Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Fifty Plus (50+)
Reload this Page >

Advice Needed for Natchez Trace Riding

Notices
Fifty Plus (50+) Share the victories, challenges, successes and special concerns of bicyclists 50 and older. Especially useful for those entering or reentering bicycling.

Advice Needed for Natchez Trace Riding

Old 01-12-20, 06:24 PM
  #1  
jppe
Let's do a Century
Thread Starter
 
jppe's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 8,316

Bikes: Cervelo R3 Disc, Pinarello Prince/Campy SR; Cervelo R3/Sram Red; Trek 5900/Duraace, Lynskey GR260 Ultegra

Mentioned: 59 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 651 Post(s)
Liked 879 Times in 408 Posts
Advice Needed for Natchez Trace Riding

I’m lining up my “tours” for 2020 and I’ve had Natchez Trace on my list for a while. My super sag wife and I’ve talked about it and she’s game for giving it a go this spring!! Woo hoo!! Having her drive really helps with the logistics, plus she’s extremely experienced sagging for us on the Blue Ridge Parkway and my cross country ride. She’s a little rusty since it’s been a few years but I’m hoping she can pick it up again pretty quickly!!

We are thinking about riding it the last week in April. Except for the unexpected possibility of severe weather, would the temperatures be okay for that time of the year?

We live about a day’s drive from Nashville so the plan would be to drive over and start riding the next day. What are folks thoughts about riding North to South vs the other direction?

It looks like the total distance is 440 miles. I haven’t looked at the elevation profile but my guess is it’s not too hilly? Is that a correct assumption? My typical ride around the house for 100 miles is about 4000’ of hills. I’m thinking Natchez should be less than that.

With it being 440 miles and assuming it’s not too hilly, I’d like to see if I could ride it over 4 days averaging about 110 miles a day. Is that schedule too aggressive?? I guess I could add a day and shorten it to about 85-90 a day if needed. 85-90 miles is what I averaged on my XC ride but I was probably in a little better shape and a few years younger. I did do 6-100+ milers in a row on that trip though.

For those in the area or have ridden it, did you find tourist spots, restaurants or B&Bs you’d highly recommend?

We have the option to camp but initially I’m thinking we’ll do lodging of some sort along the way. It just removes the element for in climate weather and saves time setting up stuff and packing back up.

Now to figure out which bike to ride!

Any thoughts and input from the 50+ folks would be appreciated.
__________________
Ride your Ride!!
jppe is offline  
Old 01-12-20, 06:58 PM
  #2  
DeadGrandpa
Senior Member
 
DeadGrandpa's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Carolina
Posts: 1,210

Bikes: Too many, yet not enough.

Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 491 Post(s)
Liked 307 Times in 198 Posts
I rode the Trace in early November 2014 from North to South, 9 days of pedaling over 12 days. I was 62 at the time, and rode/ camped with Pierre from Montreal, whom I met at the first water stop south of Nashville. He was 31. We rode 30-75 miles per day, and that was plenty for us, hauling our own luggage, camping gear, etc. Dude, slow down and look at the scenery. If it's raining, pull into a KOA or B&B after 30 miles and rest. Btw, it's relatively more hilly in Tennessee than in Mississippi. Also, prevailing winds are generally from the southwest, which is why.....I'm planning to go south to north in late April with my fiancee, inaugurating our first unsupported tour, and hope to make 50-60 miles each day (unless we need 75 miles to get to the B&B and a rest day). Fully supported touring is a fine vacation, but if you want the thrill of being totally self reliant, rent a car to your starting point, and again at the other end. If your wife doesn't pedal, give her the week off. 100 miles per day sounds like nothing but work, er, I mean pedaling. Which is fine, because I love pedaling, but there are things to stop and see along the way.
DeadGrandpa is offline  
Likes For DeadGrandpa:
Old 01-12-20, 08:19 PM
  #3  
shelbyfv
Expired Member
 
shelbyfv's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: TN
Posts: 11,461
Mentioned: 37 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3638 Post(s)
Liked 5,317 Times in 2,702 Posts
North to South, the first 100 miles are 6400 feet. The next hundred is only 4000 feet. IMO, the northern 100 miles are the most scenic.
shelbyfv is offline  
Likes For shelbyfv:
Old 01-13-20, 01:58 AM
  #4  
bpcyclist
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Portland
Posts: 1,115
Mentioned: 10 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 451 Post(s)
Liked 364 Times in 227 Posts
Not sure if you have spent any time in that part of the south, but the other argument for slowing down a bit is that there is a fair bit of history and scenery to look at along the way. NC is one of two states I've not been to, so cannot comment, but the parts of TN you will be traversing are really quite beautiful. Maybe relax the sched a bit and live a little. Just my take.

