Louisiana’s Bicycling Party Story and photos

by Tom Robertson

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The last several tours that I’ve taken con-sisted of riding days where the phrase “let’s just keep going to the next town” kept being repeated. We would end up riding 80-plus miles a day, and having just enough energy for dinner and a little conversation before hitting the sack — only to wake up and do it again the next day. And we loved it.

Lately, though, I’ve found myself want-ing to slow down a bit, to actually stop and enjoy things instead of just riding by them. Having worked at Adventure Cycling since 1994, I’ve become familiar with many dif-ferent event tours over the years, but the one that’s piqued my interest most has been Cycle Zydeco. Billed as “a leisurely-paced ride through southern Louisiana,” it seemed to be just what I was looking for, so I sent my touring partner Jim a link to their web-site. He flatly replied, “It looks like an excuse to eat.” Well, he was partially right. As it turned out, Cycle Zydeco was an excuse to dance and drink as well.

I have fond memories of Louisiana. Having grown up in Alabama, New Orleans was a manageable drive during my college years, and my friends and I visited regu-

larly. But it was a visit to Mamou, Louisiana, made while leading an Adventure Cycling cross-country trip on the Southern Tier, that resonated most through the years. I remember walking into a packed cafe dur-ing lunch hour. The room was a beehive of activity and the conversations were filled with words I couldn’t quite make out. On closer inspection, I determined they were speak-ing English, but we were in Cajun country, and the accents were thick. When I saw that Cycle Zydeco went through Mamou, I signed on the dotted line.

On Cycle Zydeco’s website (www.cyclezydeco.com) it reads, “In French Louisiana where the joie de vivre, or ‘love of life’ spirit, is unparalleled in the United States, a traditional sports event like a bike tour is cause for celebration.” The cel-ebration does indeed start right off the bat. Mardi Gras beads were placed around my neck before boarding a New Orleans-style trolly car to head to registration. Even the registration was a celebration, kicked off with Zydeco dance lessons, followed by a Cajun dinner, and then the first band of the trip, Lil Nathan & The Zydeco Big Timers.

The night sets the tone for the rest of this “bicycle (and food and music) tour.”

The first day started with all 360 riders mounting up for a police-escorted ride out of town. It felt like part Tour de France, part funeral procession, as the multitude of police worked the lights and intersections to keep the cyclists moving along. Once out of town, we were released onto the tree-lined back roads of southern Louisiana.

Riding in Louisiana is a leisurely affair. I don’t know if it’s the flat terrain, the slow mov-ing bayous, or the “celebrations” the night before, but everybody, including myself, seems to move at a little bit slower pace. The riding days for Cycle Zydeco are on the shorter side, ranging from 40 to 55 miles per day, allowing for many off-the-bike activities.

If I had any doubts about the style of the tour they were squelched as I pulled up to the first lunch stop. Having read the litera-ture for the ride I knew there would be live music every day. I also knew there would be dancing, I just didn’t realize that there would be so many people dancing at the lunch stops. But there they were, all clad in color-ful lycra and Mardi Gras beads, dancing up

a storm under the shade of the Evangeline Oak in St. Martinsville.

The Evangeline Oak is the legend-ary meeting spot of Evangeline and her beloved Gabriel, from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s 1847 poem “Evangeline, A Tale of Acadie.” The poem describes the

engagement of Evangeline Bellefontaine, an Acadian girl, to Gabriel Lajeunesse, and their separation as the British expelled the Acadians from Nova Scotia in the Great Upheaval. Though Longfellow had no con-nection to Louisiana or the Acadians, the Cajun community assimilated the story into

their culture. As I sat under the shade of the famous

tree eating a bowl of crawfish etouffee, I couldn’t take my eyes off of the band. While I’ve always considered myself a music buff, and had even been to a few New Orleans Jazz Festivals, I had always assumed that Cajun music and Zydeco music were one and the same. I was mistaken.

I learned over the course of the trip that Cajun music originated with the French Acadian settlers who settled in the area after the Great Upheaval. Songs are typically sung in French, and tell mostly of life in the bayou country. Accompanying the vocals, the main instrument has historically been the fiddle. The accordion eventually joined the fray but, for me, what sets Cajun music apart is the unique high-pitched ping of the metal triangle.

