19/84

We rolled out of Hamilton UMC stuffed to the gills with eggs, hash browns, bacon, sausage, biscuits (some covered in “chocolate gravy”) and OJ.

This turned out great for some people who didn’t even have to bother with lunch and not so great for others. At least one of us threw up. That chocolate gravy probably tasted better the first time around.

Either way, special thanks to the guys in Hamilton who volunteered to come in early to fix us all breakfast.

We had a short ride (50 miles) into Tupelo, Miss. – the birthplace of Elvis Presley. But the roads made the ride seem a lot longer. A 3 ½ mile stretch of US 78 was a nightmare. I figured the fastest way to get off that road was to avoid a flat. I just pedaled up the hills and did my best to swerve around nails and the ridiculous amount of debris cluttering the shoulder. Shout out to all the clean up crews in states that actually maintain their roadways!

Rested at the lunch spot but was too full to bother even after 35 miles. Went to a small grocery store just off the freeway – I think Don’s Grocery – where Tim gave us two heaping bags full of bananas, apples and nectarines. He’d seen some of the faster riders pass by earlier and asked me what we were all doing.

The next 15 miles went by pretty quickly, especially on the high of “donation magic.” A nice rain helped cool me and Lizzy Whittemore down as we rolled into Tupelo.

We were anxious to get to St. Luke’s UMC to hear about the condition of another rider – Jessica Crumpler – who’d fallen after her tire got caught in a groove. Turns out she just needed five stitches in her elbow. She has a nice wound to show for it but is fine. She even road the remaining three miles after falling.

My ride was nearly uneventful. Then, this old man in an equally old Caddy turned left across my lane of traffic in Tupelo and nearly mowed me down. Lovely!

I was a little on edge after that close call but only had a few miles left. The warm showers at the church and pizza provided by Northeastern Mississippi Habitat for Humanity made everything better.

Awesome quote: “Put a little South in ya’ mouth” – printed on the menus of local restaurant Romie’s Grocery