PAC Tour Livingston to Greenville, AL (22)

Today      128 miles      4,800 feet of elevation gain            9:45  elapsed time  42 - 77 degrees
So far    2,428             94,300                                       8    12:06

Another beautiful (but long) day in Paradise.  More great roads, pleasant temps and southern scenery.  Today most of the scenery was farms, ranches, timber stands and small decaying towns.  Some towns take a great deal of pride in their public facilities, but there is simply no use for the vacant storefronts.  The best owners provide some decoration to liven up the view, others just leave the remnants of the last occupant.  America is changing, but then it always has. 

We've seen a lot of dogs in the last two days, the whole ride really, but especially the last two days.  Dogs that chase, dogs that bark, dogs that yawn when you ride by and dogs that stare.  We've all become adept, out of necessity, at dealing with dogs.  So far we've had no incidents except for one confused dog found wandering a busy road chasing anything that moved.  He was turned over to animal rescue. 

Today, because of the climbing and the length of the ride, was focused on getting the ride done.  Fewer excursions and fewer adventures.  I do have to comment on the end of today's route.  The last 28 miles, we were on eight different roads.  That's a lot of turns compared to normal.  I looked at the route tracing on my Garmin upload and magnified the end of the route to the street level.  It was a masterful piece of routing to provide scenic and smooth roads while keeping us of busy roads.  Having mapped out club rides, I know there is an art to producing that kind of result.  Kudos to Lon on a great route.

Morning solitude

Tombigbee waterway

Kudzu - curse of the South

Share the road

Alabama River

Almost there

Doug

John Lake and Jim

Back of the Pack Gang - Bob Clarke, Tracey and Ron

PAC Tour Kosciusko, MS to Livingston, AL (21)

Today      115 miles     5,700 feet of elevation gain        9:20 elapsed time   46 - 75 degrees
So far    2,300            89,500                                       8  2:21

Exhausted.  Wiped out.  Drained.  Empty.  Nothing left in the Tank.  Depleted.  The well is dry.  I'm simply out of superlatives to describe this ride, these roads, this weather and this experience.  Just when it didn't seem possible that it could be any better, along comes a day like today.  There was a little chill of fall in the air when we started riding this morning.  Riders wore arm warmers and jackets.  We turned east, as usual and were immediately riding rolling hills in eastern Mississippi.  And nice rollers they were, just my size.  As I rolled down the eastern side of a hill, I would accelerate down the hill and across the trough to the next hill and using the momentum from the previous hill and a little extra effort, power up the next hill at a pretty good clip.  We cruised that way for at least the first twenty miles of today's ride quite a treat.  The cool temps, brilliant sunshine and smooth, quiet country roads made this yet another exemplary day in Paradise.  What can I say?  I've run out of superlatives. 

So I'm riding along between rest stops this morning and Susan Notorangelo, Lon Haldeman and Christoper Stegeman ride up behind me.  Susan is the cheerleader, social director and gourmet chef for the tour.  "So Ron, some of the riders say we should skip the next two days of riding in Alabama and drive to Georgia.  What do you think of that?"  "I think they should of signed up for the 28 day tour- two rest days included."  Christoper like that and laughed his approval.  Susan:  "Ron, if you knew how hard this ride would be before you signed up for the tour, would you have still signed up?"  "You bet I would have."  Christoper really liked this.  Susan:  "I bet there were some days when it was hard to get out of bed in the morning."  I finally conceded, "Yes, there were some mornings that I wanted to throw the phone out the window.  'No, not again. Its too early.'"  And so it went for fifteen miles along quiet country roads.  The tour operators riding along with the riders.  Everyone having a good time, enjoying the day on the bikes.  What more could one ask for?  Oh, yeah.  The day started with blueberry pancakes hot off the grill in the hotel parking lot.  Sunrise breakfast before the ride.  We are treated well.  We appreciate it.  We enjoy it. 

Roadside ranch

Tree shaded bike path aka route 39

Local color - Philadelphia, MS

Crossing Manheim Road in Mississippi.  Manheim is route 45, right?

Today's defunct gas station / country store.

The competition next door.

How far we've come.