Zydeco music employs elements of tradi-tional Cajun music, but it also adds strains of jazz, blues, and gospel. It traces its begin-nings to the Creoles of African descent who would gather at house parties and play homemade instruments. It’s the Zydeco musicians who are widely given credit with

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Dance party Louisiana style. Cyclists show off their best moves while the band plays on.

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introducing the accordion to the music and, while it’s the dominant instrument of Zydeco, the rubboard is essential.

Recently, these two unique forms of music have blended together in the pub-lic consciousness, and both have become synonymous with the identity of southern Louisiana. As I sat in the shade of the Evangeline Oak, it was obvious that the dancing cyclists really didn’t care where the music came from. They were just enjoying the rhythms of the band and the day, and they weren’t in any hurry to head on down the road. But it was time for me to move.

Breaux Bridge, Louisiana bills itself as the crawfish capital of the world. Upon entering town, however, finding the favorite local crustacean was not my mission. Finding a coffee shop was, and I located one within minutes, vaulting Breaux Bridge to the top of my new favorite-town list. As I was ordering a double espresso, I spotted a group of musi-cians sitting around in a circle. Within a few minutes, I deduced that they had most likely gathered to play for us — aka “the bikers.” I was mesmerized from the first note. Since there were fiddles and a triangle involved, I

immediately categorized the music as Cajun. I was so excited about my ability to identify this genre of music that I celebrated with another double espresso.

Having settled in to enjoy the music, I found myself just as entertained by the con-versations between the musicians as I was the music. From the sound of the accents, and the phrasing of the sentences, there was

no mistake — we were in the heart of Cajun Country.

Cajuns have a long and somewhat tran-sient history. Settling in a region they called “Acadia” (present day Nova Scotia and New Brunswick) in the early 17th century, they carved out an existence fishing and farming along the coastline. Regrettably for them, they were right in the middle of a

conflict between the British and the French, the superpowers of their time. While the French initially colonized the region, both the French and the British traded con-trol during those early years. Eventually the British gained jurisdiction and tried to impose their Protestant religion on the Catholic, French-speaking Acadians, who were not very receptive to the idea.

In 1755 the notoriously brutal British governor Charles Lawrence ordered the Acadian population out of the area, and com-menced the Great Upheaval. Over the next few months, thousands of Acadians were deported. They were shipped to locations in the American colonies, Europe, and even as far as the Falkland Islands. Over the years, many moved south along the east coast of North America, with a number of them eventually settling in southern Louisiana, then under Spanish control, where they were welcomed by their fellow Catholics.

Drawn to their former life, the Acadians settled the bayous and waterways of the Atchafalaya Basin and prairies to the west, where they shared the lands with the local Native Americans. The natives helped the Acadians adapt to the region, teaching them how to hunt, fish, and build their houses on the water by tying them to trees so they could rise and fall with the water levels. While the Acadians became a healthy component pop-ulation during these early years, they were surrounded by other ethnic groups. Spanish, French, German, and Native American tradi-tions merged with the Acadian to form what is now the Cajun culture.

Waking up the next morning in my tent, I could smell moisture. A dew hung in the air that was so heavy it would be categorized

as rain in my home state of Montana. As I packed up my gear, I smiled because I wouldn’t have to pack up my dew-covered tent. When I initially registered for Cycle Zydeco, I also singed up with Padre’s Cycle Inn, a company that provides a tent service. I initially did so as a way to cut down on the gear I would normally pack for a bike trip, but on this first soggy morning, it was pay-ing off in a different way.

Riding out of town amidst a thick cloud had me fired up. We were peddling to the edge of the Atchafalaya Basin for a swamp-

boat tour, and the heavy fog would make the experience that much more authentic.

When a group of touring cyclists shuffles onto a boat for a swamp tour in Louisiana, they all want to see one thing — alligators. Alas, we were told right away that we were unlikely to see any as the big reptiles rely on sunshine to raise their body temperature, and cold, foggy conditions aren’t conducive to gator activity. The float was fascinating nonetheless.

