Biloxi

I crossed into Mississippi a little before noon today. My 19th state.

It had started raining in the night and continued to rain all day. It was cold enough that I wore my rain jacket. The high for the day was only 52. Even though it was wet and a bit cold it was a good day of riding. The roads were flat and I had a real nice shoulder.

Rosie was a lot more unhappy with the weather then I was. She spent all day sleeping where it was dry and only poked her head out twice. Once to see the sign saying birthplace of Jimmy Buffet in Pascagoula Mississippi.

And then she checked out my lunch. She turned her nose up at the peanut butter and Oatmeal balls but really liked the chocolate covered espresso beans. I wonder if she was the one doing all the pedaling if she would still be so picky.

I ate my lunch at a little park along the road. I was thankful for the roof over the benches. I became chilled pretty soon after I stopped so my lunch break was short. Not even long enough to dry the road dirt on my legs.

The bottlebrush bushes along the road seemed especially bright. Maybe because it was such a dismal day.

I got into Biloxi around 4pm. I got a room at a casino. I don’t gamble but it was the best price around, $53 dollars before tax. I am thankfull for the heat and the hot shower felt wonderful. I do feel a little guilty about spending money on another hotel room though. It’s a really nice hotel and I was concerned I wouldn’t be allowed to take my bike into the room. I decided it was one of those times when it would be easier to beg for forgiveness then to ask for permission. But I was able to get it into the elevator, up 9 floors and into my room without any one seeing.

The rest of Rose’s chili, avocado and cheese wraps made an excellent dinner. And I didn’t set off the fire alarms!

Tomorrow, if all goes well, I will cross into Louisiana. It’s fun to be going through these short states so quickly. It’s always exhilarating to cross a state line. I must admit though, the feeling of exhilaration is tempered quite a bit by me missing Rose so fiercely. The weeks we rode together were the best of the trip so far and many times throughout the day I find myself wishing she were here to enjoy the journey with me. I know we will have lots of adventures together in the future, also she is planning on flieing out to visit me in a couple weeks. But still, my heart is being pulled in two different directions. My love for Rose and my love for the road and adventure. Knowing she supports me and is cheering me on is one of the many reasons I think she is so amazing. Ok enough sappy stuff!

Today I rode 46 miles and tomorrow I’m planning on a little over 50. The wind has been strong, but a crosswind. My bike seems to appreciate all the new parts and the tune up. My average speed has been around 12 mph for the past few days.