Natchez Trace 2015
My wife is a substitute teacher and the county school system she works in takes Veterans Day as a holiday as they should. Knowing she was off, I looked at the weather for Veterans Day. It was perfect! I always develop this sense of urgency this time of year thinking that this could be "the last pretty day we have for a while" as if I lived in Michigan or something. I put that in quotes because my wife mocks me in a light hearted way. I say it on every occasion (which is surprisingly a lot) in the winter(ish) months when I want to ride that day.
So, knowing she was off and the weather was perfect (it would be clear and a high of 74 that day) Monday I suggested maybe I should take a vacation day and we ride that day since she was off. She didn't even really acknowledge that I made that statement at the time. So, I assumed I would just work. Then, Tuesday as I was leaving work, she calls me and says "did I hear you say something about taking off and riding tomorrow?" Then I had to scramble and text my boss to tell them to give me a vacation day for the next day.
I got home and we talked about several routes. We decided on the Natchez Trace, at least a portion of it. It is a ride we had never done.
We got up, had breakfast the next morning and left at 9:30 with sunshine and low 50's to start. We took hwy 411 to Hwy 278 to Hwy 157 to Hwy 72 to reach the Trace.
We stopped for lunch in Molton, AL at John's BBQ recommended by our friend Darryl Wray. It was very good. We wanted to stop at the Western Steer Steakhouse also recommended by Darryl, but it was packed! Let me back up, We had come to Darryl's house a while back to purchase our custom cargo rack and have it installed and wired . As I sat in the booth at John's BBQ in Darryl's hometown , I got a Facebook notification that it was his birthday. If we had time, we would have gone to his house to wish him a happy birthday but turns out he wasn't home anyway. His wife had taken him out for his birthday. Darryl recently had a very serious motorcycle accident caused by debris in the road . He was found in a ditch and after a very lengthy stay in the hospital and rehab, is doing better and back home. He is a very blessed man to be alive and able to walk.
So, knowing she was off and the weather was perfect (it would be clear and a high of 74 that day) Monday I suggested maybe I should take a vacation day and we ride that day since she was off. She didn't even really acknowledge that I made that statement at the time. So, I assumed I would just work. Then, Tuesday as I was leaving work, she calls me and says "did I hear you say something about taking off and riding tomorrow?" Then I had to scramble and text my boss to tell them to give me a vacation day for the next day.
I got home and we talked about several routes. We decided on the Natchez Trace, at least a portion of it. It is a ride we had never done.
We got up, had breakfast the next morning and left at 9:30 with sunshine and low 50's to start. We took hwy 411 to Hwy 278 to Hwy 157 to Hwy 72 to reach the Trace.
We stopped for lunch in Molton, AL at John's BBQ recommended by our friend Darryl Wray. It was very good. We wanted to stop at the Western Steer Steakhouse also recommended by Darryl, but it was packed! Let me back up, We had come to Darryl's house a while back to purchase our custom cargo rack and have it installed and wired . As I sat in the booth at John's BBQ in Darryl's hometown , I got a Facebook notification that it was his birthday. If we had time, we would have gone to his house to wish him a happy birthday but turns out he wasn't home anyway. His wife had taken him out for his birthday. Darryl recently had a very serious motorcycle accident caused by debris in the road . He was found in a ditch and after a very lengthy stay in the hospital and rehab, is doing better and back home. He is a very blessed man to be alive and able to walk.
We leave there and rode on through Muscle Shoals/Tuscumbia . I wish we had more time. Muscle Shoals is home to The Alabama Music Hall of Fame . http://www.alamhof.org/about/
I would like to have visited but again , we had a pretty ambitious agenda to get to the Trace , follow it to it's Northern End near Nashville and get home in time to bed down for work the next day.
We also went by a couple of signs that read "Coon Dog Cemetery" . I didn't know if this was just the name of the cemetery or if it was an actual cemetery for coon dogs. When I got back home , I remembered to look it up. It is a cemetery for coon dogs! The only one in the world. If I remember correctly from the web page, it was started back in the 1930's with one hunter and his beloved coon dog Troop. He buried him there because that was the hunters camp where they sat around the campfire and told lies. It snowballled from there into a cemetery with criteria that must be met to bury your coon dog (coon dog only) there. The original guy was interviewed in 1985 and and he told a story of a California woman that wrote him and wanted to know why other kinds of dogs couldn't be buried there (silly Californians) . He whipped back that she obviously didn't understand coon hunters and their coon dogs if she thought it acceptable to bury poodles and lap dogs alongside the noble breed that is the coon dog. You can look it up here and possibly correct my recollection of the subject. It was also the inspiration for the coon dog burial scene in the movie "Sweet Home Alabama" one of my wife's favorite movies ! We will be going back to check this place out. http://www.coondogcemetery.com/
We got gas right before entering the Trace off of Hwy 72. The trace is sort of like the Blueridge Parkway in that there are no services , no gas station, etc. No stop signs , residentials or business districts, just unspoiled riding and natural surroundings. The whole trip that day we would ride through intermittent showers of falling leaves. It added a neat affect to the ride. As you might guess, a lot of leaves have already fallen. We immediately crossed the Tennessee River. It is such a massive river.