Our guide grew up with the swamp liter-ally in his backyard and had been leading

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Invasion of the “bikers.” Cyclists invade the legendary Fred’s Lounge in Mamou, Louisiana.

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trips on this body of water since he was 10 years old. He told us that the basin is 20 miles wide and 150 miles long, and that one-third of the water coming down the Mississippi River is diverted into the Atchafalaya. While we didn’t have an alligator sighting, we did get some mildly graphic stories about alliga-tor hunting, which happens during a highly-regulated, 30-day season. It involves leaving a baited hook hanging just out of the water, and going back the next day to check if you had “a bite.” I could tell from the squeamish faces around me that we didn’t have many alligator hunters in our group of happy danc-ing cyclists.

As we were riding out into the basin, we noticed what looked like house trailers tied up to trees. These house boats were mostly hunting and fishing lodges. It’s an accept-able practice to motor your own “boat” out into the water and tie it to any tree that isn’t currently occupied. Our guide went on to explain some of the finer details of these vacation homes, such as that boats with rail-ings along the deck are probably occupied by beer drinkers, and if there is no railing, then they probably don’t drink beer. Almost every boat we saw had a railing.

While alligators are fascinating and float-ing house trailers are something you don’t see every day, my primary motivation to come to Louisiana was to get back to the town of Mamou, and more specifically to Fred’s Lounge. Fred’s Lounge has been at the epicenter of Mamou and Cajun life for many years, which says something for an establishment that’s only open from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Saturdays.

In the 1950s a group of locals gathered at Fred’s to discuss the decline of Cajun culture and music. Some credit this as being the turning point in reviving interest in their heritage. The historical marker by the front door of Fred’s reads: “Fred’s is credited with revitalizing the French Renaissance in the area, meaning Cajun Music, Language and Culture, after World War II.” A key to the movement was “Live at Fred’s Lounge Radio Show,” a weekly program featuring live Cajun music. Begun in 1967, the show still thrives today.

When I walked into the bar at 10:00 in the morning, it was absolutely packed. There

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ARIZONA: Greater Arizona Bicycle Adventure Sept. 27-Oct. 5, www.bikegaba.org.

CALIFORNIA: California Coast Classic Sept. 20-27, 800-954-2873, www.californiacoastclas sic.org. Emigrant Trails Bike Trek Sept. 5-7, 916-444-5900, www.sacbreathe.org.HI-USA Christmas Bike Trip Dec. 26-31, 619-525-1531, www.sandiegohostels .org. Farm Fresh, Sept. 14-21, and Sierra Sampler Sept. 3-10, 800-755-2453, www.adventurecycling.org/tours.Sierra to the Sea June 14-21, 408-446-2199, www.sierratothesea.org.

COLORADO: Bicycle Tour of Colorado June 22-28, 303-985-1180, www.bicycletourcolorado.com.Base Camp Fruita Sept. 13-19, Cycle the Divide Aug. 16-22, and Family Fun Aug. 4-8, 800-755-2453, www.adventurecy cling.org/tours.

FLORIDA: BubbaFest Nov. 9-15, 321-759-3433, www.bubbafestbiketours.com.

IDAHO: Family Fun Idaho July 26-30, 800-755-2453, www.adventure cycling.org/tours.Ride Idaho Aug. 10-16, 208-344-5501, www.ride idaho.org.

ILLINOIS: Illinois Great Rivers Ride Sept. 7-13, 877-477-7007 x 217, www.illinoisgreatriversride.com.Bicycle Illinois July 5-12, 877-868-7455, www.bicy cleillinois.com.

INDIANA: Touring Ride In Rural Indiana June 22-28, 812-333-8176, www.triri.org. Also: September Escapade Sept. 14-19.

IOWA: Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa July 20-26, 800-474-3342, www.rag brai.org.

KENTUCKY: Old Kentucky Home Tour Sept. TBA, www.okht.org.

MAINE: Maine Bike Rally July 11-13, 207-623-4511, www.BikeMaine.org.

Maine’s Original Outstanding Super Adventure (MOOSA) June 21-27, 315-406-6213, www.inmotionevents.net.

MARYLAND: Cycle Across Maryland July 24-27, 410-235-3678, www.onelesscar.org.

