Yes, it got to us in the end… with the rain came Covid apparently. I say apparently because we had no issues what so ever, but I lost my taste and thus went in to test. Turns out we are all positive, and must have been for a few days already. As we travel in our own bubble in the RV it was to be expected that if one would get it, the others would too, it is just very unfortunate we were not aware earlier. Of course we have done our part and informed those we were close to (thankfully only one place) in the past days, and have officially gone into isolation in the RV. We drove still for a bit and then spent a few days in the Ozark Mountains, Arkansas away from people all together.
The rain thankfully subsided over the course of a few days, which meant we could at least breathe in some fresh air after days of being cooped up in the RV. The forest away from people was a good place to hide, with plenty of squirrel houses to build. Eating pasta for several days was less fun, but hey you gotta do what you gotta do!
Memphis, Tennessee: We are free again!
The RV is a great place to hide in, as you can still change the scenery you come through, but after a week it does get quite cramped, and as you can see the weather was not that warm up in Arkansas! So we are heading to our most eastern spot before we make a beeline for warmer southern places: Memphis Tennessee! Time to take those bikes off the RV and explore the surroundings. We of course rode the longest bike bridge of North America: the big river crossing all the way over the Mississippi. After seeing many near dry rivers this summer, the sight of the Mississippi is quite impressive.
In Memphis itself, we of course took on some must-sees, such as the Civil Rights museum – located at the former Motel where Martin Luther King Jr was shot, we strolled through Beale street, and had a coffee at the Peabody Hotel to wait for the daily duck parade; 5 ducks that have spent the day paddling in the lobby fountain make their way back into the elevator everyday at 5pm…. hilarious! As it was a special day as well, our 21-year anniversary, we decided to celebrate our freedom away from pasta by going to a restaurant for some proper dinner.
Mississippi & Louisiana: Cotton states!
As we drive out of Memphis we head straight into Mississippi (the state that is, not the river) for a long drive south. The Mississippi delta is flat countryside (we feel very at home) filled with cotton plantations! We are lucky as it seems to be the harvesting period, which makes for some interesting views – bales of cotton instead of bales of hay. We cross the Mississippi again into Arkansas and then straight into Lousiana (state number 21 , where the roads immediately get rough. Past Poverty Point we find a campsite at the Reservoir for some much needed laundry and covid cleaning of the RV. Ow, and a hot shower… we are fully cleaned up and ready to go!
Next Week: Heading south, to warmer weather?
This is Ken Price. It was very nice to meet you all today. I had a great time MTB riding with Sven. I also enjoyed reading some of your updates just now. This is very interesting. Enjoy the rest of your travels and stay safe.
Great meeting you too Ken! Thanks again for your hospitality, you feature in our latest update 🙂