Day Forty Four: not beethoven, panhandler, no shoulder

This morning, I realized there's an odd thing that frequently happens when I ride. I don't know if it happens with other bikers or not. Shortly after I've started riding, I look down at my odometer. There will be three numbers, for example, 223. After glancing at it I have to stop and think, "Is that 2.23 miles or 22.3 miles." That's quite a difference, and I have to look at the odometer again to find out.

The reason is that, when riding, I live in the present. There's only right now. Last year, I tried to tell people what it's like on a bike trip, riding down the road. I wasn't very successful in expressing that aspect of it. For a lot of the time, I don't tend to think about anything but what's going on at that moment.

There's another side to that coin though.... sometimes a song gets stuck in your head and it's impossible to dislodge it. That would be okay if the song was, say, Beethoven's Fifth Symphony.

But me? I'm cursed....

If you want to know what song is stuck in my head you can click on the link below.

I strongly recommend that you NOT click on it.

I'm serious - DON'T DO IT!!!






Well, you can't say I didn't warn you. Just be glad you're not me.

I took a picture of some longhorn cattle but they didn't come out very well.

From Mark on a Bike 08 2

From Franklinton I traveled to Bogalusa, a town Kevin had warned me was full of panhandlers and people who like to use drugs. When I stopped at the WalMart to pick up a few things a guy came up to me and started talking. I'm generally pretty good with accents but I had a hard time understanding him. I guess I'll have to work on my Bogalusian.

He asked a few of the usual questions, and eventually got around to asking me for some money for something to drink, so I walked with him over to the soft drink machines and told him to pick something out. He did, and seemed pretty happpy to get it. Then he asked me for some money for food. I patted his huge belly and said, "Don't you think you've had a little too much already?" He laughed and sidled away to someone else.

Shortly after Bogalusa I crossed into Mississippi.

From Mark on a Bike 08 2

I walked across the street and took a picture of the Louisiana sign since there wasn't one when I came into the state.

From Mark on a Bike 08 2

I wonder... does that mean that people from Mississippi are welcome in Louisiana but people from Texas aren't?

Scenery along the way....

From Mark on a Bike 08 2

From Mark on a Bike 08 2

I keep looking for alligators but haven't seen one yet.

From Mark on a Bike 08 2

In Poplarville I somehow made a wrong turn (although I never actually turned) and found myself on 53 instead of 26, so I had to ride on the shoulder of Interstate 59 for three miles to get back on my route. I really don't like doing that, and the truckers don't appreciate it too much, either.

A joker with a can of spray paint...

From Mark on a Bike 08 2

This is a picture of Batson Catfish Farm. It looks like he just watered them.

From Mark on a Bike 08 2

In an attempt to trim a few more miles, I got off the ACA route for almost the entire day. Adventure Cycling Association roads, although circuitous, generally have either good shoulders or little traffic, and usually both.

Highway 26 has neither, and there were more logging trucks than cars.

Although it wasn't horrible the entire day, it just doesn't make for a pleasant ride. The last part of the day was even worse.

From Mark on a Bike 08 2

For part of the trip the shoulder looked like this.

From Mark on a Bike 08 2

By the time I stopped in Wiggins at the end of the day, although I had pedaled only 67.5 miles, I was 97.5 closer to my final destination.

I'm not sure it was worth it.


67.37 miles
12.2 average
25.6 maximum
5:30:31 time
2184.4 total