Biking Across the U.S. Day 7

A day of rest. " So I woke up this morning" and decided, I have a fabulous room, best bed, in a comfortable place, with AL, MS and LA ahead. If you take a day off take it at a good place or a comfortable place. I'm tired and my entire body is sore: seat, hands, arms, shoulders, legs and knees. I'm hoping this will be the only full day off. The truth is that right now for me it is a mental day off. I really need to get caught up. The daily routine takes a full 16 hours with being out on the road at least 10 hours. You start to feel like a machine. And yesterday's 93 miles was intense, the last half particularly. You can do funny things in your head riding solo. Days off are busy but with more sleep. So I've planned the next several days, which will be interesting and challenging. I will have to camp; the next 350 miles have only 4 towns with motels and they are not spaced for a ride, in fact one stretch is 160 miles. It appears that I really will be out there. I got a rag from the housekeeper and have cleaned my bike. The gearing becomes a mess and needs cleaning often but there is no time daily. I've shopped to resupply, getting caught up on emails and some Swift House business. I will wash clothes and repack the bags and bike. I now have time to make some adjustments for packing and the bike. Staying on this Naval Air Station is interesting, because I started flight training here in 1973. It's changed a lot but is the same also. Many young prospective Aviators around, which is nostalgic for me, but I've retired and moved on to what I feel a much better and happier life. I've left the Navy for our son and his generation. Observation from the road: Did you know that when you are on a bike and a car goes by and someone is smoking in the car you can smell the smoke, even with windows of the car up, geez????