April 1st to April 21st
838 miles
I moved to Austin in 1978. I commuted to class at the University of Texas on my road bike and took frequent spins through the surrounding Texas Hill Country. If you are not familiar with the Texas Hill Country, you are in for a real treat the first time you visit. The Texas Hill Country is graced with limestone outcroppings, bubbling springs, goats, vineyards, and magnificent oak trees. In the springtime, the Texas Hill Country is also adorned with colorful wild flowers.
Austin is famous for its music scene. Be sure to visit the Broken Spoke for Texas Swing with Ray Benson and his band Asleep At the Wheel. My favorite music venue, however, is the Cactus Cafe located in the Student Union building on the University of Texas campus. If you are lucky, you might be able to catch a show at the Cactus Cafe with Butch Hancock, my favorite Texas musician. I think of Butch Hancock as Texas’ very own Bob Dylan. He is an incredibly talented singer/songwriter and a bona fide Texas treasure.
To learn about what bands are currently playing in Austin, pick-up a free copy of the Austin Chronicle, a weekly publication distributed in racks located in various businesses throughout Austin. If you enjoy going to the movies, you can also rely on the Austin Chronicle for insightful movie reviews, theater locations, and show times for movies currently playing in Austin.
My favorite breakfast spot in Austin is the Magnolia Cafe located at 2304 Lake Austin Blvd. I always get an omelet topped with Rojas sauce and a side of gingerbread pancakes.
My favorite lunch spot is the Central Market Cafe which is part of a fabulous grocery store located at 4001 N. Lamar Blvd. After lunch, be sure to take a walk around the spring fed lake behind Central Market. On one side of the lake is one of the most magnificent oak trees in all of Austin.
For dinner I recommend the iconic Mexican restaurant, Guero’s located at 1412 S. Congress Ave. One of my favorite menu items is the Tacos El Pastor (grilled pork, onions, cilantro, and fresh pineapple). Apply some Pico de Gallo and I promise you the results will be truly joyous!
My favorite coffee shop in Austin is Mozart’s Coffee located at 3825 Lake Austin Blvd. (near the intersection of Lake Austin Blvd. and Enfield Rd.). In addition to indoor seating, Mozart’s Coffee has nice outdoors decks overlooking Lake Austin. It is particularly beautiful at sunset.
My favorite Austin bicycle ride begins and ends at Mozart’s Coffee. It totals about thirty miles and winds through various beautiful, old Austin neighborhoods. This ride will help familiarize you with Austin. It will also help familiarize you with the route I recommend for departing Austin by bicycle. You will find turn-by-turn directions for my favorite Austin bicycle ride at the end of Appendix 1.
If you follow my bicycle route around the United States, Austin and Phoenix are the only two really large cities you will visit. In the case of Phoenix, you will be ducking in and out in order to visit Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West. This part of Phoenix generally has wide streets and nice, wide sidewalks. It is not particularly intimidating on a bicycle.
Austin, on the other hand, requires careful planning to safely exit the city and begin your bicycle journey. Be sure to purchase an Austin Bicycle Map at Bicycle Sport Shop located at 517 S. Lamar Blvd. Also be sure to follow my turn-by-turn directions for a safe journey out of Austin. (Refer to the Summary of Road Conditions below.)
The first week or so of your journey you will be spoiled, happy, and probably stuffed full of Texas barbecue. Keep an eye out, and you will spot several iconic Texas barbecue joints along the way. You will enjoy nice, safe, paved shoulders virtually your entire time in Texas. Stealth camping spots require some effort to find, but I have always managed to find reasonable places to camp. Once you reach the pine forests of east Texas, camping spots become plentiful.
In Louisiana you will first pass through pine forests similar to those in east Texas. Entering Evangeline Parish, however, you begin to travel through the heart of Cajun country. At this point, Louisiana will start to feel like you are in another world. The language, the music, the expanse of rice fields with crayfish traps, and the towering levies, all of these, in combination, are simply intoxicating.
Signs for “Hot Tails” announce the arrival of a new type of fast food restaurant. The composition of the highway litter even seems to change. You will see shrimp tails, crayfish hulls, and pieces of Mardi Gras beads on the shoulders of even the most remote highways. Honestly, I don’t know how to account for all the fish bones, shrimp tails, and crayfish hulls littering the shoulders of the highways. I imagine happy folks eating in their cars and tossing these items out their cocktail sauce smeared windows! Certainly, there is no other place quite like Louisiana!
