The mighty Mississippi - here I am in Natchez - just crossed over the Mississippi into Louisiana from Natchez to stay at a camp site on "the other side." Been an absolutely fantastic trip down the Trace, and what a wonderful way to start an epic. There was so much history travelling down, it was almost tangible; in fact it was tangible. From Indians, to settlers, to boatmen walking back from Natchez to Nashville, to ancient rituals and ceremonies, to hardships and camaraderie, to heat, to rain, to mosquitoes and horse flies.
One disadvantage of the Trace as a self sufficient cyclist was the lack of food stops along the Trace itself. Many of the food stops took one off the Trace, and sometimes for some considerable distance, and then all there was, was a food store selling mainly junk food. Nonetheless, a 'Big Texas Cinnamon Bun' and Chocolate Cake slices and a cold coke were decadently delicious...and believe me any amount of calories (empty or not) were welcome at that stage. But water was great along the way and evenly spaced, and one could pretty much pitch one's tent anywhere. Again the big towns were a problem re finding campsites - in Jackson I arrived at the Information Centre in the evening which was all closed up, and just walked into the bush and put the tent up - was expecting the Sheriff to come calling but no-one even knew I was there.....and there was water!
Last night, I decided not to make it into Natchez but stayed just 10 miles out at the Natchez State Park - very pretty and then got up before dawn to make it to the Emerald Mounds just as the sun was rising - beaut!!! Had my first shower since leaving Nashville....but don't worry, I did wash every night......from my collapsable bucket....a really good buy! Got seriously nailed by mozzies though, even though I was pretty much in the tent by 8-8.30pm. On a big day's cycle, there is actually little time to do anything else - up at 6am, tea (of course!!), exercise, stretch, tai chi and chi kung, breakfast, pack up and head out. Cycle, cycle and cycle, arrive at destination for the night, get a brew on the stove (of course!), then get dinner cooking while setting up camp. Yoga and stretch, eat, wash and take cover from the mozzies!! Bed at 8 - 8.30pm.
Anyway, the second instalment of the Trace in pictures. Enjoy...as I have done!
Met these two lasses at Tupelo, cycling recumbent bikes - didn't look very comfortable, and they are quite slow, but I can tell you, with my butt on fire, one of these would have been very welcome at this stage!!!
I had heard about this cycle shop in Tupelo from someone in Tishomonga, and over shot the exit but doubled back and found it. I was looking for another pair of cycle shorts, as mine weren't drying overnight for the next day's ride. Really nice guy in the shop and he gave me this awesome T-shirt 9as if I have room!!!) of a marathon he had run/organised in 2009. He also gave me another bike bottle...coooool.
Made it down to a Camp Site called Witch Dance and decided to have a day off the bike - it was such a great looking site.
Camp site at Witch Dance
Grub - high energy food - rice, tuna, and a chickeny saucy thing...tasted good...well anything would after five hours in the saddle!
My Solhuma wood burning stove came in handy - I had run out of cooking spirits for my Trangia stove (should have asked the Witches!!!!), and this was really great. Only disadvantage was that using wood turns the pots really black, so one needs lots of water to get them clean even if one puts washing up soap on the outside of the pots - but still food in the tum, and the stove works like a treat!
Many people just came up and started chatting - I have been taken aback with the friendliness of people; really heart warming....so just had to get a pic of this Harley. So many bikers on the road, and they all wave - I remember I had been climbing up one hill for I don't how long and feeling pretty knackered, and a group of bikers went past with their partner's on the back, and one of them (the partners!) had the most amazing perfume on - amazing what one thinks about with the sweat pouring off one's brow, but it was like a breath of fresh air - the scent of a woman!!!
The effects of the Hurricane in April 2011.
Onward and upward....no, just onward, thank you very much!!
Food for the masses!
Nature - just beautiful!!!
Forget about a woman's perfume, the scent when cycling past these was amazing.
Probably, the most moving experience for me was near the end of the Trace when visiting Mount Locust Inn and the Emerald Mound. Mount Locust Inn was established in the early 1800's, about 1810 and has been restored to what is was like in those times. It was initially a plantation where slaves were bought and sold and then became an Inn for travellers on the Trace. So much history here - you could feel it in the soil.
Amazing to think this was only 200 years ago - what development has taken place in such a short time...relatively.
Emerald Mound - the second largest in the USA.
This is a sun rise, but the sun sets now on the Trace, as I head further South across the Mississippi and into Louisiana, then into Texas. Next major stop, Austin, Texas. It is getting really hot and humid down here - lots of water needed o the bike!!! It will be a different scenario now travelling on the 'open' roads and deciding which roads to take - main roads or cross country - the main roads are more direct, and one can end up doing 100's of kilometres extra twisting and turning, going 'cross country', but I will see what transpires - it is all a journey. A day off tomorrow, Tuesday, (oops -starting to loose track of the days...a good sign!). I will go in and do the tourist thing in Natchez, and recharge the batteries. Knee feeling a bit sore which is a bit of a worry at this stage, so out with the acupuncture needles!!!
Thanks for reading - many blessings, good people.
