to Meriwether Lewis Park: Meeting new friends

August 5, 2017

Rachel calls these days “margarita days”, coined from the South American bike trip with a long cycling day into La Paz and the promise of a margarita is what keeps us going. We’ve been cycling now for quite a few days and in need of a restday. Today, we meet a Facebook friend Wendy and her husband Greg in the Meriwether Lewis campground with “margaritas aka wine and beer” and deviled eggs. Yes, strange request from Rachel who has been missing the taste of deviled eggs. Mostly the association of deviled eggs with neighborhood BBQs.

Another early start at first light with the sun rising, we cross the Tennessee River on the John Coffee Memorial Bridge, the longest bridge on the Trace Parkway. The traffic is light except for the early Saturday morning fisherman. Down the road, fourteen kilometers on, we cross the Tennessee-Alabama state line. There are many sections along this stretch of the old Trace. We see two recumbent cyclists coming toward us, and we all stop to chat. They are locals, Richard and Gwen, out for a 50 mile ride. They have Da Brim visors on their helmets and communication sets so they can talk with each other. Not long after leaving them, we see our first loaded cyclist touring, Philip from Canada. He started in Montreal only three weeks ago and wants to first cycle to Central America to go surfing, and then further down, maybe all the way to Ushuaia. Another long chat exchanging route information, and we set off again, a rest day tomorrow is calling us.

At the Glenrock Branch picnic area, we stop for a lunch break and then have only 24 miles to go to the turnoff to Meriwether Lewis Campground. Reaching the campground that is almost a mile from the trace, we are looking for a red truck driven by Wendy and Greg. They live in Chattanooga TN and have driven down here to meet us. When we meet them, we know we have instant friends. They have the camp set up with chairs, offer a cold drink of PowerAde, then beer, and the best surprise and treat of all: a solar outdoor shower! They travel sometimes by motorcycle. Same same as bicycles, but different and they understand what travelers like and need. Towards dinnertime, they take us to the nearby town of Hohenwald and the Junkyard Dog Restaurant for a great steak dinner.

Back at camp we enjoy a campfire and more beer and fabulous deviled eggs. All through the evening, great conversation!