Sweet Home Alabama

Day 26 - Natchez Trace - Meriwether Lewis campsite, Tennessee to Tishomingo State Park, Mississippi  92.6 miles

WHAT A DAY!

3 states (Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi), 3 thunderstorm delays (under a tree, under an overpass and under a bridge) and a remote service call.

Alabama - Tennessee State Line

Mississippi State Line

We began our day visiting the Meriwether Lewis historical site, where famous explorer Lewis (Lewis and Clark) died in 1809.  We were both struck by how much Lewis had accomplished in a very short life.  We have met many wonderful people in the small towns we have visited.  They are warm, genuine, welcoming and great family folk.  Many of the people we have met have been born and raised in the same town and really haven't ventured much outside their county.  What a stark contrast to an explorer like Lewis.  We wondered what is inside people like our early pioneers and our current day astronauts, deep sea explorers and scientists that drive them to venture out into uncharted territory?  The Natchez Trace truly does bring history to life and you can't but help admire the fortitude and courageous spirit of the early Aboriginal tribes and pioneers.  Quite something!

Monument - Meriwether Lewis Historical Site

Old Trace

A huge thunder storm rolled in during the afternoon and we were forced to run for cover.  We ended up beside the Tennessee River, huddled together under a bridge watching the torrential rain pour down.  Mother Nature put on quite a show and we were grateful to have found cover as the storm passed over us.  After the rain ends, it feels like a sauna and you can actually see the steam rising off the street.

Rain delay

Angry sky near Natchez Trace

We arrived at Tishomingo State Park, wet, tired and a little grumpy but our spirits were lifted when learned hot showers awaited us!  As we ate dinner, we were enchanted by the sight of fireflies.  We have a beautiful campsite beside the lake and as we head to bed the sound of the lake fills the air. 

Tishomingo State Park - Natchez Trace

Giggle of the day:

We were delighted to visit the Wayne County Welcome Centre in Collinwood.  (a must see if you are planning a trip along the Natchez Trace).  We received a warm welcome from a hometown hero - a USA vet who was one of the first 500 soldiers in Kuwait.  We got chatting and turns out the Welcome Centre was having computer problems.  Say no more!  RW Networks at your service.  In exchange for coffee and cookies (chocolate chip!) Rob got their computer working - talk about a remote service call!

View Bicycling directions to Tishomingo State Park, MS, United States in a larger map

The Natchez Trace - Tennessee

Day 25 - Bucksnort, Tennessee to Meriwether Lewis campsite, Natchez Trace, Tennessee  60.2 miles

We had a lazy start this morning.  We met Greg, just as we were leaving the Travellers Inn.  Greg and his wife Heidi started their cycle tour in March.  They were travelling from California, along the Southern tier, and heading for home in Wisconsin.  We shared stories and route tips, talked about trip highlights and then of course, got down to business.  Where is the best place to EAT?  Our life has quickly become focused on the next fill and we truly appreciated Greg's advice to visit a little bakery in Centerville where we enjoyed a fabulous lunch.

Ritz Kayz - Centerville, Tennessee

We were thrilled to arrive at the Natchez Trace early afternoon.  The Natchez Trace is rated as one of the USA's top 10 cycle routes.  It is 444 miles long crossing three states and is a designated bike route.   No commercial vehicles are allowed, a low speed limit is strictly enforced, cars are required by law to give you 3 feet when passing, camping is FREE and there are designated bike only campsites!

Natchez Trace Parkway

We were joined for lunch by 3 strapping young men from Jackson, Mississippi.  They had just graduated from high school and were on an adventure along the Natchez Trace before they all reported for boot camp.  They had all signed up to be US Marines.  They had fabulous tales of the exciting things and places we were about to visit and horror stories of hills to come.  (hills also seem to be a topic of conversation)  It was great to see 3 young guys enjoying the outdoors!

Meriwether Lewis Campsite, Natchez Trace

As we settled down for the evening, we were very particular in choosing the place to set up our tent after reading the following safe visit suggestions:

-fire ants can inflict painful bites -do not disturb their mounds

-do not touch poison ivy leaves, roots or vines

and our personal favourite warning - also our GIGGLE OF THE DAY:

-be alert of copperheads, cottonmouths and rattlesnakes; don't put your hands or feet in places you cant see.  

Could that be a fireant heading towards our map?

The armadillos, lizards, and vultures have taken a back seat on our critter watch list!

View Bicycling directions to Meriwether Lewis National Monument, Hohenwald, TN, United States in a larger map

The Tennessee Two Step, Bucksnort, Tennessee

Day 24 - Piney campsite, Land Between Lakes to Bucksnort, Tennessee  76.8 miles

With the thoughts of the hills in our heads, we set off wondering what the day would hold.  As we pedalled along we noticed the vegetation changing.  It was becoming more lush.  The trees created a tunnel over the road providing us with   cool shade - a great help as we fought our way up the hills.  