Stopping at a convenience store in the town of Ville Platte, I find it well stocked with boiled peanuts, pulled pork sandwiches, and hunting magazines. There is no sign of Half & Half or crisp apples, however. A sign posted near the hunting magazines provides this bit of wisdom, “Gun control means using both hands.” The sudden silence that descends over the old timer’s table at the sight of my bicycle shorts and bicycle helmet suggests that cycling is probably not a favorite local activity!
Summary of Road Conditions
Numbers in parentheses refer to the page number for the relevant map in the Rand McNally Road Atlas. The mileage figure next to each city is the distance from the preceding city. Mileage is calculated from city to city based on Google Map’s routing engine. Along the Natchez Trace and Blue Ridge Parkways, the mileage figures refer to the highway mile markers.
Beginning in Austin, Texas (98)
W 2244 (Bee Caves Rd) Bee Caves, Texas, 17 mi
Hwy 2244 (Bee Caves Rd) has heavy traffic but also has excellent, paved shoulders west of Loop 360 (N Capital of Texas Hwy) and all the way to Bee Caves. It is best to enter Bee Caves Rd from Loop 360, if possible, because Bee Caves Rd east of Loop 360 is somewhat dangerous for cyclists. Consult your Austin Bicycle Map to determine the best way to reach Bee Caves Rd starting just west of Loop 360 from wherever you are staying in Austin. You can purchase an Austin Bicycle Map at Bicycle Sport Shop, 517 S. Lamar Blvd, 512-477-3472.
Northbound or southbound, Loop 360 has exits for Hwy 2244 (Bee Caves Rd). Loop 360 has nice, wide, paved shoulders and is a safe and scenic route which is very popular with cyclists although traffic is heavy. Loop 360 looks like a freeway but actually has various intersections with traffic lights. Be very careful when crossing entrance and exit ramps on Loop 360. If your Austin hotel budget is limited, it is surprisingly easy to find excellent stealth camping spots along Loop 360. Be aware that camping in Austin is illegal within city limits. Therefore, it is necessary to be even more stealthy than usual!
W 71 Spicewood, 19 mi
In Bee Caves turn right onto Hwy 71. This turn is clearly marked. Hwy 71 has heavy traffic but is very scenic and has nice, paved shoulders except for the first short stretch in downtown Bee Caves. Stealth camping spots are plentiful once you depart Bee Caves.
W 71 Llano (100), 41 mi
Continue on Hwy 71 to Llano. Finally, you are in the rural countryside! Very beautiful, much less traffic, and you still have paved shoulders except for a short stretch just before you reach Llano. Take a deep breath as you put the busy streets of Austin behind you and look across the open fields. Your journey has begun!
Approaching Llano, just before you turn left onto Hwy 16, there is a Sunoco convenience store on your left. There is a sink in this store adjacent to the coffee area where you can fill your water bottles. There are also several picnic tables behind the store that provide a pleasant place to have lunch.
S 16 to Hwy 265
Hwy 16 has only mini-shoulders. Most of the time you will be able to ride to the right of the white line, however. Traffic is light except on weekends and holidays when traffic is heavy. It is best to plan your trip so that you approach the Enchanted Rock State Natural Area on a weekday.
W 265 to Enchanted Rock State Natural Area
Turn right onto Hwy 265. This intersection is clearly marked. Hwy 265 is a gorgeous rural road without shoulders and with very light weekday traffic. You will cross several cattle guards. As you approach Enchanted Rock, you have a nice view, straight ahead, of one of the large, dome shaped granite rocks. Turn right into the park and then turn right again to the main park office. After checking in at the office, head to your right to find the Loop Trail to hike up the rocks. The hike to the summit is highly recommended. Head left from the main office to the camping area. The camping area has water and showers. The camping area does not have a hiker/biker area. If the office tells you that the camping area is full, be aware that there is a vast, grassy area with plenty of room. Make friends with the folks at one of the campsites and you should do just fine. There is also great stealth camping near the intersection of Hwy 16 and 265 near the first cattle guard. This area lacks fences and also doesn’t have any “No Trespassing” signs.