Morning road

PAC Tour Indianaola to Kosciusko, MS (20)

Today    100 miles   2,300 feet of elevation gain      7:28 elapsed time  62 - 90 degrees
So far  2,185          83,800                                   7  17:01

Another great day of cycling, today in Mississippi.  Yesterday after we crossed into Mississippi, I thought my stereotype of Mississippi as poor and empty was fairly accurate.  Today on leaving Indianola we found ourselves on a four lane divided road with a great surface, a tailwind and not a lot of traffic.  In the areas where there were no shoulder, riding on the right of the right-hand lane was comfortable.  We rode most of the 23 miles into Belzoni on this road.  And a great ride it was. 

Leaving Belzoni we were back on rural roads through farm and ranch country.  Lots of cotton being grown on large plots.  We passed a catfish factory (where farmed catfish are processed).  Then we turned a corner at Thorton which is probably the poorest town I've ever seen.  Just a collection of ramshackle shacks, really, no stores, no commerce and no post office.  Bust soon we were in the Hillside Wildlife Preserve.  Pleasant riding.  Oh, suddenly, a hill.  I don't think I'd seen a hill in three days.  But, just a hill.  But that hill turned out to have 10-12% grades and just appeared out of nowhere.  It really was a surprise.  So we climbed it.  The undulations continued for the rest of the day, but nothing had the grade of that one hill.  And after the hill, Mississippi turned picturesque.  I mean picture postcard pretty.  One manicured farm after another.  So toss that stereotype away, as I have done with so many others of this country along our route.  This is America the Beautiful. 

So another great day on the bike.  Just like a couple days ago when Bob Clarke rode up next to me and said, "You look so effortless when you ride.  You're not even breaking a sweat."  Well, I did have a little sweat going, but I am comfortable on the bike.  Its as if I am meditating while riding.  The peace just comes with the activity.  I'm almost beginning to regret the end of the ride.  There will be time for that later.  Its ironic that one can feel the regret of seeing the ending and at the same time wondering if the day after day grind will ever end. 

Yazoo River

Catfish factory

Cotton picker

Roadside view

What a place to ride!

A bucolic pasture

Local resort

Irrigation canal

PAC Tour Monticello, AR to Iandianola, MS (19)

Today       109 miles       500 feet of elevation gain          8:37 elapsed time   59 - 93 degrees
So far     2,085           81,500                                        7   9:33

Some days a just more fun than others.  Today we headed east as usual, but we were no longer in a logging area, but a farming area.  Two crops are being harvested now, soybeans and cotton.  This area is near the Mississippi which we crossed today.  Large farms and lots of irrigation are characteristic of the agriculture in this area.  We travelled some nice quiet roads with little traffic through Arkansas and Mississippi.  We didn't see much difference when we crossed the river.  Flat, flat river bottom land and plenty of closed "establishments" reflecting the decline we've seen across the country in small town life. 

Ah the roads.  Somewhere near mile fifteen we encountered road construction.  The top layer of asphalt had been stripped off the road, leaving a diamond pattern for adhesion to the new layer to come.  Its an absolutely bone-jarring experience for cyclists.  I had a flat tire when a stone pierced my tire.  Road hazard.  Once we cleared construction we had a nice ride for a few miles on the newly laid pavement.  Then we turned onto a chip-seal road for more testing of the kidneys.  But we did get to ride the causeway through Lake Chilcot.  A pretty change of scenery.  Finally we crossed the Mississippi on the new Granville Bridge.  A nice piece of architecture.  More chip seal in Mississippi.  Finally just before the lunch stop we  had a miles of smooth surfaced road.  And after lunch we enjoyed smooth roads all the way into Indianola. 

Here are the photos of the day:

Yes, really as crooked as it looks.

Lake Chicot

The mighty river

Crossing the Mississippi River... into Mississippi

Irregation Canal

King Cotton

PAC Tour Arkadelphia to Monticello, AR (18)

Today        99 miles    3,000 feet of climbing      7:44 elapsed time   57 - 94 degrees
So far    1,976           81,000                            7   0:56

Another day in Paradise.  I made up with route 8 this morning.  The pavement was great.  This section was lightly travelled and roamed across Arkansas through forests of southern pines.  A mellow day on the bike.  I wish I could bottle the absolute bliss I feel on the road sometimes, especially early mornings.  The world is at peace, there are no clouds in the sky and the temperature is perfect.  What can I say?  Why am I on this ride this year and experiencing some of the best cycling weather I've ever experienced?  Even the temperatures on the early days in the desert were below normal. 

