Pascagoula, MS: Miss i bama

Miles since last blog: 33.3

Route

Passing into a new state, like Mississippi, is always exciting but this time it's also a bit sad because I am leaving Alabama. Alabama has been a great place for me. I have met some of the kindest people in all of my travels if not my life and they have been generous with food and donations and a few times both.

My hosts the last few nights were gracious enough to take me to Fort Gaines, home of the cry, "Damn the Torpedoes, Full Speed Ahead!" and to a local sushi joint which was a pleasure. I hadn't had sushi since Richmond, Virginia which I realize is a weird way to quantify time, but these days location is a better chronological device for me than dates. Ask me when I was in Cuba and it would be hard for me to say, but ask me where I went after and where I was before, well that's easy. To find the date I'd have to count backwards by cities.

My last day walking out was a dazzling display of the Alabama spirit as I have come to know it. Aside from a flat tire in the morning, which I fixed and got supplies for the future, I was riddled with goodwill, food and donations. even though this happened nearly everyday I was in Alabama, it still surprises me. This was in large part to Pinky and her family who tracked me down three separate times during the day to feed me and donate to the cause. I thank you especially for making this such a great farewell to the state. Of course they were not the only ones, heading into Mobile a man gave me produce, soup and a as generous of donation as I have seen and reminded me of Big Red from NJ when he said that he had once passed up a chance to bike ride across the country.

I am close to the charity, I care for it, but I know the people that help me do it out of respect for the deed more than the cause and because they wish that some part of them could be with me or do it.

As for Mississippi, what can I say, it's dark, the sheriffs seem friendly. I'll see more in the A.M.