I have been reading Rebecca Solnit's book "A Field Guide to Getting Lost" on this trip, and it has provided a thoughtful perspective on what it is to be traveling through unknown terrain, whether geographical or psychological. She notes: "Lost is mostly a state of mind, and this applies as much to all of the … Continue reading Day Twenty Four: Port Gibson to Natchez, MS

Yesterday we had our first 100+ mile ride of the trip, and it was a long but beautiful day. The last two hours were particularly memorable...rain had passed through before we left French Camp, a little settlement where there is a Baptist church and cafe and school for troubled students (and where Oprah's mom lives, … Continue reading Day Twenty Two: Kosciusko to Clinton, MS

We had a lovely evening in our CCC era cabin in the Mississippi woods, sitting on the porch swing and watching the fireflies and listening to the birds and cicadas and jazz playing on our little speaker until it got dark. This morning we made coffee and had some peanut butter and bananas for breakfast … Continue reading Day Twenty: Tishomingo State Park to Tupelo, MS

This day could be largely summed up as blue skies and great cycling, biscuits and bacon and eggs for breakfast (thanks, Noel!), some stops at sites that included Meriwether Lewis's grave, more great cycling and blue skies, many lovely creeks, some hard conversations with my traveling partner about being more present in the moment and … Continue reading Day Eighteen: Hohenwald, TN to Florence, AL

I am not really sure where this hotel is as I am writing this outside of our room, listening to the trucks on I40, but it is on our route ... we had about 65 miles of lovely biking in Tennessee as we are making our way to the Natchez Trace Parkway. There are lots … Continue reading Day Sixteen: Dover, TN to a Rodeway Inn

We left Golconda early this morning, trying our best to get out of the Victorian era mansion where we stayed without waking anyone. By 6:15 we were on our bikes and riding down the street where vendors were already getting grills and smokers ready for the town's annual BBQ competition, and we were sort of … Continue reading Day Fourteen: Golconda, IL to Grand Rivers, KY