Day 22

110 miles / 6:09 hours / 17.9 mph avg / 4630' climbing

Breakfast: 1 1/2 waffles, oatmeal, orange juice, muffin, sausage, eggs.
Snack: 2 bananas (no nutella!!!), oreos.
Lunch 1: 1 1/2 turkey+ham+cheese sandwich, 2 bananas with nutella, oreos, coke.
Snack: chicken sandwich, fries, oreos, coke.
Dinner: Chicken Parmesan, water.

Today we had another really nice day. It started with a beautiful sunrise and stayed cool with very mild winds here and there. Lots of small farms, LOTS of churches and cemeteries and some really nice houses surrounded by really ugly ones, i.e. contrast.

My leg held up pretty decently and I managed to stay with a group that helped me out. We had loads of  rolling hills that added up to some decent climbing so I'm off to ice my knees. Tomorrow we expect a lot more climbing.

I have fallen in love with the old wooden houses (of which you have seen several by now) and barns. There is a charm to them, a memory of a bygone era when things were simpler and structures were built by hand. Here are a couple that I managed to stop to photograph...

Today we crossed into Alabama, other that the change on the road pavement, there was no sign on the small country road we were in so Mike (the tour leader) painted the sign:

(Paul, David, Russ, Brian, Per, me)

Then we had another SAG stop in the middle of nowhere for some more bananas with nutella!

And finally we arrived at Tuscaloosa. We rode through the beautiful University of Alabama campus full of nice buildings, parks, streets lined with trees, restaurants, cute students (as reported by Randy), the enormous stadium (football is king here) and then we had to take a detour because the USAF had closed a road next to the airport for the air show. We saw some small plane performing some acrobatic moves and later the Blue Angels roared in formation so low that you could almost make out the faces of the pilots. We passed all that and arrived at our standard Best Western near a freeway exchange. At least this one afforded us a different kind of ride.

(notice my aerodynamic position and the jet stream it produces)

Day 21

137 miles / 7:05 hours / 19.3 mph avg / 4658' climbing

Breakfast: omelet, hash browns, waffle, orange juice.
Snack: 3 bananas with nutella, oreos, apples.
Lunch: turkey+ham+cheese sandwich, coke, oreos.
Snack: 1 banana, oreo.
Dinner 1: turkey+ham+cheese sandwich, coke.
Dinner 2: turkey+ham+cheese sandwich, chocolate milk.

Today was a beautiful long ride. It was mostly rolling hills with smooth pavement and the weather could not have been better: slight wind, cool temperature, low humidity (very nice for Mississippi). Last night I had a horrible cramp on my left quadriceps. It was bad enough that I spent 3 hours icing and massaging and today I decided to take it easier. That meant taking advantage of the pace line, that is, stay behind someone big that blocks the wind. It really helps. Here is the view from the back:

It is green here, very green. Lots of beautiful trees. We rode through rich farmland, lots of big lawns, lots of dogs and some mansions. Here is one big house with a nice pond in front. This was by no means the biggest we saw, just what I managed...

Contrast this to the long roads in Arizona and New Mexico. Isn't it a nice country road?

Next time you want to complain about the choices you have at the supermarket consider that this could be your local grocer...

And next time you stay at a hotel, pray it is not the Aberdeen Inn. Yes it is (mostly) clean and it is the best hotel in town. That should tell you something about small town America.

Fortunately we arrived early enough and I'm off to massage and ice my leg some more and to an early bed time since last night I only got 5 hours of sleep. Tomorrow is a shorter day (106 miles, whew!) and we cross into Alabama!

Congratulations to Sam for qualifying for the Mountain Biking State Championships and good luck on the May 16 race!

Big hugs to all of you and a special one to Joan and Tom.

Day 20

113 miles / 6:13 hours / 18.1 mph avg / 1794' climbing

Breakfast: chocolate milk, short stack of pancakes and eggs, orange juice, banana.
Snack: 2 bananas with nutella, 2 oreos, 1/2 coke.
Lunch: sandwich, apples, oreos, banana, coke.
Snack: 2 bananas, oreos, pretzes, oranges.
Dinner 1: chicken sandwich, fries, coke, small oreo shake.
Dinner 2: omelet with toast and hash browns.
Snack: 2 Chocolate Graham crackers (thanks Lori for sending them to me, they really hit the spot)

Today I found out that Joan got some bad news so I am going to dedicate the rest of the trip to her and her family. I love you guys and please know that you are in my thoughts and in my heart.

Here is yesterday's photo of the Confederate flag. I was told that we would see many more in Alabama...

Today we started early and rode 5 mins. to our breakfast stop. That kind of messed everybody up because by now we have our very well established routines. I usually need to go potty after breakfast so you can imagine how distressed I was. Nevertheless, I managed. If only real life was that complicated.

