The Trip Itself

I don't know how many trips I have made from Pineville, Louisiana to both Lafayette and New Iberia over the past 10 or so years, but there were a bunch of them. Generally, I went every other Sunday although there were exceptions if one or both of us were unable to make it that day. The trip itself consisted of a short trip north of the Red River in Pineville and later Ball, Louisiana to Alexandria (where I was born), then to Interstate 49 south to either Lafayette or New Iberia which is about 15 minutes south of Lafayette. I had favorite places to stop. I called them "pit stops" and they were mostly for relaxation and to get some coffee or capuchino. My first pit stop was at an Exxon station near Woodworth, La which is about 10 miles south of Alexandria. I got to know the clerk lady there, I will call her Susan and her adopted dog, Pete. Pete was a scroungy mutt but very friendly, especially when looking for a meal. Susan got to the point whereby she recognized me and that I came in every two weeks or so on Sundays. I usually got a candy bar and coffee and she always joked with me about it being my breakfast or lunch. We always had a big laugh over it. The next pit stop was actually a regular rest stop about 15 miles north of Opelousas, La. That is over half way through the trip and a welcomed sight for the weary. I'll tell you more about this stop on the next post.