Day 72, August10: Counce, TN to Tupelo, MS Distance 76 miles. Overcast then rain.

Cloudy skies greeted us in the morning as we left Counce, TN for Belmont, MS on SR 57 west. SR 57 turned out to be a smooth and low traffic road with a 2 foot shoulder and a few gradual rolling hills. The route was off the Adventuring Cycling Maps and we soon passed through the Mississippi towns of Luka, Midway and Tishomingo. While on a break we assessed the possibility of riding to Tupelo as it was off the Natchez Trace and only 42 miles away. Also, I was having some concerns regarding a mechanical problem with my bike and Tupelo had a bike shop that could check things out. The idea of getting into Tupelo early appealed to the four of us and a call was made to Rich letting him know of our situation. We got on to the Natchez Trace by late morning and arrived in Tupelo before 2:00 PM with the last 40 minutes in the rain. The Natchez Trace was a great ride with smooth road surface, modest hills and low traffic. Jim pulled us the last 15 miles at about a 20 mph average speed. Thanks Jim!

Day 72, August10: Counce, TN to Tupelo, MS Distance 76 miles. Overcast then rain.