Tupelo Miss, Kiwi Mike

After sleeping in a bit this am (which is unusual for me) We head out with good looking weather but we know the weather down here can change in just a few miles.


Greg needed to stop at Lowes in Pine Bluff which is about 25 mls from our motel. It should have been right at the exit but we ended up about 5 miles inwards towards downtown. Along the way we cruised by some depressed apartment buildings and run down housing. I needed gas (unfortunately) so we pulled into a gas station. I've never seen so many bars and security screens on a place, it was 100 percent covered and then double covered, GREAT. I walk in and I'm the only whitie in there. I give the guy my 20 bucks figuring if there's any change I aint guna see it. As I walk out many of the cars have dark tinted windows all around and typically stereo typed. Hmm I'm not getting a really good feeling here.

We pump our gas and it cuts off at 15 bucks, oh boy, we got screwed alright. Then the attendant comes out and apologizes and resets the pump. Cool, let's get outa here. We are both observing our surroundings and we know we need to bail outa here fast. I’m glad the Indian usually starts on the 1st kick, into gear she goes and we are outa here. We drive past the projects again and think that the nice motels parking lots just down the road from the projects would be called the supermarket for their easy pickings. Man there were some weirdo’s who cruised in and out of that gas station store and god knows what they were carrying that we couldn’t see!!! Greg was facinated by the big tittied girl and her animal slippers.

We hit the road we are supposed to be on heading southeast towards Miss. Around 9.30 we stopped for breakie at McDonalds. I enjoy my oatmeal in the mornings and now and again I'll get an egg McMuffin without cheese. As a bonus they have oatmeal with fresh blueberries, oh hook me up. That was some good eating.

The riding for the first 175 miles of the day was dead ass flat, not a hill in sight then at about the 175 mile mark we hit a good size hill out of nowhere, from here on out we are in the hills. Along the flats the land is very fertile with a lot of cropping being done. The area since leaving Seridan Ark this morning is pretty depressed, actually most of today’s riding was through depressed parts of the country. I can't help but wonder that when companies source their products from overseas cheaper, is it really to line their pockets more with more green. One has to ask is it really worth it. I have no problem paying a few extra bucks for a shirt or whatever to keep fellow Americans working. I see it a lot in the motorcycle business and even in the Indian parts biz. I take a stand and keep our fellow countrymen working here. Made here definitely keeps others working even when you can’t see them in person. I come from a small farming community in New Zealand and keeping money circulating in our own economy really does help others.

We figured our lunch stop (hopefully some good eat’n catfish) would be at some roadside joint like yesterdays, waiting for us to discover it BUT it’s quite different in these parts. No roadside food stops and to make things even double worse, it’s Sunday in this religious part of the country and many eating places are closed on Sunday. And to make food stops even scarcer again, what few would be open are closed because of mothers day. I think we finally ate at 2.30-3 at a Sonic and we were happy to have that. We rode up on our Indians and parked at the drive up. We tried to order our food but when the girl asked us a question through the speaker we couldn't understand her. These folks down here speak funny. While many say I do, at least they can understand me. Down here they have a language all of their own. And they have manners down here, yes sir, no sir. It's so refreshing to hear manners.

We make a pit stop at a WallyMart as Greg needs some velco. I’ll stay with the bikes to make sure all our stuff still belongs to us.

We crossed the Mississippi river which no matter where I’ve crossed it, it is always so massive and impressive. It provides a huge service in the transporting of goods up and down the river. It’s always so alive.

Nearing the Natchez Trace the houses change with some very high end manors. They were really sweet digs, just some of the lawns looked to be 10 acres finely cut and manicured.

Eventually we hit the Natchez Trace where no commercial vehicles are allowed on this highway. The scenery is spectacular with trees over hanging the road in places. It’s a narrow 2 lane highway with a speed limit of about 45-50 mph and best of all with no one ahead of us for some good clear riding.

In April 2011 a tornado went through this area and it did a lot of damage for about 10 miles. It snapped so many trees that it left a deep scar.

There are no gas stops or for that matter any service stops at all on this road, it’s just pure scenery.

The weather can be real iffy from Ark onwards as I can see its real green and the green comes from plenty of rain. It’s a bit humid too and it’s not even summer. Come summer time I’m sure it’s a sweet box. Today’s ride started with dry roads and then they would turn wet, then dry and then wet all day long. Seems like we timed it just right and didn't need to suit up, well--- that changed while riding the Natchez Trail, about 30 miles before Tupelo. We pulled into a little pull off area and suited up. What was cool about this little pull off area was a place to see and stand on a section or the original trail. It might have been 8-10’ wide and had been cut maybe 2’ or so below the rest of the surrounding ground surface, which I would presume would be from wear and tear. Way cool indeed.

My Jeans are now 9 days old and I’m ok with that as they’ve still have some life left in em. That's life on the road. They show a bit of grubbery but she’ll be right for a while longer yet. Maybe my mate Harley rider Chris Callen can relate to this but unlike a Harley rider, my pants don't have oil stains on them. Speaking of oil stains, my bike doesn't show 1 leak spot of oil on the engine or on the ground after sitting. We use different types and brands of sealants on different assemblies when the engine and transmission goes together. Nice.

I’m in love with my new boots, extremely comfy to walk in and waterproof (so far).

I’ll try and post some history on the Natchez Trace on a separate posting as it has interesting history that you would appreciate. I know I did.