Blogs from Port Gibson, Mississippi, United States, North America

After taking a Greyhound from Shreveport, LA to Jackson, MS, we hitchhiked the almost 60 miles to the Rocky Springs free campgrounds on the Natchez Trace Parkway. We endured two days of nonstop rain, a leaky tent, and had our food stolen by raccoons. The third day there, the park's maintenance man pulled up to chit chat, and offered to let us come stay at his house for the night to dry out, shower, and eat a home cooked meal. After a few hours of talking, we came to an agreement that we could stay at his house while we cleaned up his back yard of trees and piles of rotten lumber, and in exchange, he would pay for our tickets to Fort Smith, AR. so we can start our exploration of the Ozarks. Today is ... read more

Natchez Trace was an old pioneer overland trail from Nashville Tennessee to Natchez Mississippi. Most of the early pioneers and explorers tried to stay on rivers. That was the less difficult way to go. This was not always possible. So, great overland routes eventually developed and the Natchez Trace is one of those famous trails like the Spanish Trail, Santa Fe Trail and Cimarron Trail. If you have ever driven through the South and looked at all the trees and undergrowth you would understand just how hard it must have been to open a trail overland. It was better than it looks today because what we see is second, third, fourth growth timber. In those days the forest was in pristine development where the taller trees probably shaded out the undergrowth and pioneers had less of ... read more