Every year since 1992 the Motley Krewe of CCC has taken a trip to rural Mississippi on Mardi Gras weekend in order to get away from the maddening crowds and ride on and around the beautiful Natachez Trace Parkway. The group generally leaves on the Friday afternoon before Mardi Gras and returns on Fat Tuesday afternoon. Our homes away from home for the weekend are the cabins at Natchez State Park, which is located just off the Trace north of Natchez.

We usually do rides in the A.M. that average from 30-50 miles in which you can tour, while you ride, or ride then tour, various antebellum homes in the Natchez/Port Gibson area. You can take it easy, or if you're looking for a challenge, do a 50 mile loop that includes Port Gibson/Grand Gulf/Rocky Springs/Port Gibson.

One of the highlights of the Mardi Gras Getaway is cycling through the Vicksburg Military Park, which commemorates the seige of Vicksburg during the Civil War. The tour loop through the park is only 17 miles, but those are 17 of the toughest, hilliest miles most of us flatlanders have ever tackled!

On the 1998 trip, the Motley Krewe had an enriching experience when we ran into a lone touring cyclist from Great Brittain as described by Scot Hughes in an article reprinted from the Spring 1998 issue of the Crescent City Cyclists newsletter.

For more information on this year's Mardi Gras Getway, contact Janis Hazlett, our Motley Krewe Coordinator.