Northgate RV Park, Athens, Alabama
How much better to get wisdom than gold, to choose understanding rather than silver! ~ Proverbs 16:16
We’ve been waiting for it to warm up enough to ride our bikes. It made it to 50 degrees today, sunny with no wind. It was warm enough for us. Blaine spent 30-40 minutes replacing my seat with a new one, only to have to take it back off because it didn’t suit me (and putting the old one back on. Sorry, dear but it hurt the backs of my thighs when I pedaled! ☹
There’s a 10-mile trail close by, and I found this description on-line at traillink.com.
The Richard Martin Trail (a.k.a., Limestone Rail-Trail) is best accessed mid-route from a trailhead in the town of Elkmont, where you’ll find parking, good signage, a historic depot (used for community activities), a refurbished railcar, a place to eat and antiques to buy. You’ll likely encounter horses along the trail, which is a favorite among equestrians. If you intend to bike the route, take a mountain bike or hybrid, as the rough terrain will give you—and your tires—a workout. Also be sure to bring food and drink, as Elkmont is the only place to purchase refreshments along the trail.
From town the trail heads both north and south. The 4.5 miles to the north boasts cotton fields, historic homesteads and several bridges. Over the first mile, the trail merges with local roads before establishing its independence. The trail, a National Recreation Trail, ends at the Alabama-Tennessee border.
The 6.1 miles of trail to the south offer different terrain, views and history. As you pass through pristine wetlands, you’ll soon reach a slight incline, 1 mile south of Elkmont, where a trestle once spanned Sulphur Creek, the site of Alabama’s bloodiest Civil War conflict. A plaque commemorates the 1864 Battle of Sulphur Creek Trestle, during which a Tennessee & Alabama Central Railroad supply train moving Union Army troops and goods from Nashville to Atlanta came under attack. More than 200 soldiers were killed during the ensuing firefight.
Until it was abandoned in 1986, the line brought in mail and supplies to area communities and brought out cotton, a mainstay of the local economy. The trail is named for local advocate Richard Martin, who continues to rally for the improvement and extension of the trail.
We found a parking area in the middle and headed north.
Looks flat enough for me. : )
We were having a wonderful time!
Until my bike came to a sudden and abrupt halt. A tiny stick was caught in my rear de-railer. Now, I know most of you don’t know what that is. I didn’t either. It’s the gears and chain on the back tire. 😊 So no big deal, I pulled it out, we can continue.
Nope. Blaine took one quick glance at it and declared it damaged beyond repair, meaning I can no longer ride it. Are you kidding me?? More mechanical issues?? And we’re about 4 miles from the Jeep!
I didn’t take a good picture that shows how bent it was. : (
Sticks and stones really could break your bones!
Fortunately, we had cell phone service (what did the world do before that??) and Blaine was able to look at a map and find a road nearby. I walked my bike in the direction of the road – about 1 ½ miles – while he road back to the Jeep, mounted his bike on the back, and drove to meet me.
It took him the same amount of time to do all that, as it did for me to walk the 1 ½ miles to our designated meeting place.
Actually, Blaine determined that they (we saw two today) are shelters.
I don’t know. It just seemed weird.
I waited less than 10 minutes for him.
We found another parking area close by, and switched from biking to hiking. We didn’t go all the way to the end, but we put in a good 5 miles anyway.
This is looking back at where Blaine picked me up, just over that hill.
I cleaned them up as best I could.
We decided to turn around at this brand-spankin’- new bridge.
What do you see? Trash? Nope.
Frost Flowers? Nope.
It’s cotton! It lines all the roads we’ve been on.
It falls off the ends of the bales while the trucks are transporting.
Despite the mechanical issue, we had a wonderful day! And we consider ourselves blessed that it happened where it did, as well as at a time when we’re not up to much of anything very exciting, so Blaine has the time to deal with it. I suspect he’s getting real tired of having to handle so much at one time though.