GMRR Day 10 - Memphis, TN to Ripley, TN

The link to the route and statistics for today can be found here.

Well, after a wonderful day off the bike in Memphis, we were back on the road today for a beautiful ride to Ripley.  The route was very nice.  This whole area is so fresh and green (in contrast to the browns at home in Tucson) that is makes for very pleasant riding, even when, as today, you are riding in to headwinds for virtually the entire day.
I am happy to report I have a roommate after skating with a double occupancy rate for the first eight days and rooming alone.  Ken Mercurio joined me on the off day, and we will be together for the rest of the way.  He is a wonderful cyclist, but had a bad accident which he details in a book you can find on Amazon called "Head Over Wheels."  I haven't read it yet, but plan to.  Here is a photo of the two of us second SAG.

Ken also provided a couple of on the road pictures which will give you an idea of what the route was like for much of the way.  As I said, lots of trees and gently rolling terrain.



I only took one picture myself.  Nothing seemed too different from the last couple of days.  Lots of very pleasant homes, and also a good number of single wide trailers.  The one home I photographed seemed a little different to me.

Riding in to the motel into the wind, I remembered from our route briefing that there was supposed to be a McDonalds about a mile and a half past the motel.  I really needed some nourishment, so I pressed on.  Lo and behold, at about a mile and a quarter, there was a DQ (much, much better that a Mickey Ds).  I stopped in a had the large banana shake.  That should put me in good shape for tomorrow.