E 265 back to Hwy 16
The ride back to Hwy 16 seems much easier than the ride in the previous day. You are rested and it is less hilly.
S 16 Fredericksburg, 39 mi (from Llano)
This is a very hilly ride. It feels like you are climbing long, steep grades the whole way. Fredericksburg is a beautiful, old German settlement that is a very popular tourist destination. Turn left onto E 290 (Main St.).
After all those hills, why not try some substantial fare at one of the German restaurants? The Admiral Nimitz Museum is also highly recommended. As you continue east on Hwy 290 through Fredericksburg, you will pass a McDonalds, a Walmart, and a laundromat, all on your right.
E 290 Johnson City, 30 mi
E 290 is a very busy highway. It has two, wide lanes in both directions, but only has mini-shoulders for the first five miles or so departing Fredericksburg. After that, it generally has full, paved shoulders except for a few bridges without shoulders. You will pass lots of vineyards, peach orchards, lavender fields, and commercial wild flower fields (the wild flowers are grown for seed). The terrain is open and much less hilly. After you pass the entrance to the LBJ ranch, look to your left and you might see a magnificent herd of American buffalo! Then, a short distance further east, also on your left, is a very nice rest area. Johnson City, the birthplace of President Lyndon Baines Johnson, has a museum devoted to Johnson’s life.
E 290 Dripping Springs, 25 mi
Hwy 290 makes a hard left turn towards Dripping Springs and Austin a few miles after you depart Johnson City. You need to pay attention and look for the left hand exit. The terrain becomes much more hilly. You have nice, paved shoulders all the way to Dripping Springs.
S 12 Wimberly, TX, 15 mi
Turn right onto Hwy 12 in Dripping Springs. This intersection is well marked. At first, road conditions are poor with heavy urban traffic and only a minimal, crumbling mini-shoulder. After a few miles, conditions improve with much less traffic and a mix of acceptable mini-shoulders and full paved shoulders. The terrain is hilly and very scenic. There is a truck bypass around Wimberly but I recommend simply staying on Hwy 12 through Wimberly. It is a beautiful, artsy, tourist town and a great place to stop for lunch. You will pass an HEB grocery store on your right.
S 12 San Marcos, 15 mi
Continue south on Hwy 12. Approaching San Marcos, the traffic picks up and the road and shoulders widen. Stay on Hwy 12 to bypass busy, downtown San Marcos. As Hwy 12 nears I-35, you will see a tall ramp. Avoid this ramp by heading to the right and following the access road. You will pass under I-35. Traffic is overwhelming in this intersection, so continue straight ahead and pause in the convenience store parking lot on your right. Wait for traffic to clear. You need to head two exits north (about 1 mile) on the I-35 access road in order to get to Hwy 21. You will pass a laundromat and the “Cherokee Psychic” on your right. The parking lot for the “Cherokee Psychic” has four cars when I pass by. There must be a waiting line to learn what the future holds! I decide to keep going since I already know that my future likely holds more pedaling! Follow the signs to get on Hwy 21.
E 21 to Hwy 71
You have crossed the Balcones fault and are now in the rich, black prairie land of Texas. Vast, flat, verdant fields stretch into the distance. At first, Hwy 21 has only a crumbling mini-shoulder. Conditions soon improve, however, and you have nice, paved shoulders the rest of the way to Hwy 71.
E 71 Bastrop, Texas (101), 44 mi (from San Marcos)
Turn right onto Hwy 71. Hwy 71 is a divided highway with wide, paved shoulders. Approaching Bastrop, it is more comfortable to exit 71 and then continue along the frontage road which runs adjacent to Hwy 71. You will pass the famous Southside Market BBQ on your right. The sign for Southside Market proudly announces “Est. 1882.” Continue on the frontage road. You will pass a McDonalds and then a Walmart on your right. Just past the Walmart turn left under Hwy 71 onto Loop 150 East. Hwy 71 has a very dangerous bridge with no shoulders crossing the Colorado River. Avoid this bridge by taking Loop 150 East. It has a nice, safe bridge across the Colorado River, passes through historic, downtown Bastrop, and takes you to Hwy 95. Turn left onto Hwy 95.
