Natchez Trace

Faulkner · #1 09-13-2015, 09:13 PM

I took a few day off to undertake a road trip on Natchez Trace Parkway with three riding buddies. We've been riding together for about 10 years and we always try to take one annual road trip to a historic area and tour via motorcycle. We spent the last four days riding the northern half of Natchez Trace and nearby areas. We also spent some time in Columbia and Franklin, Tennessee, a couple of neat towns I'd never been before.

Except for one day when a storm front moved through, we had superb riding weather. Temperatures mostly in the upper 70's with mostly sunny skies. The storm front moved through while we were in northwest Alabama and we had to seek shelter under an awning next to an old country store out in the boonies and wait it out for several hours. Glad we did because the thunderstorm, wind, and some light hail was not something we wanted to be caught out in the open with. Being able to monitor the weather with my iPhone application is one bit of modern technology that sure came in handy as we were able to hole up well before we might have gotten wet. The nice folks in the store fixed us up some sandwiches and we sat out next to the bikes and watched the storm and enjoyed the fellowship of my buddies.

In the past I've ridden the entire length of the Natchez Trace Parkway from the northern end just outside of Nashville, Tennessee all the way to it's southern terminus in Natchez, Mississippi. There's a lot of history and superb scenary all up and down the Trace, but the farm valley pictured below in northwest Alabama is just about my favorite spot.

Waveform · #2 09-13-2015, 09:14 PM

Very cool! I don't ride but that makes me want to.

jlrhiner · #3 09-13-2015, 10:06 PM

Who's Anniversary Ultra is that and do you know the number?

Sorry. I've road parts of the trace, but never the whole thing end to end. It's on the list.

Here's what mine looks like now, damn the stroke. (#3471 I believe)

billwill · #4 09-13-2015, 10:13 PM

The Trace is a great trip. Well worth the time and effort to see a great piece of this great country!

jlrhiner · #5 09-13-2015, 10:29 PM

.....and do you know how hard it is to ride one of those upside down?

Marshwheeling · #6 09-14-2015, 05:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlrhiner

.....and do you know how hard it is to ride one of those upside down?

Not for the "stuntaz" among us.

Faulkner · #7 09-14-2015, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlrhiner

Who's Anniversary Ultra is that and do you know the number?

Sorry. I've road parts of the trace, but never the whole thing end to end. It's on the list.

Here's what mine looks like now, damn the stroke. (#3471 I believe)

It's a heavily modified 2008 anniversary model. He laid it down last year and did a lot of superficial damage to it. He spent the winter having it rebuilt and I think the frame, engine & drive train, and seat may be the only original components on it.

sheepdawg · #8 09-14-2015, 07:34 PM

Gotta' try the breakfast at the Loveless Motel on TN State Hwy 100 and the Natchez Trace just outside of Nashville.

Bugkiller99 · #9 09-14-2015, 07:51 PM

I'm camping west of Nashville next month. I'll have to put that on my to do list.

Faulkner · #10 09-14-2015, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sheepdawg

Gotta' try the breakfast at the Loveless Motel on TN State Hwy 100 and the Natchez Trace just outside of Nashville.

We had lunch there on this trip. The chipotle roasted chicken and biscuits were awesome.

jframe · #11 09-14-2015, 09:14 PM

Wished I had known you were in NW 'bama; I'd have bought lunch. I live in Muscle Shoals, about a half hour from the Trace entrance in Cherokee.

Faulkner · #12 09-14-2015, 10:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jframe

Wished I had known you were in NW 'bama; I'd have bought lunch. I live in Muscle Shoals, about a half hour from the Trace entrance in Cherokee.

We stopped and had lunch at the diner on Hwy 72 in Cherokee, had a great jalapeno cheeseburger.