The end of day one (April 29)

The Natchez Trace Parkway has no billboards. There are no restaurants or gas stations directly on the road. You need to make an exit in order for these modern conveniences to appear. And you need a detailed map or mobile device to locate these stops. With a phone that eats battery life and a personal desire to disconnect from the digital world, I chose the detailed map. It provides location for the numerous historical homes, natural sites, picnic areas, and overlooks to pause and contemplate the history of the trail, as well as a rough outline of the miles I would be traveling.

At one of these sites, I paused to switch water bottles and look at the old trail. While I was relaxing, a couple pulled up in a car from New York. They exited and approached me with a bit of interest. Once they began talking, it was obvious the United States was not their home. They were from the Netherlands, and taking a long trip through the US. From New York to New Orleans, through the Natchez and Appalachian mountains, it seemed they were on a month trip. I had a wonderful conversation with them and they shared some of their biking experiences in Europe. What struck me was the clarity of their English and their patience in describing the cycling cultures of Europe. It seems you may want to avoid a bike tour through Spain, however the Scandinavian countries have a well founded cycling infrastructure. Though our visit was brief, I enjoyed hearing these people rave about the South's natural beauty and describe their own continent with such a welcoming tone. Put a European tour on my bucket list.

Near 5 pm, I reached Collinwood around mile marker 355. I estimated to have ridden 90 miles, but couldn't physically make any more of a dent. The welcome center at Collinwood provided me a refill on my water bottles, some advice on where to eat, suggested I shower at the fire station, and welcomed me to set up camp in their public park. 

I had blackened cajun catfish, a sweet potato and some over cooked vegetables. Won't say it was five star, but it was welcomed after a long day pedaling. I was the only patron in Chad's Steakhouse at the time, and of course stuck out like a sore thumb. After I explained my day and plans, the host was more than willing to give me the award of most miles ridden in a day. She had never met another cyclist who had ridden from Nashville to Collinwood in one, and so it became that I hold the record.

After dinner, I found the least conspicuous spot in the park, pitched my tent, checked in with Whitney (who mentioned I should take lots of selfies), packed some clothes into my tent bag as a makeshift pillow and crashed for the night. I ended up falling asleep by 7:30. It was all I could do to keep my eyes open even that late.