Natchez Trace from Natchez, MS, to Nashville, TN

Just imagine cycling for 445 miles with smooth roads and very low traffic but without a single stop sign, billboard, or trash on the side of the road. You will not have any loose dogs, stores, gas stations, or large trucks. This is the Natchez Trace Scenic Byway which travels from Natchez, MS, in the south and goes all the way north to Nashville, TN.

Along with 5 other couples from our cycling club and Black Bear Adventures, we cycled the Natchez Trace in May 2008. We started our journey from the Monmouth Plantation, took a quick tour of Natchez, and almost immediately we entered the Trace. This is the Deep South. As we cycle the Trace, we see Spanish moss hanging from the trees, pass historical sites of Emerald Mound and Mount Locust, the old Sunken Trace, and more. We stop in Port Gibson for a late lunch, take a side trip to the Windsor Ruins, reminisce over the day's events, and enjoy a delightful dinner at a local B&B.

Day 2 took us 69 miles to Jackson, MS. This day was very HOT and there were times when the miles and miles of trees and grass along this portion of the Trace could seem monotonous. But there is so much history and the road is so smooth that it makes for great cycling.

The next 3 days of cycling included 80-90 miles of riding each day. We cycled the shoreline along the Ross Barnett Reservoir and stayed in the rustic cabins at the French Camp B&B. The next morning we cycled to Tupelo, the birthplace of Elvis Presley, passing more historic Native American sites. This was our last night in Mississippi. As we began riding the next day, we experienced the rolling terrain of northwest Alabama, passing more Indian mounds and crossing the Tennessee River before reaching our home for the next 2 nights in Florence, AL. Here, we had a choice of cycling or spending the day sightseeing or pampering ourselves with a massage or just whatever we wanted to do. Paul and I elected to do a short 20 mile ride with a few others, then a massage in the afternoon, and relaxation the rest of the day.

Once on the road again, we are headed to Linden, TN, where we pick up our U-Haul for taking our bikes/luggage back to Texas. This was our last stop before reaching Nashville. This day was fairly uneventful but we did notice the terrain is starting to become a little hillier.

Our last day, we are headed to the Loveless Cafe at the northern terminus of the Trace in Nashville. We were all feeling good today and Paul was leading the pack. However, due to some unforeseen events, we had to miss the last 40 miles of the Trace, which is by far the hilliest portion.

We'll have to return one day just to do the last 40 miles and eat at the famous Loveless Cafe.