Natchez Trace – Napier, TN to Columbia, TN - Saturday, June 29, 2013

            Last night the night sky was brilliant.  Buffalo River B & B is out in the country (3 miles off the Trace) and there are no lights in the area at night – it was dark, so the sky just sparkled with stars.  Later the moon shone so clear and bright.

            We awoke this morning to the smell of a wonderful southern breakfast.  A “bikers” breakfast was being prepared for us and three other guests. Until breakfast was ready, Cal and I sat outside on the porch watching birds – saw a pair of beautiful eastern bluebirds, and drinking coffee.  The cattle strolled by, saying good morning on their way to the river.  It was a beautiful cool morning-69

We spent more time over breakfast than we normally do, but it was worth enjoying the food and company.  On the Trace we had to drive back almost 10 miles to begin where Cal left off yesterday.  It was 9:00 before he began riding, but the weather was beautiful. 

Today we went by the Meriwether Lewis historic site.  There is a replica of a cabin in which he lived and his grave site (died 1809).  Mr. Lewis was part of the Lewis & Clark adventures.   If you know anything about Mr. Lewis, there is still a mystery as to whether he was murdered or committed suicide at this site. 



Grave Site

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today I hiked to several nature sites (15 min walks).  One was a lovely water falls (see photos), another was a phosphorus mine.  Along the Trace they have preserved a tobacco barn, have planted a field of tobacco nearby, and there is some drying in the barn (see the series of photos). 

Tobacco Barn

Tobacco Field

Tobacco Drying in the Barn

Another Tobacco Barn

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also there is an area of the Old Trace on which you can drive (see photos).  Plus I saw a flock of wild turkeys in search of food in a field by the road. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The terrain is becoming very hilly, and Cal is noticing each hill on his bike!  At the top of the ridges there are some lovely views.  We keep saying “what goes up must come down, what comes down must go up”!  As soon as Cal rides down a hill, surely within in a short distance there is another hill to climb up!  It goes on and on, mile after mile.

We have one more day on the Natchez Trace.  So far Cal has ridden 415 miles on the Trace (total 444), and a total of 690 miles from the Gulf of Mexico!  Today was the beginning of week 3.  Tomorrow, weather permitting, we should finish the Trace.  

Wild Turkeys