Day 9 - June 29 - Corinth MS to Jackson TN - heat is getting intense

 Weather - already 77F (25C) and 95% humidity when I left the hotel at 6:30a.  Temperature peaked at 97F (36C0 by mid afternoon in Jackson but rhe heat index was 110F (43C).  Sun was intense all day and the wind from the WSW only added to the heat.  It was mostly a crosswind for me. Heat rising from newly paved blacktop just made things worse.  

Distance: 73.0 miles (117.5kms)

Elevation Gain: 3038 feet (926 meters) 

Calories burned: 4426

Shvitz Index: 9.8/10.  Since humidity is higher in the mornings, I tend to sweat more then,  But it was definitely a day when my bike clothes were heavy with sweat from start to finish

Average Moving Speed: 13.4mph (21.5kph) in 5hrs30 minutes of riding.

I knew it would be a hot day and was determined to get an early start to Jackson, about 70 miles away.   I was out of the hotel by 6:30am ( a record for me) but my plans to hit the road before 7am were thwarted by a friendly chatty group of men at a local diner in Corinth who engaged me in a long conversation.  The ride was full of rolling hils, with some grades up to 9% making the trek even more difficult.

I spent about an hour here eating breakfast and discussing travels with the denizens of this diner.  It seems that they are there most mornings.  It seemed rude to make a quick exit and they offered plenty of tips on the safest way to Jackson,

Initially I took the back roads to Selmer TN and did not see any "Welcome to Tennessee" sign, but I could tell when I crossed the state line as the road conditions improved. County roads in Mississippi are in really poor conditions, though their upkeep varies according to the (relative) wealth of the county.

As was to be expected, travel on the county roads attracted chasing dogs but the Tennessee dogs seemed less determined to bite me that their compatriots further south.  

I saw this house with both USA and CSA (Confederate States of America) flags which seems incongruous to me since they were enemies in the Civil War 

The county roads were traffic-free and there was some morning shade but it disappeared by 10am as I got into more open countryside.

I was effectively following the rockabilly trail honoring the 1950s pioneers of that musical style - the early Elvis, Carl Perkins and the great Buddy Holly (though of course he was from Texas).

I got onto US45 which has a wide shoulder (margin) in Tennessee and played leapfrog with a Tennessee state trooper  who pulled over cars for speeding.  At these stops, I passed him and then a short time later, he passed me with sirens blaring and lights flashing.  This occurred three times.

Given the intense heat, I stopped more than usual for drinks, shade (what little there was) and stretching.   I lost track of all I consumed but I know I ate a pound (half kilo) of potato salad and 2 bananas for lunch from a grocery store  in Selmer.  I also craved and drank a half gallon of cold chocolate milk, 3 energy drinks, about 4 liters of water and 2 Cokes. 

I made a lengthy stop at an old style country general store about 12 miles from Jackson and sat on the bench outside enjoying the shade and the cold drinks

By early afternoon,  I was in Jackson and spent some time at the restored train station (now some sort of incubator hub).  A few old railcars, a weirdly ancient wheelchair, and a sign across the street commemorating Andrew Jackson's visit in 1822 made for an interesting break .

                                                          

When I checked on the weather in Jackson, the numbers left little doubt about the day's experience.

The forecast for the central and eastern US for the next few days is for more intense heat.  I will be riding through the worst of it as I make my way north to Illinois.  I will take tomorrow off to take care of laundry, do some bike maintenance, and catch up on work.  Back to the grind on Wednesday - and this time, I want to be on the road by 6:30am.