bike_tour/2008-10-18.html

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<p>18 Oct 2008, Tishomingo, MS

<p>I had another good day full of unique experiences. I left United Steaks
around 10 and rode the 5 miles to Shiloh battlefield, where I was planning to
make some oatmeal for breakfast. I poked around the battlefield a bit before
heading over to the picnic area. I rolled in & saw that some people were
setting up a big lunch on the left half of the pavilion. I asked them if I
could use the other half, and we got to talking. They were there for a family
reunion&mdash;the family was still out touring the battlefield&mdash;which was
quite the affair. There were four generations of the Wolfe family present, and
in the oldest generation there were siblings, so the group included children
who were third cousins. It was explained to me that the oldest generation was
four siblings (although only two were present), and that the children of each
of these four took turns planning the reunion each year. So this year it was
Maxine's children's turn. So the three people setting up lunch were Maxine and
her son and daughter, Gary and Francine. They were really fun people, and were
interested in my trip. Gary told me about his participation in the High
Pointers Club, in which he was trying to reach the high point in all 48
contiguous states. He had reached 42 of them so far. He was also full of
stories of outdoors adventures he and his friends had undertaken, including
lots of canoeing & kayaking.

<p>I ended up lunching with them (a "pack of hungry Wolves" as they described
themselves), and spent an hour or two meeting the family, and then taking their
group picture for them back at the battlefield.

<p>When I was dropped off back at the picnic area to get back on my bike there
was another party forming&mdash;this one a high school reunion&mdash;and I had
to turn down their kind offers of food, having gone only 7 miles at 1:30 in the
afternoon. Before I headed out, though, one of the women led a prayer for me &
my trip, which I found very thoughtful.

<p>I then took off for Mississippi, which I reached fairly quickly. As the sun
was fading I started looking for a place to stop for the night. I pulled over
to ask a guy if he knew of any campgrounds nearby. The nearest one he said
would be 8 or 9 miles&mdash;too far&mdash;so he offered to let me into the gym
of the church down the street (which he was deacon of). Turns out the gym is a
pretty Ritzy place by my standards&mdash;a full kitchen & bathrooms with
showers were included. Although I used my own stove & pans to make dinner, it
seemed downright luxurious to have a sink to wash them in. And I got a shower
for a second day in a row!

<p>Life is <u>good</u>.

<p>"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door
will be opened to you." -Matthew 7:7

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