Saturday, March 20, 2010

Tour-a-runism in Lafayette


I've had several trips where turning a run into a way to tour the locale has been both fun and interesting. A recent trip to Lafayette, LA provided some more run based tourism opportunities.

My runs were a mix of meanderings through neighborhoods surrounding the University of Lousiana and a few forays into open fields that I chanced upon.

On one such run I encountered scores of crayfish Chimneys--interesting mud duabs built by crayfish extending the entrances of their tunnel by 6-12"

Through the neighborhoods I had a chance to take in an interesting collection of arcadian and southern style homes--from brick to cedar to plaster and mixes in between. Gardens and flora were rich and varied, as well, and were often fabulously canopied by massive live oak with their distinctive umbrella of giant limbs and thick trunks.

Running through the open spaces near the University of Louisiana afforded me the opportunity to stop and peak into the Horticulture departments demonstration gardens.

Along the way, I got to take in the man-made bayou swamps outside the US Fish and Wildlife field offices. Swamp boats on trailers in back and a beautiful collection of cypress and other swamp flora in front made for an interesting contrast.