE NO PROBLEMS WITH THE LAW DOWN HERE. IT IS TRUE THAT THE SPEED LIMIT IN THE TOWN IS STRICTLY ENFORCED AND IF YOU STAY IN THE LIMIT NO ONE WILL DO YOU NO HARM.

[Bipeflier]

Best reason I know to carry a video camera on the bike at all times.

[Mr. Guy]

Hi stevec14 and welcome to the asylum,

I thought that would be case and since I ride a DR650 I'm pretty much within the speed limit all the time anyway.

Thanks for the heads up, Guy

[Krashdragon]

I suppose since you're in Ok, you've already ridden all the roads in Ar.
La is hot and sticky in June. SA is a bit better (Southern Alabama) but not much! :(
Have fun!
mary

[Bipeflier]

guy over on the gl1800riders board who got stopped and the cop told him they automatically add on 10 over for jap bikes and that if he had been on a HD, he wouldn't have even been stopped

This is why I keep a viedo camera handy. Any stop and it is on. Works great in court!

[sandman]

I suppose since you're in Ok, you've already ridden all the roads in Ar.
La is hot and sticky in June. SA is a bit better (Southern Alabama) but not much! :(
Have fun!
mary

Guy,

Planning this trip for early April would make for much better riding comfort, unless heat isn't an issue with you.

Unfortunately, much of the Gulf Coast has been built up over the past 10 years to a point that you run into alot more traffic than the roads were designed for.
Staying on Hwy 90 would be a less travelled route but the scenery would not be nearly as good as Hwy 98 along the coasts of Alabama and Florida.

Here's a nice little state park I've spent some time in:

http://www.floridastateparks.org/graytonbeach/

Here's hoping you have a great trip.

[sandman]

To many roads, To little time, keeps comeing to mind.

Guy

Taking for granted you are using a GPS I did a little Mapsource route and thought you might give it a look.

I've ridden the Mississippi -Alabama - Florida route but none of them since Hurricane Katrina/Rita. Don't know what road conditions are since then.
I've never been on the Louisiana route, just looked good on the map, Hwy 39 or maybe Hwy 23 both looked good. One of the LA guys can maybe give you more info.

You'll note the long distance involved taking the scenic route...625 miles.

March/April down here you'll most likely find all the flowers in bloom. I waypointed a couple of good restaurants I know of.

I might see if I can get a weekend free and ride the route to check it out.

Enjoy

[Mr. Guy]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions, but it looks like I'll be riding the Pacific Coast Highway this summer, so this will be put off until next fall or the following spring. I'm saving all this info for when I get around to going though.

Thanks again, Guy

[Flashdog]

Take a slow ride down to Port Fouchon from NO to get a real taste of the cajun lifestyle. While down there try some nutria boudain at Charlie Hardisons. Come back up and take 90 through Waveland, and Bay St. Louis in Mississippi on over to Gulfport. This is the worst area hit from Hurricane Katrina. Three years later the destruction is still something to see to to believe.