After a reader mentioned the beauty of La. 82, along the state's western coast, we heard from others with their favorite drives.
It's a timely subject, because a drive somewhere in Louisiana might be one way to break up the monotony of staying at home during our current health crisis.
Romney Stubbs has a favorite scenic drive that's very different from the previously-mentioned one along the coast.
"In my estimation one of the most beautiful drives is a tree-canopied gravel road winding through the Tunica Hills.
"The 'Old Tunica Road,' once known as the Old Angola Road, was for a century the last vision of freedom for convicts traveling by a jail wagon to Angola Plantation, now Angola Penitentiary.
"The road begins at La. 270 off La. 66, and eventually terminates on La. 66, just outside the gates of the prison.
"While you’re there, the Angola Prison Museum is a world-class museum, worth a visit."
"Cootsie from Slaughter," mentions a pleasant highway of the past:
"One of my favorite scenic highways was U.S. 190 between Port Allen and Erwinville.
"Huey Long envisioned a shady drive into Baton Rouge, and had live oaks planted on both sides of the highway leading up to 'his' bridge (now known as the old Mississippi River bridge).
"I spent many a Saturday riding with my family on the way to False River to fish, admiring the large oaks."
Unfortunately, drivers got into the habit of slamming their vehicles into these lovely oaks, and many of them were deemed traffic hazards and removed by the state in the '60s or so.
Clear sailing
With tongue in cheek, Mike Manes adds to our list of beautiful highway sights with this one:
"Seeing no traffic on the 'new' (it’s younger than me) Mississippi River bridge between Baton Rouge and Port Allen."
Steak for a quarter
"Your Tuesday article about alfresco dining at school brought back some old memories," says G. Thomas Arbour.
"Many years ago, when Baton Rouge's Catholic High was just getting established on Hearthstone, it had not built or budgeted for a cafeteria.
"Students had to either brown bag it or eat in the 'cafeteria,' in the band building, where Mothers Club members made sandwiches and sold milk. The cost was 25 cents a day.
"We took our sandwich outside, found a shady tree and ate lunch. On rainy days, we ate in the hall.
"The greatest day to eat in the 'cafeteria' was the Monday after the CHS Men's Club steak dinner, held on a Saturday.
"The mothers served leftover rib-eye steak, beans, salad and roll — for 25 cents."
Which reminds me
Mention of cheap steaks reminds me of the dollar steak served in the '50s at Jack Sabin's Goal Post at the gates of LSU. It was thin and required a bit of chewing, but to a starving student it was a real treat.
Got mask breath?
Tim Palmer, of Lafayette, adds to our discussion of societal issues stemming from the coronavirus:
"One of your readers wrote in about not having to worry about your breath when wearing a mask.
"But, in the Sunday Advocate, here is a company not only saying it’s a problem, but hinting that they have the only solution. That’s marketing!"
He includes a copy of a coupon offering a discount on a "fresh breath" oral rinse said to deal with unpleasant mask breath.
Special People Dept.
— Peggy Bossier Nichols, of Grosse Tete, celebrates her 90th birthday Thursday, July 16.
— Arthur and Faye Braud Bercegeay, of Dutchtown, celebrate their 60th anniversary Thursday, July 16.
Just you wait
Martin Audifred, of Mandeville, has this entry in our occasional feature, "Irritant of the Week:"
"I am so tired of hearing on phone calls, 'We are experiencing higher than normal calls at this time; however, your call is very important to us. Our representative is talking to another customer and will be with you shortly.'
"'Shortly' was 28 minutes Tuesday.
"That is bull — if my phone call is important to them, they should hire more than one employee to answer the phone for customer service."