Chat Zone for The Big Big Trip Journal!

[HobbesOnTour]

I'll let you off!

(Still working on the app which will make it easier to create and edit routes on a phone. And OSM needs some shoulder tagging on the main road which would help reassure c.t it's an ok road to take...)

Really enjoying reading the journal.

Thanks, Richard!

I can't imagine the complexity involved in the tagging process. It seems to me that it's the counties that have responsibility for the roads and shoulders. Oftentimes there's a significant variation in both at a county border.

Another factor is speed limits. I can see no rhyme or reason to them. 4 lane highways with a wide grass section between both sets of lanes can have a 45mph limit, a two lane with no shoulder can be 55.
Throw in different levels of traffic and it gets very confusing!
Also, in this part of the world the roads connected to quarries and/or forests can have a high level of trucks - and some of those drive like lunatics! Of course, the section of forest being harvested changes regularly, too!

So far I haven't found myself on a cycle.travel route and thought I needed to get off it. Only the ACA 😀

 

[h00chm0nster]

Wow! Great read! Fantastic to be able to follow you on your adventures. I’m picturing you singing and playing the drums on your bike: makes me laugh! But in a good way: so wonderful you’re riding your dream right now!
Keep it up! Wanna read more!!

 

[Always Cross]

Could you try pepper spray for the dogs I think its legal over there. Great trip enjoying reading about it.

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Could you try pepper spray for the dogs I think its legal over there. Great trip enjoying reading about it.

I've thought of pepper spray, but have rejected the idea for a couple of reasons. First of all, I like dogs & wouldn't want to hurt them. Secondly, it won't stop the initial approach from the dog. It certainly won't help me as I'm riding towards a dog that has seen me until he decides to go for me, and the water is pretty effective at that stage, besides, I'm probably more likely to spray myself as well as any hounds in the vicinity 😊.

It's not the dog encounters that are the issue so much as the anticipation and the anxiety resulting from so many encounters.

 

[Heigue'r]

Excellent..stumbled accross the travel log on Monday..hooked,what an adventure

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Excellent..stumbled accross the travel log on Monday..hooked,what an adventure

Thank you! 😊

You may have to wait a little bit for your next fix!

 

[tom73]

Not a lot to be said Mr H

 

[CharlesF]

Congrats on Stage 1, even though yo missed the ticker tape parade!

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Wow! Great read! Fantastic to be able to follow you on your adventures. I’m picturing you singing and playing the drums on your bike: makes me laugh! But in a good way: so wonderful you’re riding your dream right now!
Keep it up! Wanna read more!!

Thank you, HoochMonster! 😀 I can assure you the drum playing is far more environmentally friendly than the singing!

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Congrats on Stage 1, even though yo missed the ticker tape parade!

Maybe I'm too modest to mention the parade! 😀

 

[BoldonLad]

Just found your Thread.

Have caught up now.

Brilliant!

Waiting for next update (im)patiently

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Just found your Thread.

Have caught up now.

Brilliant!

Waiting for next update (im)patiently

Thank you & welcome to this little adventure 😀

Patience!
There's a lot of chores to be done. I'm currently drying out the tent, sitting in the sun to protect it from three of the most malevolent semi feral cats I've ever met!

There's also some sightseeing to do, some beers to be had and some food to enjoy!

For anyone wanting more I highly recommend CrazyGuyOnABike for the treasure trove of journals. Sit back, read, enjoy, be inspired and start to make your own plans for a bike adventure. Big or small, long or short, it really doesn't matter. What matters is throwing a leg over the bike and going off to explore!

 

[Pale Rider]

You mentioned 'religion being everywhere' as you passed through what I believe is known as the bible belt.

Did you see any of the racism for which the area is infamous?

Perhaps I watch too many films, but in some of the forests you camped I could imagine finding a group of men in white pointy hats standing around a burning cross.

 

[HobbesOnTour]

You mentioned 'religion being everywhere' as you passed through what I believe is known as the bible belt.

Did you see any of the racism for which the area is infamous?

Perhaps I watch too many films, but in some of the forests you camped I could imagine finding a group of men in white pointy hats standing around a burning cross.

The racism is an interesting point that I'll come back to when I've a bit more time. Surprisingly, it seems to be linked to the religion - someone has observed that Sunday is the most segregated day of the week.

To answer your specific question, no, I haven't seen any hooded men burning things - in fairness when I was stuck in the woods burning anything would have been pretty miraculous!

 

[HobbesOnTour]

My rest time in Nashville is coming to an end. The weather was bitterly cold for a few days so I was quite happy to be in some comfort!
Weather permitting I'll be heading off again on Wednesday, following the Natchez Trace Parkway, then linking up with the Mississippi River trail for a little while before joining the Southern Tier westbound.
Austin is the next big city, then Mexico, although if I'm feeling it I may make a detour through New Orleans.