As you can see, as the day goes on my shadow shrinks (I am not supposed to take pictures while riding, but this was a safe moment, I promise Lori)...

After much head and side wind, we finally made it to the Mississippi River. Here is the view of the bridge...

...and of the river. Just as I predicted, a REALLY BIG murky river.

And here I am on the other side!

Funny how this works, Mississippi seems to have fields just like Arkansas.

And its share of abandoned barns and houses. Here is a nice old barn that caught my eye (I had stopped for my first pee break in Mississippi).

Here is an example of the road hazards we face around here..

And just because I saw many beautiful trees...

Day 19

100.6 miles / 5:21 hours / 18.77 mph avg / 1057' climbing

This will be a short posting with no photos since I don't have a
computer and I'm using my phone. Besides, the only picture I managed
today was of the first Confederate flag I've seen in person.

Food was the usual mix of sandwiches, bananas, oranges, cokes, Oreos
and pretzels.

As you can see, there was little climbing involved and fortunately the
roads were for the most part quite smooth which is always welcomed.
The weather was a tiny bit less hot than yesterday, but the humidity
is starting to play a role. We rode by some Bayou which I still don't
know what they are exactly. The concensus seems to be that a Bayou is
a swamp with some specific kind of vegetation. In any case is hot and
teaming with creatures lurking in the shallow waters. They tell us
that there are no gators around here, but given the sampling of the
roadkill we see, I'm sure there are plenty of snakes. There are also
plenty of dogs around so we have to be extra careful. One of the guys
bought pepper spray and another had to use is water bottle to spray
water an a chasing dog. That stopped it on it's tracks.

Today we saved two turtles that were wondering into the road...I'm
sure they'll be crushed in a day or two anyway. Maybe they were
actually trying to go meet their creator and we thwarted their
resolve. In any case, around here there seems to be one church for
every five houses or so. Mike the tour leader tells me that it gets
worse. My favorite church sign today (which I did not photograph)
read: "For Mother's day surprise your Mom and come to Church". I'm
sure that would really surprise her.

I'm now icing my knees and legad in preparation for another flat and
hot day. Also tomorrow we will cross the Mississippi river. Given all
the recent flooding it should be a sight, that is, a big murky river.

Day 18

122.6 miles / 6:30 hours / 18.87 mph avg / 2588' climbing

Breakfast: waffle, oatmeal, muffin, yogurt, orange juice.
Snack: banana with dulce de leche, 2 oreos, oranges.
Lunch: chicken sandwich, coke, banana with nutella, oranges.
Snack: banana with nutella, oranges, 2 oreos.
Dinner 1: hearty chicken salad, coke.
Dinner 2: club sandwich, water.
Late Snack: yogurt.

Today was a hard day for me mentally. Maybe the rest day threw me off a bit, maybe it was the heat, maybe the sore butt. In any case it improved after the lunch stop where I had a Burger King chicken sandwich and a coke. Maybe I just needed caffeine, sugar and fried food. I'll have to rent Super-Size Me again...

Also the landscape did not help. Although it is quite green here with beautiful farms here and there, it is more densely populated which means smaller farms, more small towns (that are indeed alive) and their houses. That translates into more cars, drive-ins, bleached-blond blue-eye-shadowed girls and the like. More middle America, not as rural as before. I still managed to get a few derelicts...

As it was getting hotter we passed a very inviting lake. I was about to stop and jump in when I saw the nuclear power plant and realized that I really don't need to grow another limb...

Shortly after we passed the last chance for beer gas station (which makes you wander about the drink and drive thing around here)...

...we saw a caravan of old cars rushing towards it. They were kind enough to honk their old horns bringing a wiff of nostalgia very much in keeping with the old houses I have been photographing.

With al the modern agro industry methods, I thought crop dusters were a thing of the past, but I guess I was wrong. These seemed ready for action...

Another victim of the recession or is it just bad location, location, location?

Day 16

107 miles / 5:22 hours / 20 mph avg / 1714' climbing

Breakfast: oatmeal, eggs, sausage, orange juice.
Sanck: banana with dulce de leche (thanks mom), 4 min donuts, coke.
Lunch: ham+turkey+ham+tomato+lettuce sandwich, coke, 2 oreos.
Snack: cookies and cream shake, chicken bits.
Dinner: caprese salad, regular salad, chicken parmigiana with fetuccini, bread sticks, coke, one scoop sunday ice cream with hot fudge.

Please try the Photos link to your right under the map. it should work now.

Also, unless something memorable happens tomorrow, I won't blog since it is a rest day. On Wednesday we will ride 122 miles to Conway, AR.

