April 6, 2017.  Vancleave Mississippi to Dauphlin Island Alabama.  70 gorgeous miles, 2346 miles from the Pacific.  Cooler temperatures, low humidity, smooth roads, a beautiful route, and the wind from my back.  This day was biker bliss that I did not want to end.  What a difference a day can make.  Yesterday was sweat city and today I actually had goosebumps in the morning.  I will take the goosebumps.  Before reaching Alabama Horse and I ride through the Pascagoula River wildlife area.  This is a bayou flooded from the recent storms and it is beautiful.  There are floating river homes attached to the shore with a rope tied to a tree.  Gators and snakes are everywhere.  Beautiful big old Oak trees line the road as we approach the town of Grand Bay.  I always make it a point to celebrate entering a new State.   I make up some song about Alabama with a banjo on my knee and sing as loud and proud as possible.  California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi are behind me now.  In front of me is a little slice of Alabama and then Florida.  I am feeling healthy and strong until the end of the day when I am mostly just worn out.  I find a local lady in Bayou La  Batre and asked for recommendations for lunch.  Just so happens her friend runs a local seafood restaurant just up the road.  I gorge myself on crab-cakes, sweet potatoes and a slice of Key lime pie for dessert.  The dessert was on the house.   Nearby the Shrimp boats line the docks. It reminds me of Forrest Gump bubblegum shrimp Company.  On my way to the big bridge to the island I spot a large gator in the ditch.  I try to take a picture but he is gone in a second with the flick of a tail.  The 10 mile bridge to the island has incredible views of Mobile Bay and the Gulf of Mexico beyond.
The sunsets on this beautiful day and I’m feeling grateful once again.  I am staying with a warm showers host near the Ferry that I will take tomorrow morning on my way to Gulf Shores and then Pensacola.
I hope there was a beautiful sunset in your day.
Cheers
Freebird

April 4, 2017. Franklinton Louisiana to Poplarville Mississippi 69 miles. 2210 miles from the Pacific. A great day to be on the bike pedaling my way through Eastern Louisiana and Southern Mississippi. From Franklinton the route takes me Southeast through Springhill, Plainview, and Bogalusa. I dare you to try to find them on a map. I stop in Poplarville for lunch followed by a root beer float. I fill my food bag for my evening and morning meals since I will be camping between towns. The roadsides are covered with purple, yellow, red, and orange flowers. The winds are light and so is the traffic. The route wines up-and-down and all around this forested area. there are pretty Estates along the way with ponds horses and cows. I could live here. By afternoon the Mississippi sunshine brings the temperature 90°
. It is less humid today and the roads have many shady spots that feel like air-conditioning when I ride through. Well not real air-conditioning but at least it’s cooler in the shade. Camp happy to set up next to a beautiful little lake. The owner of the property is 91 and she loves to host bicyclists. She has had people from all over the world visit her beautiful little camping park. She is my inspiration for the day . I pay her the five dollars for the campsite which includes a shower and access to the bathroom. I think these are 1970 prices here. I hope you found someone that inspired you today.
Cheers,
Freebird

April 2, 2017. Morganza Louisiana to Clinton Louisiana 48 stormy miles. 2081 miles from the Pacific. I packed up camp happy in the misty morning Mississippi River Delta. I ride 10 miles to New Roads for breakfast. During breakfast I hear thunder in the distance. I checked radar and it looks like I’ll be here a while. By 11 AM the thunderstorm moves north and Horse and I giddyup across the Mississippi River bridge. OMG what a view from the top. It even had room for a bike lane. I pedal hard against strong headwind. The humidity is unbearable. I sweat from every pore of my body. It’s an up-and-down ride through a pretty forest area near the Audubon historic site. I get to Jackson and have some lunch. I checked radar and it looks like I’m good for an hour or two. Horse and I get about halfway to Clinton when thunder and lightning show up in my mirror. I put him in the storm running gear and we arrive in Clinton just before the storm hits. I am soaked with sweat and exhausted but the nice innkeeper at the B&B lets me in anyways. The Wildflower Inn is a huge old Louisiana house complete with swimming pool. The owner lives off site and there are no other guest tonight, so I have the place to myself. Horse even has a spot in the garage. This is some good living. I am doing my laundry and listening to the rumble of thunder outside. The storm is expected to last all night. I hope you are safe, warm, and loved wherever you are tonight.
Cheers, Freebird

March 30, 2017. Kirbyville Texas to Mittie Louisiana. 68 wonderful miles, and 1903 miles from the Pacific. I pack up my sleeping bag and air mattress and make a quick breakfast in the church kitchen. By then Reverend Jim shows up to take my picture for his book of cyclists. His book includes people from all around the world. It was a real treat to look through it and see where people were from and where they were going. Horse and I hit the road as the sun pops over the horizon. We hope to use this cool breeze from the north west to push a Southeast all day. And for the most part it works. I hoot and holler as I cross into Louisiana. Of course i was a bit disappointed to find out and that they moved the Mississippi River to the other side of Louisiana. Go figure ?. I guess I need to brush up on my geography. But I was fine with crossing the Sabine River as long as I was out of Texas. in a couple hours my stomach begins to growl and I start looking for a place for breakfast number two. In Merryville at a restaurant I meet a retired sheriff who sits down and has breakfast with me. We get talking about cross-country bike trips and cop stuff. I tell him I am tired of running from mean dogs that chase me often. He tells me where to buy some pepper spray in the next town. After a delicious meal I get on my bike and start to ride. About 10 miles down the road a car pulls in front of me and stops. It is Wayne the retired sheriff. He has a bottle of pepper spray for me complements of the sheriffs department. He also gives me a big stick which fits nicely into my saddle bag and is within reach. Just down the road a big dog comes running out at me. I pull out the stick and take a swing. The dog turns and runs back where he came from and I don’t need to use the pepper spray. The rest of the day goes Dogless. Maybe they know I am armed and dangerous. It sure makes me feel better knowing that I have protection. I ride 20 more miles to Deridder for a Cajun lunch of poor boy sandwich with delicious shrimp . Just across the street they are restoring a beautiful old County Courthouse. I ride for another 30 miles and stop in Mittie. That’s where I meet Howard. He is a local firemen and I ask if I can camp at the station. He offers his lawn instead. The shower is cold but refreshing and I’m right across from a restaurant. Life is good.
Cheers, Freebird

March 28, 2017.  New Waverly Texas to Kountze Texas 85 miles. 1861 miles from the Pacific.  My two day rest at Dominik and Sadie’s new home in Houston left me feeling energetic this morning.  Dominik drops me off back on the route in New Haven before sun up .  A great day to be on the bike riding through the Big Thicket  national preserve.  This place is green and alive with sounds of a swamp and smells of pine and cedar fill the air.  There are beautiful flowers of every color along the roadside. I see a bluebird, Baltimore oriole, Blue-heron, snakes and turtles.  This place has everything that flies, crawls, or hangs from a tree.   The Spanish moss clings to the branches of large trees making it look spooky.  I ride through the shaded undergrowth with a feeling like something might jump out and get me . The road is good and the traffic is fairly light all morning.  The light headwinds of the morning build in the afternoon and make the last 30 miles really tough.  I arrive in town and decide to get a hotel because it’s too windy to set up camp happy.  I jump in the hotel pool and life is immediately better.
I can’t believe I’m close to entering Louisiana.  I got a feeling it might happen tomorrow.  It’s taken me almost a month to cross Texas.  I am definitely ready to move on to another state.
Cheers, Mike