If you want to visit Bastrop State Park, cross Hwy 95 and continue on Loop 150. Bastrop State Park has a camping area set in a magnificent, old growth, pine forest. Unfortunately, the park was damaged by a severe forest fire a few years ago. Park Rd 1 connects Bastrop State Park to Buescher State Park. It is approximately twelve miles each way and is one of the most beautiful and peaceful bicycle rides in all of Texas with gorgeous trees overarching the road. I haven’t ridden this road since the fire, however, so I am not sure how well it fared.
N 95 Elgin, 18 mi
Hwy 95 is a beautiful, rural highway with light traffic, smooth, wide, paved shoulders, and gentle rolling hills. You pass green pastures dotted with wild flowers and the occasional solitary oak tree. The cows and their calves seem very happy! Throughout the springtime, you are likely to see lots of baby farm animals along the route. Calves and long legged colts are adorable, but the cutest of all, in my opinion, are the baby goats. Perhaps this is because they are so incredibly small! When you reach Elgin, you will turn left onto Hwy 290. Proceed two miles through Elgin, and then turn right to continue on Hwy 95. You will pass my favorite barbecue joint, Meyer’s Elgin Smokehouse, on your left. It is very clean, very friendly, and has unlimited pinto bean and iced tea refills! You will then pass a McDonalds and an HEB grocery store, both also on your left.
N 95 Taylor, 16 mi
The cattle stand knee deep in clover and clumps of blue stem grass. The wildflowers are simply astounding. They include patches of delicate, pink butter cups (locally known as Wedding Bells), fiery, crimson tipped Indian Paint Brush, and the ubiquitous Blue Bonnets. Cycling conditions are perfect with gentle hills, light traffic, and smooth, paved shoulders. Unfortunately, I have a stiff headwind! Turn right onto the Hwy 79 truck bypass as you approach Taylor.
N 79 Thorndale, 13 mi
After you bypass Taylor, the towns are small, quirky, and have interesting names. You pass through Thrall and Milano. I cook lunch in Thorndale, using the grain elevators as a wind break. The concrete base of the grain elevator extends out about a foot and provides comfortable seating. There is a donut shop across from the grain elevators. After lunch, I walk across the highway and buy two donuts. I walk back to my perch under the grain elevators and enjoy coffee and donuts for dessert. Several trains pass by. Perfect conditions for a donut eating train spotter!
N 79 Rockdale, 13 mi
The traffic picks up somewhat on Hwy 79. You still have nice, wide, paved shoulders except when you are passing through towns. Entering Rockdale, you pass a Walmart and a McDonalds, both on your right. There is excellent stealth camping in the woods immediately adjacent to Walmart.
N 79 Hearne, 30 mi
As you enter the town of Hearne, there is a small grocery store on your right. There is a Glacier water machine outside the store. There is also a laundromat on your right. Hwy 79 exits to your right in the middle of Hearne and then swings left. Look for signs that direct you toward Franklin. This section has very heavy truck traffic and no shoulders for about two miles. Fortunately, there are two lanes in each direction. There is another exit for Hwy 79 on your left as you depart Hearne. Your nice, paved shoulder resumes as soon as you leave Hearne.
N 79 Jewett, 45 mi
Entering the town of Jewett, you will see Eagle Scout Park on your right. It features interesting metal sculptures, giant shade trees, and picnic tables. It is a nice place to have lunch. As you depart Jewett, there is a small grocery store with a Glacier water machine outside the store on your right. Further north, Hwy 79 crosses I-45 and you enter the town of Buffalo. Here you will find lots of hotel and fast food clutter because of the adjacent freeway. East Texas gets lots of rain and everything is unbelievably green. You will start to see the occasional pine tree and red clover with its distinctive, red, conical, rubbery looking blossoms.
N 79/Loop 256 Palestine, 43 mi
The town of Palestine is pronounced “Palesteen” as in “teenager.” As you enter Palestine there is a Denny’s Restaurant on your right. Immediately after you pass the Denny’s, turn right onto Loop 256. Loop 256 has nice, paved shoulders. You will pass a Walmart and a Wendy’s on your left. The Wendy’s has lots of electrical outlets if you need to charge your devices. Continue on Loop 256 through a heavily wooded stretch. There is great stealth camping on your right. Finally, turn right onto Hwy 84. This intersection is clearly marked.
