day 10: Brookhaven to Natchez

73.7 miles – 2,900 ft climb

As I write this we are sitting in Harvey in the pouring rain, waiting for a Tornado warning to expire. It has been an interesting day.

Bruce has been in a men’s Bible study group for many years. When Covid hit they decided to start meeting virtually. This is quite convenient if you happen to be riding your bike across the country. This morning Bruce got up early, did his study with the guys and then took off. He had a nice easternly wind and made great time. He finished the last 10 miles on the Natchez Trace. At the end of the Trace he noticed a guy wearing an MS 150 jersey. (I can’t remember if I mentioned that Bruce has been riding in the Kansas City MS 150 for around 15 years and this trip is also raising money for MS, since the MS 150 was canceled this year because of Covid.) As they talked he found out that Bart & his wife, Linda, had just completed riding the Natchez Trace for a week, from Nashville, TN to Natchez, MS.

I did my 5k around the Baseball complex RV park where we stayed last night in Brookhaven, MS. But in this park there was no hidden treasure at the end. I was able to beat Bruce to our RV park in Vidalia, LA by about 30 minutes. This RV park is right on the Mississippi River, right across from Natchez.

We were excited that Bruce finished his ride by 1:30 so we would have the whole afternoon in Natchez. It began to sprinkle pretty much as soon as we got on the cycle. We drove around in the light rain for awhile, trying to find an open restaurant. We started to head to the Under the Hill District, but then realized that our little cycle probably wouldn’t make it back up the hill. She’s big on looks but not so much on power. I didn’t really want to walk back up in the rain so we hooked a u-y (u-ie? UE? Not sure how to spell that?) and headed elsewhere. Bruce may be used to riding in the rain, but I am not. I guess this should have given me more empathy for him. We stopped at a few places that had finished their lunch shift and didn’t open back up until 5. It was 2:30. Finally we stopped at a place that ended up being really good. It was called Fat Momma’s Tamales. Bruce got Tamales. I got a Poboy. I thought these were actually called Poor Boys, but when I asked for a Poor Boy, the waitress was confused. So I pulled out that southern accent (I WAS born in Georgia, remember) and asked for a Poboy. She knew exactly what I wanted. We had a nice visit with the manager, John, who told us that normally this place is packed inside and out, with a huge DIVERSE crowd. He said diversity is alive and well in the south, both here in Natchez and pretty much throughout, according to his friends who live other places in the south. He feels that the race riots are fueled by the media and mainly “in the north” because everybody here is “just the same, dealing with the same stuff, just trying to get by” in the south. I guess I should mention that John is black.

The desire to experience Natchez was dissolved by the continual rain. So we decided to just head back. It started raining harder. And then to top it off, as we jumped back on the cycle to head back, a tornado siren started going off. I called the park office and she said that their building was a tornado shelter and we were welcome to come there but the warning was supposed to expire in 12 minutes. So here we sit. In Natchez. In the RV. In the pouring rain. Storms have never bothered me. I actually like rain and nighttime thunder when I’m in my house. But I think storms are scarier when you are not at home in your warm cozy house. I guess the good news is that it didn’t start while Bruce was biking and it is forecast to be finished by 10 AM tomorrow. So hopefully it will be dry tomorrow when Bruce rides. Even though the title is Brookhaven to Natchez, we are actually in Vidalia, LA. State number 5!

I just realized WE CROSSED THE MISSISSIPPI! That is a big deal. Bruce has ridden around 700 miles and through 5 states! Wow! If we stopped now that would still be an amazing accomplishment! But we aren’t stopping now. Sunshine tomorrow, I just know it!

Have you noticed that in all these biking pictures Bruce is smiling? I think he’s actually enjoying himself! I never thought of myself as a Debbie-Downer but with this weather and road conditions I start assuming that Bruce is miserable. But then when I catch up to him or he catches up to me, he’s always smiling. I love this guy!

These huge logging trucks kept passing us. They seemed huge next to Harvey, I can’t imagine how they probably felt to Bruce! He pointed out that the smell was pretty amazing as they went by. Like a strong, fresh-cut Christmas tree aroma I imagine.