DAY 141: KINDER - ELTON - BASILE - EUNICE, LOUISIANA

One sad event in Louisiana is the large number of run-over Armadillo on US 190. I have not taken photographs 0f any "Road Kill", although there have been a profusion of various animals and birds having been killed by passing vehicles.

This morning, I passed one section of highway which yielded a dead snake every 50 feet or so.

This Armadillo was simply sitting about 5 feet off the pavement. He did not appear to be injured, but was non-responsive to my chatting with him. I dropped a small pebble on his shell, but received NO response. He may have been alive...I simply do not know.

As always, I did NOT touch him or try to move him.

US 190 East of KINDER, LOUISIANA.

We parked on the edge of a farmer's field about 200 feet off US 190. We could NOT be seen from the Highway from one direction. Last evening, I reported a "thump" of SPIA as I was posting the Blog. I felt nothing more...heard nothing more - until 12:00 midnight, a 4-wheeler came roaring onto the farmer's field, circled SPIA two times with his engine screaming...and then he was gone...not to return. Otherwise, we had an uneventful night.

At daylight, left SPIA parked and walked East on US 190 for 12 miles. Then moved SPIA to the small town of ELTON, LOUISIANA, where we parked SPIA once again and walked 10 more miles.

US 190 is a good road for walking. Many "oversize" manufactured homes are trucked along US 190...some times as many as 6 or 7 in a convoy. I must move completely off the road to give them room to pass.

As I was preparing to walk from ELTON, this gentleman drove up in a pickup truck.

Please say HELLO to Warren Hoag, who lives in nearby JENNINGS, LOUISIANA. He saw me walking earlier, and came looked us up as he was interested in our out-of-state plates and somehow knew about SAM, our Solar Powered Cart.

Warren farms completely using Solar Power. He said his wife and he would be very interested to see how we do down the road.

Vegetation in Louisiana is DENSE if nothing else. Nearly all low-level bushes are covered with a form of Ivy. Some taller trees and indeed, telephone poles and guy-wires, are covered with live ivy. This photograph shows the "trunk" of an Ivy Vine clinging to the vertical trunk of a tall Pine Tree.

BASILE is the next town after ELTON, LOUISIANA.

BASILE is a contradiction, having numerous elegant estate homes...and across the road or perhaps next door, a property which has not received proper attention or maintenance and has fallen into ruin. A lot of "ruined" old homes and barns are scattered about.

Manufactured homes are quite popular in this region of Louisiana. Yesterday, passed one small village, where EVERY home was a manufactured one. They can look quite nice. These are the homes that are trucked down US 190...and all in ONE PIECE. Some have Police Escort, and take up the ENTIRE roadway. Traffic must actually move off the highway to let them pass by.

Two manufactured homes.

A barn which has not received upkeep. Many such barns - and homes - lie along US 190.

Two more barns which have been let go.

This home does not look too bad, but it is vacated. If left unattended, it will quickly go the way of the old barns.

A home for sale. Not many properties are For Sale along US 190. just abandoned.

Then again, several beautiful homes also line US 190. Most of the well-kept homes are set well back from the Highway and have well tended and landscaped properties.

This home produced a woman and child riding a 4-wheeler around their front yard.

Another manufactured home. Notice the swimming pool. A good number of homes here'bouts have swimming pools and trampolines.

Another home...appearing to be unoccupied, but in good condition.

...and yet, another.

Oh my goodness...got a bit carried away today, Huh?

Well, how 'bout some water scenes. Lots of standing and slowly moving water line US 190. Would imagine it is one reason so many snakes appear squished on the highway.

I carefully examined each of these waterways for some sign of life...NONE to be seen...but I have no doubt there is plenty of life when one gets up close and personal.

A small river...the banks of this river show recent signs of it being at least 10 feet higher recently.

...and yet, another. The water is always murky...have not yet seen clear water.

DAILY UPDATE: Walked one 12 mile and two 10 mile segments = 32 miles today

SEE YOUR IMPACT.ORG: Credit another 32 miles @ $0.02 = $0.64 for the day.

We are parked on the West edge of the town of EUNICE, LOUISIANA. It appears to be quite large, as we are parked in Wal*Mart once again.

Wanted to complete another 6 miles this evening, but5 we have had continuous thunderstorms the past 3 hours, so I put it off till morning. OPELOUSAS is the next town on the way to BATON ROUGE, which is about 80 miles to the East. We are nearing New Orleans area. Vehicle traffic is growing. Bugs are becoming a bit thicker, and I found a strange critter INSIDE SPIA this morning...looked much like an ear wig, but no pinchers. I Squished it.