August 4, 2017
to Colbert Ferry Park: Into Alabama to the Tennessee River
Today is only a short day to set us up for a longer day ride to Meriwether Lewis Camp, our final campsite on the Natchez Trace. The park map does not show any campgrounds between Colbert Crossing and Meriwether Lewis, and although there might be commercial campground somewhere in between we want to use one of the bike-only campsites on the Trace. We also discovered that most, if not all, of the rest areas marked with a handicap accessible restroom has water and typically a nice picnic area that would make a great overnight stop. We doubt any ranger would hassle you for camping even though officially it is not allowed, at least not in the low tourist season.
We planned to sleep in, maybe read for a while and then make the leisurely ride, but our biological clocks wake us up early, we have breakfast and get going. Another beautiful ride down the Trace. The scenery does not change much, but the endless forests and light playing between the trees is very nice to cycle though. Plus there is very little traffic so it is quiet, something we very much appreciate after Central America. Today we see lots of wild turkeys. Again we are thinking of home and Thanksgiving dinner.
We find the camp area at Colbert Crossing, just two picnic tables, a fire ring and shade in the forest. The water bladder and bottles are filled from the restrooms nearby; we have lunch and relax the afternoon away. The bugs are bad though, mostly flies during the day with mosquitoes coming out in the evening. We burn a campfire all afternoon and the smoke helps a little. It’s an early dinner and in the tent before six to escape the mosquitoes. Fortunately it is not very hot and with the fan overhead, we read until it gets dark.
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Today's ride: 44 km (27 miles)
Total: 36,635 km (22,750 miles)
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