The Biker, The Blues & The Louisiana Prison Work Gang

Interesting world. You meet all kinds of folks along the way. I thought if I don’t get my ass packed up I might meet a ghost that roams the park starting at sunset. That would be something else, wonder if it really does happen? My hunger alarm was going off and so it was time to move on. Checked the gas level and sure enough it would be time for some fuel shortly. Louisiana is an interesting state, it’s got every thing, what’s not to like? I finally made it to Roberto’s River Road Restaurant and it was indeed all that I had been told about. So I asked the waiter for the name of a motel with a bar close it and he obliged. I paid up and away I went. Found the motel and I found the bar too. You know a man has to have his priorities in life…. You parked around the rear of this bar and when I got back there I saw trucks, cars, bikes, and people smoking. I got a quick thumbs up from a guy by the door and a number of once overs from the others. You know joints can be deceiving. They look one way on the outside and completely different inside. This was one of those places. You talk about a nice stage area plus you can tell this place has it rockin’ big time. I walked straight into Alvin Lee’s “Bluest Blues” on the box. Nice way to discover a new place and build anticipation for what’s coming up. Alvin Lee of course was the consume’ of blues rock guitar and then you match his telling vocals with his fret movements and the man was shredding not only his axe but the audience too. Live it was captivating and the later they captured the man in stereo and today it’s on all the hot blues playlists around. So I walked into this and found an empty bar stool. Booze inside, cigarettes and cigars outside. I took my scotch out the back door and found a spot on the railing for it and then fired up an H. Upmann 50 ring Connecticut wrapper. Life was good. A band member stood next to me and shook my hand. He said he saw me pull up on my scooter and that the plates were out of state. I said yes, just passing through and looking to take in some good music tonight. He asked me who favorite blues artist was and I told him I have never been able to narrow it down to one or just a few but I do favor slow dirty blues. He raised his eyebrows a bit and just nodded. I was standing there thinking about how lucky I was to be able to have my health and the freedom to take in America. A person doesn’t have to leave home to be at peace with him or herself but in my case for some reason some shrink I suppose could define this is where it is for me. The blues touches your soul and it doesn’t matter if the performer is some well known artist or someone you never heard of, if they’ve got the fire inside it will come out. I am learning that the emotion is the same wherever you go just the accents and the style of food to some degree are the differences. People are people and the blues is the common denominator. You can put a pinky in and just briefly experience it but if you do eventually you will be back for more. The same goes for being up on two wheels. It has it’s moments in traffic for sure but as the song relays in “Easy Rider” “I wanna be a bird!” basically this is real freedom. Then there are degrees of getting into it, casually, a bit more, or in it all the way whether it’s the blues or bikes. It’s a way of life, it’s a culture. Nothing kicks ass more that blues rock and nothing can hit home more than traditional blues with its down to earth visualizations about life. Ever lost your keys and couldn’t find them? Ever lost a love and still can’t get over that feeling? The blues is written by those that feel it and because it is real it hits home big time. This place I was visiting was cool to the max and the cool thing is that there are hundreds of them all around the world. The blues knows no borders we all dig it. No ghosts this time but if you ever travel south on Highway 1 in Louisiana get your ass out of the roadside rests along the Mississippi by dusk. My mind is still on that sweetie that had four months to go - maybe I will come back...