Blue Boat Home

It rained all night on my little tent but let up a few hours before dawn.  I left my camp in Mobile at a reasonable hour and headed straight for Barnes and Noble: the time had come to buy my Florida map.  There were some stores in the nearby malls that I thought might carry chain lube, so I paid quick visits to Sears, Target, and Toys R Us.

I rode into Pascagoula first thing this morning and went straight to the First Baptist Church.  A member of the office staff patiently confirmed that yes, it is the church featured in Ray Stevens's song, "The Mississippi Squirrel Revival" but no, the event did not actually occur.

I spent nearly an hour in the public library getting phone numbers for campgrounds, but when I stepped outside and called them, only one allowed tents, and it was in Mobile, Alabama, 30 miles away.  I decided to give it a shot.

[posted to the Wheeled Migration Yahoo Group on January 31, 2005]

I was all set to go to church Sunday morning in Gulfport, but I underestimated how long it would take to find the place. Rather than arrive late, I decided to head on down the road. By the time the service ended, I was already in Biloxi!

I was all set to go to church this morning, but I underestimated how long it would take to find the place.  Rather than arrive late, I decided to head on down the road.  By the time the service ended, I was already in Biloxi!

It was an absolutely gorgeous day.  The clouds were gone by 11 and stayed gone all day, and there was no wind, so although the temperature was cool it wasn't chilly.

[posted to the Wheeled Migration Yahoo Group on 1/29/2005]

I stayed dry through the night of rain, but my gear got soaked.  I resolved to make it a short day so I could dry everything thoroughly before using it again.  But then I decided to visit a library before everything closed for Sunday...

The Gulf was astonishingly calm today.  I mean, I've seen bigger waves on Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis.  You would think a body of water that size would have big waves even on a calm day, but apparently the islands offshore reduce the wave action.

Today's forecast didn't *begin* to describe what happened... there were supposed to be scattered showers, but instead it rained all day long, and the wind was fierce.  I had a strong headwind most of the way into Mississippi, but it was worst whenever I came near a lake, which happened a lot...

The campground was very brightly lit all night, for security.  I draped the space blanket, which I assumed to be opaque, over the top of the tent to try to blot out the light, but some came through.  Between that and the sound of the nearby highways and railroad tracks, I slept poorly.  I woke around 4:00 with chills and put my hat on.  With it over my eyes and earplugs in my ears, I finally slept soundly until 7:00.

The campground was very brightly lit all night, for security.  I draped the space blanket, which I assumed to be opaque, over the top of the tent to try to blot out the light, but some came through.  Between that and the sound of the nearby highways and railroad tracks, I slept poorly.  I woke around 4:00 with chills and put my hat on.  With it over my eyes and earplugs in my ears, I finally slept soundly until 7:00.

I had an easier time getting back into New Orleans from the state park than I had getting to the park last night, because the road had a paved ditch most of the way, and I was able to ride in that.  I took a different ferry that went straight downtown from Algiers, where many of the Mardi Gras floats are made.

I rode into downtown on Canal Street, which is a wide boulevard with streetcar tracks down the center.  I saw another bicyclist riding down the streetcar right-of-way, so I tried that and found it much easier than riding in the lanes of traffic.