Centuries wrapped around Natchez Trace

I’ve seen the sign dozens of times traveling east

on I-20. The brown Natchez Trace sign just east

of Jackson point to where to get on this highway.

I’d heard little about driving the Trace to spark my

interest, especially the part that mentions the 50

mile per hour speed limit. Compared to

the speed we can zip along the interstate,

50 is pokey slow and I like to get where I’m

going quicker than 50 will allow.

I made my first trip on the Trace several

years ago when a friend and I connected

with the highway somewhere around Tu-

pelo and rode it into Alabama, exiting near

Sheffield. We weren’t in that big a hurry

so the 50 mile per hour drive was rather

nice; we even got to watch a flock of wild

turkeys feeding along the roadside