NATCHEZ TRACE PARKWAY DAY 1: Sunday / May 18, 2003 Noon  Three TWO DOGS (and Zipper Club members), Possum, Gator and Preacher, left this morning from Reunion in Franklin, NC... headed up through Maggie Valley, NC to I-40 and over to Nashville today.   Planning to ride this scenic 450 mile route, which stretches diagonally from the Tennessee Valley down to the to the Mississippi River at Natchez, MS.  The two-lane blacktop roughly follows an 8,000 year-old historic pathway that can still be hiked today.  Both bicyclist and motorcyclist , along with other travelers who seek a relaxing drive are attracted to the parkway because of it's required low speed limit (50 mph, I think), and limited commercial traffic.  Area roads were wet, but it wasn't raining when our three fellows drove out today.  Hope they can dodge storms this week, so they can enjoy this trip.  It's the first time for any of them to ride the Natchez Trace. 4:15pm I  was on Google earlier this afternoon, searching the web for info about the Natchez Trace Parkway.  One site had an "update" that spooked me when I first read it.   Said, "Tennessee sections of the National Scenic Trail are closed, due to flooding."  But that referred only to the hiking trail.  Whew!  Glad this will not affect our three riders! 7:30pm Jim (Possum) called from a Days Inn in Nashville, TN.  They just got settled in, with Preacher in one room and Possum and Gator in another.  Planning to go over to O'Charlie's for supper tonight. [5-19-03: Changed their minds and called to have pizza delivered to the room.] Jim wasn't sure if having a preacher riding along had anything to do with it, ...  though the highways were wet in places, he was proud to tell me that they actually made the day's trip without a drop of rain.  Said they all rode well together and enjoyed the day.  The beginning of the Natchez Trace is within 10-15 miles of the motel.

DAY 2: Monday / May 19. 2003 9:00 pm Heard from Jim again tonight.  They got to Tupelo, MS, the birthplace of Elvis Presley, at about 6:00 this evening and found a room at the Days Inn, with a roll away Jim volunteered to take for tonight.  Possum and Gator were in the process of getting snockered when Jim called.  Said he'd hit a +1 on a breathalizer, so Gator must have mixed his drink(s).  They were planning to call and have supper delivered. Started their day with Bruggle's bagels!  Then started the Natches Trace.  They had a good day on the trace.  The first 10-20 miles had a speed limit of only 40mph, but it later changed to 50mph.  They drove 50-55mph, just rolled along to enjoy the pretty drive and stopped at many of the pull-offs on the trace.  Probably didn't go 25 miles on their longest stretch today.  Had only a few drops of rain, really not enough to mention.  Saw lots of turkeys on the roadside all during the day.  The ride included part of the old trace, which was dirt and gravel for a few miles, then went quite a ways as a single lane..."About wide enough for a golf cart," Jim said. Added 5-20-03: Possum and Gator met a couple of construction workers (Kentucky rednecks building a water tower inTupelo) at the motel and rode with them in their dually to Applebee's for supper.  Preacher stayed at the motel, so they brought him something to eat from the restaurant.  Jim said the rollaway he slept on was pathetic... when he sat down on it, his butt almost hit the floor.  It slumped in the middle, like a hammock.  Preacher is making a list of the 10 BEST THINGS ABOUT THE TRIP: 10.  Preacher led them into the light.   9.  Sharing reading glasses.   8.  Checking each other to be sure everyone's taking their medications.   7.  The look on Gator's face when you tell him how to drive.   6.  Possum's viagra backfiring and giving him a stiff neck. (This list will be completed and/or added to as the trip continues...) Glad the fellows are having a safe and enjoyable ride!

Elvis' birthplace

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PREACH AT ?

DAY 3: Tuesday / May 20, 2003 8:30pm Phone rang right at 8:00pm -- "The Over the Hill Gang" (a name Gator, Preacher and Possum have adopted for this trip) drove into Jackson, MS about an hour ago and got one room at the Ramada Inn with two double beds.  When they were told there was no roll-away bed available, Jim told the lady at the front desk that he'd share a bed with Gator as long as Gator promised not to throw a hairy leg over him in the middle of the night!  She got a kick out of that!   Started their day with Gator walking into a restaurant for breakfast telling the waitress that Possum was his and Preach's dad; Preach was his younger brother...  What fun they're having! They toured Elvis' home in Tupelo this morning.  Got some pictures and met some tourists from England and talked for a while with their female "tour director".  Later, when they stopped at French Camp, an historic food stand that's served travelers since 1812, the tour bus had arrived ahead of them and the director come up and greated Gator with a big "Hello!"  Our guys enjoyed their lunch. Possum ordered 1/2 of a ham sandwich which he described as a meal for two.  Not sure what Gator ordered, but Preach had a broccoli salad -- which may backfire on him tonight (Rut row!). Had another day without rain.  Dodged showers all day, but did have wet pavement from time to time.  Set a record today: Their shortest distance between stops was 1.4 miles.  Stopped many times and enjoyed today's ride.  As they drove into the Jackson area, they followed the detour (Interstate) around the section of the parkway that's under construction.  They'll get back on the trace tomorrow just south of Jackson. Preach added to his list of the 10 BEST THINGS ABOUT THE TRIP: 5.  Gator in his 15 year old Fruit of the Loom jockey shorts. 4.  Preacher riding along singing to himself, " It's hard to be humble when you're perfect       in every way." Talked to Gator for a few minutes.  He told me about their fun time at breakfast and before he put Jim back on the phone, told me about the downpour they were witnessing from their opened door there at the motel.  Said the wind was blowing the rain 60 mph, figuratively speaking, in one direction one minute, then suddenly changed and was blowing it in the opposite direction the next.  Said they were glad they'd stopped when they did!  Said he, Possum and Preacher had talked about how nice it was to drive up, go into the motel office and get a room... proud not to be in their little tents tonight.  Preacher's bike is spending the night at The Kickstand bike shop.  Had a bald, rear tire and is having the shop put on a new one.  The bike shop owner gave Preach a ride to the motel.  Will pick his bike up in the morning.  Plans are to go on down to the southern end of the trace tomorrow to Natchez, MS, and take secondary roads from there toward the outskirts of New Orleans.

