84.6 miles averaging 13.3 mph
Route from Independence, LA to Hass-Cienda Ranch, Poplarville, MS
Best Moment – Arriving at Ruby just before the rain hit again around 3:30 for a hard, but short rain shower. Then being able to work on the real derailleur adjustments. The bicycle school training came into good use – I think. I’ll know for sure tomorrow.
Worst Moment – About 5:30 I woke up to the eerie glow of lightening and the ominous rumble of thunder. By 6 it was raining in earnest. This is the first rain day, and I must admit that I had some second thoughts about how much I really wanted to venture out in the shower.
Sometime during the hour or so of riding in the rain, as I was listening to the rain, traffic and birds, the old “Paint Your Wagon” show tune, “They Call the Wind Mariah,” came into my head. "Away out here they have a name for Wind and Rain and Fire." I know that it is pretty silly, but I had experienced the fire – Joe (in Texas), the rain – Tess (today), and more than enough wind – Mariah (most of the trip.)
After riding in a steady rain for about 90 minutes, things began to clear and dry up. I spent most of the day riding through rural Louisiana into rural Mississippi. There are beautiful farms/ranches, and timber. The soil is red and sandy. I collected quite a lot on my legs as the tires kicked up and coated me with dirt from the road.
Mississippi has dry counties – as you can see on the bottom line of the rules for the campground, “This is a dry county, please respect that.” The sign certainly didn’t stop us from a glass of margarita when I got in.
You are a brave (or foolish) man to ride in the rain for 90 minutes!
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