Your real problems would not be the Mississippi river. That you have to cross once. Your real problem would in trying to cross anywhere in central Appalachia, That area is steep parallel ridges running NE to SW with the routes being water gaps. It's like crossing the Mississippi river every 10 miles unless you are on a known busy highway. Asking for directions there is mind boggling. The standard answer without so much as a casual care is. "You can't get there from here". Translation: "Its like taking the tonsils out through the ars hole. It's theoretically possible but I damned sure would not try it on that thing you are riding. Its 20 miles out of the way, all steep hills and curves with no shoulders or guard rails. There are shortcuts but you would get lost or find the Movie Deliverance has some truth to it "