BIKE TOUR

The moral fabric of this country is torn. That's what Jim, a Gideon heading up to the prson for the day, said. The prisons are breeding grounds for Islam and they trun out radicals who go to mosks right after they get out. The only way to solve the problem in Iraq is to blow the whole place up. this all I learned from the man who used to go talk about oil drilling at Berkley but not too often because they'd come after him. The whole west coast is radical. Then I rode to Dauphin Island wher I was met by Brown Pelicans, a nasty headwind, and Anne from South Dakota. My neighbor for the night fed me dinner and showed me around the island where she used to live. She took me to the west end where all the foolish people are rebuilding their houses on the sand. "the rains came down and the floods came up and the house on the rock stood firm". After showering, Anne and I watched A Good Year. Nothing like a classic-vineyard-run the girl off the road-try to drown the guy-fall in

As I sit 10 miles from the Alabama border in Wade on the cott provided to me, I'm trying to reflect on the day. Nothing exceedingly specific happened on my ride today. One boy told me I was his new role model. Then 10 minutes later some child threw something that left a white powdery mark out of a school bus window at me. I met James Dean in Larue. Shortly after that I met a vanfull of people lost trying to find their way to the Crawfish Festival. I spoke with some folks back in Sitka and I wished I could be back in a place that celebrates Earth Day for a week. Sitka may be small, but it does some things better than anywhere else. I missed the entire spring season of Monthly Grinds. But I must finsih my trip, find my turtles somewhere in the room, and go to sleep early. 11.7 ave - 25.2 max - 2428.7 odo - 4:40:07 time

After spending two nights on Steven and Tanya's futon eating blackberries and mingling with goats, I pedaled into the pine forests mixed intermittently wihth clear cuts. I'm goign to miss picking on their teenager, Jessica, and her boyfriend, Budd. Just before leaving the fattest county in the fattest state in the fattest country, I came across Brian. His tours include a Perth - Sydney, but after only a short chatt, the New Yorker and I parted ways. I think I'm up to 10 flat tires. That usually means I have bad luck or I need new tires. The glass has been hard on them lately. In Perkinston, I stopped for a pint of Blue Bell and perusal of the local paper. I can't remember his name, but another trouing cyclist with a BOB trailer rolled up. The Australian is running high mileage days and still had miles to go. So after some chocolate milk and canned fruit, he headed off. I headed to the Baptist Church where I was offered a spare room a few miles further on the route. Nyh

I was reading the Adventure Cycling magazine at the warmshowers in Poplarville shortly after watching their 16 year old make blue flame in a coke bottle. The article titled "Carfree in the Cowboy State" detailed the state's decision to ban driving for the week of July 16-22. People who want to drive in Wyoming will be limited to Interstates 80, 25, and 90. I'm curious and wish I could be riding there that week. www.carfreewyoming.com

9.3 ave - 25.9 max - 2341.9 odo - 2:46:34 time - 60 mile ride

The bathroom was of the condition that I was more comfortable walking naked to and from the shower than changing in it. The water was cold, but the cement cell was warm. This campground was my only option in Easleyville at 8 o'clock at night. I was delayed today by a visit to the Audobon State Historic Site (note pictures of flowers and caterpillars...) and a flat tire. It was my second metal shard. The terrain has changed from super flat to slightly rolley since I crossed the Mississippi. The trees, draped in spanish moss, are not struggling for life. More than anywhere else I've been through, Louisiana logs. Sometimes the clear cut fields come right up to the road as if to shove it in your face that owls no longer swoop gracefully there. Though it didn't rain, the ground here is damp and my tent is already covered in dew. Tomorrow I'm headed to Bogalusa which boasts a population greater than 100 including cats and dogs. 10.2 ave - 26.5 max - 2315.9 odo - 4:53:01 time

Today's riding was absolutely pleasant. 95% of the time the roads had nearly no traffic and the scenery was scenic. Part of the time I was following some series of signs that mark the MRT bicycle route. I don't know what that is for though. I was anxious to see the Mississippi, so before my crossing I stopped to eat peaches. I took the short road over the levy to a ferry route that wasn't running. I was immediately sucked into memories of the Yukon River. I was quickly pulled out as I waked because I startled a gator down in the swampy section between river and levy. But seeing that I was far away and no threat, it climbed back onto its log. I continued on to ride past what seemed like hundreds of cute little white churches with adjacent graves. There were some cattle and some corn fields. With perfect timing, I caught the ferry that took me across the Mississippi to St. Francisville. The ride was quite reminiscent of the Dawson ferry rides. It made me want to go on a canoi