Monthly Archives: September 2021

By David Freeze

  Back at it in a big way!

    My days on the lamb went something like this. Afternoon one was sort of fun in anticipation of the big storm, especially with a trip to Walmart.  Day two got serious late with big rain and wind, and I went to Walmart twice. Day three started to seem as I was too closed in and not even another trip to Walmart helped. Last night, the last one was almost in captivity, probably had the worst weather of any time, torrential and blinding stuff, with the fourth local tornado too. So I busted out today, even though most at the motel were holding firm.

  This morning seems so long ago and it was the beginning of an epic day. I wanted to go to Mobile, figure out how to get across the bay and reach a good jumping off point for tomorrow. I started riding from Lucedale, the town that gave me a home during the storm. Most of my ride was on SR 98, getting busier until I crossed into Alabama about mid-morning where Governor Kay Ivey took my riding surface away and filled it with rumble strips. For about 13 miles of some of the hardest rising I have ever done. I either had to ride in the traffic lane or try to hang on 6-10 inches of pavement, sometimes on the left, sometimes on the right of the rumbles.

    Finally the nerve wracking stuff ended when into the City of Semmes, named for the Confederate Admiral. I didn’t know the best way to find the one bridge that would take me around Mobile Bay and out of the city and open up Alabama and on east. Bikes can’t for sure ride in the underwater tunnels, and most think we can’t ride in Alabama on the interstates. So I had to find the bridge using regular streets and roads.

    I met Alex who had a good idea, but didn’t know the exact details. Then, on a hunch, I stopped by the Auto Zone expecting that some gruff old parts guy could tell me just how to do it. One of the girls offered her expertise and helped me draw out a plan. She didn’t give her name or picture, but her plan set me on a mission. I used a couple new friends to help, one the assistant manager of Riley Auto Parts in Pritchard and Luis McMurphy who worked for a utility company but was watching some flooding in the roadway. Pritchard looks like a poor town but with plenty of help I made it through to the bridge. Three miles shorter than Adventure Cycling planned their route. Hoping that all involved will read it, great job everyone!

    Before I left Pritchard, one of the prettiest and historic Catholic Churches I have seen just showed up as I followed my route. Famous train engineer Casey Jones was baptized here in this church.

    Up and over the bridge including those views of the bay and the battleship USS Alabama’s Historical Park went fast and was very enjoyable.

    Riding through what I think was Daphne was nice enough but very hilly. I had planned about 70 miles to make Loxley, probably the last town for me in Alabama. It took 69.37. I’m not always that close.

    The final adventure happened here in town. I sort of had a room reserved by name, which I do a lot. I called this afternoon and confirmed that I did have a room. The owner put me in a smaller motel building, back about a quarter mile a way toward town. This one will make my second entry into the crappy motel list. So I called the owner back at the main place and had an argument. In an agreement, I am only marginally happy with, I got one of the best rooms of the trip in another entirely separate building. Look for the details in the book.

      So, tomorrow, I should head into Florida early and rejoin the Adventure Cycling course mostly for the rest of the trip. I have to do a little sideways pedaling and then want to knock out the final part of sixth series of maps.

    Let me hold off on mileage remaining until the end of day tomorrow and we’ll have a better idea. A good day! Thanks for those prayers, as always!

By David Freeze

Waiting and planning, hoping to get going tomorrow!

  I did what I planned today, watching the news coverage of Ida, and especially looking out my window. Early morning, Lucedale had a powerful rain and some wind for about 90 minutes. Then just moderate stuff the rest of day so far. Apparently the brunt of the storm went farther west than expected. But the newscasts say that there will be weeks of power outages.

    Just now, heavier rain started again and this time pushed the wind from the north, directly opposite of the east breezes from the coast. I slept a little bit extra, washed out my riding clothes and think I have a plan to head east by hopefully tomorrow. My idea is to head east on the north part of Mobile Bay, then quickly join the Adventure Cycling route. It will take a few miles of riding on the interstate to do this, but it is worth a shot and saves me lots of miles.

