Mississippi Blues Cheered by Trail Angels

After a fitful night of sleep in the tent behind the firehouse, we knew we had to make a decision. There was no way now we could make our next stop on the route due to the storm, and the fact that Bruce’s knee was swollen to one and a half times normal size. Since we had already banked more than 100 miles of extra cycling with our numerous mishaps and detours, we figured we should get a ride down the road a ways to get back on schedule.

We called Enterprise, rode 2 1/2 miles out of our way to check uHaul, and asked numerous folks if we could pay them to truck us down the road- NO LUCK! It seemed nobody in VanCleave knew anybody with a truck, even though every other vehicle that passed us on the road was that type of conveyance.

As we cycled another 2 superfluous miles looking for a breakfast spot, we decided to have breakfast at Subway.  While we were contemplating our dire predicament, and getting really worried, trying to determine how we could proceed, in walks the lady who paid our bill at the restaurant the day before! Her name was Trisha Parker. When we asked if she knew anybody with a truck we could pay to take us down the road, she immediately offered her husband, Calvin.Sure enough, Calvin and grandsons showed up, loaded our bikes in their ample truck, and down the road we went. - quite a way. Calvin entertained us with lively conversations as we traveled down the road, but refused any reimbursement for gas or time. Another road angel.

We easily cycled to our destination, Bogue Chitto State Park. And we were able to set up camp before dark. We even finally saw 2 alligators in the lake at the park, while visiting with a charming girl and her parents. We only emptied one can of DEET trying to dissuade the relentless mosquitoes that day. 

We were surprised that even with the truck ride we had still cycled farther in total than the route maps indicated up to that point.