9-27-2012 (Friday) Waverly, TN to Centerville, TN

35 miles biked
3 hours 39 minutes
9.3 MPH average speed

This was the beautiful sunrise we got to enjoy as we pedaled out of Waverly, TN this morning!

Loretta Lynn's Parkway!

The heat and humidity has taken it’s toll on us the last couple days, so today, even with a short day planned, we decided to get an early start to beat the heat. The last few days have been in the low 80’s which doesn’t sound overly hot but for us northerners it’s hot enough to take the pep out of you.

We were out of the hotel by 6:15 and into the restaurant next door long before any daylight. By 7:00 we were on our way from Waverly to Centerville, Tennessee along state roads 13, 230, and 48. All three routes turned out to be easy biking, with very light traffic, and only a few sizable hills which were conveniently spaced and made for a welcome break when it was necessary to walk a while. Over all we’ve been quite pleased with the biking conditions and the scenery on our way through Tennessee, very good roads with shoulders and little traffic.



We forgot to mention in yesterday’s blog that now finally after biking through six states on our way south and seeing only green forests, we are finally starting to see some hints of fall colors in the trees. I’m sure we’ll see a lot more colors on the way home.

Kathi has enjoyed the fall decorations that we have seen in yards as we pedal south.  The leaves are slowly starting to turn and people are putting their decorations out in anticipation of Halloween!  Yesterday we bicycled by one home that had a beautiful pumpkin and mums decoration with a sign that said “Happy Fall Y’all”.  We knew we are definitely in the south with the Y’all!  Of course, when ever we talk with some one from the area they will ask “Where Y’all from”?  At least we think that is what they're saying – we are sure they have trouble understanding our accent as much as we do theirs!

Love the Fall Decorations in some of the yards!
 

We got to our hotel in Centerville about 11:30 and checked in. The plan is to spend the afternoon doing laundry and cleaning up the bike. We hope to get rested up this afternoon and tonight as tomorrow we will start the Natchez Trace trail and we are told services and hotels are few and far between which will likely make for some long days coming up.

We have called the Natchez Trace B&B service and worked with Randy to set up the next couple of days reservations while we are bicycling on the Trace.  We are anxious to be on slowly traveled roads with no semi’s as we continue to pedal south to Baton Rouge, LA.  We are about 15 miles from the Trace so we should be on it before 9:00 tomorrow morning and then for the next 400+ miles.

Caption for the following three pictures is “John, where is your stoker” (right Dennis)?  Actually Kathi was out in a field taking pictures!