Today was deceptively difficult, at least in my opinion. The “rolling” hills conquered today were just a little bit longer and a little bit more frequent than anticipated, and a relatively steady headwind made for some unplanned challenges. Overall, this certainly wasn’t the toughest day we’ve had, and I’m certainly not complaining. Knowing that we have another 70+ mile ride tomorrow and then around a 60 mile ride the next day played a factor, and was compounded by some rain that I encountered during the last 30 minutes of the ride. Overall, I would consider it a win, albeit a somewhat hard-fought one.
The highlight for today, at least in my opinion, was the stop in Bogalusa, Louisiana at Coaches Po’Boys. The place came highly recommended, and it certainly did not disappoint! I ordered a half of a shrimp Po’Boy and some cornbread, and received a bonus dish of seafood gumbo which was, without a doubt, the best gumbo I have ever tasted. To top it off, I met a “regular” who claims to eat there every day, and I have a tendency to believe him, since his picture was on the wall. He is a former military guy, and wanted to hear all about the bike trip, and share a few war stories of his own along the way. Long story short, Coaches Po’Boys gets two thumbs up from me, and I’d highly recommend stopping if you ever get into this area of Louisiana.
I’m struggling a little bit with my tires, which are apparently taking a toll from the rough Louisiana and Mississippi roads. I’ve picked out a few pieces of wire and glass out of my front tire, and noticed sort of a shearing of the rubber on my back tire. I’m hoping to finish the tour with the tires I have on the bike, but fortunately have some backup(s), just in case. I’ll be happy if these continue to hold air, but will be quick to change them out at the first sign of trouble. Hopefully I will be in a good place to make the change, if necessary.
We crossed the Mississippi line today, and cycled through the town of Poplarville, which seems like a pretty nice place. Poplarville records a population of about 2,500 people. Back in 2005, it inflicted some severe damage from Hurricane Katrina, and holds the record for the highest windspeed recorded from that particular hurricane, which was 135 miles per hour! Also, according to “my sources”, the singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffet lived in Poplarville for a period of time, starting in 1959.
Lastly, a quick word about the “Haas Cienda” RV Park, which is my temporary home here, at least for the next 15 – 16 hours. They report having four (4) showers, however if you actually want more than a trickle of cold water, you might be better served standing out in the rain. The first “shower” I tried offered no water, and the second provided a fairly good stream, yet had no shower curtain or lock on the wooden bathroom door, which essentially was a barn door with no latch. About mid-way through my shower, the wind blew the barn door open, and suddenly I was the star of the whole RV park. Calling upon my improvisational skills, I did my best “Flashdance” movie imitation, and ended up center stage, with a blast of water covering my body for the big finale. The crowd at the RV park were undoubtedly moved by my performance, and the owner has tried to book me for the next week. Unfortunately, duty calls, and I have yet another 70+ miles to cycle tomorrow. I am secretly hoping that it rains during my trek, so I can finish washing the soap off of my legs. My only recommendation if you plan to stay here: Be sure to shower before you come!
The Walking Machine 