Natchez Trace Day One & Day Two

 Thursday October 21st

Our ride started with a visit to the famous Lovelace Café.  There was a festival going on, so we opted for take out.  We took our eggs, grits, fried chicken, country ham and homemade jams to our starting point, about 7 miles from the northern terminus of the Trace.  There were no picnic tables, so Philip set up a folding table and chairs.





After our filling breakfast we started our ride at milepost 437 about 11:30am.  Philip drove ahead and we stopped every 10-15 miles for snacks, lunch and water refills.  The terrain is hilly and we crossed the Tennessee Divide.  Rain at the top goes to the Duck and Tennessee River on one side and to the Cumberland River on the other.  It is a north/south divide.  This point was known as the beginning of the wilderness as it was the boundary of the Chickasaw Nation.


About 29 miles into the ride, Ellen switched to the electric Aventon.  Ann was on an electric bike the who way and Tom and Bennie were on road bikes.  We had a beautiful day to ride.  Philip tuned up Ann’s bike after the first ten miles and provided a lovely lunch at our half way point.


We finished 52 miles right at sunset.  The first day ended at the grave of Meriweather Lewis, the famous explorer of the west.  We will start there in the morning.  Philip drove us the Farmhouse Sanctuary, another lovely retreat.  Conrad and Ute Pitt have a working farm which we will tour tomorrow.

In addition to lovely rooms they provide meals.  Supper was homemade pizza and salad.  Dessert, also homemade, was flan and pound cake.  We all had to try both.  Everything was delicious.  We enjoyed visiting with Ute and Conrad before hitting the showers and bed.




Day 1 - 51.8 Miles +3,706 Ft -3,666 Ft



Friday -  October 22nd

Meriweather Lewis to Farm House Sanctuary/Alabama State Line

After a hearty breakfast of eggs avocado, sourdough bread and fruit salad prepared by Conrad, Ute took us on the "Cow Safari".  We had a tour of the farm, wood working shop and honey filtration room.  Conrad and Ute have rescued donkeys, mustangs, longhorn cows, sheep, goat and dogs.  We drove through the fields to feed them treats.  All of the wood furnishings in the guest house were made in the shop by Barry, a gifted artisan.  John Daniel would have enjoyed this tour of the woodworking shop.

Following our tour we headed back to the site of Meriweather Lewis' grave.  He died on the Trace under mysterious circumstances and was buried there.  It is a sad end to a life of a great explorer.

We had a beautiful day to ride.  Cooler than the first day and with a few hills.  We stopped for lunch at Collingswood and the Wayne County Visitor Center.  It is one of the few town located right on the Trace.

At the end of the day we crossed the Tennessee - Alabama State line.  The Farmhouse Sanctuary is just a few miles off the Trace.  We had time to clean up and have a cocktail before dinner.  Philip had obtained a beef filet from Shaffers, a local farm that raises cattle and then butchers the meat.  Conrad prepared the steak, mashed potatoes, asparagus, salt sticks and salad.  Delicious!

After dinner we played a few rounds of Rummikub before bed.
Day 2 - 46 Miles +1,769 Ft -2,074 Ft --- Cumulative 97.8 Miles +5,475 Ft - 5,740 Ft





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