GMRR Day 4 - Natchez, MS to Vicksburg, MS

The link to today's route and statistics is here.

Today was a big step up in both mileage and climbing.  While still modest by most accounts, with almost 92 miles and 3300 feet, I certainly noticed the difference.
We started out on backroads, making our way the to Natchez Trace Parkway at about 16 miles.  The Natchez Trace Parkway is a bicyclists dream.  There is very, very little traffic, and the road surface is smooth the whole way.  To top it off, the weather was perfect all day.  We were on the Trace for almost 48 miles.  It is very pretty, but there are few outstanding photo ops along the way.  Here are a couple of different rider groups I captured, just to give you some feel for what the route was like.

Our first SAG stop was at a place called Coles Creek along the parkway.  Here is the type of setting it was in.  Our ride mechanic, Mike Knuesel from Phoenix, can be seen with his hands up.

The Natchez Trace was an important route in the early days, providing a route north to Nashville from the lower Mississippi.  The route was well used, and portions of it made deep impressions in the ground.  I stopped at a place called "Sunken Trace" and hope I captured where the Trace actually ran.

We left the Trace Parkway about 65 miles in, and made our way along sparsely traveled roads in to Vicksburg.  I saw a sign that said historical homes with an arrow that pointed down a hill to the river.  I did not have the energy at this point to contemplate riding back up the hill, so have no homes to show you.  We did get some lovely views of the Mississippi coming into town (with several casinos along the way).

As we were riding along in town, our directions had us make a right turn onto Grove St.  The sheet said hill, and they weren't kidding.  It was an 11% grade for about a quarter mile.  As we were 90 miles in to the day at this point, it was all I could do to crest the top.  There was little time or energy to do much more than clean up and do some basics before rap and dinner, so this will have to suffice for the day.  We have a 100 mile day tomorrow, but are leaving earlier, and it is basically flat, so I should be able to do better.  See you then.