Natchez Trace Adventure as published in Ageless Magazine

What a ride!  One man’s biking journey Along Natchez Trace Parkway National Park April 2010I’m Frank Briscoe a 63 year old and this is about my recent bicycle adventure on the Natchez Trace.

As most can relate, life is full of opportunities, challenges and transitions.  My story is a consolidation of all of these.

Transportation!  Unlike generations before us, our generation has the opportunity to choose from many modes of transportation.  Our choice depends largely on our means, a timeline, weather, health, and our motivation and determination.

I’ve have had cars and motorcycles which have allowed me to visit every one of our great United States.  I’ve flown internationally to beautiful countries.  These are all opportunities my parents and grandparents did not have.  I discovered, what others before have is on a bicycle you get up close and personal with your surroundings allowing the opportunity to see and feel the world around you.  While it takes a little longer, the benefits are amazing.  In addition to the obvious health benefits, it offers so much more.  Its nature’s anti-depressant.  It’s a visual experience beyond words.  It has been a gift for me to discover.

In this summary of my journey I’ll share a brief history of the Trace with you to wet your appetite to go on your own adventure.  If you would like to read my entire journal, you may contact me at mofrank@frankscenterinc.com and I’ll be glad to email it to you.  The journal is quite comprehensive, should you decide you would like to read it you will feel what I felt, see what I saw, and think what I was thinking.  Of course, you will not be able to meet the wonderful friends I met along the way.  You will actually have to ride the Trace for yourself to do that!  The Trace was a 450 mile journey filled with opportunities, challenges, transitions and self discovery.

Brief History of the Trace:
At first buffalo migrated along a north south corridor from what eventually would become Nashville, TN in the North and Natchez, MS in the South.  Approximately 1,500 years ago Native American Indians began following the buffalo and a trail was born.  In the late 1700s traders began following the trail north after having floated down the Mississippi River on rafts carrying various goods such as furs, tobacco, crops and what have you.  The Mississippi’s current was too strong for these early traders to float their rafts back up river, so they would disassemble their rafts and sell off the timber.  Then they would either walk or purchase a horse and make their way back up river to Nashville via this Indian trail which became known as the Natchez Trace.  Many of these traders were from the Ohio and Tennessee River valley and were referred to as “Kaintucks”, a hardy breed of men that braved traveling the Trace.  Andrew Jackson once remarked “Kaintucks” had three common attributes; they carried a rifle, plug of tobacco and a jug of good whiskey.  Needed attributes as a description of traveling up the Trace is as follows:  This early interstate road building venture produced a snake-infested, mosquito-beset, robber-haunted, and Indian –traveled forest path.  Lamented by the pious, cussed by the impious, it tried everyone’s strength and patience.  Two infamous robbers on the Trace would use a hatchet to hack off the head of their victim to take what few belongings the poor soul had on him.

Given the above details of the hazardous journey up the Trace it’s hard to believe anyone other than the “Kaintucks” would be foolish enough to make the trip.  Especially considering the average amount of money from selling whatever including the raft they floated down river on would net them about $40.00.  The arduous trek back up the Trace would take 5-6 weeks and generally the individual would arrive back in the Nashville area without any of the money he started with in Natchez.  I sure know I’d be carrying a rifle and downing some whiskey to soothe my nerves, too.

In 1800 President Thomas Jefferson authorized the Trace to become America’s first National Highway to the far Southwest.  Yep, back then our Country’s furthest southwest boundary was Natchez.  The Spanish claimed ownership of the rest of North America to the west and up to Canada.  To build this “Highway”, special permission and treaties were signed with the Choctaw and Chickasaw Indian nations who lived on the land the Trace passed thru.  This narrow corridor allowed for safe passage of folks from these Indian tribes.  Widening and clearing of the trail,  was all that was done to build a “Highway” back in those days. 

Cabin I stayed at French Camp was built over 150 years ago

 Also, Stands “Inns” were built every 10-12 miles for folks traveling the Trace to overnight safely.

Once Steamboats came into being in the late 1830s-40s folks could travel much safer up river by this means and the importance of the Trace fell off dramatically.  In 1905 a fellow wrote an article about the Trace, some gals with the Daughters of the American Revolution liked what he wrote and adopted the Trace as their “Official” project.  Their goal, get the Trace made into a National Park which was accomplished and authorized by Congress in 1935.  Finally, in 2005 the actual dedication and completion of the Natchez Trace took place.  The Park Service initiated this 450 mile park long Parkway for non-commercial use and designated it as a Bicycle Route.  Since then, many bicyclists have ridden the Trace.  The Trace has been written up in one Bicycle Publication as “one of the 10 Top Places to ride a bicycle in North America”.

Now that you have a snapshot history of the Trace   I’ll share with you my motivation to ride the Trace.  I first read an article about the Trace in a one of the bicycle publications I read.  It was in a story about the Ten Best places to ride a bicycle in North America.  The Trace was the closest of the 10 to my home in Nevada, Missouri.  I knew I’d have to ride it.  I learned the Trace starts relatively flat in the South and becomes increasingly hilly as one travels North toward Nashville so this would be a good chance for me to see what it’s like to do both self-contained and credit card type touring on a bicycle combined in one adventure.

