0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
Great resource for drivers or bikers, 2008-04-03
Warner's guide is the premiere resource for bikers who are contemplating the Natchez Trace Parkway. We just finished an abbreviated tour (you can't plan the weather) and found the guide to be a reliable resource for historical sites, terrain, lodging, and the miscellaneous details important to the long-distance biker. There have been some changes in the cities in regards to lodging and dining options but overall there are more options, not less. This guide is highly recommended and we look forward to using it again for our next adventure.
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
A good book, 2007-02-22
The book is well written with a lot of important details about the trail.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
The Natchez Trace is a great trip for neophyte bicycle tourists, 2005-11-07
The terrain and weather are benign, and the logistical issues are straightforward.
Others have commented that the author assumes readers will know how to pack a bike and how to undertake simple repairs. I think Wanner's omission is a positive feature--there are other books that do these jobs thoroughly.
Bicycling the Natchez Trace excels with the great number of side trips described, which will be most useful for locals who are able to periodically re-visit the Trace.
For all of that, Wanner's book doesn't "speak" to me as a cycle tourist; his rhythms and pace do not closely approximate my own. Experienced tourists will understand my comment, and I would encourage beginning bikers to read other books by other authors to discover which ones work best them. For me, Nadine Slavinski works well.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
top of the line, 2002-10-01
Well written, accurate usable advice for bikers. The historic facts as well as geography ( mileage to stores, attractions, facilities) were right on the money. I used the book to do the northern 125 miles of the trace. I am preparing for a southbound ride next and will use this book.
john
17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
Nice complement to Park Service literature, 2002-06-07
The author obviously has spent considerable time riding the Trace and in surrounding areas. As a result, the book serves as a useful complement to the literature available from the National Park Service on the Natchez Trace. However, the most important document that a Trace traveler needs is a Natchez Trace Parkway Map and Guide from the Park Service.The author briefly describes the historical significance of many of the landmarks along the Trace. Of great interest to bicylists is the lay of the land (hills) which is well described. Most importantly, one can find the location of food and water and lodging just off of the Trace, that is, not managed by the Park service. The Trace itself has insufficient restroom and water stops for the bicyclist. A minor point is that the author does not indicate the hours of operation of the markets that he notes. The author notes the great amount of wildlife on the Trace; but keep a sharp eye for the snakes sunning themselves on the Trace in warm weather.
Most all of the practical advice in the book is related either to logistics or to various routes. Where and how to ship one's bike is useful. About 40 percent of the book is taken up with auxiliary routes that either start or cross the Trace and are not a part of traveling the Trace from end to end. Multi-day tours through Vicksburg and around the Tennessee River are two of those. Most of these may appeal to local residents.
Throughout the book the author mentions various rules and regulations of the Trace. Although there is a brief section, it would have been useful to see a section with a complete listing: for example, rules for speed limits, parking, picnicing, camping, hiking, etc.
What one will not find in this book is much in the way of practical and general information about bicycling or touring on a bike - what gearing to use, how to pack gear on a bike, how to ride with a fully loaded bike, what is the best way to deal with bicycle problems while on the Trace, etc. One point of interest is that the author provides an 1-800 number that can be called in the case of problems; interestingly the park service does a poor job of signage concerning this number.
The bottom line is that the book would help anyone comtemplating a tour of the Trace to get a better feel for what he or she can expect on the Trace.