LOBAA17 - Tishomingo , Mississippi

6/2/08 Mon CDT
LOBAA17 - Tishomingo State Park - Tishomingo , Mississippi
Sally bike mileage - 86.62 miles, 6:40:28 time
Sally total - 1041.8 miles
Bill bike mileage - 32.4 miles
Bill total - 472.1 miles
Last night just before dinner was ready we had our first thunderstorm
hit. We had been watching the dark clouds, but it was surprising how
quickly the wind hit and we had to dash about grabbing chairs, clothes
off the line and so on. Then the camp host stopped and said there was
the possibility of 60 mph winds and he recommended we wait in the
bathrooms. So we set everything on the floor and Bill flattened down
Cramalot Inn and we ran for the bathrooms. By then the thunder and
lightening were right over-head and it was really loud. I don't think
it would've been especially scary except for the fact we've worried
about tornadoes and know we've been lucky. This storm blew over in a
half hour or so, but we watched lightening for a long time. The sky
turned orange and a dark rainbow came out. The lake reflected all of
it and it really was pretty.
Today's ride ended with several miles on the Natchez Trace Parkway
which was quite pretty and not much traffic. Then I coasted into camp
through heavy shade and very green woods, a great ending to a day that
was getting way too hot. A shower, a nap and a little reading before
we went off to explore this state park (Tishomingo) which has a lot of
history and several buildings, trails and a swinging bridge all built
by the CCC in 1939. Put another 5 miles or so on the bike just doing
that. Oh one other thing that happened today --- I had to stop in town
for directions for an unmarked road and an old fellow started talking
to me about bikes. How he doesn't like skinny tires, etc. Then he
wanted to know where I was going. When I told him he said "I think
you've set your sights a bit high", true enough, but I could also tell
him that I had just finished my first 1000 miles. How about that! At
first I didn't like to tell people what I was trying to do because I
wasn't so sure how it would go. Now I feel great about the riding,
just worry about the weather and bike maintenance. We have been so
lucky throughout this whole trip. The campground employee here was
telling us that just two weeks ago bad storms hit right here. Wow. I
really don't want to experience anything like that. Tonight all is
quiet, humid and overcast. We'll be up and riding first thing in the
morning. Sally
Bill here - It is now Tuesday and I have finally found a library with
internet access. They were nice enough to open their private lunch
area outside and let me bring Wally out on the patio as there is no
shade outside and 92 degrees. Anyway, I wanted to add to Sally's write-
up that at our camp last night there was a brand new shower/bathroom
facility and it was even air conditioned. Will be hard to top that
one. Was so nice, that I even took photos. Have been meaning to write
about a typical day in LOBAA - land but will once again postpone that
as I need to get to camp as Sally hasn't had any sag support today ...
she wanted me to try to get the emails out and they boogey to camp.
So, off I go. Bill