    If the forecast is right, the rain will continue here tomorrow as the storm races north. I am only a few hours riding from Alabama, and Florida isn’t far away either. With some luck, the damage east of here will be minimal and the terrain should be the best yet. So, I am excited to move east, sort of bored actually.

      Several years ago, I met a cyclist going west across the northwestern states. Those of you have followed my trips may remember her name as Ali Cooper. Ali had bought a yard sale bike, put her stuff in bags on the bike and went exploring. I found her to be the single most interesting person I have ever met on my travels. Ali is a huge Christian and offers prayers often for those she meets. We have been in touch off and on, then I didn’t hear from her for several months.

      Just as this trip was well underway, I heard from Ali again and she explained that a a hit and run driver left her beside the road to die. Ali is recovering slowly and is in a long term rehab facility. She said, “I will be back on the road again!” And I think she will. Please add a prayer for Ali as you continue to pray for me. She is currently reading my updates and commenting every day.

      Another question sent in by a reader concerned what type of tires I use and how I keep them inflated. I use Schwalbe Marathon tires, made to be tough enough for gravel and rough roads, and to be resistant to flats. The problem with them is that they are stiff and hard to change a tube in one. I use CO2 cartridges to inflate them, because I can’t carry a large enough pump to inflate the tire easily. I always want to use really good tires, to avoid as many flats as possible and to support the weight of my gear and supplies properly.

    With that, I plan to be riding tomorrow if I can get accommodations and the weather is safe. I will have an estimate on how many miles are left if I can get around Pensacola Bay and the Gulf of Mexico without encountering too much damage or travel problems. The trip will be in the home stretch once I enter Florida.

It’s been challenging, but I sure am glad that all of you are riding along! Thank you!

By David Freeze

  Bettering my position, too restless to sit still!

  Last night, I decided if I woke up to nice weather in Wiggins, Mississippi, then I was at least going to consider moving farther east today. I woke up to what I think was a pretty much full motel, and the owner had already tried to convince me to stay at least a couple days. I watched the Weather Channel and confirmed that New Orleans was still Ida’s target and that the same nice weather was also along their coast.

    I went early for a couple breakfast biscuits and a map and a few things from Family Dollar, not Dollar General as I understood.  I got the biscuits and not much else. The clerk at the first convenience store showed me an empty rack for the maps, “where they used to be”.

    So I talked to another customer who recommended going to Lucedale, Mississippi. I called the two affordable motels and the largest one’s owner took some interest in what I was trying to do. Surprisingly, he owned another Western Motel. But he thought that it was unlikely that anyone would leave with the forecast. I told him that I didn’t feel good about pedaling his way unless a room was available. The owner asked, “What time can you be here?”. I told him 1pm if all went well and we hung up.

    I hurriedly packed up and start pedaling directly east on SR 26, surprised that there were no rumble strips over the 35 miles. Part of the scenery was a pine filled DeSoto National Forest. I found out this afternoon that Wiggins used to have the world’s largest pickle producing factory.

    When I started, at almost 9am, there was very little traffic. By the time I finished at 12:55 pm, the traffic on my side was almost constant, car after car with Louisiana plates. I had seen the photos of the logjam of traffic leaving New Orleans this morning.

      The constant traffic was very polite to me, giving me plenty of room except for a couple tractor trailers. I said several prayers that the owner would have found a room for me. I walked in and he said, “Can you take a smoking room? It doesn’t smell bad. And there won’t be any rooms until this is over. Nobody left this morning.”

    Here is what I gained by going 36 miles farther east. Siri says now that I am 141 miles east of the projected landfall at New Orleans. I got a better room, on the second floor. I didn’t get a convenience store to eat from, but got a huge Walmart two tenths of a mile away. There is always a trade off, this time just a little bad. My connectivity is very poor. WiFi is weak and neither Verizon or AT&T has a decent signal. By using my phone’s AT&T hotspot, I think I can get messages out.

