The Longleaf Trace

[ReklinedRider]

So, the original plan was for the wives to come along too, but they bailed, and it became just the boys riding a great rails to trails project,the Longleaf Trace, on a gorgeous Saturday. We left the northern terminus of the trail at Prentiss, MS at around 8:45 with the temp still in the mid-60's and headed for the southern terminus on the campus of the University of Southern Mississippi 43 miles away.

The plan was a leisurely pace to chat and enjoy the weather and the scenery, including the alpacas and emus (!?!in Mississippi??) on a cattle farm alongside the Trace.
About 30ish miles in, this plan was temporarily disrupted by a pair of lycra-lads who blew by with a very snotty 'on your left'. Now, 'on your left' can be pleasant and polite, or it can be snotty and rude. This one was definitely snotty and rude. I was just going to let it slide but Larry said 'go! Show them boys how it's done!' Now, I'm not normally a DF hunter like some of our notable members....for one thing I'm not that fast. But I'm getting faster, and the good weather and a long week at work bade me put the hammer down and teach a little respect for grampas on recumbents. So, off i went, 'see you guys in Hattiesburg'. Caught up quickly and stayed behind but off to the left to make the point that I wasn't drafting. Their initial pace was around 19, and they were taking turns pulling; they ramped it up and up to 23 on flats, 21 on grades, and 26-28 on downhills (rails to trails, max grades 2%). Still 12 miles to H'burg. After 5 or 6 miles their uphill pace started fading, til finally i decided to go ahead and pass. I didn't return the snotty 'on your left'. But I wanted to say, have a good ride, you 30somethings just got dropped like rocks by a 63 year old grandfather of four on a recumbent. UPHILL. Smoke that! But nothing needed to be said...
I guess every once in awhile that kind of thing is fun

Anyway, we met back up in H'burg....here are Larry and Henry relaxing in the shade at the nicely appointed southern terminus:

And a Vendetta, doing the same:

Then a nice lunch at your basic greasy spoon southern diner (all fried, all the time!)

(Heyyyy.....lookit that coool bike on the right......)

Then the trip home, having Larry set the pace since he had decided he wanted to tack on extra miles at the end to get his first century


And enjoying the scenery--Larry and the alpacas


And a random civil war vet in a Giro helmet and bike jersey with the same alpacas

(aka a grampa on a killer recumbent)

Not to mention the emu:


(file limitation mandates finishing this in another post)

 

[ReklinedRider]

My buddy:


Then on to the finish, back in Prentiss where we started. We had an even 86 miles, so we turned around and rode south 7 miles (where we finally saw Henry again for the first time in a couple of hours...he was tired but fine) and then back to get Larry's first century. Woo-hoo!

Proud Larry at the trailhead, with a century under his belt.

All in all a day well spent!

(this should have been posted in The V Chronicles. Oh well)

 

[super slim]

Excellent write up, with a beautiful rail to Trail, and its good to see an OLD Grandpa politely beta two wiper-snappers on DFs!

 

[hoyden]

Nice after action report. It's just darn fun when friends, bikes, weather, and trail come together.

I guess every once in awhile that kind of thing is fun

I have succumbed to that situation several times with enough success to consider doing it again when the situation arises.

 

[castlerobber]

Love it! Well done, and great write-up.

the good weather and a long week at work bade me put the hammer down and teach a little respect for grampas on recumbents

"Grampas on recumbents" sounds like a good name for a retro rock band.

While you were off smoking roadies, I was struggling and gasping my way up the Vicksburg hills at the Bricks and Spokes ride. The first 15 miles, out-and-back across the Mississippi River into Louisiana, were nice and flat. The second 15...not so much. The scenery was nice enough in the hills, except for the one sketchy apartment complex high on a hill overlooking I-20, where every building was shored up by a couple of external I-beams on each side.

A grampa who really wants a recumbent rode up on his hybrid to chat with me for a few miles. He's been to RideSouth and tried out a used Rans V-Rex, which he really liked; but his wife, having attempted a test ride and promptly fallen off, has decreed two-wheeled bents "too dangerous" and wants him to settle for a trike.

The Vicksburg Post has a short blurb about the ride:
http://www.vicksburgpost.com/2016/10/01/seventh-bricks-and-spokes-attracts-185-here/

 

[ReklinedRider]

Great pic, high above the mighty Mississippi!

 

[Bill K]

After 5 or 6 miles their uphill pace started fading, til finally i decided to go ahead and pass.

