Into Bama

Well we are off the Trace and heading towards Madison AL where my
friend Leah,from high school, lives. Can't remember the last time I
saw her, I want to say 12 years.
Need to say happy birthday to Katy Taylor and Loren Kinczel. You've
got an amazing friend in Sarah Woodside who sponsored today in your
honor.
The pic is from where we camped last night. We woke up to a ranger
telling us that 200 first graders were on their way and we were in the
way.
Night from Alabama.

Good company!

We've been enjoying some good company on the Trace and have failed to
say thanks to some folks. Mainly my dad and step-mom (Cary and
Marilyn). Not only did they host us and put up with us in phoenix but
they sponsored a huge number of days. Thank you both so much for
always encouraging my adventures. Big thanks also to brian's granny
and gramps who also have a number if days coming up.

The pic is of Paul, diane, and skip. Folks from grand rapids Michigan
that we have spent the last two nights hanging out with. Great company
and two fun nights with great camp fires. We wish them the best of
luck on the rest of the Trace.

We also met Ryan and mandy who are REALLY touring the country. Their
websit is withinreachmovie.com and everyone should go check out their
mission and amazing tour. I'll only tell you they are going to be on
the road for a year and a half. We had lunch with them at donna's who
was the greatest road side cheerleader. She flagged us down and tried
to convince us to stay the night because Ryan and mandy were already
staying. We settled on lunch but it was really hard to leave her warm
house and good food. We assured her we would be back when we come back
to the Trace.

I'm going into a food coma. We are at a pizza hut Buffett so I'm
stopping here. Night from Tupalo!

The wonders of the trace

Two great days on the Trace and it's a shame we aren't doing the whole
thing but it gives us a reason to come back with more friends. We've
met groups from Vermont and Michigan down on the trace getting their
first riding of the year in and they have been good company and we may
even get to play some euchre.
Also met some great folks at our campground tonight who were up for
great convo and gave us beer, chicken, and fire wood.
The pic is of a cypress swamp that is much better in person.
Got to go to bed. Night from the Trace.

Over The River And Through The Woods, pt. 1

We crossed the Mississippi and into the state of the same name sometime after 10, but it felt much later. We were excited to start on the Natchez Trace and the sun had long been up, bidding us make haste. As we rode the long bridge uphill out of Louisiana, I looked down past steel beams at the mighty river, "The Father Of Waters." It was the color of milk chocolate, churning and rushing quick but quite quietly past the concrete abutments that carved the clay-water creating a reverse wake, and noiselessly whispering stories --of not just the dawn and days of American glory, and tragedy, and hand-dug dirty life, and death, oh no. This river whispers stories from the dark corners of time, stories of the origin of all, and of itself.

As the pavement turned around on itself and we crossed the first parkway bridge, we immediately found another world. A verdant bank spread deep to each side of our open empty road, and the forest and birdsounds and the harmless perfection of it all was as inviting and innocent as a church picnic. We smiled, and rode eagerly into the slowly unfolding spring woods...

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

The Natchez Trace Parkway

The Mississippi

It's crazy that we are heading into mississippi today. Thursday
morning we woke up at the Evan's household And turned on the weather.
A big storm was heading our way so Stephanie made breakfast and we sat
it out. It was quick and powerful, evan breaking the flagpole out
front of the church. But it was all over by 11:30 and we still wanted
to make the 50 miles to Alexandria so we hit the road and had the best
tail wind of the trip. Making the miles role by super quick. Suprising
to me was the rolling hills of western Louisiana. Nothing huge but not
as flat as I had imagined. We went to a bike shop in Alex and then
headed over the river (forgot the name) to Pineville to try and find a
place to eat and camp. We ended up throwing up our tents in the back
of a walgreens, which meant we had an early rise yesterday. With the
early start the 67 miles to the river/border was nice and the eastern
part of the state lived up to my flatness expectations. Today we head
onto the Natchez trace parkway and lots of history.
Want to say good luck to my Crown peeps today with the conference.
It's gonna be great.
Happy Saturday!

Good things in Louisiana

Well we made it out of Texas and we are 16 miles into Louisiana and already we are loving it. We met Stephanie at the Leesville Dairy Queen with 4 kids in tow and they had seen us riding into town. They struck up a conversation with us and the next thing you know we are eating Jambalaya and Brownies at their house with her husband Tri. We will write more about this great family later but right now I'm using their computer to post the Phoenix to Austin pics which haven't been working. So here ya go.

Phoenix to Austin