We took today off, partly because it was my birthday and also because we've ridden 12 days straight. We reached the end of the Natchez Trace yesterday and celebrated with Carlos last night. It was so great to sleep in a terrific bed in the "Dairy Barn" (rather than the main house.) We are waking … Continue reading Day Twenty Five: day off in Natchez, MS

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

We left Clinton in rather heavy traffic this Monday morning, but after we crossed I-20, it dropped off dramatically. We were also happy to run into our friend Carlos and we chatted a while on that overpass. When we realized we were both staying in Port Gibson, we decided we'd dine together at the end … Continue reading Day Twenty Three: Clinton, MS to Port Gibson, 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

This will be short. As we knew we had a long day ahead (we rode over 100 miles today) we woke early (not easy after partying with Elvises and eating great food the night before) and got back on the Trace. Then we rode our bikes for about nine hours. It was pretty hot, but … Continue reading Day Twenty One: Tupelo, MS to Kosciusko, 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