About 20miles north of Jackson is Ratliff's Ferry. It'soff the Trace about a 1/2 mile. Gas, food and cold beer. On Saturdays and Sundays anywhere from 10 to 30 or more bikes will be there. If you are heading south and you get toRiver Bend, turn around and take the first right past past River Bend. If you are heading north, look for River Bend.

 

I rode the Trace last summer and really enjoyed it. We ate a Loveless Cafe on the Nashville end, and we detoured off the Trace long enough to visit Davy Crockett State Park which was worth the detour.

The Trace is one of those rides where a GPS comes in handy so as to help you find exits with fuel and food.

 

Thanks guys. I think I'll head to AAA and geta tour book as well. Definitely hear ya on the no speeding thing.

Appreciate the input.

 

We did the trace to Natchez and back to Nashville in June a couple of years ago. Natchezis a hot and humid place, so be ready to sweat. There's a decent seafood restaurant across the bridge in Vidalia, part of the fun of eating there is that everybody stares at you. French Camp is a nice place to eat at in Mississippi. Jeff Busby is also a welcome stop for gas and a break from the road. We saw more deer and turkeys in the Tennessee section than anywhere else. Natchez isn't big, it is easy to walk. A few blocks and you have seen most of downtown.

 

Leaving on Thursday. Any other comments or places not to miss?

 

Go and check out "Feasting on Aspault 2" with Alton Brown, he did a ride and located the best fired chicken in the United States. It is located somewhere in Mississippi off the Trace.

 

SilverDawg, I live about 1/2 mile from the start of Natchez Trace here in Nashville. I have a map of Natchez Trace for you. If you like, I'll take you to Leiper's Fork, which is a quaint little community just off the Trace. The first 10 miles of the Trace is twisties, then levels out.It is my favorite place to ride. lots of bicycles, deer, turkey. 40mphat the start but later increases to 50nph. Home phone:615-662-7458. Good riding to ya. Bigiron(Gary).

 

As a downer, I find it a fairly booring ride. Sorry.

 

Thanks Gary.

Not sure what time we are actually hitting the trail as we have 7 bikes involved.

 

I'm leaving SW florida for Natchez to ride the parkway then to the blue ridge mnts. Looking forward to it