TAT 3 - Day 4: The Real Mississippi

After several days of adventure riding, we started referring to any paved road as a highway. When switching from packed dirt to something even like a two-lane road without lines and crumbling shoulders, the leader would announce "looks like we are hopping on a highway" over the intercoms.

We were riding on just such a "highway" in Mississippi, complaining about how little adventury miles the state had to offer on our trail. That's when she (Mrs. Ippy) overheard us and punched us right in the face.

I told the crew to turn around, we had missed a turn off of our road that the trail map showed. I was surprised, as I hadn't seen it. We road back for a few thousand feet... and missed it again? The map is a little out of date, but roads don't just disappear. After turning once more we found it. A sliver of a gap in the wooded trees to our right, and a trail of mud to follow. Off we went down a stretch of maybe a mile that took us two hours to complete.

There was mud pit after mud pit (deep mud).

We even had to hatchet vines and trees out of our way on a point to be able to get through this Missippi jungle. At one point Danny caught a vine in the helmet and practically pulled him off the bike, which fell sideways, into 12" of muddy water. Below you can't see him literally pouring out his boots after.

Then all of a sudden Joey's XR 650 didn't want to run any more. It just stopped. We spent an hour trying to start it. Joey drained the carbs. We pushed it back up the trail 3 times and tried to roll start it. We even changed the spark plug on the trail. And yes, we prayed. All that in 90° heat, and infinite humidity. But it still didn't start. Then we noticed it. The carb had come slightly loose from the manifold. 

Pushed it back in, and it fired right up. A few sighs of relief later and we were on our way. 

Around 2pm we had to say our goodbyes to the trail and the taunts of Mississippi, and turned home. 

Hotel beds will rest us tonight for a long day of the REAL highway tomorrow, which wil take us back to KC.