Getting’ Out of The City, The Famed Natchez Trace, Slide-Out, Data Woes - Collage-ville

I slept with the window beside me open all night. Well, all morning, I opened it at midnight. It was another warm night sleeping which meant no propane used to keep us warm. That's always good! On Sunday, Mar. 24^th we woke around 6. I know we were all awake at 3 when Clemson had to go out but other than that, a great sleep. We were up out of bed at 6:30 and making things happen.

Waking to patchy clouds at the casino

I made myself some oatmeal and Bill had toast and jam. I’d forgotten to make us a sandwich last night so I did that while Bill got cleaned up. We’ll be eating lunch on the road today again and that saves some $ as well as time. 

and a pretty sunrise

After dishes, I washed as well and we focused on closing our bedroom slide together. Yes. Without us knowing it, when Bill opened it yesterday, the cable the boys replaced broke. I just happened to see the loose cable during the afternoon. Rats!

flooding waters

Name that car! Skies breaking up

We would be treating it with kid gloves from now on until at least Ohio where we stop for a few nights. We’re not sure if they can fix it again but figure a stronger cable would have been the way to go. Fingers crossed that the in and out goes smoothly from here forward. So close to home! Well, you know what I mean. We pulled out of Harrah’s Casino and Raceway at 8 and went just a hop, skip and a jump down the road to fuel up with some cheap diesel. $2.69/gal is a great price.

We were soon enough back on I-20 heading East into Mississippi. After a Rest Area, a really nice Rest Area around 9:30 for a pit stop, we continued to move east. The temperature had increased to 60F and the sun was starting to poke through the clouds. It was 11 when we crossed the bridge into Mississippi and pulled into their Welcome Centre near Vicksburg. I took some pictures of the magnificent Mississippi River and the Magnolia tree outside the building.

Nice Information Centre at Vicksburg

We received a map here, one we didn’t have from our last time through. It was in the plans to fill our fuel tanks before setting off on the Natchez Trace so at 11:30 we pulled into an Exxon and got the same great price of $2.69/gal. Yes! Hand pump in the air! Within 30 minutes, at Clinton, MS, we caught the Trace. Bill and I had never been on it before but had heard much about it from Rob and Pat and from a few others who recommended the journey.

Entering the Natchez trace parkway

The Natchez Trace is every bit as beautiful a drive as we were told and the speed is 50 mph with no transports allowed on the 2-lane paved highway. And a decent highway I might add. It runs from Natchez, MS through an area of Alabama across the Tennessee Valley to Nashville. 

Some spots were not easy to get into with a big rv

There is an Old Trace and this New Trace. The old one was a passageway for buffalo and then American Indians. In the 1800’s it was a route for traders who opted not to fight the Mississippi River currents and sold their boats in favour of walking home on the Old Trace.

Cyprus Springs

Steamboats eventually made the trek unnecessary in mid-century and the Old Trace disappeared into the forest. The new 444-mile parkway has become one of America’s most prominent examples of natural and cultural heritage. It is an unhurried trip amongst redbuds and dogwoods (blossoming at this time of year) magnolias, woods and no end to the sky-reaching cyprus trees. Trees, water, bush and road. Rare are the power lines and billboards, I don’t think I’ve seen ANY billboards, come to think of it.

Jeff Busby camping area

We stopped at a few of the historical markers, others we just passed by because of a shortage of parking space. We are not easily accommodated in the normal size pull-offs. The downfall in one way is that we are travelling the Trace on Sunday and there is much more tourist traffic taking the spaces than would normally on a week day. That can’t be helped and isn’t there always something? The traffic otherwise is lighter, on the Interstate and secondary roads. 

They aren't real campsites, just stop and park in the roadways

We eventually all tired of attempting to get ‘in’ and see things and just forged on to French Camp. Rob said it was interesting but he drove by when he noticed that it also would be a tight fit for parking. 13 miles further we found our stop for the night. Jeff Busby has campground spots and that was as far as we got. It’s too bad we didn’t know the camping area better, we could have found a nicer spot but the way things were going, we figured we better take what was right in front of us and pulled in behind Rob and Pat.

snug as bugs on rugs

The cyprus trees all around us are gorgeous and if we were staying longer than a night, we would be backing out and finding something with more sun. No point in getting our chairs out at all, since we had no room to sit by the Suite. I took Clemson for a walk at 3:15 and when I returned, Bill was still reading his book. There was a picnic table down in the gully in front of where Rob and Pat were sitting, so I took my book and something to sit on down there. It lasted about half hour but the table was dirty so I returned home.

I don't know if you can see him in the hole but this Siamese cat
seemed to be calling it home
and that made me sad

By now, Bill was snoozing and Clemson along with him. Without a data connection, I texted Suzie (Our Awesome Travels) and asked George to mention our dilemma just because this and other posts will not be published until we get free wifi. We sure don’t want people worrying unnecessarily about us. 

I warmed up homemade chili for supper and after dishes, Bill and I walked around the camping area. We chatted with a nice couple from New York for a while. It was a warm, calm night and rv’ers were out making conversation easy.

Look up, look way up

The bark of the cyprus tree is so interesting to me

Back home, I finished downloading today’s pictures and writing so I can post as soon as possible. It was another great travel day although long. We were so ready to stop when we did. From 8 am to 3:30 and our boys were very tired. I hope you had a good day as well.

And this was our supper and it was very good!

Thank you for stopping by!