Traveling Woodpecker

United States / 2022

April 30 – May 4, 2022 · Motorcycle ride

Nashville, TN to Dallas, TX

From Nashville through Franklin and Leiper’s Fork onto the Natchez Trace, south through Tupelo to Natchez on the Mississippi, then west across Louisiana to Dallas.

miles planned
902
days
4
states
5
Route map of the ride
The Natchez Trace south from Tennessee, then west across Louisiana to Dallas.

States

Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas

Day 1 · Sat, Apr 30

Nashville, TN Leiper’s Fork, TN

Picking up the bike in Nashville and onto the Natchez Trace Parkway, with lunch at Fox & Locke in Leiper’s Fork and a night in a farmhouse in the Tennessee countryside.

By way of

  • Franklin, TN
Picking up the bike in Nashville
Picking up the bike in Nashville
The Natchez Trace Parkway
The Natchez Trace Parkway
The Natchez Trace Parkway Bridge
The Natchez Trace Parkway Bridge
Lunch at Fox & Locke, Leiper’s Fork
Lunch at Fox & Locke, Leiper’s Fork
An old barn in the countryside
An old barn in the countryside
The farmhouse for the night
The farmhouse for the night
Inside the farmhouse
Inside the farmhouse
The deck at the farmhouse
The deck at the farmhouse
Such a blessing this place is
Such a blessing this place is

Day 2 · Sun, May 1

Leiper’s Fork, TN Tupelo, MS

South down the Trace past the Meriwether Lewis monument, across the corner of Alabama and the Tennessee River, to Tupelo.

By way of

  • Meriwether Lewis site
  • Alabama
  • Pharr Mounds
The Meriwether Lewis monument on the Trace
The Meriwether Lewis monument on the Trace
A log cabin at the Meriwether Lewis site
A log cabin at the Meriwether Lewis site
Crossing into Alabama
Crossing into Alabama
The Tennessee River
The Tennessee River
A break on the Trace
A break on the Trace
Pharr Mounds, Mississippi
Pharr Mounds, Mississippi
Earth, Wind & Fire concert in Tupelo
Earth, Wind & Fire concert in Tupelo
Downtown Tupelo at night
Downtown Tupelo at night

Day 3 · Mon, May 2

Tupelo, MS Natchez, MS

494 mi from Nashville

Elvis’s hometown in the morning, then the rest of the Trace south to Natchez on the bluffs above the Mississippi.

Tupelo Fairpark
Tupelo Fairpark
The Elvis statue at Fairpark, Tupelo
The Elvis statue at Fairpark, Tupelo
Indian mounds along the Trace
Indian mounds along the Trace
The Mississippi River at Natchez
The Mississippi River at Natchez
Downtown Natchez
Downtown Natchez
The hotel in Natchez
The hotel in Natchez
The bikes at the Natchez Grand Hotel
The bikes at the Natchez Grand Hotel

Day 4 · Tue, May 3

Natchez, MS Dallas, TX

408 mi

West across Louisiana by way of Alexandria and Shreveport, and into Texas.

Welcome to Texas
Welcome to Texas

Return · Wed, May 4

Dallas

Returning the bike in Dallas.

The hotel atrium in Dallas
The hotel atrium in Dallas