Unfortunately, we missed a key turn and were once again lost in a little town called Tennessee Ridge.  It cost us about 20 miles.  Now 20 miles in a car is a minor inconvenience.  A 20 mile mistake on a bike in the Tennessee hills is devastating.  We had no one to blame but ourselves, so we did the only thing we could do.  We bravely pretended that we had always wanted to visit Tennessee Ridge!  We hung out at a gas station for a while, asked locals for directions, regrouped and got back on our way.  We must confess, we were thinking of the Costa Rican and I am sure that if someone with a pickup truck had offered us a ride to Waverly we would have been in the back of that truck before you could say "Bob's your Uncle!"

We arrived in Waverly much later than planned and stopped for lunch at Samuels on the Square - "where southern hospitality and chivalry indomitably subsist."  The food and service was fantastic...and the restaurant itself was a piece of history.  The floor was the original marble floor....over 100 years old.

Samuels on the Square - Waverly, Tennessee

Refreshed and refueled we cycled out of Waverly looking for potential campsites. The terrain was not as steep, so we were able to get a better rhythm going.  We heard the distant rumbling of thunder and watched fascinated as a wall of torrential rain moved up the road towards us.  You could literally see the sheet of rain approaching.  We hurried to get our rain coats on, but as fast as it had moved in, the rain was gone.  It was like having a quick, intense cold shower - quite refreshing!

Only 4 miles to Loretta Lynn's Ranch

 As our legs tired out, we found ourselves too far from the next campsite and decided to call it a day and retire for the night at the Traveller's Inn.  Hard to believe but we are only 50 miles from Nashville.  With a little luck and some good map reading we should be on the Natchez Trace tomorrow.

Wild flowers line the route

Giggle of the day:

Rob has proclaimed that the Tennesse Two Step is NOT a dance, but what the locals call it when "old farts" like us have to hop off their bikes and two step up the hills.

View Bicycling directions to Only, TN, United States in a larger map

You Sure Look Like You Could Use a Drink of Water - Land Between Lakes, Tennessee

Day 23 - Hillman Ferry, Land Between the Lakes (LBL) to Piney LBL, Tennessee  54.8 miles

We had quite a restless sleep as during the night our campsite was raided by a gang of masked bandits.  Yes - we were victims of a racoon invasion.  We had hung our food before going to bed, yet the little rascals valiantly attempted to get at it all night long.  We were quite nervous as the next 2 or 3 days takes us into a forested area, and we will have little opportunity to buy supplies.  I was concerned when I heard loud snorting beside the tent, but Rob reassured me it was probably just wild hogs and not to worry!  We survived the attack unscathed....just a little sleepy.

Crossing the Tennessee State Line

Morning has become our favourite time to ride, and we find ourselves getting up earlier and earlier to avoid traffic and heat and to really enjoy the sights and sounds of the forest coming to life.  This morning's trip through Land Between Lakes was fantastic.....as the sun rose we cycled in silence listening to the bird's morning chorus and taking in the scent of honeysuckle in the air.

One of our guidebooks describes the Tennessee terrain as a series of exhausting roller coaster hills....enough said.  This morning as we were seeking refuge in the shade during one particularly long hill climb, we noticed a jeep in the distance pull a U turn.  The driver came back, pulled up beside us and said, "You sure look like you could use a drink of water."  He was a man of few words and simply handed us 2 ice cold bottles of fresh spring water and was gone before we had barely said thank you.  AWESOME!

Cold, water delivery - another random act of kindness!

We met Matt and Jennifer at the South end LBL visitor centre.  They were from Nashville and out "letter-boxing."   Their mission was to check on their letter-box site, that has been undiscovered for over 5 years.  Rumour has it one should look on the Devil's Fork trail.  They explained letter-boxing is like geocaching - but low tech and more fun.  We chatted for a while and then Matt asked for our picture.  He was intrigued with our trip and wanted to show his buddies in Nashville a photo of the 2 Canadian cyclists.....

For the past few days we have been hearing tales of an infamous Costa Rican cyclist following the same path we are on but moving south to north.  We laugh as many of the folks we run in to have met him, but we have yet to catch a glimpse.  We were hoping cross paths and get some insights on the route ahead.  Today at the LBL visitor centre, we learned that he found the Tennessee hills too much and hitched a ride from Waverly to LBL in order to avoid them.  Now, we are really feeling nervous!

We neared the end of Land Between Lakes early afternoon and had a tough decision to make.  There was a beautiful campsite beside the lake, cold drinks, swimming beach or a 40 mile trek to the next campsite.  It was hot, 90 plus degrees, humid, the wind had picked up and we were looking at a series of ridges and valleys for the next 40 miles, with no services.  Yes - the same section of terrain that humbled our Costa Rican friend.  Needless to say, it was not a long discussion!  

Piney campground - tent site with a fabulous view of the lake

We look forward to good eats and a good sleep tonight as prepare for tomorrow's assault on the Tennessee Hills.

Giggle of the day:

As if snapping turtles, barking dogs, bounding deer,  wild turkeys, snakes, turkey vultures, raiding racoons, ticks, lizards and poison ivy wasn't enough.....

Bison - Elk and Bison Prairie - Land Between Lakes

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