E 84 Rusk, 30 mi
This is one of my favorite sections. Hwy 84 between Palestine and Rusk has light traffic and winds through beautiful pine forests. It has either full paved shoulders or wide mini-shoulders. The air is heavily scented from flowering trees and honeysuckle. The Texas State Railroad Park is on your right a few miles outside Palestine. It has a beautiful campground and interesting railroad artifacts. After an hour or so, you cross the Neches river. Shortly after you cross the river, there is great stealth camping in a grove of huge pine trees on your right. I love camping on pine needles. Your tent floor feels slightly lumpy but comfortable just like an old, familiar bed. Entering Rusk there is a Dollar General on your left. A gallon of water is always exactly one dollar at Dollar General, which certainly beats convenience store prices. Dollar General also sells eggs, Half & Half, and paper towels. Unfortunately, Dollar General doesn’t carry camping propane. Signs for Hwy 84 in Rusk direct you past the county courthouse and around the town square.
E 84 Reklaw, 11 mi
For about a mile after you leave Rusk you have a full shoulder, then conditions deteriorate and you have only about a six inch mini-shoulder the rest of the way to Reklaw and Mt Enterprise. The only redeeming factors are the beautiful, dense forests on both sides of the road and the very light traffic. The terrain is quite hilly, so this is a challenging thirty mile stretch. This is a good time to review safety tips for rural roads without shoulders.
The objective is to avoid having vehicles “three abreast” (your bicycle counts as a vehicle). Focus on ONCOMING traffic. When there is no oncoming traffic, you need to relax. There is plenty of room for even the logging trucks to pass you. When you see oncoming traffic, check your rear view mirror to see if there is going to be a problem. You can do various things to help resolve the “three abreast” situation before it occurs. Slide into a driveway or side road and you can often hang there for a moment until everyone passes without even unclipping. If the unpaved shoulder is smooth, simply move over and ride on the shoulder for a short distance. Finally, you can just pull off the road and wait for a moment. Do not use ear buds on this type of road. You need to be able to listen for approaching vehicles.
E 84 Mt Enterprise, 19 mi
Entering Mt Enterprise there is a Whataburger with a convenience store attached to it on your right. There is a sink next to the coffee area in the convenience store if you need to fill your water containers. You have paved shoulders as you leave Mt Enterprise. There are plenty of stealth camping spots along the way as soon as you get out of town.
E 84 Timpson, 17 mi
You have paved shoulders or wide mini-shoulders all the way to Timpson. Just before you reach Timpson, you will turn left onto Hwy 59.
E 84/59 Tenaha, 10 mi
Hwy 84 joins Hwy 59 for the ten mile stretch from Timpson to Tenaha. Traffic is much heavier and there is no shoulder. The only redeeming factors are two wide lanes in each direction and no outside rumble strips. The ride is unpleasant, but not terribly dangerous. Just past Tenaha, Hwy 59 heads north and you continue east on Hwy 84. Your nice, paved shoulder resumes.
E 84 Logansport, Louisiana (44), 16 mi
The light traffic and paved shoulders continue to Logansport and then all the way to Mansfield.
E 84 Mansfield, 21 mi
When you get to Mansfield turn right onto Hwy 171. This intersection is clearly marked. If you need a break, continue past this intersection for about a quarter mile and you will find a Dairy Queen on your left and a Dollar General on your right. There is a single electrical outlet in the back of the Dairy Queen if you need to charge your devices.
S 171 Many, 42 mi
Shortly after you leave Mansfield, Hwy 171 becomes a divided highway with two, wide lanes in each direction. You will have paved shoulders about half the time you are on Hwy 171. The stretches without shoulders pose little problem, however, because the lanes are wide and traffic is light. Hwy 171 has towering pine forests on both sides of the highway and is peaceful and scenic. Stealth camping abounds. Fences run along both sides of the highway, but you will find open gates, unfenced areas, utility easements, and occasional, wide, raised shoulders with trees to camp behind. There is a Walmart on your right as you approach the town of Many. Past the Walmart, also on your right, is a McDonalds.
