Day #8: Mathiston to "Stinkin Jim's" Campground- 29.67 miles

HALFWAY THERE!!!!

We slept our second night at our French Camp Carriage House with one ear and one eye open in case the threat of very severe weather proved to be true. We all slept fairly well in spite of it all. Rain it did....but the severe part held off for another day.

We all made the familiar trek over to the main house for breakfast as we watched the rain move away and the skies start to clear. Seems Sissie was right. Our best strategy was to stay another night in French Camp. We were so glad that we had.

Breakfast was similar to yesterday. Scrambled eggs and fresh cantaloupe but with sausage instead of bacon. Not too little- not too much. And....similar to yesterday, Sissie entered the room as we were about to finish eating. Sissie is one of those people. You know.....One of those that you meet that you know are special. A person that inspires you because you can see that she thinks everything I f helping others. No....I don't mean the part about her helping us avoid potentially very severe weather and picking us up from 25 miles away- and then dropping us off again 25 miles away.....no......I mean the part about her helping her son Jacob be the best young man that he can be.... And helping her Dad with the countless daily tasks that are required when he is where he is in his life.....And also in inspiring and motivating countless young people that work for her......no......WITH her....day in and day out at French Camp. She is a truly a great person and we were all honored to have met her. We won't soon forget her. Thank you Sissie!

After our goodbyes at an exit at Mathiston, Sissie drove off and left us to our bikes. The next destination was to be " Stinkin Jim's" Campground near Houston MS. The ride was fairly smooth....except for yet another headwind which accompanied the front that had just moved through. We were all pretty stoked though, because we knew that just a way down the road......there would be mile marker that would signal our halfway point in our journey. 222 is exactly halfway to the end of The Trace.....even though we will actually travel many more miles when all is said and done. It was time for a group hug. A remarkable accomplishment that we are all very proud of. 222 out of The Trace's total 444 miles......are done.







The first calls to James, the owner of "Stinkin Jim's" were placed a few months ago. There really aren't many options for camping or even any type of lodging on or near The Trace.....so your few options must be investigated. James seemed like a friendly guy and was always eager for our business. Even if that "business" was only $10 per couple for a campsite, showers, power, water, a washer and dryer, 2 dogs to play with, and even a free shuttle from the Trace to his great "Stinkin Jim's" Campground in the back of a trailer hooked to his pickup. Seemed like a heck of a deal. It was.
James picked us up behind a Historic Point of Interest (The Bynum Mounds) at about 2:00 and delivered us to our Campsite. Except for some karioki playing until about midnight (that James told us about and even invited us to join in!!).... It was a pretty good nights stay.

POSTED BY: Mitch

Day# 7: French Camp to Mathiston (sort of) 27.22 miles

ONE FINE PLACE

A restful and relaxing night was spent in our little cottage. We walked the boardwalk to the main house for breakfast served of country hash browns, scrambled eggs and bacon and fresh cantaloupe, which was served at 8:00am. Sissie, the caretaker who had introduced us to several of the boys from the French Camp Academy yesterday afternoon, came in to join us for the latter part of our breakfast. She sat down and looked at all four of us with a serious face and said "I was thinking about you all last night and I have a plan. The weather is expected to get rough and I think you should stay here tonight. You don't want to be in that campground in a storm." We asked about the pavilion at the campgrounds and couldn't we take shelter there if it got bad, or hide out in the restrooms even. Her look was one that we were certain she used on her boys from the Academy in her work detail, don't argue with her. We quickly decided that if a local is strongly asking us not to camp tonight that just maybe we should listen, but we still wanted to ride today. She offered to pick us up in Mathiston, 23 miles up the road, and bring us back to French Camp and then take us back to Mathiston in the morning. She was so convinced that we should do this that she even cleared it with the front registration desk to not book our cottage that we would be staying a second night, before we even had agreed to do so. Surely this was Divine Intervention and we felt like we were being looked out for.
So off we went, sans panniers which we left at the cottage, and set out for Mathiston. It was a morning like the previous, very humid, and the road began to have longer climbs as we made our way to what would have been our campground for the night, Jeff Busby Park. JBP is the highest point on the Trace and there is a mountain called Little Mountain at the end of a long up-winding road in the park. It was at the top of this mountain that we found the pavilion that we had thought would afford protection from the storm. It was very small and in addition the bathrooms up here were locked. Our decision to go back to French Camp for the night was looking like a good one. We rested and enjoyed the long distance views before heading back down the mountain and onward to Mathiston

