South to Louisiana and beyond

3 days driving and about 1400 miles took us to start of our annual cycling trip at St Francisville , LS. Had a delightful overnight stay with M's cousin Gail in Tulsa , OK. M and Gail `entertaining ` me with violin duets. (Gail is in 3rd month of studying Suzuki violin method.) Photos to follow. Gail's sister Shirley joined us for a delicious dinner. (Gail, we passed an Audubon center shortly after leaving St. Francisville - thought of you and all the good work you do for that organisation ).

Spent night in motel in St F , left car in self storage and were on our way by 8.30 on Thursday morning . Real elation to be on our way - just the clicking of toe clips into pedals is symbolic of the excitement of the whole cycle touring experience. The anticipation (no idea what the day is going to produce , who you 're going to meet, where you're going to eat/ sleep / rest etc ) is a large part of the thrill. And then, the tranquility of these back roads ( always hard surface though ), seeing plantation houses with live oaks festooned with hanging moss,and azaleas and magnolia etc in full bloom , the smells, the small farms, and ubiquitous dogs that ` greet ` you a long the way . We always stop - safer that way in our experience.

A pretty hard first 2 days against an east wind covering about 62 days on each of them . 1st night in our tent in quiet RV campground ( virtually to ourselves) outside Easleyville and 2nd night in comfort in motel in Bogalusa. Left at 7 this am and now 20 miles on in Poplarville ( crossed from LS into Mississippi ). An early lunch and on to campground 30 or so miles in the middle of very little! Hit civilisation again in a couple of days .

Bikes and bodies holding up do far. Long way to go.

Pics - Will try to attach at next library stop. Itouch - reception good at restauraunts , but my eye sight not good enough . Need specs for that one . Will persevere though . Great for email and Skype - bless you Meghan .-