October 17, 2018
Natchez Trace mile post 408, Gordon House to mile post 386, Meriwether Lewis Monument
The travel corrider that is called the Natchez Trace dates back centuries. Before the time of Christ ancient peoples were trading and traveling the trace. The sunken nature of the path is clearly the result of generations of travelers tramping the same ground. In the early 1800's up until the age of paddleboat steamers "Kaintucks" from the Ohio River Valley floated down the Ohio River to the Mississippi on their flatboats. Once they reached markets in Natchez or New Orleans they sold their corn or wheat or whatever they had and then dissasembled their very means of transportation and sold the wood from their boats. The only way home was to walk the long way north via the Old Trace. Once the steam engine was developed and paddleboats appeared on the river, these traders were able to return on an upstream voyage and no longer needed to walk the trace.
There are several areas along the parkway where it is possible to walk the Old Trace. We decide to slow our travel on the Natchez Trace so that we can read all the signs and historical markers and take some of the little hikes along the way. We will have some shorter ride days and take a couple of rest days once we reach Tupelo, Mississippi.
October 18, 2019
Natchez Trace MP 386 to MP 355
Meriwether Lewis Campground to Collinwood, TN
A few years ago, I bicycled the Katy Trail in Missouri with my friend, Annie. We spent a lot of time on that trip reading and learning about the Lewis and Clark expedition. Later, when Tom and I cycled the Oregon Coast we were able to visit quite a few Lewis and Clark sites in Astoria and other places on the west coast.
Meriwether Lewis has a connection here along the Natchez Trace too. There is a beautiful monument to him near the spot where he died as a 35 year old young man on the night of October 11, 1809. It is generally accepted that he committed suicide.
Lewis and the Natchez
The campground at Meriwether Lewis is free since the season is over. It has water spigots and one restroom and lots of big wooded sites. There are quite a few folks camping here and even one other long distance cyclist. We spend a cold night in our tent and are very glad for the warmth of the campfire in the chilly morning.
Today we continue along the Trace to the little town of Collinwood, TN.
Collinwood, Tennessee is a very bike-friendly town. The Wayne County Visitor Center located just off the Trace is open every day from 9 - 5 and offers cookies and coffee and a beautiful, clean, free shower facility for travelers.
The firehouse allows camping for free in the little park behind the firehouse. Tom stops in at the City Hall to let them know we will be camping in the park and the gentleman at the desk tells him he will let the firemen know to leave the door unlocked for us so we can access the restroom at night.
Collinwood has two stoplights, a hardware store, and a library. Chad's Diner is right across the street from the public library and we go there for supper. We go back the following day for breakfast and talk with the one and only person working . She tells us that Chad is her son but he moved to another county. He has a church there and is also serving as a hospice chaplain. She has taken over the restaurant for him and it looks to me like she makes breakfast for every widower in the town. She greets them all as old friends or family and makes their eggs and serves the biscuits. She seems to know how they all take their coffee. There is a sense of community and caring in this place and much of it is due to her kindness.
Natchez Trace mile post 408, Gordon House to mile post 386, Meriwether Lewis Monument
The Natchez Trace Parkway is a greenway established as a National Park which spans three states and 444 miles from the southern Appalacian foothills in Tennessee to the bluffs of the Mississippi River in Natchez,Mississippi. The road passes through emerald forests of oak and hickory, pine and cedar, paw paw, persimmon, and gum. The diversity of trees is a marvel and a sight to behold as we ride along mile after mile. There are many more species of oak alone than I have ever seen in one forest ecosystem. As we progress south we even pass through restored prairie land and a cypress swamp. It is easy to imagine the ancient mound builders and the more recent tribes of the Chickasaw and Choctaw nations going about their daily lives in this hushed forest under the clear blue southern skies. https://www.nps.gov/natr/index.htm
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| a "conservation farm" within the park's boundaries |
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| A short walk on a steep trail leads us to Jackson Falls. It has some water despite the drought conditions. |
The travel corrider that is called the Natchez Trace dates back centuries. Before the time of Christ ancient peoples were trading and traveling the trace. The sunken nature of the path is clearly the result of generations of travelers tramping the same ground. In the early 1800's up until the age of paddleboat steamers "Kaintucks" from the Ohio River Valley floated down the Ohio River to the Mississippi on their flatboats. Once they reached markets in Natchez or New Orleans they sold their corn or wheat or whatever they had and then dissasembled their very means of transportation and sold the wood from their boats. The only way home was to walk the long way north via the Old Trace. Once the steam engine was developed and paddleboats appeared on the river, these traders were able to return on an upstream voyage and no longer needed to walk the trace.
There are several areas along the parkway where it is possible to walk the Old Trace. We decide to slow our travel on the Natchez Trace so that we can read all the signs and historical markers and take some of the little hikes along the way. We will have some shorter ride days and take a couple of rest days once we reach Tupelo, Mississippi.
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| There is almost no cell reception throughout the park, but at this lunch stop we were able to get enough service to work on the blog. This lunchstop is at Sheboss Place. In the 1800's there was a stand near here. A stand is the name for an Inn operated for travelers. |
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| This delightful friend came to see me near Sheboss Place. |
The map for our first day on the Trace is below. We are still in the hilly country but thankfully the hills are a bit less severe.
October 18, 2019
Natchez Trace MP 386 to MP 355
Meriwether Lewis Campground to Collinwood, TN
A few years ago, I bicycled the Katy Trail in Missouri with my friend, Annie. We spent a lot of time on that trip reading and learning about the Lewis and Clark expedition. Later, when Tom and I cycled the Oregon Coast we were able to visit quite a few Lewis and Clark sites in Astoria and other places on the west coast.
Meriwether Lewis has a connection here along the Natchez Trace too. There is a beautiful monument to him near the spot where he died as a 35 year old young man on the night of October 11, 1809. It is generally accepted that he committed suicide.
Lewis and the Natchez
The campground at Meriwether Lewis is free since the season is over. It has water spigots and one restroom and lots of big wooded sites. There are quite a few folks camping here and even one other long distance cyclist. We spend a cold night in our tent and are very glad for the warmth of the campfire in the chilly morning.
Today we continue along the Trace to the little town of Collinwood, TN.
Collinwood, Tennessee is a very bike-friendly town. The Wayne County Visitor Center located just off the Trace is open every day from 9 - 5 and offers cookies and coffee and a beautiful, clean, free shower facility for travelers.
The firehouse allows camping for free in the little park behind the firehouse. Tom stops in at the City Hall to let them know we will be camping in the park and the gentleman at the desk tells him he will let the firemen know to leave the door unlocked for us so we can access the restroom at night.
Collinwood has two stoplights, a hardware store, and a library. Chad's Diner is right across the street from the public library and we go there for supper. We go back the following day for breakfast and talk with the one and only person working . She tells us that Chad is her son but he moved to another county. He has a church there and is also serving as a hospice chaplain. She has taken over the restaurant for him and it looks to me like she makes breakfast for every widower in the town. She greets them all as old friends or family and makes their eggs and serves the biscuits. She seems to know how they all take their coffee. There is a sense of community and caring in this place and much of it is due to her kindness.
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| Our tent is set up right in the pavillion as suggested by the guy Tom talked to at the City Hall. It's ideal. That firetruck is one of several retired trucks parked around the property. I guess they just wear them out and keep them forever. None look like they would start. |
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| Main Street in Collinwood |
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