Natchez Trace Road Bike Tour

April 9-11, 2010

The Natchez Trace Parkway started as an important wilderness road in the early 18th century allowing traders to travel from southern Mississippi to middle Tennessee.  Today, it is a paved track through some of the south’s finest woodlands.  The Trace is one of the premier road bike routes surrounded by grassy meadows, wild flowers, farmland, and blooming trees.  Ready to ride?

The beauty of this trip is that you will be able to travel light.  There will be support vehicles along the way to transport your gear for the three-day adventure and allow you to customize your expedition.  You can post as many or as few mile as you want each day.

We will explore the history and beauty of the parkway during the day and set up a primitive camp each night.  Along the way, we will discuss the benefit of light travel in other areas of our lives.  In three days you will have discovered over 150-miles of this primitive trail and possibly find the path of least resistance for your life.

This tour is open to the first 15 men that sign-up and make their $75 deposit.  Register online or print the registration and mail it in.

April 9th, Friday:

We will load up and depart from Cove Church at 12:00 noon on Friday and drive to our launch point at the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway near the Mississippi/Alabama state line.  From there you have the option to cycle as much as 37 miles to the Colbert Ferry Campground.  Your camping gear will be waiting for you and a full dinner will be on the grill.

April 10th, Saturday:

After a full, hearty breakfast and morning briefing, we will break camp and hit the pavement.  This will be our biggest day by far - about 75 miles!  Remember of course you can do as much or as little as you want - opting to be shuttled from one section to another.  This is also a big day in terms of discovery.  There is a lot of history to see on the stretch of the Trace: the Meriwether Lewis Monument, Devil’s Backbone Natural Area, several overlooks, numerous creeks, and two rivers.  We will finish our day camped on a small creek named Fattybread Branch near the Duck River.

April 11th, Sunday:

For our final day we continue north for another 35 miles to the northern terminus of the Natchez Trace.  We will cross over the Tennessee Divide and the very cool, double arched Birdsong Hollow Bridge.  After loading up, we will hit the showers and then sit down to a feast at Jonathan’s Grille in Franklin.  The ride home will have us back in Huntsville around 9:00 PM.

The average daytime highs are 80 degrees , with evening temperatures dropping to an average low of around 60 degrees.  Thunderstorms are a possibility at any time in the mountains making adequate rain gear important.  This is a rain or shine trip.  Be prepared!

Cost $275/person includes~

· Van transportation - passengers/gear

· Guided and supported 150 mile cycle tour

· Food and drinks for the trip

· Post-Ride Showers

· All-you-can-eat dinner Sunday

Submit your $75 deposit to hold your spot!