102.41? I think I should ride 16 meters inside the fellowship hall at United Methodist Church to up my mileage .01.
The first 35 miles or so were spent on the Natchez Trace and most of the final miles were on Highway 61. In fact, it's the same Highway 61 from earlier in our trip. Revisited.
I'm going to try for nine thoughts in two parts. Try.
Side 1
1. How does it feel to be without a home? Not too bad. Every day I know what I have to do: wake up, eat, pack, ride bicycle to destination, eat, sleep. Notice things in between. Repeat. And the churches have been so gracious, I have not felt like a complete unknown. I have felt welcome.
2. The sun's not yellow, it's chicken. For almost the entire day, the sun played chicken behind the clouds. After the first two weeks of nothing but sun, it was absolutely wonderful to have an almost absolute cloudy day. And how's this for strange, I haven't checked the stats, but I believe today was our 3rd coldest day of the trip. As we entered Louisiana, the gas station's marquee declared 80 degrees. (First: Lake Superior Day 1. Second: Lake Superior Day 2. Third: Louisiana Day 16.)
3. I went to tell everybody, but I could not get across. I have been telling anyone who has been willing to listen that we're taking a ferry across the Mississippi River in St Francisville, Louisiana. Bad news, I was wrong. The Louisiana Department of Transportation has permanently closed the ferry. They built a bridge; where is that confounded bridge? (Ooops, Zeppelin not Zimmerman.) I believe Team 242 is going to boycott the bridge. More details tomorrow if we can not get across.
4. I'm cracked up on the highway. Compared to 10 years ago, the road surfaces have been less cracked. I'm currently at 1608 miles for the whole trip and I can only think of ~20 miles of rough/bad/cracked highway. We're doing well. (Of course, just typing this is tempting fate and I can imagine the next 180 miles of Louisiana roads will be rough. Or as I remember from Louisiana years past, the road signs will declare, "Substandard Roadway. Proceed With Caution.")
5. Give me some milk or else go home. Chocolate milk has treated me very well this trip. Before the ride, during the ride, after the ride. All times. Fat, protein, sugar, and tasty.
Side 2
1. And the smell of their roses does not remain. My dad likes to take pictures of people taking pictures. I also remember from bicycle rides we've gone on together, he likes getting his picture taken while he's smelling roses. Photographic proof: He stopped to smell the roses. We stopped at the Mississippi Welcome Center (boasting free internet and security) (not boasting, but should have, the best restrooms of the entire trip). The Welcome Center had rose bushes. I did not get my picture taken smelling the roses. Dang it.
2. Well Abe says, "Where do you want this killing done?" God says, "Out on Highway 61." Today on Highway 61, I saw more roadkilled deer than on any other day. And if armadillos had the same range as European Starlings (read: everywhere) they'd easily be the top roadkill of the trip. Instead the overall roadkill lead is a too close to call contest between turtles (a particular athletic director at a particular liberal arts college in a particular town in Wisconsin would be pleased) and raccoons.
3. My fingers are all in a knot. Ok, I'm stretching on this one because my fingers are not knotted. They are, however, numb. Over the last few days my right pinky and ring finger have developed tingles while I ride. And now even after the day's ride they have that numb feeling. Shhhh, they're sleeping. But this is normal, right? They'll go back to normal when I stop riding... yes?
4. ...by insurance men who go... Not really a stretch unless you're aware of the before and after ... But ... Erik's an insurance man and he's going. He's ridden himself into super shape and I think if he wanted, he could be done with his 100 miles in just a sneeze over 5 hours. In fact, I think we've all ridden ourselves into better shape than before the ride. I don't feel we're breaking down and limping to the finish (he knocks on wood). We're strong for these last 2 days.
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Non-Dylan related thought: Near the Welcome To Louisiana (Bienvenue en Louisiane) sign at the border, in the weeds was a littered Canada Dry can (not pictured). Acadian full circle?
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I don't have any Dylan on my iPod so none of the above will randomly shuffle their way to the 11 spot, instead today's 11:
Chin Up Chin Up - Why Is My Sleeping Bag A Ghetto Muppet? Our mouths are bigger than our feet.
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