Day three of the ride from Florida found me traveling north through Louisiana to reach the starting point of the famous Natchez Trace.
Ever since I read about it in Dale Coyner's book on the best rides in North America
I had looked forward to doing at least a portion of the Trace.
Time and weather prevented me from riding the entire 499 mile trail, but I did get to go from Natchez to Jackson, Mississippi.
The trip through Louisiana was uneventful and only short periods of rain were encountered.
The Natchez Trace is a National Park and I was surprised when the Park Ranger at the headquarters office said she had spent several years in Helena, Montana at the Lewis and Clark National Forest.
Small world indeed.
The Trace was beautiful.
Springtime in Southern Mississippi with everything turning green and fields of standing water because of the January and February rains.
Stopped at The Waffle House in Jackson for a late breakfast and was surprised when a guy sitting at the counter said he was from Miles City.
We had to talk for a moment about the annual Bucking Horse Sale for which Miles City is famous.
I missed his name, as I have so many on this trip.
Maybe there is something to this loss of memory stuff.
Day 4 of the trip home ended in Grenada Mississippi at the Frog Hollow Campgrounds.
The owner said it had rained five inches the past week, and left the campground roads very muddy.
So muddy in fact, that I got stuck on my way into my camping spot and two of the staff had to push me through the muck to the gravel pad where I parked for the night.
I suppose I shouldn't have revved the engine as they were pushing me through.
They sure got a blast of mud from that rear wheel.
They were kind and said it was okay.
I had an interesting experience as I wound my way around St. Louis on I-270 and I-64.
Four lanes of traffic on the westbound highway packed with the mid day rush.
Although I try and drive 65 on the Interstate, when going through the larger cities I have discovered that if everyone else is driving 70 then I better be driving 70 as well.
And that's what I was doing when the kid in lane one hit the construction barrel barricade.
Three barrels of sand seemed to explode and it sprayed high in the air.
He slammed on his brake and skidded sideways clear across all four lanes.
I was in lane three and hit the brakes hard as he skidded in front of me.
The bike and sidecar did a slide out skidding sideways as the Mini Mate trailer jacknifed behind me.
As we were about to make contact the car which had been in lane two slid over to lane three and T-Boned the kids car pushing it away from me and it ended up some 15 or 20 feet ahead of me in the middle of the road.
A young guy driving a pick up truck was in lane four and when I skidded into his lane he braked hard and somehow was able to stop four or five feet back without hitting me.He jumped out of his truck and ran to me calling out, "Are you okay, Are you okay"
I assured him I was fine and he said, "The sign says you're 80 years old, but I don't care how old you are, that was one hell of a piece of riding you just did. When you began to jacknife I thought you were a goner."
My THANKS to Bill Ryder of Helena who did such a suburb job in setting up the sidecar to enable it to take even this kind of abuse.
With cars and trucks backed up for several miles on the busy four lane highway, police arrived and were trying to get traffic moving.
I was blocking lane four so I was the first one out and was soon back on the highway again, but with no traffic in front of me and very little behind me. The ride was now peaceful and quiet.
Severe weather is forecast to move through South East Missouri tonight with thunderstorms and large hail forecast.
I opted for a motel instead of a campground and as I write the rain has begun in earnest.
I hope the cover stays on the bike through the storm.
I will be doing some flower sniffing along the way for the next couple of days and will visit Grandkids in Denver this weekend and should be back home in Helena by mid week.
Dave Dudley in his old country truck driving song sang, "Six Days On The Road And I'm Gonna Make It Home Tonight."
After six months on the road and with the odometer showing just over 15,000 miles traveled I am ready to be back home in Montana next week.
Watch for me, I'll be in the Right Lane America
Del "Lonnie" Lonnquist
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