DAY 13: COLUMBUS TO AMORY
Again today I was following the Tombigbee River, more or less. Most of the time I was on country backroads.
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| Mississippi backroads and farmland. |
When I wasn't snaking my way around the rich, black soil of these northern Mississippi farms, I was fighting for my 3 feet on busy highways. Although Mississippi does have a few more road signs than Alabama (which really isn't saying much), I've yet to see a road with a rideable shoulder.
I've mentioned previously about the stuff folks here in the South tend to deposit by the side of the road. Today I had a first.
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| Oops! This magnificent instrument evidently jumped off the back of someone's truck. |
I'm not exactly sure how to dispose of out-of-tune pianos, but I'm pretty sure this isn't it.
But I did see a few road signs, which were helpful.
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| The older roads today seemed to follow railroad tracks rather than rivers. |
When this street sign said "Old" Highway 25, it was being quite literal.
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| Several miles of gravel on "old" Highway 25. |
Two miles of very loose gravel over what used to be (I assume) Highway 25. (Although why there would be a highway out here, I'm still contemplating.) It was slow, treacherous going on a loaded bike, but it was the only way through.
The only town on the route today was Aberdeen, Mississippi. Small but lively, it appeared more vibrant than most of the small towns I've been through so far on this trip.
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| Downtown Aberdeen, Mississippi |
Learned that Aberdeen is the home of the "Mississippi Blues," a unique musical style, so says this plaque and mural:
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| Home of the "Mississippi Blues." |
Just outside the town, on Coontail Road (I'm not making that up), a bridge had washed out from last week's storm, and was under reconstruction.
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| Bridge out, road closed. (But I made it anyway, saving about 7 additional miles.) |
The detour would have taken me 7 miles (about 45 minutes riding time) out of the way, on an already long-ish riding day. My touring partner, Susan, asked a nearby Sherriff if we could take our bikes across. "Absolutely not!" he told her. He went inside the station. We went across the bridge. Enough said.
I've come to despise, and fear, the many logging trucks I've encountered in the last 500 miles. This sign says it all...as the tree knocks the poor cyclist right off his bike!
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| I came to despise and fear these very dangerous haulers. |
Today's Mileage: 58.3
Total Distance to date: 502.5 miles
The authorities have to say no so you are solely responsible if you injure ir kill yourself trying to cross a washout. Every road bike touring pro learns this to save lots of detouring.
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