At one point today I was riding on the shoulder of route 8.  The road pavement up to the shoulder was dark and reflecting the heat of the sunshine.  The grassy, dappled in shade shoulder to the right was cool, giving off morning mist and coolness.  So my left side was warm, almost hot while the right side was cool and comfortable.  Was I half-baked?  There is a picture of the road below. 

Somewhere a bit short of halfway riders began to talk about the length of this trip.  It IS long.  But now that we've competed eighteen days it seems quite doable.  The hardest days are behind us and I think momentum is starting to build toward the finish.  Perhaps a little soon.  As I contemplate the so far and the still to come the enormity of this undertaking starts to impress me.  But I've ridden plenty of century rides before, so this is just a matter of stringing together the best, and hardest, of the bunch.  How I like being strung along. 

I fear my "cleverness" is starting to turn goofy, so let me regale you with some photos from today's ride.  First, the dual-temp road shoulder:

Bob Longoria

Jerry

Tracey & Gerhard

Bob Clark - Breaking Away

Some logging activity along the route:

Today's scenery:

Today's defunct gas station

Bear Bryant's Birthplace

Town

Wimsey

PAC Tour Queen Wilhelmina Lodge to Arkadelphia, AR (17)

Today    100 miles     4,300 feet of climbing      8:25 elapsed time  60 - 95 degrees
So far 1,877             78,000                            6 17:12

Today started with sunrise atop Mt. Mena at the Queen Wilhelmina Lodge.  An interesting place with lots of history see here: http://www.queenwilhelmina.com/history/default.aspx .  The parking lot breakfast special today was omelets to order.  That and the traditional oatmeal loaded with cranberries, pecans, sliced bananas and strawberries and yogurt make a great way to start the day.   So after yesterday's vista laden challenge what was in store for us today.  Well, more of the same.  The first twelve miles was the last section on the Talimina Parkway.  The parkway was completed in the 60's and connected two truck trails constructed by the CCC in the 30's.  And like the Blue Ridge Parkway, its out of the way, but oh so scenic.  That makes it perfect for cycling.

So today's ride.  The first section was on the Talimina Parkway with the steep ups and downs as yesterday, then we descended into the town of Mena and began following route 8, a state road with little traffic and no shoulders.  Not a bad ride, but the road surface was chip and seal which makes for a jarring ride.  The roads we've ridden have been spectacular, so when I find fault with one its a surprise.  And I'm amazed that we've travelled over half the country and with few exceptions, the roads have been quiet and very rideable, and very scenic too. 

The rest stop at mile 33 had a surprise.  No melon or grapes!  But we did have fresh apples - McIntosh.  Other goodies at the rest stop include: Gatorade, Hammer gel and other products, licorice (red and black), crackers, energy bars, bananas, beef jerky and potato chips.  Many of these things are salty on purpose: to help replace salts and to stimulate thirst so enough water is consumed by the riders.  I'm eating a lot of  licorice, chips and jerky which aren't normally part of my diet, but look good after riding 30 miles at 9:00 in the morning.  Strange, huh?

Our lunch stop on route 8 featured grilled cheese sandwiches made to order.  I had mine with ham and tomato, a side of salad, carrot cake for dessert and washed down with ginger ale and V8.  Fuel the ride.  After lunch we made a quick right turn onto country roads with great pavement that passed through an Army Corps of Engineers wildlife management area composed mostly of pine forest.  Great roads and shade from the afternoon sun.  A great relief from the chip seal roads of earlier today.  And the scenery was magnificent.  I love the smell of pine straw and shaded, cool pine forest.  Here's the view from the lodge last night/ this morning:

And then we got back into cattle country:



And De Soto showed up to give a history lesson:

And some nice shots along the route, including one of Paul shooting the rider (me):