Easy Walks goes to Tennessee: Stones River Greenway

Crossing the Stones River on the Stones River Greenway,near Cason Park, Murfreesboro

We left grandchildren and headed toward Nashville to fly back home to Massachusetts, but on our way to the airport spotted a railtrail on the map, quite near the highway off Rt. 24 in Murfreesboro. In short order we found a large parking area at the Cason entrance to the Stones River Greenway. We had little time, but it was great to get out and stretch in the sunshine before getting back on a plane to return home.

One happy traveler at a bridge across the Stones River

We found ourselves walking on the bike trail near the Stones River, and within a quarter mile we crossed a bridge over the river. Pausing for some pictures, we peered over the bridge and spotted turtles sunning themselves in the sunshine.

Many happy turtles sunning themselves along the Stones River

Wait, not just a few turtles. We stopped counting at 29, all snuggled up together on a very short stretch of prime riverbank.

Several bridges cross the river on this lovely section of railtrail near the Stones River

On the sunny weekday morning, we were joined on the trail by a few bicycle riders, a number of dog walkers, and many small children who enjoyed the playground adjacent to the bike trail. The bathrooms at the edge of the parking lot were quite welcome, since we had a ways to go to get to the airport.

Jay Borden of Roulez Cycles fabricating our new adaptive tandem!

At each place we have visited recently, we find ourselves saying, “When we have our bike ready…” We are looking forward to getting our adaptive tandem finished this spring, which will have SandS couplers that will make transport so much easier than the  tandem bike we have enjoyed the past number of years. Can’t wait to get rolling on our new bike, being made by Roulez Cycles of Lynn, MA .

As spring arrives, be sure to get outside. And happy trails!

Marjorie

Marjorie Turner Hollman is a writer who loves the outdoors, and is the author of Easy Walks in Massachusetts, 2nd edition, More Easy Walks in Massachusetts, 2nd edition, Easy Walks and Paddles in the Ten Mile River Watershed, and Finding Easy Walks Wherever You Are. Her memoir, the backstory of Easy Walks, is My Liturgy of Easy Walks: Reclaiming hope in a world turned upside down.