Day 6 - Tishomingo to Tupelo

We left the campground early under suspicious skies. We could see some blue but also lots of heavy grey clouds. We just don't know what to think of the weather app anymore. 

Back on the Trace and the detour was behind us! And the road in front of us was a beautiful newly paved road, and lots of down hill 😊

We did some sight seeing along the Trace today  

As we crossed the Tennessee -Tombigbee Waterway and the Jamie L. Whitten Bridge, the huge locks had opened and let out a stream of boats heading towards us. It was fun to watch them approach and I, of course, waved at them all (and got a few waves back too). 

The next stop was historically fascinating. The Pharr Mounds. Archeologists and historians have found that these mounds are incredibly old - 1,800 - 2,000 years old  Burial mounds that remain to this day. Quite amazing.

The Dogwood Valley was our lunch stop under the old oak tree 😜

The Trace had more traffic today. And most cars were very considerate. One very large RV had to brake behind me as there was an oncoming car. I saw him in my mirror and I was very happy to hear his brakes, although that is a tad unnerving. 

A few miles later we stopped at the Visitors Center and the driver of the RV approached me to apologize for scaring me. 😊 

And into Tupelo, a stop at a very very very large Walmart for more camp stove fuel and a new lock (that won't rust!)

And then into a hotel to relax, have a beer and do some laundry!  Good news, we carry so few clothes that they all fit in one load!

Stats 

A couple of dogs joined us. A cute little hound dog who looked sort of sad to watch us pass, and a German Shepherd who basically paced me for 50 meters or so, man he was moving, and so was I! 

Today was mostly down hill, made for a good average speed. 

We are warm and dry and well fed (the Neon Pig Restaurant). 

Watching Monday night football. 

Life is good. 

Day 5 - Detour Day

We knew it was coming. A Detour. 

But it still feels a little uncomfortable. I mean navigating the Trace is, well, super easy. But now we are back to Ride with GPS on roads we don't know. 

Getting off the Trace gave us a chance to see rural Alabama, cotton fields and churches. 

And hills. Lots of hills. (Sweet Hills Alabama!)

And rain. The weather app once again lead us to believe that the chance of rain was slight. BUT no such luck. It rained. 

Lunch was enjoyed under an over pass with the swallows. 

Alabama was pretty. Rolling hills, smooth roads.  Very quiet. Today is Sunday, so some of the Church parking lots had a sprinkling of cars, but the roads were very quiet and we didn't pass any shops or cafes or even a gas station. Of course we planned the route to be low traffic and that's what we got. 

What was not so quiet were the dogs. Yes lots of people have dogs here. The big beautiful ones that laze about outside, not tied up, ready to defend their property 😳

All good. We were chased a few times, but that helps your average speed 😜 and the dogs usually ended up being fine once we passed their yard.  A few came along for a bit of our journey but circled back once they realized we were not herd-able. 

We pulled into Tishomingo State Park (discovering that we were now in the state of Mississippi!), in the early afternoon. 

Hot showers!! Happiness. 

And now we are ready for the very early sunset that comes with the changing of the clocks last night. Early to bed for us, for sure. 

Some stats for the day. 

Slow climbs but some nice fast descents. 

Cows and alpacas, goats and dogs. 

And even though we are near Bear Creek I am told no bears to worry about. 

Day 4 - Sweet Home Alabama

Rain!

We awoke early and the rain has just started. We are getting quite skilled at "take down". Marc got the packed bags into the fire station and I got the tent down and rolled. Just in time. The skies opened!

We felt so lucky to be sitting in the warm and dry volunteer fire station, making our coffee and breakfast, charging, and waiting for the Visitor Center to open at 9 - which it did - for more coffee and homemade brownies. 

If you are ever in Tennessee, visit Collinwood. It is such a friendly welcoming place. 

We hit the road in the rain. With no picnic stops or bathrooms for shelter we had our morning snack under an over pass, hey it works. 

And we crossed the state line - sweet home Alabama, well the skies are not blue today!

And we made it to Kelley's Cafe for a warm lunch and friendly conversation:

Marc "did you grow up around here"

Friendly other diner "well, (pause) about 4 miles from here"

Marc "wondering if we could get some information on the local roads, we are planning for the detour"

Friendly other diner "I'd love to help ya, but if I said anything, I'd be lyin'"

Crossing the Tennessee River was quite spectacular. Very long freshly paved bridge.

 To Colbert Ferry where we are all alone in the "COC" cyclist only camping. 

Stats for today:

No wildlife notes, likely because I couldn't see much in my rained upon glasses! 

But funny cow story.  We cycled by a field of cows. I love cycling by cows because they are interested. They look you in the eye. I love that. So I said hello to these cows and carried on around a bend, only to discover another cow, clearly out of the fenced area, just grazing the grass on the side of the Trace. He looked at me as if to say "oh ya, I found the hole in the fence and this grass is so good.." 

Day 3 - Meriweather to Collinwood

Word of the day. 

Wind. Wind. Wind. 

Did the gales of November come early?