The other obvious massive potential issue in that part of the world in the spring is of course--weather. Again, not experienced NC, but where you will be riding, the weather in those months can be literally cataclysmic. Absolutely psychotic, torrential, end-of-the-world thunderstorms and ightning. Tornadoes. Rode two out in Nashville. Not fun. It can be sooooo bad. You must have a plan for getting out of the weather and quickly, if need be. Do you have radar on your computer or phone? What's the plan if a bad cell moves your way suddenly?

I did my surgical residency at Vanderbilt and ran marathons while I lived in NashVegas. I got caught in a bad T-storm in Percy Warner Park one Sunday. I stupidly hadn't checked the weather. Moron. I had nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. Lightning everywhere. I thought it was The End, but alas, it was not my time.

So, I guess, what I am saying is, do all your usual bike prep stuff, but also, think like a commercial pilot. Weather, weather, weather. Oh--and have an awesome time!!
bpcyclist is offline  
Old 01-13-20, 11:09 AM
  #5  
pdlamb
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: northern Deep South
Posts: 8,847

Bikes: Fuji Touring, Novara Randonee

Mentioned: 36 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2578 Post(s)
Liked 1,901 Times in 1,193 Posts
April is absolutely prime time for severe weather, but that usually only takes half a day to blow through. My advice, therefore, is to go ride and leave yourself an extra day or two to hole up in bad weather. And check the weather forecast before you head out in the morning; the forecasters will always highlight bad weather ahead of time (usually they'll predict the end of the world 12-24 hours before it actually arrives).

April is prime weather for riding, except for when it's not. You can expect light breezes, comfortable cycling, trees budding out and azaleas to start blooming the end of the month.

Direction? There's 100 miles of 6% grades on the north end of the Trace. I'd plan on riding north, myself, and plan two days for the Tennessee portion. You'll get used to the longer daily rides before you cross the Tennessee River (in Alabama, naturally), and be ready for the hills. The day you're feeling really strong will probably be the day bad weather's coming in the afternoon, as storm fronts are preceded by S winds shifting to SW and W before the squall line arrives. Then you'll have 24 hours of strong N winds.

I don't know about the southern portion of the Trace, but services are sparse on the north end. Florence and Muscle Shoals are about 10 miles off the Trace, and that's the end of nearby services until you get to Nashville. You (or your wife) will be using some web searching talents to find restaurants and B&Bs near the Trace in Tennessee; it's often 30 miles to a small town.
pdlamb is offline  
Likes For pdlamb:
Old 01-13-20, 04:46 PM
  #6  
berner
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Bristol, R. I.
Posts: 4,340

Bikes: Specialized Secteur, old Peugeot

Mentioned: 20 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 663 Post(s)
Liked 496 Times in 299 Posts
The Mississippi section will be quite flat, especially at the Mississippi end and you may find it somewhat boring. I would pass on the attitude of the people who live there as pointed out to me by a local poet. That is that "the very flatness promoted the ability to discern that which lies above or below the mean". In other words, the deep South is more subtle than most of us are used to. So take your time.
berner is offline  
Likes For berner:
Old 01-14-20, 10:55 AM
  #7  
zweitesmal2
Newbie
 
Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 62
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 30 Post(s)
Liked 19 Times in 13 Posts
I've ridden it twice, south to north in '16 in 7 days and north to south last summer in 4. You can do it in 4 but you won't be spending more than a few minutes at any of the 100+ cool sites along the way. I took longer on my first time because there was so much to see; the second run was me going home from a 3 month tour and I was in a hurry. Both times were loaded solo rides. Using Google maps "supermarkets/motels near me" will show you how close all the services are to the Trace, and there are plenty, often within 1 or 2 miles. I'd spend a few extra days so your wife can have some fun too, like Elvis' birthplace in Tupelo or the recording studios in Muscle Shoals. I recommend rolling through Port Gibson and the Windsor plantation ruins just south of there. Hills aren't terribly bad on the Trace; I never dropped out of my big ring this last NtoS ride. I also enjoy big mile days and either way you'll have a good time. Returning to the Trace after a side ride into town is always a joy, as the peaceful surroundings feel like you've left society behind. I don't recommend camping at Rocky Springs Campground as it is the last part of the Trace that has not recently been remodeled and it's in rough shape. Good luck!
zweitesmal2 is offline  
Likes For zweitesmal2:
Old 01-19-20, 05:25 PM
  #8  
smudgy
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: southern Illinois
Posts: 79

Bikes: Miyata 1000, Trek 520, Surly Troll, Surly Cross Check

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 24 Post(s)
Liked 76 Times in 34 Posts
I've ridden the Natchez Trace Parkway in mid-March for spring break. I started in Nashville and headed south. It was cold and cloudy and by day 2 it was about 40 F and raining, some of the worst touring weather I've experienced. It was snowing and freezing rain just north. It was my only week for spring break so I just dressed as warm as I could and rode. I was staying in hotels, so as long as I had a hot shower and warm bed at night I was OK. By the middle and end of the week as I got south it was 60 F and sunny and felt great. I met other bikers along the way that were camping every night. I remember thinking, they are really stupid or really hard core. Bottom line is, its totally doable, just keep an eye on the weather, dress right and be flexible. Plus if you have sag support, you can just bail out any time if things get real bad. I think the NTP is more bike friendly that the Blue Ridge. Just as much seclusion, fewer hills and you don't have to go as far off the Parkway to finds services. Be careful around Jackson and Tupelo during rush hour and on the weekends, more cars. But most of the time you forget its not a bike trail because cars are so few and far between. Enjoy!
smudgy is offline  
Likes For smudgy:
Old 01-20-20, 10:15 AM
  #9  
TiHabanero
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 4,435
Mentioned: 15 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1726 Post(s)
Liked 1,350 Times in 705 Posts
Rode the 'Trace' in 1977, north to south and had perfect weather, zero wind, and one of the most memorable tours I have been on, mostly due to the beer cans chucked at us 'long hairs' from moving vehicles. lol. It really is a wonderful route to ride, and back then it was exceptionally lightly traveled by motor vehicles.
TiHabanero is offline  
Old 01-24-20, 12:29 AM
  #10  
downtube42
Senior Member
 
downtube42's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 3,804

Bikes: Trek Domane SL6 Gen 3, Soma Fog Cutter, Focus Mares AL, Detroit Bikes Sparrow FG, Volae Team, Nimbus MUni

Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 878 Post(s)
Liked 2,019 Times in 1,055 Posts
I rode it North to South to North in 2014. Definitely hillier on the north end. They tend to be longish grades, not so steep. There are mile markers most or all of the way. In the hilly bits, I decided the uphill miles were long and the downhill miles were short - that was a pretty successful mind game.

One memorable moment was around dusk on the return. I was following another cyclist by 1/8 mile or so, just enough I could make him out in the fading light. I saw a coyote trot out into the road behind him, stop, lift his nose and sniff the air. When it heard me coming, it trotted away. I wonder what fresh randonneur smells like to a coyote. Makes me wonder what's going on behind me.

Trace miles are about the most stress-free road miles I've ever ridden. I think I clipped in at the start, turned on to the trace, and didn't make a turn or unclip a pedal until I needed water 60 miles later. No navigation, no thinking, the miles just tick by.

I can't help too much on hotels. I'm sure you know the Trace is a limited access road with little services. Small towns are generally just a bit off the trace.

I recall there are two segments with traffic to be concerned about - Jackson, MS is one, and frankly I forgot the other. Fortunately the traffic is concentrated at rush hour, so you might get lucky with your timing. If not, I strongly suggest pulling off somewhere and waiting a couple hours.

I found it delightful, and would like to ride it again. This time I'd stop and see some of the history, rather than riding it randonneuring style.
downtube42 is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.