The first riders we met on the Trace. Left to Right: Dick Harris, Conway, AR, Scott Covington, Harrison, AR and Hugh Harris, Springfield, MO.

Swamp along the road.

Lunch time. Barbara, Neville and Connie.

Redbud bed and Breakfast in Kosciusko, MS. The house was built in the 1880s.

Started from: Jackson, MS
Ended at: Kosciusko, MS
Distance traveled today: 126.2 km (78.4 mi)
Average speed: 21.8 km/h (13.5 mph)
Elapsed Time: 8.26.05 (hh.mm)
Max speed: 44 km/h (27.3 mph)
Staying at: Redbud B & B, Kosciusko, MS [tel. 601-289-5086]

Distance traveled so far: 1186.1 km (737 mi)

Last Modified on 5/9/98 at 4:21:17

Day's Narrative: Last night I was unable to get a connection with the internet provider, apparently due to water in the phone cables in Jackson (actually Clinton). Tonight I am posting both last night and tonight.

Last night we stayed at the end of the Natchez Trace Parkway in Jackson (Clinton). That meant that we had to cross about 20 miles of Jackson suburbs this morning before reaching the next section of the Parkway on the north side of Jackson. We left about 8:30 after breakfast at Shoney's across the street from the motel.

As we entered the Parkway we stopped at the Mississippi Crafts Center where we met our first cyclists on the Parkway. Dick Harris, his brother Hugh, and Scott Covington had been cycling and camping down the Parkway from north to south and had stopped for a break at the Crafts Center. Scott's wife was driving sag wagon. We had a long conversation comparing all things bicycle, and weather on the Trace. Hugh happened to be riding a magnificent bicycle -- a Bianchi, the same model as mine. From their description of the rainy weather in the north, we have had really good weather so far.

As we cycled down the Trace, Connie caught up with us a little after noon and we all stopped to see the swamp along the road (photo). This was really impressive to us non-swamp people, and the Park Service has built a walkway out into the water so one gets a really good feeling of being in it.

After the swamp we all had lunch just down the road (photo).

This was really a nice cool day -- perfect for bicycling. I looked at my thermometer about 3 p.m. and it read 69 deg. F (about 20 C).

We arrived in Kosciusko about 5:00, not knowing where the B&B was located. We stopped at the small museum at the Kosciusko exit (which was technically closed) and asked the man cleaning up where the Redbud B&B was located. He directed us to the Redbud, and we arrived about 5:20. This is a quaint old house built in the 1880s (photo).

Tomorrow we head for Starkville, MS and have reservations at the Best Western there. Tomorrow is Saturday, and we have learned from bitter experience that motels are generally full on Saturday night.

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