Don't piss me off !!!

" IT'S HARD TO BE HUMBLE WHEN YOUR PERFECT IN EVERY WAY"

DAY 4: Wednesday / May 21, 2003 10:00pm Jim called again.  He, Gator and Preacher have a suite on the fourth floor at the Eola (a fancy 8 story hotel) in the Mississippi River town of Natchez, MS.  Gator'll sleep on the pull-out sleeper sofa tonight. [5-22-03:Actually, Preacher slept on the couch and Possum and Gator took the beds.] This morning, while they were at Kickstand, the bike shop in Tupelo, MS, the phone rang and someone asked for Possum.  Small world!  It was Easy Dog (Mike Kerr), who lives in the New Orleans area and keeps up with the website.  He'd read in this trip log last night that "the gang" was going to be at the bike shop this morning, so he called 'em!  Neat-o, huh?  He'd told Jim via e-mail a few weeks ago that any "dogs" heading out New Orleans way could camp in his backyard.  (Mike's listed in our address book.)  He wanted to tell the guys that he was leaving on a ride... heading to Anniston, AL and would miss them this trip.  The call was a real surprise. On the way south out of Jackson, to avoid the graveled stretch of the trace that's under construction, our guys followed a route suggested to them by a local man.  They took Old Port Gibson Road, a paved, curvy, two-lane that was canopied with trees.  Was a nice route.  Got back on the trace at Fort Gibson.  Had lunch at Grant's Cafe, a black-owned, soulfood restaurant.  Great meal. Preacher enjoyed smothered pork chops, greens, yams, corn and homemade rolls; Possum and Gator both had fried chicken with all the fixings. Think they made most every stop on the trace today.  They toured Mount Locust, an old mansion.  Jim said if there was one cat on the grounds, there were at least 40.  They also visited Emerald Mound, an ancient Indian ceremonial mound that, covers 8 acres and is 35 feet high.  It's the second largest Indian mound in America.   Road all of 80 miles [5-22-03: Figured they averaged 16 miles per hour.] today.  Once they got settled in at the hotel, Gator and Possum got back on the bikes and road around Natchez.  Went out to the gambling boat docked there.  Possum put $10 dollars in the slots, Gator put in $17 -- big spenders.  When they lost it all, they decided it was time to leave.  Preach stayed at the hotel to watch the 2 hour finale of "American Idol".  It was still going when Jim called. Not sure what route they'll take coming home.  Preacher may cut away from them on Friday and head northward toward Ohio.

Help, I've fallen and I can't get up !!!!!!!!

A rare look at a blue sky.

Possum's first cousin on a road (kill) trip.      Whitelining can be dangerous.

DAY 5: Thursday / May 22, 2003 9:30pm Sitting at the computer when the phone rang. Jim called just after 9:00 tonight.  "The Gang" ate breakfast this morning across from the hotel.  Said they "farted around" a bit and got on the road around 11:00am.  Followed US84 into Alabama, turned north on US17 and drove up to I-20.  Stopped there, at the Comfort Inn in Livingston, AL earlier this afternoon.  Preacher was about to fall asleep on the road.  Jim said they're all tired and I could hear it in his voice.  Think the Over the Hill Gang's just like the horses we used to have that would graze all day down in the field 'til one turned toward home, then it was "Katie bar the door " as the whole group raced as fast as they could run to get back up to the barn.  Think all three of these ol' dogs feel that way.  They've enjoyed the leisurely ride down the Natchez Trace Parkway (and along the other backroads), but now they've hit the Interstate and they're ready to get back home. Talked to Preacher for a minute.  He's added one more thing to his list.  But, I have to do some research regarding Spanish translations before I can share it here. While Jim and I were talking, I checked roads home to Franklin, NC for Jim and home to Ravenna, OH for Preacher on "Trip Maker."  Think they'll both choose the quickest routes. It's Gator's turn tonight to sleep on the roll-away.  Heard him bringing it into the room.  Jim and Preacher were having fun watching him as he dropped it and it hit the wall.  Then they were all in a roar!  Preacher was jumping up and down on it like a kid.   When Gator started making the bed, he sounded like he was not too thrilled with the whole idea, although he did take a second from his corner of the room to mumble (grumble) a kind "good night" when Jim and I were saying the same. Jim said he plans to get them up for an early start in the morning.  Tomorrow's run will be a full day's ride.