I would like to have visited but again , we had a pretty ambitious agenda to get to the Trace , follow it to it's Northern End near Nashville and get home in time to bed down for work the next day.
We also went by a couple of signs that read "Coon Dog Cemetery" . I didn't know if this was just the name of the cemetery or if it was an actual cemetery for coon dogs. When I got back home , I remembered to look it up. It is a cemetery for coon dogs! The only one in the world. If I remember correctly from the web page, it was started back in the 1930's with one hunter and his beloved coon dog Troop. He buried him there because that was the hunters camp where they sat around the campfire and told lies. It snowballled from there into a cemetery with criteria that must be met to bury your coon dog (coon dog only) there. The original guy was interviewed in 1985 and and he told a story of a California woman that wrote him and wanted to know why other kinds of dogs couldn't be buried there (silly Californians) . He whipped back that she obviously didn't understand coon hunters and their coon dogs if she thought it acceptable to bury poodles and lap dogs alongside the noble breed that is the coon dog. You can look it up here and possibly correct my recollection of the subject. It was also the inspiration for the coon dog burial scene in the movie "Sweet Home Alabama" one of my wife's favorite movies ! We will be going back to check this place out. http://www.coondogcemetery.com/
We got gas right before entering the Trace off of Hwy 72. The trace is sort of like the Blueridge Parkway in that there are no services , no gas station, etc. No stop signs , residentials or business districts, just unspoiled riding and natural surroundings. The whole trip that day we would ride through intermittent showers of falling leaves. It added a neat affect to the ride. As you might guess, a lot of leaves have already fallen. We immediately crossed the Tennessee River. It is such a massive river.
We rode for a piece then stopped at a visitors center in Collinwood,TN to hopefully get a sticker for our helmets. One of those Main Street , store front towns. I love little towns like this. A lot of them are dying a slow death. The Visitors Center Curator was really a joy to talk to. He told us that the previous month was their highest registered visitors on record (for the leaf watching , I'm sure) . They had almost 2,600 visitors in October. The Center had some antiques and art local to the area including a neat old corn sheller. They offered walnut brownies and chocolate chip cookies with coffee for donation only. It would turn out they did not have stickers but did have a patch that read "I Rode My Motorcycle On The Natchez Trace." That will go on my leather vest someday along with all the other patches I haven't had sewn on yet. Got some free maps too.
We got back on the N.T. and one of the things I noticed was how well groomed the roadside was . Also, how void it was of twisties for the most part. There were a few mild radius sweepers but surprisingly straight. I'm spoiled by the BRP. It is the parkway by which all other parkways are measured as far as I'm concerned. The last 20 miles had some better corners but it pales in comparison to the Blueridge in technical riding and views. The views from the BRP are breathtaking. Don't misunderstand, we did enjoy the N.T. and plan to do the southern portion maybe next year. It will be more involved. The section below where we got on is twice as long, over 300 miles. When we do that, we will allow enough time to see the Alabama Music Hall of Fame and the Coon Dog Cemetery.
There was very little traffic for a sunny 74 degree holiday. Even less bikes than I expected, maybe six in 140 miles of riding the N.T. The first bike I saw was a Vision! It was red, maybe a member here, I don't know. You guys know how rare it is to see another Vision. You'd have thought I spotted a unicorn the way I reacted.
We rode to the end and saw some beautiful nature in the middle of transition. Saw several deer, a rafter of turkeys. Yes, I googled what a group of turkeys was called. I wouldn't have guessed "rafter" in a million years. I'm 47 and just learned that. Anyway, there was at least a dozen.
There was very little traffic for a sunny 74 degree holiday. Even less bikes than I expected, maybe six in 140 miles of riding the N.T. The first bike I saw was a Vision! It was red, maybe a member here, I don't know. You guys know how rare it is to see another Vision. You'd have thought I spotted a unicorn the way I reacted.
We rode to the end and saw some beautiful nature in the middle of transition. Saw several deer, a rafter of turkeys. Yes, I googled what a group of turkeys was called. I wouldn't have guessed "rafter" in a million years. I'm 47 and just learned that. Anyway, there was at least a dozen.
Deer in the 2 pictures above.
We made our way to I-40E followed it to I-440E (slowly at times as it was 5 o'clock traffic) to I-24E where we stopped in Manchester, TN at Emma's , a forgettable experience really. If I have to stop at that particular exit again for food , it will undoubtedly be the Cracker Barrel across the road. I try to support the Mom and Pop's and 99% of the time , I have a good experience and good food, this was the 1 percenter though. You wouldn't know by the 4 Manchester police cars and TN trooper that were there. That's usually a good indicator. It was ,however, the safest place to be in the event of a zombie apocalypse or other supernatural catastrophe. Maybe they get a good civil service discount there.
Then to I-59, stopped again at Rising Fawn for gas then to the house. We got home about 9:30 , plenty of time to get in the bed for work the next day. My Vision tripped over 127,000 on this trip. It ended up being slightly over a 500 mile loop. Thank you Lord for safe travel and beautiful creation!
Then to I-59, stopped again at Rising Fawn for gas then to the house. We got home about 9:30 , plenty of time to get in the bed for work the next day. My Vision tripped over 127,000 on this trip. It ended up being slightly over a 500 mile loop. Thank you Lord for safe travel and beautiful creation!