Day 21 - That's a Wrap = 1,092 km (678 miles)

The final few kilometers, through very nice suburbs. Gorgeous old trees, beautiful homes, safe roads. It was a very nice ride. 

And then we took the pedals and front wheels off and loaded up our bikes. DONE

1,092 kilometers / 678 miles

And off we went.....(hit it Paul Simon):

The Mississippi Delta
Was shining like a national guitar
I am following the river
Down the highway
Through the cradle of the Civil War

I'm going to Graceland, Graceland
Memphis, Tennessee
I'm going to Graceland
Poor boys and pilgrims with families
And we are going to Graceland

(Graceland was closing as we arrived so no gift shop, no tour, but we got a feel for it and got some photos.)

Picked up our Subaru at Leipers Fork, dropped off the rental at Nashville airport (that was absolutely insanely busy at 10:30 pm😳), and we are safely in a hotel room outside Nashville. 

Tomorrow. Home. 

Day 20 - Sorry We Are Closed

It is nice to cycle into a city on a Sunday. You get quiet streets, not much traffic. 

However. 

When you wake up Monday morning (of American Thanksgiving week), you learn that ...

The Capitol Building is closed today. 

The Old Capital Museum is closed today. 

The Arts and Science Museum is closed today. 

The whiskey tour is closed today. 

The Farmer's Market - only in Saturday. 

Heck, even Discover Baton Rouge Visitors Center  was closed today!!

So we wandered the quiet streets and took in the beautiful architecture (from outside the buildings), the library and arts center, parks and art. 

The Old Capital Building is beautiful. 

And the old live oak trees around it are incredible. 

The USS Kidd* was open (woot woot!!) and we had fun doing the tour. Very well done, you get to explore the whole ship, down into the bowels and up to the gun deck. 

*Fletcher-class destroyer USS KIDD (DD-661), the "Pirate of the Pacific" located in the heart of scenic downtown Baton Rouge, Louisiana, she is the centerpiece of a memorial which serves to honor the men and women of our American armed forces. 

The balance of the day was admittedly indulgent. Watching some HBO, some world cup soccer, a visit to the fitness room and a quiet (Monday Night Football) night. 

Stats of a quiet day. 

Tomorrow we roll outta here 

Day 19 - Baton Rouge

It's all downhill from here!

We left our mansion after a ghost-less night, and found our way south to Baton Rouge. The ACA (Adventure Cycling America) does help with traffic free options, but we didn't take the gravel roads today. The suburb navigation was hard enough. 

Not warm, but sunny. 

We did have to stop for a DETOUR. 

We were huddled on the corner of a small road looking at the detour sign and our route and trying to replan, when a large truck came along and wanted to turn. 

It was a tight turn. 

It was a small road. 

We got out of his way, but that didn't help. 

He just didn't make it. 

His back tires went down into the soft side and then the back of the truck hit the road and, well, he was stuck. 

He was NOT happy (don't blame him). 

He asked us "are you PO-lice"?

😳 Um no...

"You just regular cyclists?" 

Um yes ...

We could just fit our bikes through to the detour route - nobody else was taking that detour until a big tow truck got there! 

We paralleled the "Scenic Highway", which was scenic in the Exxon industrial plant kind of way. 

We did have a lovely lunch stop in a nice little park in Scotlandville. Complete with a community garden growing eggplants. But we were surprised at how FEW people there were out today, anywhere. Where is everyone?

Riding into a city takes you through many neighborhoods. Yesterday our new friend First (at the Star Market) said, "yes that route will get you to Baton Rouge, but some of those neighbors, well, just don't stop."  True at times. Some places less economically viable than others. 

The Thruway was interesting. We rode a path underneath it. It was a concrete park. Clean. And some basket ball hoops. But right under the Thruway. It was a bit strange. And we saw only 2 kids there, with their ball. They looked uneasy to see us.  Different world under there for sure. 

Admittedly we kept thinking, oh this is the sketchy neighborhood that Ford was warning us about. But then, oh, another one. Lots of stops, stop lights, rough roads, pot holes, but no issues. We honestly saw so few people it was perplexing. Sunday - Church? Football?  Maybe it is just too cold. I get that. 

The Capital Building comes into view long before anything else in the city. And then we even got a lovely bike path for a few miles. 

And then we rolled into the Marriott (with a Starbucks 😊) and happily took off our bike shoes! 

A little tour of the very very quiet city.

and a lot of resting and relaxing watching NFL football on TV and watching the F1 race on Marc's phone and monitoring the CFL Grey Cup on mine. 

