Quick Update - Wed., May 3, 2017

Oh, my, we have been very busy campers who haven't spent much time camping. Upon our arrival in Vicksburg, we set up camp and chilled for the evening. 

Tuesday morning was gorgeous weather, so we made our way to Jackson, Mississippi for the State Capital Volksmarch. Our first impression of Jackson is that their city streets are in terrible condition! Potholes, bumps, dips, and other sundry obstacles made driving a bouncy nightmare. 

We picked up our walk instructions at the Agriculture Museum, then drove two miles to our start point. The capital Volksmarch had two 5k loops. After one loop and a tour of the capital, we opted to eat lunch and sit in the air-conditioned restaurant for a bit. 

Jackson, Mississippi Capitol

Grand staircase inside capital

The rotunda's dome

Looking toward the governor's office

For lunch, we had a chicken and artichoke pizza at The Manship. It was delicious. I didn't think we'd be able to eat the whole thing, but after our 5k loop we polished it off!

The Manship restaurant

With lunch under our belts, we did the second 5k of the walk which took us through lovely neighborhoods around Belhaven University and Millsaps College. When we finished, we decided we had time to go back on the Natchez Trace Parkway to see a few things we didn't have time for on Monday. 

The Natchez Trace Parkway was formed when flatboats with goods from Ohio and other northern states made their way downriver. The owners of the goods then sold those goods and their boats (which they couldn't get back upriver) for cash. They then made their way back north, using a trace (or footpath-- originally animal trails, then Indian trails), from Natchez, Mississippi, to Memphis, Tennessee. [Note: The lumber from the flatboats that were sold in Vicksburg was used to build the beautiful antebellum homes.]

The Sunken Trace exhibit was the most interesting. Just imagine having sold your wares and your boat. You now have a lot of cash in your pockets. Robbers lie in wait to steal your money as you walk 500 miles to your home. People had to travel in groups and not travel at night. 

Hardships of journeying on the Old Trace included heat, mosquitoes, poor food, hard beds (if any), disease, swollen rivers, and sucking swamps. A broken arm or a broken leg could spell death for a lone traveler. I would think poisonous snakes would have been a problem as well. 

Along the way, there were "stands," which would be like inns, only you may have to sleep on the porch or in the yard. The stands would have food and drink available, for a price.

Eroded part of the trace, a
trail that has been there for years

The Old Trace

As we were exploring, we saw a sign for Grand Gulf Military Monument Park and, since we were in the neighborhood, decided to check it out. Turns out this is the southernmost leg of the Vicksburg defenses. Grant tried to land his army at Grand Gulf but was driven off by Confederate forces.

Gorgeous little church at Grand Gulf Military Park

After driving through the park, we found a "scenic drive" and followed it. This was not like any scenic drive we've ever been on. It was a narrow, two-lane, very rustic road that looked like it hadn't been maintained since the 1940s. We were the only ones on it. This road went on forever with no signs pointing to any towns or highways. We kept following it and following it. I told Bob it was like the Twilight Zone, kind of scary. It was late in the day, heading toward sunset. I didn't want to be out there after dark. 

Finally, after about 45 minutes, we came to a U.S. highway we recognized and headed back to our RV spot. The kitties were happy to see us. 

I will be writing more about the Mississippi state capital when I have more time. 

Today, we headed to Vicksburg National Military Park and the town of Vicksburg. I will have a full report...hopefully by tomorrow!

The bad weather held off most of the day today. It was cool and windy with a few spits of rain this afternoon. The wind did knock a bunch of branches down in Vicksburg National Park and there were leaves everywhere on the roads. Thankfully, we were in a museum for the USS Cairo when most of the wind hit.

Tonight we have had thunderstorms with downpours. Tomorrow is supposed to be nice again. We will be off to Montgomery, Alabama to do the capital Volksmarch there. We are making our way across the Southeast. 

Stay tuned for more detailed blogs.