    Post nighttime editor Paris Goodnight says there is always at least some good, so here are the best things.  I have a big picture window to see the wind and rain coming. And I have used Walmart so far for the supplies I need for a couple days here. Most businesses are already closed or closing by tonight, so I plan to go back and get the things I need until Monday morning. Including the Road Atlas that will help me make up a new route to Florida from here. By the way, Walmart was packed like Christmas Eve. I got ice cream, pine air freshener for the room, a new friend in the cashier who asked why I was in Lucedale.

    By riding some this morning, I feel better about finishing this ride safely. And I am excited about seeing some of the effects of Ida. I will also have my route planned for a spectacular finish in St. Augustine.

    Ida is predicted for landfall about 7pm Sunday, but most of the day will have rain and increasing wind. Then most of the wind and rain will have passed here by Monday afternoon if the hurricane remains at its current speed.

    This book is going to be like no other! I expect plenty to tell tomorrow and Monday. Thanks again for the support and communication!

By David Freeze

Gathering information ahead of Hurricane Ida!

  I had a friend years ago who wanted to be in a real hurricane, but probably just once. My only personal experience was with Hurricane Hugo. No one believed what destruction it caused.

      Looks like I will get at least a version of being in a very powerful hurricane. Hurricane Ida is heading quickly to the New Orleans area. And it has places like Hammond squarely in its suggested track. Hammond is where I got my bike fixed yesterday morning. Hurricane warnings extend to the Pearl River, Mississippi area where I crossed into Mississippi this morning.

      The good thing is that I am now 95 miles east of New Orleans, after a 63 mile day today. Thinking I needed to push east as far as I could was on my mind today. I am in Wiggins, Mississippi,  about five miles north from Perkinston where I intended to spend the night.

      Now it is likely that I will spend more than one night here. Maybe several, depending on how the storm tracks and the timing. I just called the motel that likely would have been my next stop in Gautier, Mississippi. The owner says they are shutting down and will reopen on Sunday night or Monday for power workers only. So, my trip, at least in that direction is on hold.

    I just saw pictures of massive evacuations from New Orleans, expecting as much as 140mph winds. And no one wants to be inside the levee system because of the storm surge. Tonight and almost assuredly Saturday night, I will be in the Western Motel in Wiggins. Possibly Sunday night too.

      Here is what has already gone through my mind. I have seen the Mobile, Alabama gulf as part of the Underground Railroad ride. I am just a long day’s ride from Alabama. The next state, just a day or day and a half more east, is Florida. I have been contemplating skirting north of any Mississippi and Alabama damage and rejoining the projected route somewhere in panhandle Florida.

  On one hand, it is exciting to be this close. I am on higher ground, in a solid building and well east of the projected landfall. I have two convenience stores in walking distance and I think also a Dollar General too.

    People were getting gasoline all day today. I left Franklinton, Louisiana at first light today, following SR 20 to Bogalusa and the Mississippi border. Then the same road became shoulderless in Mississippi and changed its name to SR 28. It ended at Wiggins this afternoon after lots of rain and some wind. Oddly when the rain started, the headwind stopped. I got two great grilled cheese sandwiches with tomato and onion as soon as I arrived.

    Therefore, I am in a good place that seems safe as far as I can tell. I will visit the Dollar General for a few things and get some kind of good breakfast, while at least I know I have a good roof over my head.

  Sunday, August 29 is the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Late Saturday or early Sunday is the projected landfall of Ida. I am about to ponder some important decisions, maybe eat and sleep a little more over the next day or two. But you can bet I will move forward as soon as possible. In fact, I think I will ride down to Dollar General now and check the convenience stores for an area map.

      This trip has plenty of drama and is certainly interesting. Check back tomorrow for the latest!