One Friday afternoon in October, I met my sister, Sandy, to ride the Richard Martin Trail in Elkmont, Alabama. She was coming from work as a nurse at Huntsville Hospital and I was trekking over from Franklin, Tennessee after a busy week, eager to get outside and explore some new territory and to experience a leisurely afternoon ride through the countryside.
I was not disappointed. Elkmont is one of those genuinely rural, genuinely real southern towns that I love to visit. The Richard Martin Trail was by far the most rural of the trails I have ridden thus far, a favorite of equestrians as well as bikers and hikers. As we passed through pristine wetlands, we saw a trestle which once spanned Sulphur Creek, the site of Alabama’s bloodiest Civil War conflict in 1864. A plaque commemorates the Battle of Sulphur Creek, during which a Tennessee and 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 the area communities and brought out cotton, a mainstay of the local economy. I particularly love learning the history behind each old railroad now converted into a trail for community use.
After our ride, we enjoyed a delicious dinner and good fellowship at The Red Caboose Cafe pictured below. Cycling local trails gives me a sense of freedom and adventure centered around playing, commuting, and connecting with others.
