Days 7 - 9: Natchez Trace

Tuesday, after three big days in a row, we decided to take it easy and only hike about 7 miles before finding a campsite. Well, that didn't go exactly as planned, because 7 miles into the day we found ourselves in the middle of an agricultural area with few trees for cover. Beyond the fields were giant cypress swamps. We had no choice but to hike an additional 7 miles to the Rocky Springs Campground, the first of the campgrounds managed by the Park Service. (Meanwhile, we crossed the 50 mile marker!) We got into camp at dusk, and we're grateful for picnic tables, a bathroom, and potable water. We ate some tasty stir fry with rice, onions, bell peppers, and squash then got into the tent and slept for almost 10 hours.

This morning we met Sheary and Nard, of Anchorage, Alaska, who have been traveling throughout the southeast since August. They cycled down from Clinton, near Jackson. It was amazing to be able to chat with folks who have a similar love of traveling and enjoy experiencing trips with a slower pace. They also gave us extra food, which was much appreciated! Chris is most excited about the Babybel cheese, and Jen is looking forward to the Hershey bar! Nard also gave us a handy little spatula which came in handy a couple of nights later when we had to clean Mac and cheese dishes. Thank you, Sheary and Nard!

We took the day off yesterday and rested and enjoyed the beautiful weather. We walked around our campground up to an old church and cemetery, which were built while the old Trace Trail was still being used. We finished the day off with a large meal and a nice campfire.

Today we were back at it and walked 15 miles. Though largely uneventful, the scenery was beautiful. Also, we are happy to report that our bodies seem to be adjusting to our trip quite well, which is good considering we will be making a big push into Jackson the next couple of days.

Here are a couple of photos from the last few days!