MASSACHUSETTS: Harbor to the Bay Ride Sept. 20, 877-422-2453, www.harbortothebay.org.Pan Mass Challenge Aug. 2-3, www.pmc.org.

MICHIGAN: DALMAC Aug. 27/28-31, 517-882- 3700, www.dalmac.org.Michigander July 12-18 (shorter options), 517-485-6022, www.michi gantrails.org.PALM June 21-27, 734-669-0172, www.lmb.org/palm.Shoreline Bicycle Tours Nine events in May through Sept., by the League of Michigan Bicyclists. 888-642-4537, www.lmb.org.WAM July 24-27, 800-622-9474, www.wishmich.org.

MINNESOTA: MS Tram July 20-25, 800-344-4867, www.mstram.com.Red Ribbon Ride July 17-20, 612-822-2110, www.redribbonride.org.Habitat 500 July 13-19, 877-804-3466 x4, www.habitat500.org.

MISSOURI: Katy Trail Ride June 16-20, 800-334-6946, www.mostateparks.com/katytrail.

MONTANA: Cycle Montana June 21-27, 800-755-2453, www.adven turecycling.org/tours.

NEVADA: OATBRAN Sept. 14-20, 800-565-2704, www.bikethewest.com.

NEW HAMPSHIRE: Covered Bridges Tour, Aug. 3-9, 530-758-8782, www.imaginetours.com.

NEW MEXICO: New Mexico Fiesta, Oct. 6-13, 315-406-6213, www.inmo tionevents.net.

NEW YORK: Amazing Adirondack Adventure July 27-Aug. 2, 315-406- 6213, www.inmotionevents .net. Also: Finger Lakes Fall Frolic Sept. 20-26.Bon Ton Roulet July 20-26, 315-253-5304, www.bontonroulet.com.Cycling the Erie Canal July 6-13, 518-434-1583, www.ptny.org/canaltour.Fany Ride July 20-26, 518-461-7646, www.fanyride.com. Great Hudson Valley Pedal Aug. 12-17, 518-434- 1583, www.ptny.org/hudsontour.The New York Jewish Environmental Bike Ride Aug 29–Sept. 1, 212-644-2332, www.hazon.org. Pedal for Medals, June 25-29, 315-473-2933, www.rideforresearch.org.

NORTH CAROLINA: Cycle North Carolina Sept. 27-Oct. 4, www.cycle northcarolina.org.

NORTH DAKOTA: CANDISC Aug. 2-9, 800-799 -4242, www.ndparks.com.

OHIO: Across Ohio Bicycle Adventure July 19-26, 614-447-1006, www.outdoor-pursuits.org/xoba.Pan Ohio Hope Ride Aug. 7-10, 888-227-6446 x 1004, www.cancer.org/hoperide.

OREGON: Cycle Oregon Sept. 6-13, 800-292-5367, www.cycleoregon.com. Oregon Bicycle Ride XXII Aug. 10-16, www.oregonbicycleride.org.

PENNSYLVANIA: Scamp ‘n’ Rascal Cycling Adventures 12 events in 2008, 610-317-9611, www.scampnrascal.com.

SOUTH DAKOTA: Mickelson Trail Trek Sept. 19-21, 605-584-3896, www.sdgfp.info/parks/regions/northern-hills/mickelsontrail/index.htm.

TENNESSEE: BRAT Sept. 14-20, 931-686-2453, http://state.tn.us/environ-ment/parks/BRAT.

TEXAS: Get Your Guts in Gear Oct. 17-19, 718-875-2123, www.ibdride.org.

UTAH: Bicycle Tour of Utah Sept. 20-27; Oct. 4-11, 714-267-4591, www.cyclingescapes.com.Bike Ride Across Scenic Utah Aug. 23-Sept. 7, 877-264-7876, www.bike 2bike.org.Canyon Country Sept. 21-28, 800-755-2453, www.adventurecycling.org/tours.Legacy Annual Great Bike Ride Across Utah Sept. 7-13 (Sept. 4-13; 4-6 options), 801-654-1144, www.lagbrau.com.

VIRGINIA: Bike Virginia June 20-25, 757-229-0507, www.bikevirginia.org.

