6/10/2026: Reading Jenny’s Journey from Jena, LA

 I’m trying to read this book in every southern state I go through as I did last year. Here is the Cajun version:

Day 25(2): Saline, LA to Jena, LA

Admin notes (skip the bold parts to go straight to today’s blog): For those who might be new to this blog, I am a preschool teacher riding my bicycle across America and blogging for young children as I go. The purpose of this ride is to raise money for Ryves Youth Center in Terre Haute, IN

If you'd like to donate to Ryves Youth Center in Terre Haute, which is the cause for which I've dedicated this ride, you can donate here (all donations go to Ryves Youth Center; I receive nothing): Ride Across America

For information about what Ryves Youth Center is and the different services they offer, click here: Ryves Youth Center - Catholic Charities Terre Haute - Terre Haute, IN

Today I made it to the town of Jena, LA (pronounced like the name Gina, not like the name Jenna like I mispronounced it earlier to someone). It’s been pretty hot, with a high temperature of 90 degrees! Thankfully I got to ride down a narrow state highway earlier that had shade trees on both sides—that really helped! Because it’s so hot I don’t have a lot of pictures for you—it’s hard to stop and get a lot of pictures when it’s this hot. 

I got some good help this morning. Later in the morning as I was talking to some men while eating breakfast at McDonald’s, they helped me with directions to Jena and also helped me learn the correct pronunciation of “Jena” (like Gina, not like Jenna). They told me about a weird spot where two roads meet where I would have to make a big long turn. Can you think of a time when you helped someone by telling them something they didn’t know before? That can be a good way to help.

I met another man in the parking lot (I forget his name for sure, but I think it might have been Tony) and he greeted me and I told him what I was doing, riding my bicycle across the country to raise money for Ryves Youth Center. He seemed interested and was very friendly. People here in Louisiana have been very friendly and helpful so far.

This picture was taken as I was coming into Jena. The Jena band of Choctaw Indians is here in Jena. The Indians were people who lived here i the land of the United States long before other people arrived, and the Choctaw tribe is one group out of many Indians. The Choctaw were originally from this part of the country (Mississippi, which is close to here, and also Louisiana). Zoom into the sign below. What letters do you see?

The word Choctaw starts with “Ch”, just like Cherry Chicken!

This is the highway I’ve been riding on. What numbers do you see? What number do you think it is (both of the digits together)? Try to guess and then ask a grown-up if you’re right.

Day 24(1) more pictures and details

If you'd like to donate to Ryves Youth Center in Terre Haute, which is the cause for which I've dedicated this ride, you can donate here (all donations go to Ryves Youth Center; I receive nothing): Ride Across America

For information about what Ryves Youth Center is and the different services they offer, click here: Ryves Youth Center - Catholic Charities Terre Haute - Terre Haute, IN

Apologies for the short blog yesterday, I was very tired and needed some sleep! Yesterday I rode my bicycle across a river that had a lot of trees growing in it. I also rode near a dam that you will see in one of the pictures. It had a road on top of it and was a grassy hill below. A dam is something that people build to stop water from flowing in certain places, so they can get the water to stay where they want it to be.

I stopped in Castor yesterday afternoon for some food and rest. On my way there I met a nice man named Garrick (Garrett?—sorry if I butchered your name). I was unsure of the road I was on and he kindly supplied me with directions to Castor. In Castor I spoke with a young man named Cole and gave him one of the business cards I keep for my trip, and we talked a little. I camped out in the woods last night and got an early start this morning, just like I did the day before (around 4 o’clock in the morning, which is what I have to do because if I wait too late to start I get very hot while riding. 

I’m in Winnfield, LA right now and am about to ride east on Highway 84 and see how far I can go! I met a nice man named Bobby up in Dodson when I stopped for some food and water, he was very friendly and told me about the highway I would be riding on.

Some other interesting things to look for in the pictures below:

An abandoned building (abandoned means people don’t use it anymore)

Cherry Chicken taking her picture in front of a sign that has another kind of red bird on it (you have to look closely)

A cemetery (where they bury dead people)

My bicycle computer. It’s not a big computer like you’d have at your house. It goes on my handlebars and has a little screen that tells me how far I’ve gone and how fast I’ve gone. One screenshot tells how far I went, the other one tells how long it took. Can you read any of the numbers.

Have a great day, everyone!