Wondering Through the Woods

It is amazing what one can learn when travelling through small town America by just reading the local water tower.

We left Bogalusa, Louisiana with a definite plan on how we were going to get to Gulfport Mississippi. Once we crossed the Pearl River that separates the two states we discovered the plan might not be the best idea. What had been a road with wonderful shoulders in Louisiana turned out to be a road with no shoulders whatsoever in Mississippi. After traveling 20 miles hugging the white line while being passed by logging trucks and pulp carrying trucks; we decided it was time for a new plan. This new plan put us on very rural roads weaving in and out of various draws for a very rough 35miles as well as too many hills to count. By the time we found a spot to eat, I had ridden 55 miles of very tough terrain. At this point it is always tempting to eat too much that makes the rest of the day uncomfortable. I have told Libby to make sure she really limits my mid-day eating since the price you pay after eating and riding hard is not worth the gratification of a big lunch.

The afternoon ride was a straight shot down Hwy 49 to Gulfport an additional 32 miles. It was rolling hills with a slight wind but the temperature was in the low 80’s so it was very pleasant. The last few miles into Gulfport was full of off and on ramps so my rescue angel hauled me in the last three miles.

After a shower and a short rest period we went down to the beach and drove some of the route I will ride tomorrow. We were told that there is still a lot of damage from hurricane Katrina and that some parts of Hwy 90 were closed. Much to our delight we found that the road is open, but there are many places that I will have to ride around short detours.

Much of Gulfport has been rebuilt, with the casinos being the first. Tourism is alive and well and going strong around all of the construction.

Miles Traveled Today = 87
Total Miles Traveled = 2,078
Trivia = I saw my first wild boar. It looked to be about 300 lbs and I was surprised by how fast it could move. The back rural roads were full of dogs but thankfully all they did was chase and bark.