On our way to NC from Houston, TX we decided to ride the 444 mile Natchez Trace through Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee. It has been great. This road is amazing. No commercial trucks, no billboards, or factories, just 444 miles of scenic nature and historical stops. For those who are not familiar with the Trace, it was a thoroughfare for Choctaw and Chippawhaw tribes, early American pioneers, tradesman, soldiers, bushwackers, circuit riding preachers and many famous explorers including De Soto, and Meriweather Lewis.

On our ride we would go stretches where we didn't see another vehicle for miles. This road is truly a National treasure. I was created solely for the purpose of site seeing and history preservation.

Here are a few pics. I may try to post more when I have time. We are off to North Carolina in the Morning.

Here is one from the beginning of the Trace. It starts in Natchez Mississippiand ends in Nashville, Tennessee.


There are many of these Indian mounds across Mississippi. They are said to be aroun 2000 years old.


The terrain is very diverse ranging from piney woods to swamps to steep rocky peaks and valleys.


Most of the Trace is made up of gentle curves and the speed limit is 50 mph. However, about the last 20 miles on the Nashville end of the trace is 40 mph with more dramatic curves. A lot of fun.


Lots of history to take in along the way. Here I am at Elvis's birthplace in Tupelo, MS.


There is a lot of wildlife so be careful.


I'll post more later.

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excellent, love those kinda roads, look smooth and wide, and empty

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Yes, they are very smooth. There is a small stretch of about 5 to 10 miles right before the TN border that is closed temporarily but the detour is pretty nice.

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Thanks Bug!
I'm interested in doing the Trace one of these days, pictures are better than what I expected! Looks like nice easy riding.

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Dave

Great pictures!
Thanks! The trace has been on my list of things to do for a long time. You've convinced me to go ahead and do it.
Thanks, again.

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tga

'07 Black Cherry Ultra Classic
Stage 1
Screaming Eagle Street Performance Touring Slip-Ons

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Bug, those are some beautiful pictures! From someone who grew up just a few miles from the Trace in Central Mississippi, I can honestly say you did us proud with those pictures. For anyone who's never been on the Trace.....it's a beautiful stretch of highway. There are still a lot of the Choctaw people living in the Philadelphia/Neshoba County area of Mississippi. I'm not sure what shape Ratliff's Ferry is in now, but it used to be a pretty cool place to hang out back in the day. (when I was in my teens)

I've never been end-to-end on the Trace, but hope to take that trip with my husband at the first opportunity.

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The friends that we met and rode to Ratliff's Ferry with told us that it burned down a few years ago and they rebuilt it. We were there on Sunday and there were quite a few bikes there. Here are a couple more photos of it.

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There are several places where they have kept the old Trace intact. It is very cool to stop and take a walk along one of these ancient roadways and imagine what it was like to be a pioneer traveling there.



This is a waterfall that we stopped at. That's my wife in the background. :-)


The bikes you see here are some new friends we met at the Ross Barnett Reservoir Near Jackson Mississippi.


There is a great bridge that you ride across at the end of the Trace. This is a picture as we rode under it later on the way to Franklin.



At the end of the Trace on the Tennessee side right on hwy 100 is the Loveless Cafe. Great food, atmosphere and folks. Make sure you make a stop there if you're in the area.

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cool,...we've done it abuncha times,...to us it's one of our "local rides",...but that don't mean sh*t,........we were amazed when we went through the ozarks[8D],........

Next time yall make that ride,..give us a holler,....we'll make it with ya.

Amytime your in Louisiana passing through to Miss. give us a yell. This is our stompin grounds.

oh,..btw,..I went to Wharton Tx the other day for a week. Buisness stuff.