Day 3: Natchez Trace Self Contained Ride

Morning opened with the sounds of pickup trucks with boat trailers in tow arriving for an early fishing day start. I had breakfast, packed and was on the road by 8:15am.

Kosciusko, 36 miles down the road, was my planned lunch stop. Historic stops included Choctaw Boundary, Robinson Road, Red Dog Road and Myrick Creek.
I meet my first fellow Trace rider, Ursula, this day. Ursula, a 30-something southbound rider, was riding what can best be described as a “Wal-Mart” blue-light special bicycle. Her front-mounted wire basket was more suited for a beach-front day rider than a long distance cyclist. Ursula was on an adventure from her home in Michigan to Santa Fe. She related how she had previously done a solo ride in 2001 from Michigan to San Francisco... a testament to her determination and pluck. We chatted and then parted ways.

Around mile 150, I encountered road crews repaving and patching the Trace. Most the Trace road surface is smooth and easy riding. But it was clear from this section with its as yet un-repaired roadway, how damaged the road surface had become. I was thankful that the Trace was under such concerned stewardship.

From mile 160 to 192, the silky smooth road surface changed to a chip and tar surface. The surface was not a bone jarring shake-and -bake, nor was it terribly rough, but the smooth tire humming I had come to enjoy was gone. The weather was also overcast and threatening. Thankfully, blue skies returned by mid afternoon.

Mile 160: I stopped at the Kosciusko Visitor Center just off the Trace and picked up a local map. The volunteers at the visitor center were very gracious and pointed out that a nearby Wal-Mart would be a convenient re-supply stop for food bars and fruit. I had lunch at a Subway near the Wal-Mart. I felt "spent" at this lunch stop. I had not been pushing hard and the terrain was relatively easy riding. I suspected I was not putting enough "fuel" into myself at breakfast and made a note to increase my morning food intake.

During my trip planning, I continually searched to find the balance between carrying food/supplies and frequently re-supplying along the Trace. Services directly on the Trace do not exist. Wanner’s guidebook was an excellent resource for locating services such as restaurants, stores, water, bike shops or lodging off the Trace. A packet of information provided by the National Park Service also contained good reference material. Just call 800-305-7417 and indicate you plan to cycle the Trace and the NPS will mail you information.

My final plan included carrying a week’s supply of instant coffee and oatmeal for breakfast. Lunch was planned as a stop in a small town restaurant. I carried a two day dinner supply of dried, instant noodles, foil packets of chicken or tuna. I reasoned that if something went wrong with planned stops, my two-day supply of dinners would become lunch and dinner fare. Each night I prepared dinner with my Whisper Lite stove.

For water, I carried two bike-mounted water bottles and two one-liter soda bottles on my BOB that I fully or partially replenished depending on anticipated access to water. Several years prior to this trip I rode a solo one day century on the Trace in August. Big mistake! Thirty-five miles into my 50 miles out/50 miles back ride, I realized I had far too little water for the blistering heat in which I was riding. But the only water to be found was 15 miles further down the road in Tishomingo State Park. This trip, with Wanner’s book and the National Park Service information, I had very good intelligence on where to find water along the Trace. During day rest stops I added apples, oranges and food bars found during shopping trips off the Trace.

After lunch at Subway, I was back on the Trace. The environment along the Trace was changing from Spanish moss-draped trees to pines and hardwoods. Historic stops include Hurricane Creek, Cole Creek and Bethel Mission which told and re-told how traffic along the Trace ebbed and flow with the fortune of one town becoming the misfortune of others.

Mile 180: French Camp, just north of the Trace historic marker, is a complex of restored buildings housing a gift shop and the Council House restaurant. After a nice rest and walk about at French Camp, I pushed the final few miles to the National Park Service campground of Jeff Busby. When heading north, be prepared for a long climb starting at mile 189 and a nice downhill at mile 190.

Mile 193: The three National Park Service campgrounds are free and very well maintained. As the literature from the NPS indicated, the service station/store at Jeff Busby was closed as of October 2011. But water was available from the comfort station. Showers, however, are NOT available at any of NPS campgrounds. Nor did I ever find, despite continuous efforts, a place to plug in my mobile phone for recharging. These are two improvements I hope will be made to facilities in the future.

After setting up camp I took a stroll up to the mountain top outlook. There is a small display center and a wonderful view. The fall foliage was a wonderful display of color. It was a very pleasant way to end another wonderful day of cycling.

I typically look for a campsite near the comfort station and off the campground perimeter. I am also keen to take note if a nearby RV has an external gas power generator set up. The NPS campgrounds do not have hookups, so many RV owners run a generator at night. It’s lights out and quiet by 10:00pm, but it is a comfort to have dinner without a humming generator filling the dinner hour.

Dinner was Ramen noodles, tuna, fruit and a cookie left over from my Subway stop.
Total mileage: 75 / average 13.2 mph