Hot Mississippi Bikin'

We
learned
our
lesson!

If you're
going to
bike
Mississippi
in
June...

you
start
early!

sleepy
bikers
roll
down
the halls.

It's a
quiet
breakfast...

We
load
our
bikes...

by the
gentle
light...

of the
Days Inn
sign.

But
where's
Alex?

Better
get
going!

Drivin'
to the
Trace
in Mark's
car.

Unloading
the
bikes...

by the
dawn-lit
Trace.

The
sun
peeks
out.

The
red glow
on the
road
ahead.

Gotta
get
our
biking
in...

before
the
noonday
sun!

This
morning
the Trace
is
quiet.

Emerald
green
swamps
hide
gators.

Flood-
ragged
trees
crackle
against
the blue sky.

An
overpass!

I bet
I can find
a lady's room
here!

I find
the
visitor's
center...

...a
comfortable
place
to rest...

...lovely
flowers...

but
no
bathroom.

:(

I gotta go
into town!

not
gonna
be
easy...

and
sometimes
I get
confused...

But I
do
get
new
sunglasses!

Quick
snack...

and
back
on the
road.

It's
getting
hotter...

The
roadside
plants
wilt...

as
do
I.

When
I get
to
the SAG
stop...

I find
Alex
is
also
confused...



















She's
on
the
wrong
bike!

Even
Joe
tries
the
Bike Friday.

Leo
has
taken
Bike
Friday...

Photo by Bike Friday

just
about
everywhere!

Despite
the
heat...

We 

all

are

smiling.

and
clowning
around.

The
setting
is
beautiful.

I love
the
shade...

But
rub
on
that
sunscreen...

and
we're
off!

Ellen
drives
the
SAG wagon
this
stretch.

So she
gets to
visit
the
craft center!

Lucky
Ellen!

Biking
past
the
bayous...

We scan
the
waters
for
wildlife.

- I
just
saw
an
alligator!
cries
Leo.

- I
don't
see
anything,
Leo.

Maybe
we
should
ask
the
fishermen.


No,

we need

to

get

going...

before
it gets
too
hot!

Well,
we have
to stop
at the
tupelo
swamp!







- What's
a
tupelo
tree?
asks
Rod.

- I don't know.

But
this
is
poison
ivy...

snaking
up
this
tree!

The
swamp
has
an
eerie
beauty...

water
glowing
green
with
duckweed.

sparkle
of
buttonbush
around
the
edges.

What's
that?

I hear
someone
coming...

It's
Ellen!

bringing
gifts!

Thank you,
Ellen!

I
needed
that!

The
heat
has
crept
over 100
again...










and
I'm
feeling
woozy.

Luckily
Leo
is
leading
me...

Unluckily
his
shirt
has a
hot desert
theme...

My eyes
fix
on that
bobbing
cactus
for hours.

And,
please,
Leo!

Can't you
make
more
shade?

We're
nearing
the end
of our
68 miles...

Will
I
make
it?

In
this
heat?

Yes!

There's
the
van!

And
the men
to
help
me!

the
hotel
at
last!

We're
all
here...



But
where's
Alex?