trans america trail
- 13) oregon tat finish
- 12) nevada sagebrush
- 11) utah desertland
- 10) the rockies
- 09) oklahoma grasslands
- 08) mississippi/arkansas
- 07) tennessee section
Starting in Columbia, there was one more day of riding in Tennessee, West to Selmer. Only a few miles are left then to cross the border for Mississippi.
By chance, I am just reading "The Chamber" from John Grisham. One of the easy-to-read books made for a thrilling lecture on vacation. It's about a KKK deathrow inmate. The story plays right in this region of Mississipi. It's weird that only a few decades ago these counties have been the showplace of so bad raciscm.
Back to the trail: Mississippi starts with nice unpaved roads. Gravel, dirt, some sandy parts! Finally! But this is only a short visit to this state, since the trail heads right through here and lead me to Arkansas.
You cross the Mississippi river at Helena. If you feel like it, go gambling at the casino. I didn't, but stayed in the first motel I could find for some cheap price. Spookiness included. After Helena the trail took me to Clinton, a bit North of Little Rock and then to Fort Smith (I couldn't stay in Alma, because I needed a new front tire).
It's about a 200 to 250 miles ride per day. So far I can make it, but it's kind of tiresome to stand up on the bike all day riding the gravel roads (I prefer standing up on gravel).
The TAT through Mississippi and Arkansas (move your mouse on the red line for stage info). Southern Tennesse is home of big farmland.. View over the vast crop fields. One section of the trail leads through Amish country. You will always recognize Amish farms by the lack of any machinery, the little girls wearing an old fashioned dress and the little boys with suspenders and a straw hat. And obiously at the moment when you come across a horse with a buggy. Say hello to everybody you meet on the road! They'll give you a kind wave back. The veranda with a rocking chair is really a must in the South. I like it! Looks like in the Jack Daniels ads. It's just a river, but an important one. Tennessee River. I was convinced I could be smarter than Sam's maps and take a ferry over it. No more ferry. The road winds through corn fields on a gravelish-sandy ground. Nice coloured dots in the green nature. I have liked this combination since Canada. And again big farmhouses. In Mississippi the landscape changes again. This is deep swamp area. Trees in the water, brownish colour and lots of green! And the classical swamp tortoise having a sunbath. The trail also leads you sometimes through the Mississippi swamp. Go and take a look first for deepness and Water Mocassins. I didn't know if they were around this region, but I am not a wildlife expert. So I prefer to check. When you come into small villages they try to impress you with some excellent pavement. Wait for the next corner and you will see how far the money went. But that's what we want! We don't want any money be spent on pavement! More Mississippi swamp. You know that already. We never had "yellow" in the pictures. Now we have.. One would think they are giants hidden under leafs, waiting to catch you on your bike. This scenery must look very spooky at night! There are whole forests attacked by this plant that just climbs the trees and makes them die and dry out. Then, when you come closer to the Mississippi river the countryside gets plain with miles and miles of large rice fields. I couldn't figure out what that was. But there surely was enough of it, up to the horizon. One more river, but again an important one. The Mississippi. The old steamboats are where the tourists are. No tourists in Helena, no steamboats. Just the mandatory proof of the state's license plates. I will never forget the view of my motel hallway. Uhuh, I felt like in "Shining". This feeling was emphasized by the fact I was alone and you couldn't open the windows. More crop fields in the East of Arkansas. The landscape is not really one of the most attractive, but you can do some nice riding on the gravel roads. Some had fresh gravel on them which caused some nervousity.... The road is often covered with an inch thick layer of dust, blown out of the fields. When this gets wet, you are in a slippery and sticking mud. The mud I do not like! I am from near Stuttgart, Germany. So I was quite pleased to know I was not far away from home at all. "Just out to get myself some smokes, baby!" (I don't smoke, but that's the saying). Still impressed by the endless long trains with countless waggons. That's how the gravel roads look like. Or like this. In the Western part of Arkansas, right after Clinton, you'll get to the Ozark National Forest. 100 miles through the mountains. Some parts are in very bad condition. I hoped for the better, because I was afraid I wouldn't make it with all the stuff on the bike. But it turned out it was just a short uphill section. Then you could ride on these "luxury" forest roads. Just the feeling that you are alone in a remote forest area, nothing around, gives you some respectful thoughts. Now Oklahoma is calling!
The TAT through Mississippi and Arkansas (move your mouse on the red line for stage info).
Southern Tennesse is home of big farmland..
View over the vast crop fields.
One section of the trail leads through Amish country. You will always recognize Amish farms by the lack of any machinery, the little girls wearing an old fashioned dress and the little boys with suspenders and a straw hat.
And obiously at the moment when you come across a horse with a buggy. Say hello to everybody you meet on the road! They'll give you a kind wave back.
The veranda with a rocking chair is really a must in the South. I like it! Looks like in the Jack Daniels ads.
It's just a river, but an important one. Tennessee River. I was convinced I could be smarter than Sam's maps and take a ferry over it. No more ferry.
The road winds through corn fields on a gravelish-sandy ground.
Nice coloured dots in the green nature. I have liked this combination since Canada.
And again big farmhouses.
In Mississippi the landscape changes again. This is deep swamp area. Trees in the water, brownish colour and lots of green!
And the classical swamp tortoise having a sunbath.
The trail also leads you sometimes through the Mississippi swamp. Go and take a look first for deepness and Water Mocassins. I didn't know if they were around this region, but I am not a wildlife expert. So I prefer to check.
When you come into small villages they try to impress you with some excellent pavement. Wait for the next corner and you will see how far the money went. But that's what we want! We don't want any money be spent on pavement!
More Mississippi swamp. You know that already.
We never had "yellow" in the pictures. Now we have..
One would think they are giants hidden under leafs, waiting to catch you on your bike. This scenery must look very spooky at night!
There are whole forests attacked by this plant that just climbs the trees and makes them die and dry out.
Then, when you come closer to the Mississippi river the countryside gets plain with miles and miles of large rice fields.
I couldn't figure out what that was. But there surely was enough of it, up to the horizon.
One more river, but again an important one. The Mississippi. The old steamboats are where the tourists are. No tourists in Helena, no steamboats.
Just the mandatory proof of the state's license plates.
I will never forget the view of my motel hallway. Uhuh, I felt like in "Shining". This feeling was emphasized by the fact I was alone and you couldn't open the windows.
More crop fields in the East of Arkansas. The landscape is not really one of the most attractive, but you can do some nice riding on the gravel roads. Some had fresh gravel on them which caused some nervousity....
The road is often covered with an inch thick layer of dust, blown out of the fields. When this gets wet, you are in a slippery and sticking mud. The mud I do not like!
I am from near Stuttgart, Germany. So I was quite pleased to know I was not far away from home at all. "Just out to get myself some smokes, baby!" (I don't smoke, but that's the saying).
Still impressed by the endless long trains with countless waggons.
That's how the gravel roads look like.
Or like this.
In the Western part of Arkansas, right after Clinton, you'll get to the Ozark National Forest. 100 miles through the mountains. Some parts are in very bad condition. I hoped for the better, because I was afraid I wouldn't make it with all the stuff on the bike. But it turned out it was just a short uphill section.
Then you could ride on these "luxury" forest roads. Just the feeling that you are alone in a remote forest area, nothing around, gives you some respectful thoughts.
Now Oklahoma is calling!