Today we crossed into Arkansas. We were very lucky with beautiful weather again, although it got a bit hot towards the end but not bad at all. It was also a bit boring, smaller farms, more nondescript towns with small strip malls, not many old abandoned buildings, just vacant store fronts. Certainly a bit less rural and thus less charming. Also sad but in a different way, just a clear example of what the downturn in the economy really means and who it affects.

I was riding hard which surprised me since yesterday was a long 144 mile day. By now the legs seem to know what to do and the butt is holding well. I did not stop to smell the flowers, but at least I slowed down to take pictures...

Lots of smaller farms and quite a few larger houses in them, definitely welthier communities. At some point I almost ran over an overactive small terrier. I didn't take a photo of the f#@!* dog, but I got this cow down the road instead...

I think I yesterday mentioned a store where you can wash your car, your pet and your laundry. Here is another one of those...

We all noticed in the last couple of days the amazing number of cemeteries we passed. We were wondering were do all the dead people come from since there does not seem to be that many people alive out there. At least this one had nice colorful fake flowers all over (the photo came a bit washed out, but it was quite nice).

I realize I don't really understand religion, is this supposed to be reasuring or downright scary? Oh, I get it, this falls under "God works in mysterious ways", does it?

 I almost got run over by a train (not really, but there was no barrier and I could get as close as I wanted). I also got a video, but I haven't been able to upload it (old slow computer and bad internet connection).

Last (and least), and old police car that looked like it was taken from an old cartoon...

Day 15

144 miles / 7:40 hours / 18.8 mph avg / 5067' climbing

Breakfast: 2 waffles, eggs, sausage, orange juice.
Snack: 2 bananas with nutella, coke, pretzels.
Lunch: ham+turkey+cheese+tomatoe+spinach sandwich, coke, 4 oreos.
Snack: mini donuts, coke, Gu, Mojo bar.
Dinner 1: chicken sandwich, fries and coke.
Dinner 2: big salad, pasta, water!
Snack: 2 yogurts, 2 bananas with manjar (thanks Mom).

Although today was the longest ride miles-wise, it was not the most dificult thanks to the excellent weather and roads. Being such a long ride, the group split and most everybody settle on whatever pace they could sustain for eight hours or so. The terrain consisted miles and miles of rolling hills...

The road was littered with road kill, mostly armadillos, possums and racoons with the ocassional dog, coyote, skunk and some birds. Lush farms on both sides gave us beautiful scenes with hay rolls, cows, donkeys, some goats and some of the most handsome horses I have ever seen. Here we have two young horses that haven't seen much action so they were trying to sweet talk the cows next door, but the milking cows get fondled every morning by farmer Joe so they were not that interested in what the stalions had to offer. Check the young-Brad-Pitt-kind-of-horse on the right!

How about them hay rolls, they are taller than me...

We passed many more abandoned houses (these are not as charming as yesterdays, but they haunt me anyway)...

 

Almost abandoned towns (this one is Francis)...

And some gas stations that should have been abandoned...

For those of you who liked the Tonka truck on the lawn from yesterday, here is the real deal (also on a lawn), it could be yours for a modest sum provided that you figure out how to take it home...

Here are a couple of oddities I managed to photograph:
A defunct swan lawn ornament in the dead town of Francis (see above).

The provocative strange name for a gas station chain (it was next to a place where you can wash your car and your pet)...

The Peanut company that sells farm chemicals (allen is the name of another almost abandoned Town)...

And the saddest little kid prision (although someone suggested that it may be so that the coyotes don't take the toddlers away). Sad looking anyway...

Day 14

121 miles / 6:43 hours / 18.05 mph avg / 2535' climbing

Breakfast: oatmeal, eggs, sausage, toast, canned peaches and pears, orange juice.
Snack: 2 bananas with nutella,  2 oreos.
Lunch: ham+turkey+cheese+tomato+spinach sandwich, coke, 1/2 orange, 6 oreos.
Snack: Gu, Mojo bar,oranges, strawberry shake with malt.
Dinner: Pizza with mushrooms, tomatoes ad ham, banana split for dessert (see below).

Today was a pretty long day and was quite exciting because we passed the mid point of our trip.

(Nico, Reem, Brian, Wolfgang, Per, Russ)

I have to say that I have come to like some of the old abandoned houses along the road. Although sad, they retain certain charm, they seem to cry for the time when they were full of life, when they meant something for the people that inhabited them. Here is a short sampler, hopefully you'll see what I mean (please bear in mind that this is by no meas the best of it, just what I managed to photograph).

Some of the newer boarded houses are more scary though...

 (it says: b-ware of owner! stay away! Warning trespassers will be shot!)

But there is nothing like an old Tonka truck on a lawn to restore some sense, you can almost hear the kids playing with it...

After so much riding, we were trully in the middle of nowhere and I can prove it!

Without much ado, I proceed to show you how I rewarded myself today...

And what happened to it...