Tammany Trace, Covington, Louisiana

April 29, 2015
50 miles

I forgot to mention that yesterday after our ride, as I leaned over to take my shoes off, I heard a hissing noise coming from the back tire on our bike. Sure enough when we arrived at the hotel in Louisiana we had a flat tire. Before we left home we bought new tires to bring with us because the ones on our bike were showing lots of wear.  Clay decided that as long as he was changing the tube on the back tire he might as well change tubes and tires on both wheels. So our hotel room became a bike repair workshop.

We started our ride today at the Abita Springs Trailhead. Immediately the man that we parked next to began a conversation with us. He had noticed our out of state license plate and was curious about  what brought us to the area. He gave us lots of helpful information about the trail and what kind of snakes we could possibly encounter while riding "The Trace". I am happy to report that I saw ZERO snakes today. But, I did see a turtle!

Out of the three trails we've ridden on this trip, Tammany Trace was the most used. We even saw another couple on a tandem. We passed them going each way. Many of the people we passed threw greetings our way and when we would stop to take a picture people passing would ask if everything was alright. Clay and I give this trail the "Most Friendly" award!

The flora and fauna along the trace were what you would expect for southern Louisiana. Lots of swamps, spanish moss and insects. The weather today was lovely, sunny skies and temps in the 70s. We had a hard time deciding when to stop biking, hence the fifty miles. And for all my Weight Watcher friends out there, I earned 32 activity points today. Sweet!

Longleaf Trace Trail, Hattiesburg, Mississippi

April 28, 2015
30 miles

Well, we went in search of warmer weather and let's just say we are headed in the right direction! It was 66 degrees and overcast when we started out this morning. By the time we ended the clouds were breaking up and the temperature was very comfortable. We were actually very happy that we even got to ride because the rain chances had been very high for today. We thought we would be taking a rain day and wait for tomorrow to ride. But, surprise, the weatherman was wrong!

We started out in Hattiesburg on the campus of the University of Southern Miss. The trail is 40 miles long but we knew we wouldn't get to ride the complete trail since we didn't have anyone to move our car to the other end. So we rode out 15 miles, turned around and came back. The trail was extremely nice. Very wide (a minimum of 10 foot wide) and the surface was asphalt. So our average mph was higher today than yesterday. Yesterday we averaged 11 mph, today 15.5 mph.

This trail was part of a tree identification program so the section we rode had identification signposts labeling some trees. I saw some trees I had never heard of. It was quite interesting. There were many areas to stop and rest and enjoy the scenery. The scent today was just as wonderful. Again, I smelled honeysuckle but today it was mixed with aroma from the pine trees and the after rain fragrance. 

We did have a near disaster with a squirrel. We were clipping right along (15 mph) and a squirrel on the side of the trail couldn't decide which way he wanted to dart. At the last second he shot out toward us on a collision course with our front tire. Right before our tire would have hit him he changed directions! Clay said he was sure we were going to go down. Too close for my comfort level!

One other interesting thing happened. When we finished and were loading our bike on the car a reporter for a local TV station came up to us. She asked if we had ridden the trail. She said they are getting ready to expand the trail and her station was going to run a piece about it. We told her we were from Illinois and that we were riding a trail in every state. She asked if she could ask us a few questions on camera about the trail and what we thought about it. So, I guess tonight or very soon we'll be on the news in Hattiesburg! Why do things like this have to happen to me after riding 30 miles and having helmet hair!!!

Delta Heritage Trail, Barton, Arkansas

April 27, 2015
20 miles
We began our ride at the Walnut Corner trailhead in Barton, Arkansas. There is a park visitor center located here with nice, clean restrooms and a quaint gift store. Yes, we found something for the grandkids! The lady working here was friendly and knowledgeable about the trail.

This is our
first out-of-state ride this year. We went south looking for warmer weather.
Today, we didn't find it. It was in the upper 50s and overcast (it sprinkled on
us driving to the trailhead) with a brisk NE wind. I had to wear several layers
of riding clothes and even my ear muffs.

In
spite of the cold weather, I thoroughly enjoyed the trail. It is a former Union
Pacific Railroad right-of-way that has been turned into a biking/hiking trail,
passing through rich delta wetlands. The surface was crushed limestone so that
slowed us down a bit. Trees provided a shaded canopy for a majority of the
trail, the honeysuckle was just starting to bloom so the scent was heavenly,
and, I even spotted a bluebird in the bushes today.






Some historical highlights of the trail included crossing over Lick Creek where a Civil War Skirmish took place, and we stopped at the Lake View trailhead which was a "New Deal" community.

Deeper south we go in search of warmer temperatures!