S 171 Leesville, 35 mi
As you enter Leesville there is a nice grocery store on your right. Just past the grocery store there is a roundabout. Follow the signs for S 171. Leesville is a larger town with heavy traffic. Hwy 171 splits and forms two one-way systems in each direction, without shoulders, separated by one city block. Traffic conditions in Leesville are harrowing. Exercise caution. At lights, I recommend moving to the right when the light turns green and then waiting for all the cars to pass. Follow the last car on your bicycle and you will feel much more comfortable. Occasionally, there are sidewalks you can hop onto. You will pass a Wendy’s on your left. There is a single electrical outlet in the back of the Wendy’s if you need to charge your devices. Leaving Leesville, there is a Walmart on your right. Thankfully, your nice, paved shoulder resumes just past the Walmart. Continue south on Hwy 171. It takes about 25 minutes from the Walmart to reach the intersection with Hwy 10. Turn left onto Hwy 10. This intersection is clearly marked.
E 10 Pickering, 8 mi
Hwy 10 is a beautiful, rural road with a mix of shoulders and no shoulders. Traffic is very light. First, you pass by a large military installation. A short time later, you enter the Kisatchie National Forest. Camping spots are plentiful. All the towns along Hwy 10 are small, but you will pass a Dollar General in almost every town where you can purchase gallons of water.
E 10 Oakdale, 43 mi
Entering Oakdale, turn left at the only traffic signal and go one block. You will find an IGA grocery store and a McDonalds, both on your left. The McDonalds has lots of electrical outlets if you need to charge your devices. As you leave Oakdale, there is excellent stealth camping in the dense forests adjacent to Hwy 10.
E 10 Ville Platte, 28 mi
You enter Evangeline Parish as you approach the town of Ville Platte. The surrounding terrain, which lies in the ancient floodplain of the Mississippi River, is perfectly flat. You will make rapid progress the rest of the way across Louisiana. You will pass by shimmering rice fields. The metal cylinders sprinkled across some of the fields are crayfish traps. What a great idea! One field produces both grain and protein! I have read that the sweet potato produces more nutrition per acre than any other crop. I wonder if this comparison includes fields which produce both rice and crayfish? Ville Platte is the parish seat of Evangeline Parish. It was settled in the late 1700‘s and was located on the Spanish Royal Road. There are many ancient buildings, but I am most impressed by the enormous oak trees. Several of these trees look as if they probably date from the time of the town’s founding.
E 10 Washington, 16 mi
As you depart Ville Platte, you pass by a box store on your left whose name, “Dirt Cheap,” is a sign of the times. Based on what I observe on my journey across America, small towns are really suffering economically. After you pass “Dirt Cheap,” you will lose your shoulder for the next twenty minutes or so and conditions are harrowing. Note the smooth grassy shoulder. I ride on the grass occasionally to let cars pass. You will see a sign on your right for the Atchafalaya National Heritage Area.
Immediately after this sign, your paved shoulder resumes. You won’t see many signs confirming that you are still on Hwy 10. You will see lots of other highway numbers for roads that jog across Hwy 10. Just stay on the main road and rest assured that you are still on Hwy 10. You will pass the grounds for the Louisiana Zydeco Festival on your left. Then you will pass through the town of Plaisance. Plaisance does not appear in my road atlas. Twenty minutes after leaving Plaisance, you need to turn left at a traffic signal to stay on Hwy 10 headed towards the town of Washington. This intersection is not well marked. There is a Citgo gas station on your right at this intersection. As soon as you turn left, you will see signs confirming that you are on Hwy 10. Washington is even older than Ville Platte. It was founded in 1720. Signs proudly announce that it is the third oldest settlement in Louisiana.
E 10 Beggs, 5 mi
You will pass under I-49 and through an area of vast fields. Stealth camping spots are plentiful.
E 10 Lebeau, 6 mi
Hwy 10 dead ends in Lebeau at Hwy 71. There is a Cajun grocery store on your right at this intersection.
E 10 Palmetto, 4 mi
Turn right on Hwy 71, proceed about 50 yards, then turn left to continue on Hwy 10. Hwy 10 lacks shoulders on this stretch. Traffic is very light, however. You will pass by beautiful swamps and wildlife preserves. Occasionally, you will hear the splash of a startled alligator. On one trip, I camped next to the swamp on this section. The noise of the birds, insects, and splashing swamp critters was so loud it was difficult to sleep!
