Cycling with Annette and Alice

Annette with Bucket.
By BrianC
October 5 2002

You've all been bullied by the bucket shakers, been cajolled into helping. Now it's time for Dublinannette and Alice, the World Wide Wig, to earn their keep.

Over the next week, on The Craic we'll be following Annette and Alice as they cycle the Natchez Trace, from Nashville to Natchez.

The Natchez Trace Parkway follows an historic route several centuries old for 450 miles through Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi, used by Indian hunters, Mississippi boatmen, pioneer settlers and soldiers. As they pedal south, they will be passing through three diverse habitats.

Between Nashville and Tupelo they cycle through the largest forest zone of the US which indudes maple, oak, beech.

South of Tupelo the woods are pine and hardwood forest and between Jackson and Natchez the subtropical climate provides magnolia, oaks and Spanish moss which hangs from tree branches.

This is a ride steeped in history and they will be cycling through along a pathway of many a traveller's tale.

For an update of the weather conditions at any time click HERE

5th October - Franklin to Colombia: 55 Miles

The girls start their cycle ride along a quiet road through the Village of Franklin to the Natchez Trace Parkway at the Double Arch Bridge, a $14 million engineering marvel (At least that what it says in the gumpf). The Trace is a slow ascent over 3 miles, passing a small community called Leipers Fork, where today many country-music stars live. They cycle for 27 miles along the parkway which is undulating then leave the Trace and head to Columbia along a quiet 16 mile road with some gently rolling hills. Overnight stay is in a motel situated at the northern side of Colombia.

6th October - Colombia to Florence: 96 Miles

Annette and Alice cycle back to the Trace to pick up their route which today takes them through majestic forest. The next 20 miles have some. tough hills, as they cycle through the Appalachian foothills. Late morning they will encounter a downhilll of 300 feet in one mile, probably the fastest descent on the Trace. Hereafter the road becomes flatter with some farmland and pastures till we reach the Alabama State line. Just before reaching the State line we turn off to head for Florence in In Alabama where they rest overnight after an exhilarating days ride. (I think this means that Annette will be going for the vaseline at this stage.)

7th October - Florence to Tupelo: 100 miles

They begin today's cycle along a quiet country road of 16 miles back on track to the Trace just before it crosses the Tennessee river, here there is the 1 mile long bridge. The river has been dammed here and has become the Pickwick Lake. As the girls cross the State line into Mississippi, the countryside becomes more agricultural and waterways, creeks, swamps and wetlands become regular sights. They pass the State park of Tishomingo (Appalachian-like geology and mature hardwood forests), cross the bridge over the Bay Springs Lake and head South for Tupelo. There are more and more signs of Indian mounds, built nearly 2000 years ago. Annette and Alice make a quick detour to the Twentymile Bottom Overlook for a splendid panoramic view. The terrain is mostly gentle rolling hills. Overnight in Tupelo, the birthplace of Elvis Presley.

8th October - Tupelo to Kosciusko: 100 miles

Indian names of the Chickasaw and Choctaw tribes feature regularly as they pass across prairie-like wetlands. We cycle through the Tombigbee National Forest and finally turn off the Trace for lunch at Mathiston. After lunch they continue cycling to Jeff Busby, a 1 -mile spur road with a surprisingly challenging 200 feet climb which leads up to the top of the Little Mountain. There they are rewarded with sweeping views in several directions. The girls continue along the Trace and pass the only community living on the entire length of the Trace - French Camp. French Camp is named after a Frenchman in 1812 who settled here. Nowadays it has a high school and boarding school for children in need of a stable home environment. Pressing onwards to our overnight stop at Kosciusko, the last stretch is along flat open farmland with hardly a car in Sight.

9th October - Kosciusko to Ridgeland/Jackson: 60 miles

The terrain is now flat and can be rolling at times, with open farmland, some woods, cotton fields and cypress swamps. This is the flattest portion of the Trace. This morning they cycle to an enormous man-made lake called Ross Bamett Reservoir. They pedal alongside the lake for approx 8 miles until we reach the outskirts of Jackson where the Parkway stops. In about 4 years' time the remaining 16 miles will be completed. The girls then transfer by coach to the restaurant for lunch and continue their ride from the south of Jackson. Optional 16 mile ride to our overnight in Vicksburg in front of the National Military Park. Annette and Alice are also taking the optional 16 mile ride Jackson to Vicksburg: cycle onto route 27 which takes them to Vicksburg. The terrain is gently undulating, no cycle path, moderate traffic. This is an interesting ride through some country suburbs and farming areas.

10th October - Vicksburg to Natchez: 90 miles

The girls rejoin the Parkway after a 15 mile ride from Vicksburg over a very pleasant, quite challenging country road with little traffic. The first part of today's cycle is generally flat with some woodland. They cycle past the well-known Spanish moss which trails from branches of trees. the temperature rises and the vegetation becomes more subtropical. At Fort Gibson they stop for lunch and cycle around the area to see the beautiful ante-bellum mansions. Several small hills lined with towering pine trees lead them on our way down to Natchez. They pass the Emerald Mound, the 2nd largest ceremonial mound in the US and here ends the challenge at the end of the Trace! A detour takes the girls to their Ramada Hilltop hotel overlooking the Mississippi river and the neighbouring state of Louisiana. Tonight they will celebrate with a meal. (One assumes there might be a drink or two aconsumed).

11 & 12th October - New Orleans

Two days at play in one of the worlds great party cities. (I bet she'd rather be in Toulouse).

Well done Annette!