We’ve now been in Nashville for a whole three and a half weeks–which means this is, by far, the longest we’ve been in one place in more than two years. So we were itching for a bit of tangible adventure… more than what hours of scouring the internet for jobs can provide.
So we decided to take advantage of one of the nearby gems of the South–the Natchez Trace, a 450-mile scenic parkway that starts in Natchez, Mississippi, and terminates a mere 10 miles from where we’re living in Nashville. Proximity plus the knowledge of a free campground made this an economical option, and the perfect timing with the trees’ seasonal color showcase made it an ideal overnight getaway for us.
We started our venture with a local Nashville treat: breakfast at the Loveless Cafe.
Located a mere half mile from the entrance to the Natchez Trace.
The Loveless Motel and Cafe was made popular as a stop for travelers back in the days before the Interstate. The small motel space was converted to retail years ago, but this place has stayed alive with its famed Southern fare–specifically homemade biscuits.
Light and fluffy and delicious… served with butter, homemade preserves and honey.
As we feasted on an enormous breakfast (the biscuits are like the chips at a Mexican place–when you eat them all, they bring more!), I became aware once again of how much our eating capacity has decreased! It didn’t even occur to me to order the small size order of classic country ham served with eggs and grits. I too quickly forget that even though we’re staying active, we just don’t eat the same kind of volume we did when we were exercising about 5-6 hours every day!
Of course… we go together like ham and biscuits. A wonderful combination.
With tummies full, we were ready to set out on the Natchez Trace. One thing we missed on the Tour was seasonal change like we have here at home. Last year at this time, we were loving our time on the coast of Croatia. But there were no fiery red or bright yellow maples to mark the arrival of fall. So as we drove down the colorful, tree-lined road, we soaked up every bit of joy it brought us.
Can’t beat that.
Fall is fun! Playing in the leaves, although they didn’t fall around me quite as magically as I hoped.
We arrived Friday afternoon at Meriwether Lewis Park, a FREE campground managed by the National Park Service. Now, we don’t expect much from the NPS, so we were pleasantly surprised when we found well-established sites with tables and firepits, as well as clean restrooms (no showers). Meriwether Lewis Park is 57 miles down the Trace from Nashville–an easy weekend trip for anyone in the area!
Fall is the best weather for camping!
After setting up the tent, we took off on an afternoon bike ride. The Trace has wonderful riding conditions, particularly because the speed limit is relatively low and there are no commercial vehicles allowed. One day we hope to do a bike tour of its entire length, but for this weekend, we settled for a leisurely 25-mile (40-km) ride.
The scenic and not heavily trafficked Natchez Trace bids us to come for a longer, fully-loaded ride.
A short detour on a small, preserved section of the Old Trace.
After our ride we came back to camp and did something we rarely did on our two-year bike tour: built a campfire. People often think since we “camped” our way around the world, we must have enjoyed the frequent fires complete with s’more roasting and campfire songs. (OK, maybe not songs.) However, we didn’t do much “camping” the way most people do on weekend trips… we did camping as a way of life. We slept in a tent, cooked on a camp stove, and rarely were in designated campsites where it would be safe or recommended to start a fire. But this weekend we took full advantage of being in an official campsite and having our car with us: we packed cold drinks in a cooler, brought along marshmallows for making s’mores, and even brought a full-size ax from the garage for the convenience of chopping firewood.
Dave, being the true Eagle scout that he is, LOVES building a good fire!
After a chilly night sleeping in the tent (I suppose we’re getting soft), we took our time packing up and eating breakfast before setting out back down the Trace. We stopped about halfway back to Nashville at Garrison Creek, which gives access to the Highland Rim Section of the Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail. We did a short hiking loop through the woods, which made Dave reminiscent of his many backpacking trips in high school.
A walk in the woods. Once again–couldn’t have asked for better weather!
After our hike, we ate a picnic lunch and headed back into Nashville. Great timing, too, as an afternoon rain shower hit us on the drive home! This overnight camping getaway was just what we needed to welcome fall and scratch our travel itch. Now we’re back at the job search once again, trusting the Lord to provide for our next steps as we continue to transition!
