Day 1 - Houston to Starkville, MS

615 Miles Survived Montezuma Chan's Revenge...barely. It took 23 1/2 out of 31 hours in bed to kill the Chinese bug(s) but I did it. Report me! I did it! Sell 'em some more bonds! Now! In another thirty years, we can stop worrying about ever going to war with China. They'll own so much of our debt they won't have to declare war...they'll just foreclose. On the road finally Monday morning at 7:30 a.m. Straight interstate...and ugly (as almost all interstate can be). Needed to make up some time anyway. Happy to report the earth's magnetic poles have reversed and the Devil is throwing a big ice skating party in Hades at this time. Has to be! Louisiana has repaved I-10 from the Texas border to Lake Charles! Could actually stay on the seat of the bike through that section. In the past, they had more "heave-hos" than the Alaskan Highway. And for much less understandable reasons. We probably (and unfortunately) have Katrina to thank for this too. If they're ever going to give the world an enema, the tube will go into the headquarters of the Louisiana D.O.T. Took I-10 to I-55 outside Hammond, La, and turned north. Stopped by Byram outside Jackson to see friends at the NCI DoubleCote plant. Was great seeing you guys...and on a day the rendering plant next door was being nice. Believe me, I was concerned about riding up there on my bike after being so sick the last few days. Took Hwy 25 from Jackson detouring off the beaten path on 16 to Edinburg. Wanted some country road, and to go through Carthage. Wasn't that the town in 'Heat of the Night?' Anyway, I associated it with it and wanted to get off 4-lane so I took it. Took Mars Hill Road back to Hwy 25. This was a nice little twisty country road. Good ride. My little detour made me run late into Starkville; it was just getting dark when I arrived. Then I had this terrible thought: What if this was the week all the freshmen were moving into Miss. State? There wouldn't be a room available anywhere and I'd be out riding through the night with the deer herds searching for a room. Lucked out. It wasn't. In fact, it was the first day of classes so the madness was over last weekend. Have I mentioned the heat? No? Well, it was hot. Let me calibrate that for you: I'm from Texas...and it was hot!! Hell of a time for a trip...but you takes 'em when you can takes 'em. Tomorrow, north into Tennessee. Then east.