Day 40: Wednesday, 4/15/15 (Happy Tax Day!), Franklinton, LA (65º at 6:30 am) to Poplarville, MS (79º at 2:00 pm) 46 miles, elevation changes: +1417/-1306.

Today’s Theme: Crossing into Mississippi for the first time in my life AND NO RAIN TODAY. Also, we rode on Holden Rd for 4.5 miles just before arriving in Poplarville.

It was a short mileage day, 46 miles. I left at 8:15 am and actually took my time riding. Luckily, after a foggy start, the sun came out. It was cloudy by the time I arrived in Poplarville, MS at the Hurricane Evacuation Center where we are staying rather than in a campground in tents. The forecast is for thundershowers starting at 2 pm. It is already beginning to shower as I write this; it is 3 pm. That is why we are not camping. Bubba, our trip leader, made this change yesterday afternoon after we all came in soaking wet, including all the tents. Bubba is a smart man who truly pampers us. One of the nicknames for the Coast-2-Coast group is "Bubba's pampered peddlers."

Bike stats: 45.6 miles ridden in 3 hours and 20 minutes of actual biking averaging 13.7 mph with a maximum speed of 29 mph.

Highlights:

• Crossing into MS for the first time in my life with the added bonus that the sun was out. This is my 4^th state I have never visited before this trip: NM, TX, LA, MS. I have previously visited all the other states we ride through.
• It didn’t rain a drop on us today on our short 46-mile ride.
• Being able to stop and take pictures because it wasn’t raining.
• Riding on Holden Rd for 4.5 miles and taking pictures while doing so.
• Taking the missing picture of the “Welcome to LA” sign that I didn't get when I entered LA in the west.

Welcome to MS. This was at mile 21 of today’s ride.

Riding on Holden Rd for 4.5 miles just before arriving in Poplarville, MS where I ate lunch at Scooters and then went to Pearl River Drugs to have a milk shake at a classic ice cream parlor in the back. Here’s a selfie at the end of Holden Rd.

Cows in a pasture on Holden Rd. There is a farm pond behind the cow on the left. It is so lush and green in MS. Trees are the natural vegetation.

 A donkey (There are really three donkey's in the picture.) at the same farm as the picture above on Holden Rd.

A great shot of me riding Big Blue taken today by a fellow Coast-2-Coast rider, Jeff.

The missing picture of the “Welcome to LA” sign.

 Make it a great day!

John