Day 10 - April 21 - Mathiston, MS to Tupelo, MS - Crossing the T.....Part One

April 21, 2024

Day 10 - April 21 - Mathiston, MS to Tupelo, MS

Blue Skies

John’s Story

It rained all night, and was still raining this morning. It rained off and on for the first few hours of the ride. When it decided to stop the sky went from overcast and dreary to bright blue without a cloud in it over about 30 minutes.

I thought to commemorate the quick change I’d share Willie Nelsons’s rendition of an old standard.

Blue Skies

Resources along the Trace today were sparse. We found a convenience store just off the Trace at Mantee. I stoked up with some Southern health food.

About the time the rain stopped we encountered two southbound recumbent bikers headed south, Waco Willie and D.C. Dennis.

Willie is from Waco. He’s riding the Trace from Nashville to Natchez on the recumbent bike than belonged to his late brother.

Dennis is from D.C. (Germantown, MD actually). He’s also riding the Trace from end to end. He and Willie just met on this ride, and they’ve been traveling together.

The southern end of the 44 mile Tanglefoot rail trail from Houston, MS to New Albany, MS. We would have taken it if we weren’t headed to Tupelo. It would have cut quite a few miles off our route.

We would have camped here last night if it hadn’t been for the weather forecast. A primitive biker campground.

They don’t know how to spell Oklahoma around here.

We rode into a 10-20 mph headwind all day, but managed to arrive in Tupelo about 2:00 pm.

We’re spending tonight and tomorrow night with our brother David and his wife Mary. Tomorrow will be our first rest day of the trip. Ten days of riding before a break is longer than any stretch we did last summer on our coast to coast ride. I plan to enjoy it!

Ed’s Story

Not much to add from what John said. We had some rain and we had wind that got more vicious throughout the day.

There were still quite a few hills on the Trace. We climbed one that was at least 5 miles long.

We looked for fire ants on the indian mounds but luckily John didn’t step in any.

If it weren’t for him. I wouldn’t have had a town or county to go to high school in.

This is where we would have camped last night if it weren’t for the impending storms. D.C. Dennis camped there last night and confirmed it rained all night. We didn’t see any brown grass to show where they danced.

John was bit by a vampire last night in the hotel and he’s changed.

Family dinner at a local Mexican restaurant.

Our ride today:

Tomorrow is bike cleaning and lubing, and bolt tightening…..and resting.

Until tomorrow, happy resting!

Today's ride: 59 miles (95 km)
Total: 536 miles (863 km)

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