Save 22 A Day Trans-America Cycling

The link to today's route and statistics is found here . Won't you please come swim with me?  (Hee hee, I heard that humans taste like chicken.) Today we rode to Pascagoula.  It is one of the 25 largest seaports in the USA and the largest in Mississippi.  It appears to be a working man’s town, surrounded by tourist towns and bedroom communities. Mississippi's Flagship City Entrance to Pascagoula harbor, looking toward the Gulf of Mexico   A bridge in Jimmy Buffett's home town of Pascagoula, Miss, was dedicated in his honor in 2015. Don't you just love the way he sings Margaritaville? How about singing along? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ue2-ZVxpVjc Pascagoula is too good of a town name to not be in a country song.   Ray Stevens is known for his humorous country songs poking fun at the human condition.   You may want to check out on YouTube the tongue-in-cheek song by Ray Stevens called “The Mississippi Squirr...

The link to today's route and statistics is found here . Today we crossed into Mississippi and rode through a beautiful, rural part of the state.  Mississippi claims to be the Birthplace of America’s Music based on Jimmie Rodgers as the father of country music; Elvis Presley, the King of Rock ‘N’ Roll, was born in Tupelo MS; and Charley Patton and Sam House’s interpretations of Delta Blues. Team Swiss entering Mississippi After crossing the Pearl River we were in Mississippi. See the flying cliff swallow that nests under the bridge? Mississippi is the Magnolia State, and here is the flower of the magnolia tree We rode through exquisite rural scenes today.  Mississippi is so lush green and has downright spectacular beauty.  One rider even commented how good the air smelled riding through the trees! Beautiful setting for a Mississippi house in a pastoral setting Pine trees were the most prevalent.  However, where t...

The link to today's route and statistics is found here . Today we had a relatively easy 48 mile ride across rolling hills in the top of the foot and out to the top of the toe of Louisiana.   Hint, look at the shape of the state of Louisiana.   We finished in Bogalusa, within a few miles from the border with the state of Mississippi. One of the principal employers in the city of Bogalusa is the International Paper Company.   Surely many of the logging trucks that chase us down the roads are delivering to International Paper.   Paper plants have their own distinctive aroma.   The smell of the plant in Bogalusa was quite tolerable today as we cycled past. Massive Bogalusa plant where many logging trucks deposit their load Several stopped at a street vendor selling boiled peanuts on the way into Bogalusa.   Boiled peanuts can be purchased plain or Cajun style.   In southeastern states many gas stations have pots of heated boiled pea...

The link to today's route and statistics is found here . The first order of business was to cross the Mississippi River, which is nicknamed The Big Muddy and Ol’ Man River.  The name Mississippi comes from the Ojibwe Native American word misi-ziibi, meaning great river.  The Ojibwe live in northern Minnesota near Lake Itaska, the source of the Mississippi River. Mississippi River suspension bridge Another view of the artistic bridge Ahnie's team glides down the bridge Tugboat pushing a barge in The Big Muddy Viewing the Mississippi south towards New Orleans Louisiana could be called the state of bridges.  There are bridges everywhere it seems, crossing rivers, creeks, bayous, low ground that occasionally floods, etc.  There are many bridges to dedicate to famous persons.  We crossed a bridge today dedicated to Marine Corps General John LeJeune, former Commandant of the Marine Corps.  Might that general be a Cajun?  Undo...

Unfortunately our ride today was cancelled due to thunderstorms and lightening in the forecast nearly the entire day.   Trans-America Cycling  shuttled cyclists in vehicles between Bunkie and New Roads. Our mission helping Veterans with PTSD/Moral Injuries came to fruition when we, Jim and Roberto, met Ron “the Seaman Cajun Veteran”. When Jim arrived to Bunkie, LA, he was approached by Ron who engaged in a conversation regarding our tour and the fact that 2019 Trans America Tour was dedicated to veterans with PTSD conditions. We, Jim, Berry, and Roberto, each a veteran  retired from the military , invited Ron for dinner where he shared his military life experiences during his three tours in Vietnam. Ron had considered trying to commit suicide several times and had just been released from the hospital, where he was admitted for conditions related to PTSD. He has been homeless for the last two years after his house was destroyed by a tornado. Near Bunkie, LA. We prov...

The link to today's route and statistics is found here . Crawfish are a Cajun delicacy.  They are grown in converted freshwater rice ponds in Arcadiana in the south of Louisiana.  We cycled past many of the crawfish ponds today on our 94 mile ride through the heart of crawfish country.   The parish sheriff explained to us that crawfish are largest when harvested in May and June, and after the harvest the crawfish ponds are planted in rice.  So we are in Louisiana at the best time to eat crawfish . . . lucky us.  These miniature lobster tails are great vittles. Crawfish pond with traps and a flyby captured by Maltese Ray Rice field Crawfish are harvested with paddlewheel boats.  When harvesting the boat moves in a straight line next to the traps and a person reaches out, lifts and empties crawfish from a trap into the boat without stopping.  The pond is shallow, and the traps appeared to be less than 2 feet tall. Paddle...