[BudCesena]

I left a conference in Franklin Tenn. yesterday and headed south on the Natchez Trace Parkway. It was a very nice ride from Franklin to Tupelo Miss. I found the ride to be similar to the Blue Ridge Parkway without the altitude changes. Very scenic, curvey road. Lots of wildlife, deer, turkey, hawks, farms and farm animals. The sides of the road is cut well back so you have time to see the wildlife before you get too close. Most of the ride is 50 mph but there are some 40 mph spots. Rangers were out to enforce the speed limits. There was very nearly no traffic to deal with. That was a surprise as this is the fall foliage season.
Once I got to Tupelo it was a different story. 78 over to Birmingham was pretty miserable. Most of it was under construction and when you are on the two lane portion its slow. It took much longer than I thought it would to get to I20 in Birmingham. I20 was not any fun either. Lots of construction and many backups. At one point there was a 12 mile wait at some bridge construction.
Finally I got to Atlanta and I85 headed for home. No issues till I got to Greenvile SC. A truck passed me going about 90. He was loaded with 4X8 sheets of nylon insulation. It didnt look like it was well secured in the truck so I got behind a pick-up in the right lane. Sure enough about 2 miles down the road the guy lost the entire load. Every bit came back and hit the pick-up as he locked it down. I grabbed all the brake I could muster and stayed behind the pick-up. (Thanks ABS) I had some small chunks hit the windshield and ran over some but was able to stay up and kept going. I felt very fortunate for having missed the big pieces. Well I got home about 11:30 pm. with no other incidents.
Id recomend the Natchez Trace to all but try to avoid 78 and I20 till they get some more of the construction completed.
Bud

 

[Ghost55]

I was on the Natchez Trace in Tn for a short stretch last Tue. It's about as close to having your own private road that you will see. In 23 miles, saw two cars. My brother, who lives in Tn, says that is more traffic than you usually see. In the same distance, saw two deer, and one fox. Very well maintained, and a pleasant ride.

 

[SilverBuffalo]

Trace

A big thank you for the Info on the Trace, starting next Monday my wife and I are heading out, first Houston area to pickup the Bushtec trailer I just bought on E-bay then San Antonio and the Texas hill country, from there the Ozarks heading east to the Natches Trace and eventually the Blue Ridge Parkway, W'll make it a point to avoid the Birmingham area.

 

[NOGILLS2]

North of Tuepolo is much nicer than south of there, it gets rather boring.We did Tuepolo to Natchez last June and was surprised at how boring it became. It is completed through Jackson now.

 

[bob_menton]

Sharon and I rode the entire length of the Natchez Trace a few months ago - just weeks before the final link was completed. I wanted to do it, I'm glad we did it - but 444 miles of gently curving blacktop thru the woods (scenery = trees, then more trees) with little traffic? That's about 300 miles too long. Guess I'm spoiled - I'm a frequent rider on the southern part of the Blue Ridge Pkwy, with its far superior scenery. I'll go back to the BRP over and over, but I don't have to go back to the Natchez Trace any time soon. Nice ride, good to do once - now, what else is there? - Bob

 

[bob_menton]

A big thank you for the Info on the Trace, starting next Monday my wife and I are heading out, first Houston area to pickup the Bushtec trailer I just bought on E-bay then San Antonio and the Texas hill country, from there the Ozarks heading east to the Natches Trace and eventually the Blue Ridge Parkway, W'll make it a point to avoid the Birmingham area.

But if you bypass Birmingham, you will have missed an opportunity to tour the Barber Motorcycle Museum at the Barber racetrack in Leeds, just outside of Birmingham. The Barber museum is worth going out of your way to see. Don't miss it! You'll need 4 to 8 hours to see the hundreds of bikes on display.

- Bob

 

[ClearwaterBMW]

That's about 300 miles too long. but I don't have to go back to the Natchez Trace any time soon. Nice ride, good to do once - now, what else is there? - Bob

thanks... you saved me the trouble of continuing to plan that "always wanted to do/never could find the time" trip.
i guess i want to think that i'm missing something by riding all the wonderful roads on and near the BRP over and over again, when i DON'T have the time to go further. glad you posted that

greg

 

[bob_menton]

thanks... you saved me the trouble of continuing to plan that "always wanted to do/never could find the time" trip.
i guess i want to think that i'm missing something by riding all the wonderful roads on and near the BRP over and over again, when i DON'T have the time to go further. glad you posted that

greg

Keep riding those great local roads, Greg ... but also, keep planning that trip. Just don't put the Natchez Trace at the top of the short list of places to ride to. Replace it with eastern West Virginia, northeast Georgia, western Arkansas, TX Hill Country - not too different a length of ride for someone who has nearby access to the BRP. Further west is even better, but now the time commitment is growing ...

- Bob

 

[ClearwaterBMW]

yes, those time commitments
last year was oakland, through san francisco and north to areas including british coloumbia
incredible riding.
just did 1,600 miles roundtrip through north georgia/southern tennesse and north carolina/also incredible
last year was maine, new hamshire, and vermont.
there are so many other places i want to see on my bike.... finding the time is always the issue.

i appreciate your words
thanks
greg