the honeymooners, phoenix mike, and tupelo

October 17, 2021

Day Nine: stealth campsite to Tupelo

I woke up at 4:45, but fell back asleep until 7:45. It was a bit chilly this AM, around 46 degrees, but it’s supposed to reach 70 so I’m anticipating a beautiful day. Because it was cold it took me a while to climb out of my sleeping bag. But then I remember that I’m on vacation so it doesn’t really matter. Every morning it surprises me just how completely soaked my tent is in the morning.

I ate my homemade granola (I mentioned before how delicious it is), packed my gear, took some pictures of the campsite, then headed out.

Here are a couple of pictures of my campsite from the road. My tent was behind the smallest/farthest hay bale. The first is using a zoom lens, the second isn’t.

All along the Trace I saw triangular signs in my mirror which I continually mistook for cyclists behind me. This morning, however, there actually were a couple of bikers there. As they gradually overtook me (everyone is faster than me) I pulled over so there wouldn’t be that extended period of discomfort where they felt like they had to talk to me when they really want to just speed past the slow, old guy on a bike. However, they stopped as well, and I found it was the Amish couple from yesterday. We talked, mostly about bicycling stuff, for 20-25 minutes before I finally suggested that we talk while we ride since we’re all going the same direction. Right before we started pedaling I asked, “Would it be okay if I took your picture?” His response was, “We’d prefer it if you didn’t.”

I learned that their names are Melvin, who works construction, and Amanda, who most likely is a homemaker. (Or perhaps she's an engineer and I'm just displaying my ignorance and bias. I'm basing her presumed occupation on my assumptions, and thirty minutes ago I would've assumed it wasn't okay for an Amish person to ride a bicycle along the Natchez Trace Parkway) They live in Harlan, Indiana, which is northeast of Fort Wayne. They were married in August, and are now on their honeymoon, traveling from Natchez to Nashville. They’re doing some camping and some motels like me, and averaging about 40-50 miles every day. Their itinerary is already planned out and, after waking up at 4:30, they started at the Jeff Busby Campground this morning around 7:00 so they’ve already put in most of their miles for the day. Melvin mentioned how really happy he is with their tent, which I learned is the enormous 3-person green Marmot tent I saw in Kosciusko. Not only is it large, it has a massive vestibule which holds all their gear and both bicycles. The bicycling shorts that were hanging out to dry were Amanda’s, and she’s been extolling their virtues to the point where Melvin is considering purchasing a pair.

I found it fascinating that although they’re Amish, they’re allowed to ride a bicycle. I saw a bicycle in the Amish community near where I live in Iowa City and everything had been removed but the wheels. The only way for locomotion was to push it along with your foot… no pedals, gears, chain… nothing. It was basically a scooter. Since there’s so much modern technology in hearing aids, I was surprised to see Amanda wearing a pair. Melvin and Amanda even have cellphones, although I later learned that they can only call and text - no internet use is allowed. Melvin's bike has a Wahoo bike computer attached to the handlebars. I’m intrigued, and have a million questions since they’re so different from every other Amish person I’ve always wanted to meet but never had the chance. Unfortunately, they exited at Highway 6 to go to their B&B in Houston (Mississippi). They’re morning people and by the time we parted around 1:30 they had already finished their 40-mile day. I had toddled a mere 15 miles of the 50 miles I'm planning.

Shortly after we parted, I passed a guy traveling in the opposite direction, starting in Nashville and ending in Natchez. His name was Mike, from Phoenix. He said, “Some people just pass and wave but I like to talk.” I completely agree. His first bike trip was around Lake Michigan where his parents live. Shortly thereafter he attempted the ACA Transamerica route but gave up after three weeks because he just wasn’t having any fun. He typically does about 40 miles a day and mostly camps but also stays in some hotels.

Because I got a late (normal for me) start, talked to Melvin/Amanda, then talked to Mike, I decided to push it a bit to get to Tupelo and rode harder than I normally do. Tomorrow is a rest day so it won’t matter if I’m a little sore. I did have a headwind all day, but it stayed in the upper 60s and was a nice riding day. I skipped lunch, but kept eating my protein bars on a regular basis, as well as Gatorade, and made what I thought was pretty good time.

I have an AirBnB for the next two nights, and to get there I have to pedal down Main Street. It’s the route Google Maps took me, and I double checked to see if there was a better route. There wasn’t but, fortunately, as soon as I got on it I saw a large sign that said cars are required to give cyclists at least three feet of space.

Of course, that doesn't mean they will, but they actually did.

My AirBnB is called Mill Cottage, a 1920s restored bungalow in a quaint, tree-lined neighborhood near downtown.

Once there, I took care of business first and set up my tent in the living room to let it dry out, hung the rain fly across a few chairs, and laid out my clothes on some other chairs.

Okay, "business first" actually means I laid down on the porch swing for at least 15 minutes enjoying the beautiful evening as I gently swayed back and forth and listened to the birds. THEN I did all of that less important stuff.

After that I ordered a lot of food, including dessert and four soft drinks, from Tellini’s, after which I showered, shaved, and unpacked as I waited for my dinner to be delivered. When the food arrived I found that the soft drinks, 2-3 of which I’d planned to drink later, were in cups instead of bottles or cans so I couldn't save them (no carbonation) and ended up drinking three of the four.

My route plans might be changing, and I need to figure out some things, but I think I’ll do it tomorrow morning. I read in bed but only managed about ten minutes before falling asleep around 11:30.

53.6 miles

1372 feet climbed

4.3% grade

6:22:48 total time

4:22:10 moving time

30.7 mph max speed

12.2 mph average moving speed (this is surprising considering how hard I pushed myself most of the day)

2598 calories

512.6 total miles

Today's ride: 54 miles (87 km)
Total: 514 miles (827 km)

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