Day 13 – Friday 6/10/22

Amory, Mississippi to Corinth, Mississippi – 88.7 Miles

As I mentioned in the previous post, I was looking to find a more direct path to Missouri, where I’ll begin following the Lewis and Clark Trail west. By riding to Corinth, Mississippi today, I would be able to position myself to take advantage of Tennessee’s excellent bicycle laws, which allow me to ride on divided highways. Corinth is just south of Tennessee, and Highway 45 runs from there to Jackson. It’s a 55-mile straight shot with a wide shoulder. Quite a difference from the two-lane rural roads I’ve been following.

The problem this morning was that the ACA map section I’ve been using stops in Fulton, Mississippi, 25 miles from the start. I could have downloaded the next section, but a check of the map preview showed that the route would travel more eastward than I’d like. In a case like this, the Google Maps app on the phone has become a great resource for navigation. Knowing this, I headed for Fulton.

The first unusual sight of the day was an abandoned drive-in theater. There must not be many of these left.

The road passed by several steep drop-offs along the way. I’m always impressed by how lush and green the trees are.

Along the way empty houses and commercial buildings weren’t scarce. Making a living in rural areas isn’t easy.

Once I got to Fulton, I zoomed in on the roads in the vicinity to look for a way to go next. It’s literally like finding your way through a maze. First, you have to find the road, then assess whether or not it’s a possibility. If it looks feasible, the next step is to decide if it’s rideable. Some roads look great but are either unpaved or unfinished. After considering several options, I came up with what seemed like a reasonable path. This meant that I’d be “off the map” for most of the day in unfamiliar territory. The potential problem with this was if I pedaled five miles in a direction that didn’t work out and had to backtrack, I’d travel ten miles for nothing. I began on the “John Rankin Highway”, named after a Presbyterian minister who was a leader in the Underground Railroad.

The terrain was hilly to begin, but eventually settled down to relative flatness, with the occasional uphill and downhill thrown in. The road paralleled a lake, and that’s where a few people built nice homes.

I was so far out in the country that there didn’t seem to be enough population to support a convenience store. Once again, I zoomed up on Google Maps and a store magically appeared a few miles away. Apparently, it served a broad clientele, as snack items and necessities were mixed with live bait and bullets.

Soon, I was pedaling again on roads that had no names, just numbers. One thing that’s certain, people who live on these roads love dogs. As I rode past a house it triggered a barking dog, who alerted the dog next door. I carry a can of “Halt” spray with me in case a dog decides to attack, but none ever did. They’d chase a bit, at best, then go home.

After passing one more lake, Corinth was within reach.

The Quality Inn is tonight’s choice of lodging and Cracker Barrel provided dinner. The hotel Wi-Fi was much improved over that of the previous hotel, so I’m now current on posts again, and ready for tomorrow’s ride. Jackson, Tennessee is the goal for Saturday, with Missouri the long-term target later next week.