E 10 Melville, 10 mi
Between Palmetto and Melville, there is magnificent section where the trees completely overarch the highway. You feel like you are entering a mysterious, green tunnel leading to some kind of swamp paradise. Palmetto fans line the sides of the road. If this were the setting for a Louisiana version of Miyazaki’s acclaimed animated film, “Spirited Away,” this mysterious, green tunnel is where the parents would suddenly disappear! Hwy 10 stops in Melville. You need to turn left and head north on Hwy 105. This intersection is clearly marked. At one time there was a ferry that allowed you to continue on Hwy 10 towards the town of New Roads. Unfortunately, the ferry service was discontinued.
N 105 Simmesport, 25 mi
Hwy 105 to Simmesport is beautiful, tranquil, and runs adjacent to imposing levies on your right. The levies are mowed and look almost like golf courses. Contented cows graze on the levies. There are small, quaint churches spaced about every ten miles. One of the churches has a very effective “no parking” sign: “Reserved parking for church members. Violators will be baptized!” Traffic is almost non-existent. This is one of my favorite sections.
S 1 to Hwy 15
In Simmesport, Hwy 105 jogs several times and then deposits you onto Hwy 1. Turn left and you will find a Dollar Tree store on your right a short distance past the intersection. Turn right onto Hwy 1 and you will immediately climb a tall bridge over the Atchafalaya River. The bridge has narrow, paved shoulders. It is scary looking but reasonably comfortable to ride on. After you cross the Atchafalaya River, proceed south on Hwy 1 for about 25 minutes and then turn left onto Hwy 15. This intersection is clearly marked. Be careful on this short stretch of Hwy 1. Huge, noisy pickup trucks are popular in the area and Hwy 1 is narrow and shoulderless.
There are no services the rest of the way to Vidalia. Make sure all your water containers are full. There is a convenience store at the intersection of Hwy 1 and Hwy 15 where you can purchase water.
N 15/131 Vidalia, 66 mi (from Simmesport)
This is a fifty mile section with no services. This truly remarkable section serenely traverses three great river systems, the Mississippi River, the Atchafalaya River, and the Red River. You will travel on the tops of levies which are paved and which give you expansive views of the surrounding lakes, rivers, and wildlife preserves. Traffic is almost non-existent and you have paved shoulders. There are several free, primitive campgrounds on this stretch. My favorite of the free campgrounds is on the left about fifteen miles before you get to Vidalia. Look for the red and white wooden sign set back from the highway which marks the campground. Whenever I have camped, I was the only person in the campground. Annoying gnats form a cloud around my head. I wear ear buds to keep the gnats out of my ears! Apply 100% deet insect repellent for slight relief. The gnats don’t disappear until you are forty miles or so away from the Mississippi River on the Natchez Trace Parkway.
At one time, the Mississippi River threatened to change course and join the Atchafalaya River. This would have left the cities along the old Mississippi marooned in a vast salt water estuary without access to the transportation, commerce, and fresh water provided by the Mississippi. In short, the situation was a grave threat to the status quo. The infrastructure you see along this section is a testament to the human ingenuity which kept the Mississippi on its original path. I have read that, hemmed in by levies and dams, silt deposits have slowly raised the river bed to the point that the river bed is actually higher than the surrounding land! In the long run, nature will probably intervene. I am betting on the river. Shortly before you reach Vidalia, Hwy 15 turns left. You should continue straight ahead on Hwy 131 into Vidalia. Vidalia is small and peaceful.
E 84/N 61 Natchez, Mississippi (56), 3 mi
In Vidalia turn right onto Hwy 84 and cross the bridge over the Mississippi River to Natchez. The bridge has safe, paved shoulders for cyclists. Beware of the drainage grates on the bridge shoulders, however. Much to my surprise, my rear wheel slipped through one of the grates and I instantly got a pinch flat! I recommend stepping over the drainage grates if you are riding on narrow road tires.
Natchez is leafy, green, and very beautiful. It also seems prosperous compared to the other towns I have have been passing through. Continue on Hwy 84 to Hwy 61 (the famous “Blues” highway) and then turn left. Both Hwy 84 and Hwy 61 have nice, paved shoulders. Look for signs announcing the start of the Natchez Trace Parkway. If you continue a short distance on Hwy 61, past the entrance to the Natchez Trace Parkway, you will find a Walmart and a Wendy’s, both on your left. The Wendy’s has lots of electrical outlets if you need to charge your devices. The next place where it is easy to get on and off the parkway and buy groceries is in Kosciusko, mile marker 160, where you will find another Walmart.