BIKE TOUR

Most people would not get excited about liquid oozing out of a limb. I, however, was tired of the painful tautness of the skin from the mass of liquid built up. Aside from perhaps finally getting back on the road again, this was the highlight of my day. St. Augustine once again doesn't feel very far away as I plan to finish off the fifth of the seven maps tomorrow and cross the Mississippi. Checking my email in Simmesport, I received several happy birthdays. A couple of which were from people who claimed not to know me, but were friends of my mother's. So later on the phone I asked my mother if she'd sent a provoking email out. She had. I caught her. Not that it's bad, but usually I'm lucky to have more than one or two people remember it's my birthday. The day hasn't traditionally been great. Last year's was good though. 9.5 ave - 15.1 max - 2214.2 odo - 3:26:38 time

Snowball and Claudia are convinced that I'm not going to leave tomorrow. I keep telling them that I am. My turtle, snowball, and I intend on pedaling around the severe weather warnings to Simmesport tomorrow morning. I even called Henry (warmshowers) and left a message telling him I'm coming. I tidied up tonight and gave the bite another examination. Pain, heat, and reddness are still present, but I'm hoping it doesn't bother me much while riding. Dear Claudia made me a birthday cake today after we came back from Baton Rouge dropping off Hailey. Miss Bright was over to pick up the coons snowball shot for her. She and Snowball didn't seem to be much of singers since they left Claudia alone on vocals for the happy birthday song.

Though still congested, I don't feel half as ill as I did a few days ago. Drugs work wonders, but the bite on my thigh is still hot, red, tender, and 5 inches in diameter. And people worry about mosquitos in Alaska. I think I may force myself to rest one more day before I take off. I've been anxious to leave since I got here. But my hosts have been the kindest anyone could ask for. To be honest I'll miss the buckets of live craw fish that rest and surprise me on the kitchen floor and the baby turtles in tupperware on the counter. With any luck they'll find that second one that climbed but before they sniff it out.

After feeling completely horrible for far to long, I decided to go to the doctor. Claudia took me to the Bunkie General Hospital which bears no resemblence in size to the Tacoma General Hospital or even the Sitka Community Hospital. It reminded me more of my orthodontist's office. They were quite enamored with my story and the doctor consulted me about Alaska before before he inquired after my head cold and the bite that was growing in size on my thigh. He prescribed some antibiotics and gave me some Allegra D. To top it off I got a shot in tush of something all with the promise that they should solve all my problems. Before I left they took down my story and took polaroids for the Bunkie Record. Maybe I'll make the paper after all. I forgot to mention that I wanted all the Louisianans to stop honking at me.

I care very little about anything except feeling better right now.

Thankfully, my hosts don't appear to have any intention of kicking me out on my congested bicycle ass. THey ofered to take me to the doctor tomorrow. But i'm sure in due time this will pass. In light of recent events, St. Augustine doesn't appear to be quite as palatable of a goal as before. We choose our goals quite arbitrarily sometimes and I've always been more conscerned with the time I'm having than the time I'm making. So if I don't reach the Atlantic, please do not be that disappointed. I'm not. I've been to the Atlantic before. It's not that exciting.

I took a sick day on the couch watching movies like Thumbsucker and An Inconvienient Truth. Gore puts on a good show. First it was the sore throat, then the cough, then the fever. Hopefull I'll get thorugh the stuffed faze overnight. I was invited to attend the family Easter gatherings but I declined. THey were kind enough to bring back a plate for me. I made it up to eat dinner at the table and watch granddaughter Haley stamp up her face. Tomorrow... I won't make itout until after Claudia's back from running the crawfish traps.