My first tour (in Mississippi of all places)
 

It's all part of my midlife crisis, my first "real" tour from my house to a state park that is about 53 miles away. It was a great ride. I meet some interesting people and seen some sights that you can't see from the interstate at 70 MPH. Had a couple of lessons learned, DeSoto and Marshall counties in Mississippi are not flat, and Schrader tubes will not fit Presta wheels ( I had a flat less than 1/2 a mile from the park ). In a few months it's the MRT from Reelfoot lake to Memphis with the right tubes as spares this time and a camera.

Congratulations!
 

I crossed Mississippi in March many years ago -- lovely weather and landscape.

You can drill out the Presta holes in your rims so they'll accept Schrader tubes -- much handier when getting air or buying new tubes on the road, and sooner or later you'll get so tough that you'll hardly notice the additional weight!

Sounds like you had a good ride, other than the flat. You'll laugh about it later though, guaranteed!