WASHINGTON: Cycle Washington July 12-19, 800-755-2453, www.adventurecycling.org/tours.Washington Bicycle Ride II July 27-Aug. 1, 800-413-8432, www.oregonbicycle ride.org.Get Your Guts in Gear Aug. 1-3, 718-875-2123, www.ibdride.org.Ride Around Washington Aug. 2-9, 206-517-4826, www.cascade.org.Trek Tri Island Sept. 19-22, 800-732-9339, www.alaw.org.

WISCONSIN: ACT 6, Wisconsin Aids Ride Aug. 7-10, 800-486-6276, www.actride.org.Bike Northwoods Tour July 5-11, 608-843-8412, www.grabaawr.com. GRABAAWR June 21-28, 608-843-8412, www.gra baawr.com.Harvest Fest Ride to the Island Sept. 15-20 and Theatre & Arts Tour Aug. 14-17, 800-675-2295, www.midwestscenic.com.

SAGBRAW July 27-Aug. 2, 608-843-8412, www.gra baawr.com.

WYOMING: Tour de Wyoming July 13-18, 307-742-5840, www.cyclewyo ming.org.

NATIONAL & REGIONAL: America By Bicycle Various cross-country and regional bike events. 888-797-7057. www.abbike.com. Big Ride Across America June 23-Aug. 9, 800-732-9339, www.alaw.org. Big Ride Pacific Coast Sept. 13-27, 800-732-9339, www.alaw.org. Canyon Country Sept. 21-28, C&O Canal Gap Sept. 20-27, 800-755-2453, www.adventurecy cling.org/tours. Cycle America Various cross-country and region-al bike events, 800-245-3263, www.cycleamerica.com.Lake Champlain Bikeways July 6-10; Sept. 28-Oct. 2, 518-584-3102, www.newenglandadven ture.com. Also: Summer Round-About Aug. 10-14.Midwest Scenic Tri-State Ride June 23-27, 800-675-2295, www.mid westscenic.com. MS Bike Tours: National Multiple Sclerosis Society fundraising rides around the country, www.nmss.org.National Bicycle Tour Director’s Association: Major bike events, www.nbtda.com.Red River International Bike Tour June 16-20, www.rribt.com.

INTERNATIONAL:

AUSTRALIA: Great Victorian Bike Ride Nov. 29-Dec. 7.Cycle Queensland Aug. 30-Sept. 7, +61 7-3844-1144, www.bq.org.au/cq.

CANADA: Cycling For Children Events through-out 2008, 866-311-6874, www.ccare.ca/biketour.php.Lighthouse Nova Scotia Aug. 1-9, 315-406-6213, www.inmotionevents.net.

2008 Summer/Fall Bicycle Events List compiled by Kerry Irons and Adventure Cyclist staff.

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What Would you do if you found yourself in possession of only a bicycle, a B.O.B. trailer, and 50 dollars? Michael Kirkpatrick decided to embark on the adventure of a lifetime. Over the course of seven years, Michael rode a total of 47,684 miles toting what he estimated to be approximately 400 pounds through each of the lower 48 states. Michael was able to maintain his travels by keeping his expenses minimal and encountering “some of the best people you could ever hope to meet.” He notes, “It was not easy, but it was fun! Whatever you need will come to you. I took my time, and before I knew it, I had been at it for more than six years ... time flies when you’re having fun.”

Unfortunately, while inline skating in Venice Beach, California in 2004 (one year after this photo was taken) Michael took a serious spill and broke his leg and hip. He returned to the scene a week later to find his bicycle and all his earthly possessions had been stolen. But Michael was untroubled. After all, everything evens out eventually. “I don’t worry about the bike and B.O.B. that were taken; they are just possessions. You can’t let little things hold you back. That’s why every day is a good day; some are just more interesting than others!”

Michael has ultimately settled in Arizona, and leads a simple life supported by his veteran’s pen-sion. He has purchased a new bicycle, and, although his hip replacement makes it difficult for him to ride all day, he’ll often head out on daily errands with his cane strapped to his back. More than anything else, Michael recalls the independence of the open road. He reminisces, “I was truly free on the road. If I felt like taking a 400- or 500-mile detour to visit a natural wonder, that’s what I would do. Now that’s freedom, that’s sight-seeing, and I miss it so.”

