Saturday, February 8th, started out a little damp (thanks, weather guys!) but for 12 waterproof Mustangers it was a great day. Yes, the weather folks were wrong and Baton Rouge experienced some rain as we gathered in Port Allen for our February cruise. However, all precipitation quit before we made it to the Achafalaya Bridge as we headed west towards Lafayette. The group exited I-10 at the Cecilia/Henderson exit and then proceeded southwest along back roads to Bayou Teche and then south along the bayou to the Cajun town of St. Martinville. There we had a delicious meal at The St. John Restaurant. The people there were very accommodating and the menu offered almost too many choices! After our meal, the group made the 2-3 block jump over to the Evangeline Oak Park which was the primary setting for Longfellow’s poem “Evangeline”. After taking some pictures there, the cruise left St. Martinville and headed towards Breaux Bridge to Lake Martin for a Swamp Tour. Allan with Champagne’s Swamp Tours was our Captain and guide as we took the 2 hour boat tour around Lake Martin. During the tour, we saw numerous species of birds including Blue Herons, Ospreys, and Bald Eagles. We also saw some alligators up close.
All in all, it was good time even though I’m sure the four Mustangs that made the trip had to be cleaned up again afterwards. Club members that participated are: Mark Moran & wife, Larry Maier, Ronnie Martin & wife, Doug Blake, Kerry & Nancy Hicks, Gary Marino, Steve Poirrier, and Jim & Debbie Freyder. There is more to see in the St. Martinville area so I am confident that the club will be returning to this area sometime in the future.