Day 12 - April 23 - Tupelo, MS to Holly Springs, MS (or thereabouts) - Crossing the T.....Part One

Day 12 - April 23 - Tupelo, MS to Holly Springs, MS (or thereabouts)

Tupelo Escape!

John’s Story

My first official act this morning was to drop my brand new GPS on the floor in the garage trying to put it on my bike. Thank goodness it wasn’t damaged. I would have felt like an idiot.

Cue the music (my apologies to Jim Croce).

“You don't tug on Superman's cape.

You don't spit into the wind.

You don't pull the mask off that old Lone Ranger,

And you don't ride a bicycle on the Natchez Trace though Tupelo at rush hour….”

Thus do the rhythm and rhyme come to an unseemly end.

We’ve heard from many sources that riding on the Trace on a weekday in Tupelo or Jackson is just plain dangerous. So with the help of our nephew Matthew (he manages the best bike shop in town) we worked up an escape route that got us out of Tupelo without using the Trace. After 18 miles, and just past the Toyota assembly plant, we rejoined our original rotue plan.

The Japanese have invaded northern Mississippi.

It was a cold morning. 40 degrees plus or minus. The day was an exercise in peeling off layers and half layers of clothes as the temperature rose into the mid 70s.

I’ve never baited a hook with an ant. A wasp, yes. An ant, no.

We had significant climbing today. Yes, the hills have returned. The wind started as a crosswind/quartering tailwind, but slowly turned counterclockwise to become more of a headwind.

Lee County courthouse in New Albany, MS.

The crimson clover doesn’t get much thicker than this.

Johnny and Haley, maybe this train went by your house yesterday. The engineer may have seen you in the window.

Marshall County courthouse in Holly Springs, MS.

Not too far from where my wife Carol grew up (Senatobia).

We found Ed’s wife’s cousin’s house about 5 miles past Holly Springs. We were greeted by a seemingly vicious dog, who after about 30 seconds of angry barking suddenly underwent a Jekyll and Hyde transition to become our best friend.

Brenda exhausted from protesting our arrival.

Debbie’s cousin’s husband is an interesting guy. He ran for the Mississippi legislature while he was still in law school at Ole Miss and defeated a two term incumbent. He spent 16 years in the Mississippi house and senate, then two years on the staff of Mississippi governor Haley Barbour. Afterwards he was a trail lawyer and an assistant DA. I asked him if he knew John Grisham. Yes. He served in the legislature with him. His great uncle killed William Faulkner’s great uncle in a duel over whether Ripley, MS would wet or dry. Wall Doxey State Park near here, where we used to go fishing when we lived in Holly Springs, is named after his grandfather, who was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives and a U.S. senator. My best friend from our time in Holly Springs and later at Northwest Mississippi Junior College, Billy Lyle, is a relative of his. Lots of other interesting tidbits.

A Martin 000M auditorium guitar signed by B.B. King.

Things are heating up here as catfish , steaks and sausage are hitting the grill, so I’m signing off to get another beer.

Tomorrow is only 42 miles (good!) to my sister-in-law Liz in Lake Cormorant, MS.

Ed’s Story

Overall it was s good ride. I think the wind actually pushed us some today. There were hills but weren’t overly ferocious.

Yes there is actually a place called Hickory Flat

When we lived in Holly Springs when I was in the 10th grade, we would go to Chewalla Lake.

Finally made it to the outskirts of Holly Springs. We lived here for a year and a half.

Wall Doxey was a Mississippi senator and was the grandfather of Ralph, Jeans husband.

We will be overnighting here. Although Jean and Ralph live 5 miles out of town they recommended we store our bikes in the house to keep them for being stolen.

Today’s ride was 65 miles with about 2400 feet of climbing.

Until tomorrow, happy biking!

Today's ride: 65 miles (105 km)
Total: 601 miles (967 km)

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