From Adventure Cycling’s National Bicycle Touring Portrait Collection. © 2008 Adventure Cycling Association.

400 LBS., 47,684 MILES, AND $50 by Sarah Raz Photograph by Greg Siple

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July 11-13, 2008Site of the League of AmericanBicyclists’ National Rally

207-623-4511www.BikeMaine.org

were abundant in southern Louisiana, such as crawfish, rice, and sugar cane.

Our last night in Louisiana started off with a crawfish boil, the most popular food event of the tour. Throw 1,500 pounds of crawfish in boiling water along with onions, potatoes, corn, bay leaves, bell peppers, and some other assorted spices and you can feed the masses, or at least 360 cyclists.

Everyone needed to fuel up for a trip to the Liberty Theatre for “Rendez-Voux des Cajuns.” This is a variety radio show along the lines of the “Grand Ole Opry” and “Prairie Home Companion,” but featuring Zydeco music. While there is some variety in the show, the main draw is the music. On this night Geno Delofase & French Rockin’ Boogie took charge. This was definitely Zydeco, and as good as it gets. And, from the number of dancers who were two-stepping and waltzing, everyone else thought so too.

Cycling 40 to 60 miles a day will work up an appetite, but being on a bicycle tour with a lot of dancing elevates gastric activity to a different level than I’d experienced before. So

after the show we headed over to a local bar for the second dinner of the night — pork jambalaya — and more music and dancing with Geno and the band. And on and on it went into the night.

Riding back to Lafayette on the last day, I never would have imagined that a four-day bike tour, with such relatively short riding days, could be so taxing. While the hours in the saddle were less than my usual fair, the festivities off the bike were exhausting and invigorating at the same time. In trying to sum up the trip to one of my usual touring companions, my father, I came up with my own Louisiana cycling mantra: Eat, ride, eat, dance, ride, eat, dance, drink. Repeat. While this sums up Cycle Zydeco for me, a Cajun might just say, “Laissez les bons temps rouler,” or “Let the good times roll.”

Tom Robertson spent 14 years as a staffer for Adventure Cycling Association, 13 years of that as an invaluable member of the routes and mapping department. He is currently enrolled at the Rocky Mountain School of Photography in Missoula, Montana.

was a band playing and folks in lycra dancing. I parked myself by the band and watched the chaos. My sharply-tuned ear again denoted this music as Cajun, as there was a fiddle and a triangle. But these folks were plugged in and rocking. The only musician that wasn’t amplified was the triangle player. I overheard someone say that he had been playing there for years, and that he only had one tooth. I never got close enough to him to get an accu-rate tooth count, but I could see that he tried to make up for the fact that he wasn’t plugged in by hammering that triangle. He played the same beat and the same volume for every song. His intensity level seemed to match the enthusiasm of the entire scene.

If I had to single out one person to exem-plify Louisiana for me, it would be Tante Sue de Mamou. Tante Sue is the manager of Fred’s and is easy to spot — she’s the one wearing a holster containing a bottle of Hot Damn schnapps. She grabbed the mike dur-ing a break in the music and thanked “the bikers” for coming back again this year, and reminded everyone of an important house rule: “Remember,” she said, “the only four-letter words that you are allowed to say in here are beer and love.” At that point the music started and Tante Sue grabbed my hand to steady herself as she made her way back to the bar. I felt like I had been touched by Louisiana herself.

I was still riding high from my Tante Sue experience as I pedaled on to Eunice for our last night. Reflecting on the trip so far, I was impressed at how smoothly a tour could run with 300-plus participants and almost as many non-cycling events happening. In its eighth year, Cycle Zydeco is an extremely popular ride that historically fills up in just a few hours. It’s a testament both to the orga-nization of the event, as well as the locals who fully embrace the ride and its cyclists along the way. And while being a part of the tour is a great experience, a solo outing in the area could be just as fulfilling.

While the cycling and music are fantastic on Cycle Zydeco, the food provides the great-ness. Cajun food is, without a doubt, the most widely and internationally beloved aspect of Acadian culture. Initially the Acadians had to learn to live off the land and they adapted their French cuisine to the ingredients that

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