Bicycling the Natchez Trace Parkway: Afterthoughts

A few after-thoughts or lessons learned after bicycling the Natchez Trace Parkway.

• Boy, that was great! Excellent road conditions, the cars played nice, not a single significant negative.
• The National Park Service map is the best map, but it really only shows NPS campgrounds and omits several others (probably the way it should be).
• First time I've camped for several consecutive days with others. You can see the need to consistent good will and good humor.
• There's really very little privacy in camping, and zero privacy in hammock camping.
• Sunscreen; how did I only discover it in my mid-50's?
• Planning: it's not effective to plan epic days without resources-in-depth and next-day contingency options. Absent that, I'm beginning to think: 45 mile days (loaded) with a rest day every fifth day.

I would so ride this again in a heart-beat. South-to-north, unsupported, 45 miles a day.

 

 

Future Bike Camp Designers: I love what you've been doing with the traditional primitive campground: grass, trees, picnic bench, secure trash can, fire circle, water source, restroom or porta-john. Moving forward, would you please consider:

• plumbing the rest-room waterpipes (if any) to an exterior showerhead
• exterior electric outlets to charge phones, tablets, cameras, MiFis, etc.