Chasing Summer

Nov 17-19

Travelling south on the Trace gave us the chance to turn back the clock on the seasons – naked trees and chilly air outside at the beginning in Kentucky (just like home)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

lead to a partly leaved forest in Tennessee.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Later, after we crossed the Tennessee river

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

we began to see summer’s leftovers still on the trees in gorgeous golden sunshine. 

 

 

 

 

 

(this is just before leaving Alabama for Mississippi).

 

 

Around 5 in the afternoon on the 18^th Norene took this shot of the evergreening forest about ½ hour north of our planned stop for the night at the Jeff Busby campground at mile 193.1 (numbering from 1 at Natchez). Just made it as darkness fell and we parked in the last spot. Bit relieved since you can’t stay overnight at rest stops or attractions in Mississippi. 

  

Now that we had a glimpse of summer we wanted more so it was a big push the next day to score this nearly perfect summer shot about an hour away from Natchez State Park  – our home base for the next six days.

 

 

 

 Had enough yet? It's possible you may not share my fascination with reversing the seasons ..... so here are some highlights on the journey from Birdsong Hollow (mile 440) to Natchez State Park (mile 10.4):

 

The Double Arch bridge at Birdsong Hollow gets a lot of well deserved attention and sometimes (it appears) a bit of vertical traffic. (see the blue sign)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Heading down to Jackson Falls we’re like kids at play. On the way back up I learned how to fake a casual grin while panting.

 

 

Before steam riverboats took traders upriver the “Kaintucks” walked the original Natchez Trace from Natchez to Nashville – the good parts looked like this.

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meriwether Lewis met his premature end on the Trace.

 

 

This poignant “broken shaft “ memorial was erected here to honour this intrepid adventurer.

 

PharrMounds

 

 

 

 

 

Yes those are the mounds.

 

 

 

Maybe I should get a zoom lens.

 

 

 

 

 

So Tupelo is not just a town – it’s a tree!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And these trees live in a swamp....

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And they have weird babies (the little pointy things are new trees).

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

Trust

You are greeted at the top of the Trace with signage that warns the minimum height of overpasses is 14’ 5” (we need 12' 4"). You believe until confronted with a bridge that can’t possibly be that high. You keep driving as you approach, wink at your navigator, hunch down and wait for the impact. On the other side you say something manly like “See – I told you there was lots of clearance”