Some random observations:
- Mississippi has the best network of paved country roads that I have come across. If a road is not paved, it must be a private drive. In over 360 miles, we encountered only one exception, and that near Katrina destruction.
- Without exception, the people were very courteous, that Southern hospitality perhaps.
- Small towns in Mississippi seemed to have fared better than similar size towns in the Midwest - less of that abandoned look.
- Apparently, helmets are illegal in MS and LA.
- It is too bad that MS and LA don't have more bike trails. The Longleaf Trace and Tammany Trace, the only trails of any length in the respective states were among the best anywhere, including the many I've ridden on in Austria and Germany.
- Nice overnight accommodations can be had for $45-55.
- One of the difficulties of planning the tour was finding towns with motels about 30 miles apart.
- From Ocean Springs, MS to Clermont Harbor, where we turned inland, Katrina had left nothing but vacant lots 3-4 blocks from the Gulf, with the exception of Casinos and several downtowns.
- Google Maps with the walking and new bicycling option is an invaluable tool for planning a bike tour. The street view is useful to determine if a road is paved and if there is a bike lane (shoulder).
- Southern Mississippi, with the exception of the coastal plain, is hilly. Not Colorado type hilly, but not flat either.
- From the Alabama - Mississippi state line to the junction with US 190 in Louisiana, US 90 has either a shoulder, a service road, or a sidewalk/bike path.
- We were able to avoid courtesy of the Tammany Trace some of the worst urban sprawl and traffic I have encountered. This was in the area north of Lake Ponchartrain.
- The only disappointment was the inability to find small town cafes along the way, especially for breakfast.