Thats exactly the way to do it. Beat them up, then spit them out the back when there are good and tired
Lesson learned, and everyone wins (by getting a good workout).
Hope you did a horizon job on them as well.
Great ride report. I like the Emu's the best.

 

[hoyden]

across the Mississippi River i

That's an impressive shot with you above the river. It's nice that the trail can cross the river with the railroad tracks. I could imagine it would be quite a thrill to share the bridge with a train.

 

[castlerobber]

I could imagine it would be quite a thrill to share the bridge with a train.

I'd say so! Didn't get to experience that, but some of the other riders did. The picture in the Vicksburg Post article I linked shows both cyclists and train. The old bridge has been closed to vehicular traffic for a couple of decades; apparently the locals would like to see it reopened, at least for passenger cars. With the traffic lanes each being only 9 feet wide, it isn't the best place for 18-wheelers.

 

[hoyden]

With the traffic lanes each being only 9 feet wide,

That's skinny. Some SUVs would feel cramped I imagine. I wonder why the bike path is on the railroad bridge and not the car bridge, since the car bridge seems a good fit. I like trains, so I would have zero problem with the railroad bridge. If I still lived in Memphis I would be enticed to try both these trails in the non-summer months.

 

[castlerobber]

I wonder why the bike path is on the railroad bridge and not the car bridge, since the car bridge seems a good fit.

I'm not sure that even cyclists or pedestrians get to use the Old Vicksburg Bridge, except for special events. I imagine they'd enjoy having it accessible as part of a trail. Here's a bit more history:
http://www.johnweeks.com/river_mississippi/pages/lmiss08.html

If I still lived in Memphis I would be enticed to try both these trails in the non-summer months.

The Longleaf Trace (south-central Mississippi) and the Tanglefoot Trail (northeast Mississippi) are both pleasant rides in the spring and fall, and shaded enough that early-morning summer rides aren't miserably hot.

You lived in Memphis? I grew up in northwest Mississippi, near enough to Memphis that we did our weekly shopping there.

 

[hoyden]

Here's a bit more history:

Thank you for that link. It was a fascinating read. I was familiar with the Civil War history but did not know that the Mississippi River diverted and now the Yazoo River flows by.

I have a soft spot for southern heritage so when ReclinedRider posted his Longleaf Trace trip report I eagerly read it. Your post is icing on the cake.

My sister and her family live in Olive Branch and I usually visit once a year, usually at Thanksgiving. I will have to see if I can talk my sibs into a road trip to Vicksburg. I won't have a bike so it'll be a walking tour.

 

[castlerobber]

My sister and her family live in Olive Branch and I usually visit once a year, usually at Thanksgiving.

Small world! I'm from Byhalia, 10 miles down I-22, and go up to visit my family several times a year. You want to go ride Shelby Farms at Thanksgiving? I can bring both bikes.

 

[hoyden]

Small world! I'm from Byhalia, 10 miles down I-22, and go up to visit my family several times a year. You want to go ride Shelby Farms at Thanksgiving? I can bring both bikes.

I would enjoy riding at Shelby Farms. It's not a for-sure yet we are getting together this year and I will let you know.

Small world, indeed. I went through Byhalia on my way to Holly Springs to check out the Mississippi Central Railroad a few years ago. I lived in Memphis 1967-78. Last time I was in the vicinity Shelby Farms was called the Shelby County Penal Farm. I appreciate hearing how MS has developed the rail trails and preserves the transportation history.

 

[ReklinedRider]

Now trending on Facebook: 'A fun day riding the Tammany Trace, south Louisiana' (trending....yeah right )

This time an easy does it social ride with the lovely Miss Debbie and another couple, Larry (from the Longleaf Trace ride and post) and his lovely bride Miss Cathy. No smokin' roadies, just cruzin' in the sunshine in beautiful south Louisiana. Another wonderfully done Rails to Trails project between Covington, La. and Slidell.


Wish I could get my lovely wife on a Cruzbike....guess she's just a dedicated triker. Oh well, maybe someday!


In Mandeville


Swamp. Gators. Nuff said:



And a pretty good pic of a GREAT bike:


55 miles round trip. Leisurely pace, but for both gals it was their longest ride ever, both of them pleased as punch about that. All in all a great day with great friends!

 

[hoyden]

Sounds like ya'll had a very lovely day. Nice to punch some personal bests at the same time.