Bike, Blues[,] & Bayous 2023

I hit 20.1 miles per hour. That's fast for me. I thought, I'll be closer when the road straightens, and I can see farther up it. But when the road straightened, he was gone, clean out of sight.

"He" was my cousin, Shay Darby. "We" were in the 2023 Bikes, Blues[,] & Bayous bicycle ride. The road was somewhere south of Schlater along Ashland Brake. We had some shade at this point, but already the air was heating, and it didn't take a socket rientist to know it was going to be a hot one. A really hot one.

I was overjoyed when Shay told me he was coming over for BBB. We were at the Heart O' Dixie Triathlon when he gave me the news. Shay, a strong cyclist, had never done this ride. 

He arrived about 6:30 Saturday morning on August 5. I gave him a quick tour of Plate City and then we were off on our bicycles to the starting area. We got there and found a good place in the 62-mile group. David Rutherford showed up and so did Forrest. We chatted some and then the air horn was sounded for us to start.

We started slow. We were both a little insecure about our fitness. I knew Shay could burn it up for twenty-seven or thirty miles, but he later confided in me that he had not ridden that far in nine years. I had not ridden that far since the 2022 BBB. Anyway, we were off the see the Wizard or something like that. We were off on an adventure, and for Shay he was going to get to see parts and places of the Delta that few people even know exist.

We made our way down Highway 49 and then we turned at Malouf Trailer Park, crossed the railroad track, and made our way down the old 49. When we started over the Yazoo River bridge, Shay dropped back so he could admire my weakness. My weakness is amazing for someone who runs, and cycles, and lifts, not to mention the fact that I own the best gym in town Leflore County Mississippi the South. When we got over that bridge, I thought, wow, one dragon down, at least one more to go. Someone who knows about stories once said that to tell a good one, you always have to slay the dragon twice. 

From there, we made our way to downtown Quito. Lucky for Shay, he had me to tell him when we were there. Otherwise he would have had no clue.

We cycled north on Highway 7 once we left Quito. Another five or six miles brought us into downtown Itta Bena and our first rest stop. They do a good job there, although I am not sure who "they" are. I used to porta-potty, drank pickle juice, and ate some Fig Newtons. That always makes you feel better, eating Fig Newtons.

When we left Itta Bena, we were riding north and headed for Schlater, another place Shay had never been. On the way, we passed some catfish ponds which smelled really awesome. Eventually, we T-eed into another road that runs along Ashland Brake and eventually to Schlater. The road makes a slow turn from west to north. As me made that turn, we started picking up some tailwind. Then Shay took off like his tail was on fire. This is where you came in, where this narrative started. 

Shay disappeared around the curve of the road. I hit 20.1 and was sure I would close the gap. But when the road straightened and I could see over a half mile, there was no trace of Shay. It wasn't too many more miles, however, before we were in Schlater and at our second rest stop. They had lots of pickle juice. Try it sometimes. It will make you forget that your butt is hurting.

Shay and me at the finish

I left Schlater riding with Rob Spiller. Shay caught us a few minutes later. This is pure Delta now, we were on county roads seeing nothing but soybeans, corn, and catfish ponds. I was excited to point out the road to Booger Den. Not many people even know there is one. When you get to Booger Den, you start to feel the pull of Minter City if you have ever done this ride before. We turned onto Highway 8 and were only a handful of miles from rest stop number three.

The United Methodist Church in Minter City did not disappoint. There is shade there. There are fans there. There are liquids there. There are people there. There is food there. They have a little building behind the church that they fill with food. It makes me tear up just to look at it.

This picture doen't do it justice. There is a lot
of food that's not in the pic. Minter City
is the best.

Shay and I left Minter City with the sun high and hurting. It was hot now. When we got onto Money Road, besides being hit with an immediate head wind, we started seeing people pulled over under a tree here and there trying to stay alive. Somewhere along the way, Shay took off again while I slogged on surpassing my longest ride of the year long before I got to Money. 

When I rode up and racked my bicycle, I found Shay sitting on a cotton bale under a canopy enjoying the shade no doubt. He took good care of me there. He poured cold water on my head and twice went and got me water to drink. 

We left there as a group of three. David Rutherford rejoinded us for the final push to Greenwood. It was really hot now, and I was really tired. But slowly we pushed on inexorably drawing closer to the finish. Once more, Shay took off, but not before saying, "I'll see you two miles from the finish." With that, David and I faced and slew the final dragon. I had been here before. This is the last battle, the final ten miles of Money Road before you hit Greenwood. With the sun hot overhead, and the wind in our face, we dropped a gear, then two, but eventually we rode over the Tallahatchie Bridge. Shay was waiting in the shade at the foot of the bridge and rode with me to the finish. I was glad when it was over.

Shay and me at the start.

What did I learn? I learned that everything is better with a buddy. If Shay had not been there, it would have been a much longer ride filled with more suffering. Forrest rode away at the start, but Shay stayed and sacrificed a fast ride for one with his cousin. For that, I am thankful.