ARGOS!!!  Happy Day!

1,075 kms 

But we still have a few miles to go before we drive 🙂

Day 18 - Louisiana Luxury

We had a cold night, but a sweet alarm clock. Ok not really that sweet to have a cat around your tent with her claws. But she did no damage. All good. 

As we packed up and ate our oatmeal our bonfire friend came to say good bye and offered us his phone number in case anything comes up between here and Baton Rouge. He said he could be there in 2 hours (we are taking 2 days). So kind. His name is Wesley. 

But wait, I thought his friend who was at the fire last night was Wesley. Not wrong. Best friends since childhood. Same name 🙂

We decided to take the less travelled roads. We didn't want to risk traffic and trucks, so we decided to risk dogs.  The dogs stuck to their own property. A few loud ones telling us off, a few shy ones looking on with interest. 

But sometimes when you choose the road less travelled, you get gravel. And gravel we got! At least 10k. Definitely slowed us down. The ATVs that went by had no trouble on it.  But it was low traffic, so low we saw several deer crossing. 

And then we got rain. So we stopped in Norwood for lunch under a picnic roof - ok some people would call it a drive thru bank, but it is Saturday, the bank is closed, and it worked perfectly! Just ask the roosters who came to visit. 

A few more wet and chilly kilometers. Paved quiet roads now, with some large ranches and some small ones. We saw piglets and a great farm that looked like the Big Little Farm.  Hello Louisiana. 

And then we pulled into Jackson Louisiana and stopped to get a beer and some chips. 

Super nice people everywhere we stop. They engage in easy conversation and are curious about our ride. Some have helpful advice for our route, others simply encourage us to stay safe, and today of course quite a few people suggested getting warm and dry. 

We had been looking and looking for a place to stay. We had called the historic Bed and Breakfast in Jackson, but they had no rooms for Saturday night.  She gave us an Airbnb lead, but he was booked, he gave us another Airbnb lead but she was booked... It was not looking good. 

But then.

Bonnie called back. And she does have a room, actually an entire house. The guests coming don't arrive until Sunday and then they take over the whole house for the whole Thanksgiving week. 

So.... She said we could stay, and called us "her cyclists". 

We seriously have this entire mansion. It is incredibly decorated and beautifully kept. More like a museum than a bed and breakfast. Wow. 

Hot bath in the claw tub. 

Luxury. 

Local Mexican restaurant for dinner. We were the only guests NOT wearing camouflage. I am not joking. 

Happy to be warm and dry and sleeping in a bed tonight. 

Today's stats, admittedly we are going downhill. 

Day 17 - Dr Doolittle Day

It was a very cold Friday morning as we enjoyed the buffet breakfast at The Grand with all the olds from the tour busses. -3. 🥶

But the sun was out and it warmed our backs as we said goodbye to Natchez. 

We took Liberty Road out to 33. Lovely quiet two lanes, pretty houses and farms, and ranches. 

We had a dog or two bark at us, and then we had one who really ran at us, well, actually with us. 

She ran alongside us. We suggested she "Stop", "Go Home", we stopped to make her stop. She persisted. 

She ran between us. She ran faster when we went faster, and she ran faster when we slowed up the hills too. She stopped to pee, and then caught up. 

She rested with us. She just sort of adopted us. 

And she stuck with us, must have been 15 kilometers. No kidding 😳. 

Thankfully when we had to make our turn onto the busier Hwy 33, she made her turn back along Liberty Road. 

Sally was her name. 

The ride was hilly. And while there was no shoulder we were able to stay safe from the few trucks there were. A few short stops and more history. 

We went through the famous Wilkinson County (ok maybe only famous to me and my Wilkinson cousins😜).

And a final big climb to get to Cedarlane RV. 

And the animal story continues....

A friendly fat black lab greeted us, while his cat gave us the cold shoulder, as cats do. 

But the other cat, grey and white, decided our tent was one big cat toy!  Woohoo NOT. She is still prowling around as I write this. 

(Won't mind her on my feet tonight as a blanket though!)

One RV has a pet raccoon, Rocket, and another has 2 turtles. 

Lots of friendly people and we got to share the warmth of their fire tonight. Of course there were a few scary stories about swamp ghosts but we will try not to think of those while we sleep.  

"If I'm lyin', I'm dyin', that thing was 8 feet tall."

Looking forward to crossing into Louisiana tomorrow.