Cypress Island Preserve, Louisiana

Yesterday was a cold and dreary day. We left Mike’s friends house and drove further south to spend a couple of days with Mike’s family. Since the weather wasn’t cooperating today, instead of taking in a short ride, we went to Lafayette and did some shopping for all the things we can’t get in Illinois like local beer, coffee, rice, sauces and spices and some other dry food items. Plus some LSU stuff.



Cypress Island is marked by the red star

Today was Christmas Day but before starting the holiday activities, we snuck out for a couple of hours to enjoy the cool but sunny morning. About 30 minutes away from where we were staying, was the Cypress Island Preserve and Lake Martin.





Many curves here in South Louisiana



Working on Christamas Day - sugar cane truck



Someone is raising deer on their property, probably for hunting



Alligator crossing

According to the internet, Lake Martin is the largest nesting area of wading birds in the United States and it’s one of the top 10 spots in the US for bird watching. There is also many nutria and alligator here. We didn’t see any alligators today, probably too cold for them to come out, but we did spot a nutria and some great blue heron.





Cypress trees



Swamp





Great blue heron

There is a wide dirt and gravel road that goes around Lake Martin. It’s a short road and nothing special, it does have a few curves though.





The dirt road that goes around Lake Martin

We didn’t ride today. We wanted to because it was so nice out but at the last minute we decided not too since we didn’t have much time and getting the bikes off the trailer and back on just takes too much time and the ride would have been a very short one.



Lake Martin



Me, the XT and a swamp

This picture above was taken two days ago when were were riding Kisatchie National forest just a few hours north of here, but honesly, this picture looks like it could belong here... he he



An orange tree back at the house

Merry Christmas Everyone!!!