We pulled off at another historic site for a rest and to read the history of the area. It was yet another spot on the Parkway where the original Trace was very visible and accessible. We had just pulled in when a large motor home pulled in behind us and out stepped a friendly couple traveling a portion of the Trace on their way home to Maine. Their names are Muriel and Harold Parks and they travel the South in their motor home during the winter. We exchanged travel stories when Mitch couldn't stand it anymore and felt compelled to tell them that he couldn't help but to notice that the license plate on their motor home was from Maine. He went on to tell them that they have a Christmas tradition in his family to write and read an essay. Well, one year the theme was 'Why Would I Want to Go to Maine in a Motor Home?' He proudly announced that he won the essay contest that year, and here, on the Natchez Trace, is a motor home from Maine. (Rand and Marilyn this is for you) We visited some more and took their pictures next to the information sign and then down in the original Trace which they had not even noticed. We cracked up because no matter how hard Harold tried with his

Northeastern accent, he could not say Natchez. He would say "yes, we love the Nachos Trace". We would correct him and and tell him how to pronounce it and it still came out sounding like nachos to us every time.

We said our goodbyes and headed the final 3 miles to our destination, Trace-Way Restaurant in Mathiston, where we were told the plate lunch was excellent. None of us ordered it. Hah! We all ordered off the menu and the food was great.

Sissie picked us up as promised and brought us back to French Camp in her truck. We dropped our bikes off and she then drove us around the community and told us the history of the French Camp Academy. It is a non-denominational Christian based boarding school primarily serving underprivileged, single parent kids, and troubled youths. We were amazed at the campus layout, the dormitory buildings, staff housing, stables, cabins for summer campers, and lakeside facilities, all tucked neatly into the trees just out of sight from the Parkway. Who knew that this even existed, and has been here since 1885 when it was originally setup to first serve as a school for girls. Very quickly dormitories were added for boys and Indian children were served as well. The dedication by the staff and the people who live in the French Camp community to the Academy and to these kids was remarkable to see. She then told us that for $3 each we could eat in the dining hall that evening when the kids came in for supper. We were in. Supper was served cafeteria style and was "breakfast for supper." We had bacon and sausage, scrambled eggs and grits, seasoned potatoes and gravy, and fresh cinnamon rolls with a ooey gooey caramel pecan glaze. OMG! Those were the bomb. We were stuffed once again.

Now we're back at the cottage waiting on the storm that we've been told should arrive between 8:00 and 9:00 tonight. Bring it.

The address of everyone living in French Camp is "their name" @ One Fine Place, French Camp MS.

We would agree, it is One Fine Place

POSTED BY: Suzy

Day #6 Kosciusko to French Camp- 23.09 miles

YOU CAN PICK UP YOUR OWN QUARTER

Spent the night at the Kosiusco Super 8. We determined that after 5 days on the road we needed to carb up and decided to eat lunch at the local Italian restaurant that our new friend Charles from the information center had recommended. Delicious. Then, as luck would have it Pizza Hut was right next door to our motel. Pizza for supper, oh and James wanted to try their boneless wings. Also delicious. After a quick breakfast this morning we were back on the road by 9:00am. Today started out much more humid than any of the previous and the sun was already starting to peek out through the clouds. Uh oh. Suzy doesn't like to sweat. Actually the heat just wilts me, but we only have 20 miles to reach our destination today and knew that we could pace ourselves and stop at the historic sites to rest. We saw Hurricane Creek, Cole Creek, Bethel Mission site, and the northern range of the Tupelo and cypress swamps. But the best historic site by far was our destination of French Camp.

Our first priority was lunch. Surprise! The Counsel House Cafe served up Big Willie BLT's claiming 10 pieces of bacon on each and a side of broccoli salad. Can't resist bacon. The menu claims their sandwiches are Nuttin' but Gooooood! They were. Charles said dessert of bread pudding was not to be missed. He was correct. Yum! Following lunch and since our cottage wasn't yet ready we took a walking tour of the area.