Actually I think Mother Nature was just thinking, let's get all the leaves down today, enough of this whole Happy Fall Y'all!

And the hawks, well they sure looked happy catching the gusts and soaring over us all day. 

Day 3 can be tough, our muscles were wondering about us this morning so we started with a stretching session. 

Other than the head wind, it was a truly lovely day of cycling, with some pretty stops along the way. We reviewed the elevation and knew we would face 4 big hills. Somehow it is easier when you know. 

We met some other cyclists who were heading north, and were reminded we are facing a detour so we spent some time rerouting for Sunday. 

We pulled into Collinwood TN for the night. The warmest reception you can imagine at the Visitors Center (and they serve coffee and cookies in the morning woot woot) and then to a cafe where we found equally warm and welcoming people. 

Piggly Wiggly to refresh our provisions and then a lovely (warm) shower at the volunteer fire station. Such kindness here. 

And it's the Friday fish fry at Buckets restaurant so the evening ended with happy full bellies. 

Stats for the day

Not much wildlife to report other than the soaring hawks, but a few more miles behind us. And hills we have climbed. 

The rain is on its way. It will be a wet day for us tomorrow. But that's ok. That is why we travel with rain gear. 

Goodnight!

Day 2 - Leipers Fork to Meriweather

We came south for warm weather. 

We found it. 

Sunny all day, and a high of 26. 

To be honest, we didn't want to leave our Warm Showers but we rode off with a Blue Heron and a mother horse and baby waving us goodbye and we took the secret path to the Trace (good to know some locals to help cut some mileage). 

It was a lovely day. Lots of lovely scenery, and lovely hills. But by kilometer 78 and 800 meters of climbing we were quite ready to stop. Half way up that second last hill we stopped for peanut butter and jelly wrap snack. 😁

Note to others, not all restrooms are open.... So water might be hard to find. Did I mention it was 26 and sunny. But we found a water angel. I think my red face, sweaty brow and look of concern was convincing. A stranger at a rest stop just opened her trunk and handed us two bottles. "Pay it forward" she said. I will. 

Pretty little campsite, with a couple from Munich to one side and a very nice couple from Traverse City on the other, our peeps! We have been invited to a campfire tonight!  But there are no showers here (did I mention the camping is free), so we might not be welcome to stay too long 😜

Stats for today

Blue Heron

Horses 

Red tailed hawk

Armadillo

And we heard coyotes as we sat at the campfire 

Other stats:

Day 1 - Nashville to Leipers Fork

Weather app says 4% chance of rain. 

We wake up to what we think is a sunrise only to open the hotel curtains to find the parking lot light shining in, and darkness and rain. 

Spirits not dampened!

Day 1 on the Natchez Trace had us park the Subaru at the Rangers Station (the car will stay there until we are done, which is great).  Not wanting to miss any mile markers, we cycled north to the "end" (mile marker 444, although we never saw it 😳) and we enjoyed the Loveless Cafe. The Biscuit Sampler Platter was exactly what we were looking for - fried chicken, fried green tomatoes, ham and sausage and grits... And biscuits biscuits biscuits. Good thing we had to ride back to Leipers Fork, needed some calorie burning exercise.

The Natchez Trace Parkway is beautiful. Golden hues and burgundy leaves still clutching to the trees, with pops of red and yellow. With three quarters of the leaved fallen, there is a carpet of colour as well.  

So few cars we forget we have to share the road sometimes, but actually the posted signs explain that cyclists are allowed to use the full lane. Sweet. 

We enjoyed the historic village of Leipers Fork as the sun came out this afternoon, at the famous Fox and Locke. Missed the live music but enjoyed the Mississippi Mud Cake. 

We are spoiled with an amazingly welcoming Warm Showers host, offering us our own little space with everything we could ask for, bed, shower, washer dryer, kitchen, total comfort, and even a beer as we arrived. Overlooking a horse farm and surrounded by wooded acres. 

Enjoying this adventure!!

Wildlife encounters: 

Blue Jays, Cardinals, Vultures and Hawks, and some other beautiful black and white birds. We could also hear the wood peckers and an owl.  

Armadillos! Two so far. 

A few nice loud motorcycles and two road bikers, "on your left!". Ok I know I am slow, I am fully loaded. 

Good start, just over 50 kms, some sweet hills, for climbing slowly and going fast!

Road Trip - Toronto to Nashville by Car

We left Toronto in the cold and damp of Halloween, had a double-double with Barb, crossed at Detroit, Michigan, and found a T Mobile. Good start. 

Happy Halloween

Breakfast for dinner is always a good road trip treat. Tough night for the kids, lots of rain here. 

A Best Western night in Dayton, watching the Bengals play the Browns - all about Ohio today apparently.

Nov 1 left Ohio, stopped in Kentucky for lunch (fried green tomatoes!)

 

And onto Tennessee where we found an hour (Central time zone!) and the sun - 24 degrees feels great!  And one more (Best Western) hotel sleep. 

Tomorrow we start the Natchez Trace 

https://www.thetravel.com/what-is-so-special-about-the-natchez-trace/