The Tennessee Waltz...on the Natchez Trace

The 5 Week for Freedom/Underground Railroad Bike Team steamed into Nashville last Friday. We rode in from Columbia Tennessee after having ridden on The Natchez Trace for two days. I really believe that the Natchez Trace is one of the most beautiful places I have ever ridden a bicycle. It is a definite “bike friendly” place. The team was in high spirits of the first day of the ride from Iuka Mississippi to Collinwood Tennessee. They were like playful children that had been turned out onto the playground. The team was singing and taking pictures on the bridge spanning the Tennessee river as I passed by in the “hippi-car”. I elected to drive support both days so the entire team could experience the magic of the trace. Our accommodations in Collinwood were completely amazing. The team shuttled back down the trace to Alabama and we went to a house on the Tennessee river owned by a friend of the pastor from Collinwood. Some of the team swam in the river and others “tried” to catch fish. The people from the church at Collinwood came down and brought an incredible assortment of food...everything from red velvet cake to home made pickles. They grilled out hot dogs and hamburgers and we had an old fashion picnic...it was so good. Then we pulled out some instruments and had a down home gospel sing...that was the icing on the cake. These people are the real deal and this is what makes biking a joy that it is. We heard some amazing stories and I will be saving some for another blog...you won't want to miss this one...I promise. We spent the second day on the trace biking to Columbia Tennessee and it was hot...really hot and pretty uncomfortable coming off the trace to Columbia. I felt really sad as I watched my team in anguish battle their way in. It was a stark contrast to the shady...essentially traffic-less ride we were enjoying earlier in the day. We were warmly greeted by the host church and they had the pizzas waiting on us. We played a fun game with the pastor as he tried to guess where we were from based on our accents. He was pretty good, actually... and only missed on a couple of us...badly I might add. The big surprise/treat for the team was when Ryan Skoog and Sara and Troy Groves showed up to bike with us into Nashville...what an excellent addition to our team. And if that wasn't enough...our fearless videographer was back...Tristan. So...now the stage was set for the assault on Nashville to begin in the morning...but first we sleep...perchance to dream....