French Camp was a stand and was one of the most well known and documented stopping places on the Trace. Louis LeFleur, a Frenchman and hence the nickname French Camp, chose this site in the Choctaw Nation to establish his inn, trading post, tavern, livery and stable, and a dwelling house. Many of these buildings have been restored and capture the essence of that time. We also saw a pottery throwing demonstration, toured the museum and visited with the caretaker about the French Camp Academy, a Christian boarding school. By then our cottage was ready and we moved our things in.  We are staying in the Carriage House, a one bedroom with a sleeping loft.   It is named the Carriage House because on display in a glassed room is LeFleur's son's horse drawn carriage.  His son married the Indian Chief's daughter and became an Indian Chief  himself.  The carriage was used to travel to Washington DC to meet with Andrew Jackson to discuss Indian Treaties. Very cool.  Our cottage is very roomy, however the loft is accessible by climbing the steepest steps ever and we've been pedaling for 6 days now. Not appealing. Who's going to draw the black bean and climb those stairs to the loft. Ever democratic Charlotte pulls out a quarter and says let's flip for the downstairs bedroom. I toss the coin, she calls heads, and sunny beach, it's heads. I told her "you can pick up your own quarter." James and I moved upstairs. It's now supper time! Back over to the cafe for another sandwich and this time Mississippi Mud Pie. An appropriate dessert. All delicious.

Tomorrow morning comes our "Country Breakfast" which is obviously the Breakfast portion of our Bed and Breakfast. We are REALLY looking forward to that!  Surprise!

Posted by Suzy, Charlotte, Mitch and James.

Day #5: Ratliff Ferry Campground to Kosciusko- 41.8 miles

"I ONLY WISH I WOULD HAVE DONE 20 MORE THINGS LIKE THAT"

The day dawned early to the sounds of fishermen launching their boats at both boat ramps!! It was 6:15 am!
It was especially annoying when the guys would shout to each other although they couldn't have been more than 20 feet away from each other. It was a peaceful night though and it was time to get up and get rolling. We enjoyed another delicious bowl of oatmeal gruel and set out for Kosciusko.
The miles quickly fell away and at day 5 we have found our groove. We saw a beaver dam, another stand that once stood, but best of all the Kosciusko Visitor's Center.

We met the local docent Charles Wollfarth (he pronounced it Wuuuuullfuth) at the visitors center.
My goodness he was priceless. The most interesting story he told was about a young female cyclist that was biking from Alabama to Nashville. He said "Oh 
she was so PRETTY but she covered her face with a handkerchief so others couldn't see all of her face. Why she was riding that bike so far, I don't know.......but I sure would like to check her for ticks"!!!

Another story that Charles shared seemed to be intended specifically for us and our adventure.  It was from a time when he was young and decided to do something really special. He and a friend decided to float a boat that he had actually made from Cypresswood down the Mississippi from Greenville to Natchez. It took them much longer than expected and they hunted their own food along the way. A great and obviously memorable adventure. Charles then said: "I only wish I would have done 20 more things like that."

POSTED BY: Suzy, James, Charlotte, Mitch

Day #4: Clinton, MS to Ratliff Ferry RV Park, MS - 39.53 miles

AND THE THUNDER ROLLS

The trip departing Clinton was less harrowing than arriving. We pedaled through town past Mississippi College and stopped at a convenience store to buy some bread and taffy (thanks Suzy for reminding me about the bread)! We quickly made our way to the Trace and knocked out 10 miles. Once again, we stood where a stand once stood...

Today's scenery was different than the last several days because we rode next to Ross Barnett Reservoir. Traffic was a bit tricky since we were skirting Jackson, MS and it was morning rush hour.  The miles seemed to fly by quickly since we left our EconoLodge at 8:05 am. Let's just say that EconoLodge can't hold a candle to Rosswood Plantation for accommodations and breakfast.

The most interesting stop was at the Tupelo-Bald Cypress Swamp.  Water tupelo and cypress can live in deep water for long periods. The swamp was actually quite lovely and quiet. We are glad we stopped because from the Trace, we couldn't see the swamp at all.

Out next stop was at the reservoir rest stop where we met Chris, a local boiler valve inspector. He was just putting away his fishing gear and was a little exasperated at an afternoon of "no bites". He was a friendly character and we really enjoyed shooting the breeze with him.

Here is a picture of our campsite. We are camped on a peninsula and can see 2 separate boat ramps from our tents. It's beginning to rain now and we hear thunder in the distance. Batten down the tents!!

POSTED BY: Charlotte