Lunchtime at French Camp

---- Nature at it's finest ---- If you have to litter, do it in your own yard. Keep your trashy ass at home if you are too damn lazy to walk over to a garbage can.

Day 6: Friday / May 23, 2003 5:00pm I got home from school this afternoon at 4:00, opened the door from the garage and heard the shower running.  Jim'd been home for about 15 minues!  He made good time from the western edge of Alabama, an hour below Tuscaloosa!  Preacher turned north when they came into Birmingham, will stop on the road tonight and will get home to Ravenna tomorrow. Possum and Gator stopped for lunch at Exit 11 off of I-20, Gator's turn off for Bremen, GA.  After lunch, Gator headed for the junk yard to see Sonya and Possum drove on in toward Atlanta.  Timed it so that he breezed through the city just after 1:00 -- ahead of the Memorial Day weekend traffic.  Stopped for 20-30 minutes above Buford, GA at Frazier H-D for a stretch before heading home to NC.  Got into a few drops of rain on Hwy. 441 just three miles from the house.  Glad to be home... right now he's stretched out in his recliner catching a cat nap. Preacher added this item to his list of the 10 BEST THINGS ABOUT THE TRIP: 3.  O'Possum in Spanish is "Zarigueya", pronounced zar-ee-gu-aa-la.    Hope Preacher will complete the list once he's trip is complete. Will let you know something when we hear from him.                                                                                                                                                                                               Liz (Lizzard)

Gator's rollaway bed?  Not exactly.

Sunday / May 25, 2003 12:50 Possum and I got e-mail from Preach.  Glad he's home safely.  Want to thank him for his "end of trip" story.  Here's what he wrote: Preach took the interstate to just southwest of Nashville, then hit two-lanes all the way to Columbus, OH. Got home about 9:00 p.m. on Saturday night. His little Honda just hummed along. 2.  Waiting for Gator to leave deposits over several states at least 6 times per day -- once over a poison ivy covered log on the trace. He actually carries six "shit kits" with him for emergencies. We haven't heard the last of that. 1.  Thinking back over the entire week: one of the best reunions ever, goats in tents, riding bulls, wings on the fire, low country boil, initiations, new friends, old friends, the annual poker game, Cornbread winning $250, Corn Muffin taking care of him (Bugs), hunting rabbit with a snub nose .38, 2972 miles for Preach on his bike after major heart surgery 5 months ago, the over the hill gang not being so over the hill after all, being able to remember everything since I don't drink anymore (!), and thinking about the terrific family we have chosen for ourselves in the 2 Dogs MC. It's been a good ride. Preach

THE "OVER THE HILL GANG"

Part of the "old trace" was gravel; the other part was a narrow, paved one lane stretch.

Just after a 2 minute sprinkle... the only rain seen by the Over the Hill Gang.

We took the tour of Mount Locust.   Fifty inns, called stands, sprang up    along the old trace after Thomas Jefferson ordered it to be widened to 12 feet to allow for wagons in 1806.  Spaced at about a day's walk apart,     they served boatless boatmen      on their long journeys home    after their business at Natchez       or New Orleans was done & their boats had been sold for lumber. By 1810, as many as 10,000 boatmen      each year followed the trace northward toward Nashville, stopping                for food and rest     at both primitive and finer stands.         Mount Locust is the only one    remaining of the 50 original stands.

Natchez, MS --  the end of the trace.  .

This would make a great camping spot except for the fact that you would need a blood transfusion in the morning !!

Text by Lizzard     Photos & Captions by Possum

Wherethefugarewe ???

This species of tree fern has been            renamed.  It will be henceforth and                 forevermore be known as: "GATORENSIE ASSBUSTUS"

One of many pastoral scenes along the 440+ miles of the Natchez Trace. If you do this ride, allow enough time to stop often and really soak up the peace and tranquility of the area.

Eola  Hotel Natchez, Miss.

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Our Kentucky redneck friend -- He gave Gator & Possum a ride to Applebee's in his dually.

Preach must have worn out, mutilated or mangled at least three or four plastic combs making sure his silverwhite mane was in perfect order and alignment. One never knows when one is likely to meet a person of importance, is one? On the other hand Possum's hair was always a mess.

Cypress Swamp is an abandoned river channel at the north end of the Ross Barnett Reservoir.  Both tupelos and bald cypresses are plentiful and shade the waters which are home to turtles, alligators and great blue herons.