VT Scott
04-25-2010, 03:23 PM
Well Mother Nature was the final straw in cutting my Trace adventure short. I did get to do all of Tennessee and most of Alabama in my two days on the Trace. Unexpected cost were making finishing the adventure unlikely. With the impending tornadic weather threatening for Friday and Saturday forcing me to have to stay a couple of days in bed and breakfasts at $100.00 per night and the $75.00 cab ride to get to the beginning of the trace things were adding up and a long way to go so I abandoned after 2 days of riding.
Thurday morning started off with unexpected rain which forced me to take a cab from the north side of Nashville to the Trace because my route across town was through extremely busy traffic and with wet roads I didn't feel comfortable. Didn't get started until about 1:00pm Thursday in the drizzling rain. I did a little over 60 miles in nothing but hills Thurday afternoon. Maybe I should mention here that my Surly weighed just over 90# loaded for the trip. I counted mile markers most of the day. I made it to my campsite just before dark, got set up, and went to sleep.
Next morning was sunny but windy, straight out of the sw so it was going to be a headwind day. To my surprise, I felt good getting back on the bike. The first 40 miles were long rollers but not near as steep as the day before. Got to eat real food at a resteraunt in a little town called Collinwood. After lunch it was flats to Alabama and most of the way through. I got picked up just on the other side of the Tennessee river in Alabama just as the lightning and wind started.
So I only got to do 125 miles of the Trace in the 2 days I was there but i am very inspired to do the rest. I do think it would be a great group ride either supported or self contained. I met a group of guys from Mobile headed north to south that were doing it supported. There were 4 guys and they would have 1 guy drive for 15 miles and then switch out. Great guys, offered me anything I could need and even gave me there cell number in case I had any problems. On the second day I met a group from Texas doing about the same thing going north. They filled my water bottles, offered lunch, etc. Every person I met couldn't have been nicer and gave great direction.
Thurday morning started off with unexpected rain which forced me to take a cab from the north side of Nashville to the Trace because my route across town was through extremely busy traffic and with wet roads I didn't feel comfortable. Didn't get started until about 1:00pm Thursday in the drizzling rain. I did a little over 60 miles in nothing but hills Thurday afternoon. Maybe I should mention here that my Surly weighed just over 90# loaded for the trip. I counted mile markers most of the day. I made it to my campsite just before dark, got set up, and went to sleep.
Next morning was sunny but windy, straight out of the sw so it was going to be a headwind day. To my surprise, I felt good getting back on the bike. The first 40 miles were long rollers but not near as steep as the day before. Got to eat real food at a resteraunt in a little town called Collinwood. After lunch it was flats to Alabama and most of the way through. I got picked up just on the other side of the Tennessee river in Alabama just as the lightning and wind started.
So I only got to do 125 miles of the Trace in the 2 days I was there but i am very inspired to do the rest. I do think it would be a great group ride either supported or self contained. I met a group of guys from Mobile headed north to south that were doing it supported. There were 4 guys and they would have 1 guy drive for 15 miles and then switch out. Great guys, offered me anything I could need and even gave me there cell number in case I had any problems. On the second day I met a group from Texas doing about the same thing going north. They filled my water bottles, offered lunch, etc. Every person I met couldn't have been nicer and gave great direction.