So apparently things do work out
that way for me! The weather held off and we made the full 78 mile ride from
Bogalusa to Gulfport, rolling into town literally as the wind picked up and rain
started falling in sheets (and I’m using the term “literally” correctly). We
couldn’t believe our luck. We ditched our plans in Hattiesburg, found accommodations
in Gulfport for the night (though our beachfront Marriott relocated us to a
Hilton, ugh, farther inland), and are hopeful we’ll be able to ride tomorrow as
planned once the storm passes.
It was a gross start to what
clearly turned out to be a great day. We stepped out of the hotel at 7am this
morning into 75 degrees and so much humidity. My bike was immediately covered
in sticky condensation and my sunglasses were foggy for the first 30 miles. The
extra layer from our safety shirts didn’t help; it was a sweaty day. Leaving
town we passed the paper mill and finally understood Stinkalusa’s nickname.
Today’s ride through wooded Mississippi
backroads was as pretty as ever; though, with traffic-less backroads come
fence-less dogs. We were chased by more dogs in today’s ride than in the last
33 days combined. Beagles, Basset Hounds, Chocolate Lab puppies, Pitbulls, the Wiener
Dog who knocked a live goose off the front porch when he charged us, the German
Shepard in the back of a moving pick-up truck – you name it, they chased us.
We also had a kitten encounter;
our first of the trip. Coming around a bend 20 miles into the ride, I noticed
a little gray kitten stepping out of the woods and, upon closer inspection, realized
he was with several other kittens. When they saw us they disappeared back into
the woods and, much to my dad’s dismay, I stopped and went in after them. I didn’t
have a plan (fill my jersey with stray kittens until our next rest stop when I could
make them my mom’s problem?), but I couldn’t get near them, so never had to come
up with one.
 |
| Mississippi backroads |
 |
| Dog attack! |
 |
| Hurricane Nate survival kit |
No comments:
Post a Comment