A gift from the gods!!!

We woke up this morning early once again and headed down to the continental breakfast at the hotel.  Which I love because I don't have to cook.  Yippee for me!  Today we enjoyed a typical southern breakfast of fresh fluffy warm buttermilk biscuits with sausage gravy. I also had the best cup of strong coffee.  It was delicious! Great way to start the day here in the south.

Dave and Terry took off down the road on another sunny morning.  They started the ride on some beautiful country roads with livestock and rolling green hills.  Traffic was picking up as people were going to work but they were headed in the opposite direction so it was not bad.   Narrow,curvy, sweeping roads with no shoulders.  Roads were in good condition.  Especially compared to yesterday.

Then they turned onto the Natchez Trace Parkway.  The cycling gods were shining down on this day. The roads were smooth as could be and there was absolutely no traffic except for the park employees.  The parkway was impeccably maintained. There was absolutely no litter and all of the ditches were mowed .The scenery was gorgeous with canopied roads protecting us from the sun with long sweeping curves with gradual climbs and descents.  It doesn't get much better than this.  We were on this parkway for 50 miles.  Not exaggerating.!!!  When we turned to get off the trail we were saddened to leave it.  Truly unbelievable!!! The trail stretches 444 miles.

    The trail was first used by the Indians and then trappers, traders, Europeans and early settlers.  The trail connected the Tennessee, Cumberland and Mississippi Rivers. Meriwether Lewis died on this trail when he was the Governor of Tennessee while he was on his way to Washington DC.  Some say he committed suicide and some say he was murdered.

We ran into a park employee having lunch along the trail the same time we stopped for lunch.  He recommend that we stay in Natchez because this side of the river is higher and has a lot of History.  It is the oldest City on the Mississippi.  He also recommended our dinner spot. The Pig Out Inn.  We finally got our BBQ! YUM!   We are also staying in the old Historical Natchez Eola Hotel downtown just blocks from the river.  We took a walk along the river to see the views from the bluff and then a little walking tour on the way back to see the old river city and it's architecture.

Well time to put lady Antebellum to sleep so she can rise early once again.

Terry, Dave & Julie