Natchez Trace Tour: Day 8 – Summertown to Nashville

The lawn where we camped at Chris and Rob’s home is lush. It made for perfect tent sleeping. Not that I slept well but still…

Having access to our hosts’ kitchen menace could have loaded baked potatoes for dinner (I was stuffed) and co-leader Jeff’s amazing scrambled eggs (cooked slowly with buttermilk).

Rob arranged for the local police to help us get back to the Trace (we were four miles away) safely. I left a bit early and missed the escort. What a cool thing for the police to do.

Just before the Trace we stopped at the Meriwether Lewis National Monument . He was either killed or committed suicide. in any event, the monument is his grave.

Back on the Trace the riding conditions were once again nearly perfect. Temperatures in the low 60s with sunny skies and a gentle tailwind.

About ten miles we encountered a 400+ foot climb of a mile or so. It was granny-worthy; I pedaled up the beast at a steady 4.2 mph. It was a big effort but would have been brutal with a fully loaded touring rig.

The landscape we passed through is mixed forest. There was little understory perhaps because this is the early Spring. The trees in this area are a few weeks from fully leafing. This allowed the building tailwinds (and sunlight) to push us along.

Until we took a rest break at 26 miles I was feeling surprisingly strong (thanks, no doubt, to the tailwinds) once underway again I felt sluggish. Maybe the 200+ feet of climbing in the next four miles had something to do with that.

By the time we stopped at 46 miles I was pretty pooped. I ate all my munchies to no avail. I headed out for the final push with Greg who was riding in an upright position on a heavy hybrid bike.

We plodded along accordion-style. I’d get way ahead on downhills. He’d close the resulting gap on the uphills.

The terrain seemed to have an infinite number of rolling hills. Finally at 60 miles they came to an end and we were treated to a 3-mile, 300-foot descent.

We’re turned off the Trace a mile or so before the northern terminus to head to our hotel. The tradition is to have a celebratory meal at the Loveless Cafe but it was too soon after lunch. Greg used his GPS map to guide us through the streets outside Nashville to our hotel, the Hotel Avery.

I found out at the desk that the tour included a shared room. I had booked a single room separately. The hotel manager was super helpful in getting the conflict resolved.

Tonight we’re going out to dinner at a Greek restaurant nearby. I fear I’m going to fall asleep in my souvlaki.

I am knackered. According to Virginia, one of the riders, Bike Tour Midnight is 8 p.m.

Tomorrow we shuttle seven hours back to Ridgeland near Jackson.

Miles today: 67.5 Tour miles: 490.5