Short day!

Got the bad news on the wheel, it needed to be replaced, cracked in almost 5 places. By time the repair is complete, we get packed, take time for some lunch, and start out of town it is after 2PM. We might have just as well stayed in town but are anxious to get on the road and make some miles. Additionally we have a detour again to get out of Biloxi as that bay bridge is down also from Katrina and it will cause a 15-20 mile loop to get around and find our already alternate route on hwy 90 to Grand Bay, Alabama.

No shoulders to ride on, all city riding in mostly rush hour traffic and after 3 hours and almost 40 miles, I call it a day and pull over in a hotel. It just doesn't feel safe on the road and we are unsure of the next opportunity to stop for the night. One of the disadvantages of riding with someone else is they may not have your appetite for random adventure. I think I might approach this different if I was alone. For instance at least once I would have an endurance day or 24 hour ride. I think I can handle it for sure now. I would "free camp" now several times a week and stop at RV camps and hotels when I needed to do more laundry. Finally if finishing at some prescribed time was not a consideration I might spend more time in certain communities getting to know both the people and local customs better.

Thanks to Cycle Choice in Gulfport we were able to at least get some time on the road today and the one bright spot is the service we are getting on the road from all the shops. Another lesson might be, make sure you have a good heavy duty touring bike to cross the country. "Go fast" road bikes might be ok for the RAAM but for a long haul and carrying a lot of self supported gear, a more rugged and comfortable bike is preferred.