April 16

From Bogalusa, Louisiana to Wiggins, Mississippi
60.1 mi
Roadkill: snakes (I'll add a picture of the fresh one later...to identify)


We woke up in the middle of the night to the putrid smell from the pulp mill wafting into our room.  Made it hard to sleep.

We crossed the Pearl River soon after leaving the urban Bogalusa and entered Mississippi.

You know you are in Mississippi when all the roads named after people use 2 names like: Homer Ladner Rd, Sam Smith Rd, Archie Wheat Rd, and McNeil McHenry Rd.  The scenery was beautifully green, lots of trees.  I had no idea Mississippi had so much forest land.  Saw a lot of clear cutting and replanting.  There weren't any signs naming the forests, so I assume it was all private land.  I had only seen the coast when David and I drove through on one of our trips home, so this lush green landscape was a surprise.

There were rollers and curves today, very little traffic most of the way and very little shoulder as well.  The road condition was better than Louisiana, certainly less debris on the road.  The little things that you notice.  I spend most of my time looking at a lot of pavement.  Oh, have to be sure to mention the dogs.  I've learned to yell with my "teacher voice" and they always backoff...so far anyway.  The ones that bark the loudest are usually penned in a fence.  Its the quieter ones that use all their energy to run after us, most however look at me in surprised innocence when I yell at them...like they just came out to chase us so we'd feel welcome.  My fear of them has lessened...but I still have a cautious respect for them.