My ultimate goal is to celebrate my 65^th Birthday by riding across America which will be the summer of 2011.  I’m hoping to start in the Anacortes up in Northwest Washington State and finish in Key West, Florida, going Corner to Corner across America.  To do that I will have to decide which method of bicycle travel best suits me as I’ll be riding in excess of 4,600 miles.

It may be a corny cliché but so appropriate for this ride, “It’s the journey not the destination”.  Reading the highlights of The Trace gives you an indication of the rich history of The Trace.  If you ride a bicycle, I suggest you limit yourself to about 50 miles a day to fully enjoy the historic landmarks and points of interest.  Any distance further becomes more of a challenge than enjoyable.  Believe me, as I had a couple days in excess of 70 miles and by days end my butt was dragging.  The landmarks gave me an informative biking timeout!  Most incredibly, the views are breath-taking!  April was a marvelous time to take this journey.  The wildflowers were in full bloom.  I can only imagine how beautiful a show the fall colors would present!  I would do it again in a heartbeat and would recommend any mode of transportation through the spectacular Natchez Trace Parkway National Park.   As an extra bonus, many Civil War battlefields such as Vicksburg and Shiloh memorials are within easy driving distance of the Trace, for those who choose to travel in a motorized vehicle. 

Every traveling mode requires smart packing as well as a safe, well inspected and maintained vehicle.  With bicycling, it’s easy to pack, maintain and inspect.  Minimize, minimize, minimize.  While I have panniers (saddle bags) to pack my absolute essentials, weight is a huge consideration.  For this trip, I packed two sets of bike wear, one set of street clothes, one pair of shoes in addition to my riding shoes, a helmet, gloves, sun glasses, a pair of shorts and t-shirt for nightwear, minor bike repair tools, and some snacks.  It seems like a lot of weight but I actually wore most of it!  I didn’t make any fashion statements along the way but that’s all I needed for a week on the road.  That’s my life as a self-contained bicyclist!  For that, I experienced nature, history, views beyond belief and overnight stays at quaint Bed and Breakfasts and historic homes.  Awesome!!

While I will always have my journal as a point of reflection, there are certain experiences I recall without the need to refer to my journal.  One of my favorites is staying at a Bed and Breakfast at the home of Tom and Jeanne.  From the instant I met them, they felt like family.  Tom is a bicyclist and has made several tours including one across America.  He shared his experiences which not only motivated me but inspired me as well.  I felt he could read my mind and understand my deepest thoughts about my journey.   Tom was driving me back to the Trace and I mentioned to him about a saddle soar I had and how painful it was getting to ride and hoped I’d be able to tough out this hardest and longest day.  Tom said, “I have to tell you a story about my trip across America.  I was 42 yrs old, I’m 69 now, we hadn’t been on the road a week when I just fell apart mentally.  Literally I pulled over to the side of the road, climbed off my bike, sat down and began crying like a baby.  I had several saddle sores and every part of my body ached.  I was sitting there crying and thinking to myself why in the hell did I ever think I could ride clear across America.  I was mentally and physically beat and ready to quit.

 A 70 year old lady, who was also on the tour came along, stopped her bike, got off and came over and put her arms around me and asked what was wrong.  I told her how I felt.  She then took my chin in her hand and said, “Here’s what you are going to do. The next town we come to you’re going to call home to your wife, (didn’t have cell phones back in those days), tell your wife how bad you feel, cry on her shoulder thru the phone.  Then you are going to ask her to mail you a care package with some of your favorite treats to one of our overnight towns 4 or 5 days from now.  Then she stood up, looked into my eyes and said, “Now you’re going to get up off your ass and get on that bike and ride”.  Good story, I got the message.  Thanks for the pep talk.  While Jeanne was in a word, perfect.  Her heart was as wonderful as the homemade everything she prepared.  I would pay a king’s ransom right now for just one of her banana nut muffins!  Their kindness and thoughtfulness was more than I ever expected.  Such great people! 

 Once I reached home, I could only describe my emotions as “WOW”.  That journey was a rare and precious gift.  I gained confidence in my bicycling ability, met fascinating people, experienced all kinds of weather and a lifestyle that has motivated me to go forward with my planned corner to corner crossing of America.  Look for me next summer!  I could very well be riding through your town!

Would you like to ride The Trace?

 Contact:  US Dept. of Interior
                  National Park Service
                  Natchez Trace Parkway
                  2680 Natchez Trace Parkway
                  Tupelo, MS 38804
                  Phone: 800-305-7417 or 662-680-4027

 Lodging Service on the Trace:
       Natchez Trace Bed & Breakfast Reservation Service
       Attn: Randy Fought – Owner
       PO BOX 829
       Madison, TN 37116
       Phone: 800.377.2770 in the USA
       or Outside the USA Phone: 615.522.4865 Outside USA
       http://www.NatchezTraceTravel.com
       Email: info@natcheztracetravel.com

Natchez Trace Entrance Nashville

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