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Published: February 13th 2005
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Mississippi River
Casino and traveling motel I love to travel, But hate to arrive
--Albert Einstein
February 13, 2005, Sunday. This was a travel day and it rained and rained. This is perhaps the heaviest rain day since we left Pittsburgh early in January. We drove from bayou country, LA, to Natchez, MS. Natchez was our destination because of the well know bike trail. It runs over 400 miles from Natchez, MS to Nashville, TN. The Natchez and Choctaw Indians used this “trace” for hunting and later this same path was used by the merchants that floated their goods down the Mississippi. They sold their wares, even the boat for lumber, and walked home on the Natchez Trace, some to Nashville, and others as far as “Pittsburgh”.
Natchez is a Parkway for autos, two lanes, 50 mph, but also a bike trail. Since it was so rainy, we stopped at the Visitor’s Center in the town of Natchez, watched the little video, and continued on to our own walking tour of Natchez, a city on the Mississippi. In its heyday it was very prosperous, when cotton was “king”. The rain stopped for our walk, how thoughtful! Our impression was this is a town that has fallen on hard times. It being Sunday,
Casino
We did go aboard and check it out not a lot was opened. But we did find a crowded Casino, filled with people that looked as thought they couldn’t afford to be there.
We continued our visit in Natchez by visiting Melrose Mansion. It seems the plantation owners preferred to live in the city so this is a mansion not a plantation. Money was made on the plantation but social life was in the city. The rain came back with a vengeance. We found Natchez State Park for the evening. It rained all night.
A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.
--Lao-Tzu
February 14, 2005, Monday, Valentine’s Day.
Our first stop today, after the post office, was Emerald Mound. Ancestors of the Natchez Indians built this ceremonial mound about 1400. The nation’s second largest of its type. A trail led Bob and I up to the top of the mound, where, of course, we took pictures.
We stopped at Mount Locust, a restored historic inn. Travelers would stop here for safety to eat and sleep on their journey home after selling their goods. From Mt. Locust, I headed out on my bike while Bob passed me in the Bothan to a place down the “Trace” 25 miles or
Motel
This was something new They have trip up to West Virginia so. We decided he would park and he would bike back toward me and then we would bike to where the Bothan was parked. I had biked about 19 miles when I saw Bob coming toward me. He turned around on his bike and we pedaled back to the van and we drove on. It is one way to bike and not backtrack too much.
We camped at LeFleur State Park. We were directed to the necessary coin laundry, stopped at a library to check emails, and then settled in for the evening.
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Enjoy
Bob and Kelly, When you left Florida, it sounds like you ran into the rain that first reached us in Texas. We wish you sunshine in Hawaii. That is a sure thing. But rain or shine we can enjoy! - Jim and Joan