6-13-14
Day 24
Madison MS to Delhi LA
Another perfect day of riding for the crew with bright sun and light winds. The terrain has defiantly flattened as we approach the middle of the country and soon the Great Plains.
The farms are getting larger with many more acres of corn
and soybeans planted. This part of the country looks to be two months head of
the Northeast’s growing season. Bigger farms mean less people and traffic on
these back roads. Although traffic has seldom been an issue for us except when
we approach a city to sleep.
The change from the hills of Appellations to the flat lands
has been dramatic. Instead of winding hilly curves through a tunnel trees. We
now are riding on roads that are pool table flat and laser beam straight. The
tallest thing we see are the stalks of corn and they seem to go on forever towards
the horizon.
The view does not change hour after hour. For every mile of
flat road you peel off another mile replaces it ahead in the far distance. It
makes you feel like you’re not going anywhere sometimes. Look down for 20
minutes then look up and the scene has not changes. More straight road ahead
and more corn and soybeans.
The tour claimed its first mechanical causality. Ken dropped
his camera about 12” onto the roadway and of course it landed on the extended
telephoto lens. The hit was terminal. He is on the backup until a new one can
be purchased. (Friday the 13th ?)
We reached the Mississippi River around 2pm. This was our gateway to the remaining 5 states
need to have ridden in all of them. The plan was to use an abandoned rail
bridge to cross the river. But to our surprise the bridge had been closed to
public use due to a disagreement between Mississippi and Louisiana over
liability issues.
A man came out from inside a block building in front of the
closed gate. He worked for the DOT and we inquired where the next crossing was
for a cyclist since we cannot use the interstate. The next closest place as
some 70 miles away he told us. He then offered to make a call and have a truck
pick us up and drive us over the closed bridge. Due to legal reasons we could
not go it on the bikes. We gladly
accepted the trip over the muddy brown Mississippi River and loaded up our
bikes.
This part of Louisiana is economically poor. Just 20 miles away in Mississippi we were
riding past 5-6000 sq. ft. mansions on huge tracts of land. Some houses had
lawn that look like a week’s work to mow.
Now we see run down trailers with hardly a blade of grass in
the yard yet the people are still friendly.
We are a bit more cautious in these areas though. No matter
where we are everyone always asks “what do you have in the bags” when looking
at our bikes. If we are at the hotel or
in a reasonable area we tell them it’s all our gear. If you are in a
questionable place the correct answer is white lie “a wet sleeping bag and
dirty laundry”. That usually curls their
nose and their interest.
100 miles
Weather 88 degrees Sunny
2654 Feet of Climbing
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