Cycling Across America #28
Part 28 of the Cycle-Across-America series relayed day by day, exactly ten years after it happened. (Read from the start in Boston)
Ten years ago today I was in Alabama watching too much Country Music Television while aiming to cycle to the birthplace of Elvis in Mississippi.
Thursday morning. Hamilton, Alabama. Trisha Yearwood is singing Believe Me Baby (I Lied) on CMT.
[–Since so many good things come in twelve’s, we figured the week’s very best country videos should come in twelve’s too. It’s CMT’s Top 12 countdown –hotter than a Top 5, bigger than a Top 10…]
I can be gone by a quarter past eight - early compared with yesterday. A couple of County roads first, into a place called Detroit. Then I’ve to find a small road to cross the border into Mississippi.
No dreams last night, which is a good sign. The worst one was a couple of nights ago. When I fell asleep it was like I fell into the crash - in a Nightmare on Elm Street way. The moment I fell asleep I was being hit from behind by the truck again, so I instantly woke up and was very reluctant to go back to sleep.
Yesterday on the bike I kept seeing flashes of lightning. Which is interesting because there was no lightning. It was a sunny day, in between fluffy clouds. I just kept getting these flashes. I even got them eating my meal in Natural Bridge, at the restaurant.
Okay, Tupelo, I don’t know, it might be about seventy the way I’m going. I’m not going directly. It’s only actually forty-five straight up 78. It’d be great if it was only sixty-five, but I’m going such a roundabout way, I’m doing a great big ‘C’ in effect.
Forecast is dry all day. Supposedly. According to most stations. With chances of thunderstorms tomorrow. And Saturday, and Sunday, and Monday it looks inevitable. But I’ll worry about that come Monday. Let’s just try and get into Mississippi, and indeed across it.
This is VH1, which looks like Celine Delon singing a Jim Steinman song. I’ve no other explanation for the pomp and the lyrics. But that’s certainly what it looks like.She’s giving it loads - Let’s have a look around the television:
30 –nothing, C-SPAN Live –we’re on the convention, there’s some sport, some more music –don’t recognise them. 34, John Gotti was on again last night. I saw another five minutes of the beginning. I’m still missing the very beginning, but it made a bit more sense. Injuries and automobile accidents, the best of Appalachian Stories, that’s great. No idea what this is, so it’s had it’s chance. 40 was TNT Classics. 41 is Cartoon Network. And we’re back to 2. Religious, financial advert, more fitness, that looks like your one –I forget her, one of the Good Morning programmes, localised. I think it’s the Atlanta one. Another Good Morning one. Let’s ignore it, then the convention. John Hughes for Congress, okay, a kid’s programme, cartoon on Fox, Morning news –I think this is the Birmingham one, which I’ve watched. This’ll be my last morning to watch it, I presume I won’t get it in Mississippi. You better believe it –barbecue advert, HGTV –that’s Home and Garden if I remember rightly, that looked like soccer –looked like Harkes actually, running after scoring a goal, adverts, the Weather Channel. Today, early morning fog, otherwise partly cloudy with a slight chance of thunderstorms –What! High in the upper 80’s. North wind 5 –10 mph. Chance of rain 20% –I don’t like that. It was a bit foggy when I looked out before. 69 degrees Fahrenheit at the moment, which is 21 degrees Centigrade. Some more Country Music Television. This stuff is great when you’re having a shower, Critters, Platinum Video Awards, Keep Fit –yok! more kids programmes, I don’t know what that is, cartoons, Eat some food, ESPN –that’s sports, oh I don’t know, cereals, there’s Honor Blackman. Don’t know what it is she’s in though. Peter Gabriel having a Big Time.
Advertisements drive you mad on this television. They’re still talking about Edouard, Fran, and Gustav. Hurricanes and Tropical Storms.
Later…
Today’s cycling was such a contrast to yesterday’s. Bought some water from a shack and was offered a seat. A salesman/merchandiser told me where County Road 35 was. It’s known locally as the River Road. So over the Buttahoochee River again to say good-bye to traffic. At a junction the map calls Henson Springs (in reality there’s nothing there) I turned onto Road 16.
These were snaking roads, a little bit rolly-polly but nothing too strenuous. Kudzu still covered a lot of the growth and I saw some animal life. A four inch lizard with an electric blue tail. A couple of birds of prey waiting in a tree so they could go back to their dead deer. Dark and ugly. Big too. Photographed a turtle trying to cross the road. He was halfway. I didn’t touch him. A female Cardinal.
Came out on Highway 17 at a small town called Detroit. The woman in the shop where I bought my bananas told me the road to Hatley, Mississippi was the second blacktop on the right. About fifteen miles or so this stretch was. Again no traffic. Mostly just scrub land or heavy vegetation, then the odd field of cotton or corn only to be enclosed tightly by thick trees again. An old rusted sign welcomed me to my fourteenth state.
Needed to eat when I came into Hatley. Amory was a few more miles down the road but I couldn’t go any further without eating. A small garage had three tables inside. Workers were just coming in for lunch. Cheeseburger and fries with four glasses of sweetened ice tea. When I was leaving I was told that my meal had been paid for by the workers who were eating there earlier. I was also told to get some Gatorade or water on the house.
Rolled towards Amory but at a junction before downtown decided to ask for directions to Highway 6. He didn’t know but said he was a private investigator so should be able to find out. From his car he produced a very detailed map of Amory and I knew exactly where I was going.
Downtown was a grid and as I entered heaven opened. I sheltered and covered up everything. It eased so I moved on. The main street had shelters creating arcades on both sides of the street. It got really heavy.
I pulled into a garage for forty five minutes as extremely heavy rain lashed down. I had seen a nice looking motel here so I could certainly stay and lose no time if I by-passed Tupelo - but that would mean no tyre.
When the rain eased I moved off even though it was still dark and cloudy. Highway 6 was way too busy with no shoulder and visibility was bad so after I crossed both the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway and the Tombigbee River itself I turned right onto road 371 to lose the traffic. It worked and I spotted all the houses I was going to drop in on if I needed to shelter.
The sky brightened but still looked full of water. It was fifteen miles along this road until my turn off for Plantersville. A very straight road with pine trees on both sides. The longest stretch I could see for was two and a half miles long.
At my turn off there was a grocery store with people all just sitting and talking. Very friendly and easy to understand. I was told (accurately as it turned out) of the roads into Tupelo and where to find lodging there.
Elvis’ birthplace was opposite as I came up through East Tupelo and hit Main Street. Spent some time at the house. A kid on a bike who spoke like Elvis told me where to find a tube and tyres. It was a mile and a half away. Had no 28 tyres so had to settle for the fatter 35. Uni-directional also. Well I’m not planning on cycling back to Boston.
Chose the second of two Asian Indian run motels because it was cheaper and friendlier. After the usual libations I was ready to ditch the bike and go walking in Tupelo.
Gloster Street is a 4-lane with a turning lane. No footpaths. I had to clamber over grass, car parks, bushes etc. It was an obstacle course. Tired me out so settled for Bonanza Steak House and had some chicken (honey mustard) and a trip to the salad bar.
Asked the waitress what those bloated yellow things that tasted like potatoes were.
-Why that’s harmony, she said.She then realised I wasn’t from around here, so told me it was fermented corn like in grits. And she really said ‘hominy’ - I just assumed because of her accent she was saying ‘harmony’ - which is a better name for a food anyway.
Read the Next Entry in My Bicycle Trip Across America
Read from the beginning of the Cycle Across America
Eolaí gan Fhéile:
