More interesting neighbors today. Last night Gary had pulled in our hoses, all except our electricity and had hooked up our car, I had gotten what I could get done inside so that we could leave early tomorrow for our drive down the Natchez Trace. We knew we wanted to see some things on the Trace and wanted to stop in the VC but also wanted to get into Jeff Busby Campground which was a first-come, first-served. So, we couldn’t dilly dally.
And, our neighbors saw to it that we didn’t. Last night they had started their diesel engine about 9:30 so they could pull in one of their slides (only one). I guess it was because there was a gust or two of wind. Now, I’ll have to add that we do this too sometimes but, this time the gusts were too little and lasted to short for us to think we needed to do this last night. Thus, this morning, at 6:00 am, let me repeat that time, 6:00 am, they started their diesel engine and put that slide back out. And, then continued to run it for 23 minutes. Let me repeat that: 23 minutes. Right outside our bedroom window - and, believe you me, there is only 10’ - 12’ between sites. At 6:00 am. I could almost forgive them if they had started their diesel to get an early start on a long day’s journey but they put their slide out. let the engine run for 23 minutes and then sat. In fact, when we left at 8:00, they were still there.
We’ve had interesting neighbor stories at this campground. Usually, it is always so friendly and calm. No drama.
Since we were having some competition with our sleep, we finally decided to get up about 6:30 (thank you, neighbors) and were on the road by 8:30 after breakfast. Beautiful drive down the Trace. I really didn’t know that much about the Trace but we thought a few minutes in the VC would cure that lack. The history of the Trace started when bison, deer and other large animals ranged through this area, foraging for food and water. They were followed by the Native Americans, first the mound builders and then by the Chickasaw, Natchez and Choctaw, who followed the animal trails making the trails wider, further and more worn. American settlers then followed these trails as the United States expanded westward in the late 1700’s and early 1800’s. By 1820, when steamboats came into prevalence, the Trace was probably the nation’s first Super Highway.
President Jefferson, wanting to solidify American claims to this territory and recognizing the need for more efficient mail delivery, designated the Trace a National Postal Road for mail delivery between Natchez and Nashville. Andrew Jackson used the Trace for military marches during the War of 1812. Meriwether Lewis was traveling along the Trace when he died in 1809, probably from a self-inflicted gunshot.
Probably the most interesting people to use the Trace regularly were the ‘Kaintucks’ who, whether from Kentucky or Ohio or Pennsylvania, were called the Kaintucks. They floated their cash crops or their livestock or their furs or whatever else they might have had down the Ohio River, down the Mississippi River all the way to Natchez or New Orleans on wooden flatboats. Then, because it was impossible to float these boats back up the Mississippi, they chopped them up, sold the lumber and began the long laborious trek back home, over 400 miles north, usually on foot and sometimes on horseback. In 1810 an estimated 10,000 Kaintucks used the Trace to go north and start another river journey. (Who counted them, I wonder?) Think of this trip: walking all the way, carrying whatever gold you had sold your goods for, sleeping on the ground, carrying all you would need for the journey, through lawless territory never knowing who you might meet along the way. Probably you traveled both down and back with someone else both for protection, help with the work and for companionship. (of course, you’d better choose someone else who was as honest and as hardworking as you.)
As more and more people chose this route, it was improved and ‘stands’ or inns sprung up along the way providing lodging, food and drink to travelers. Some of these still exist and we will visit them soon.
But, our journey down the Trace is ever so much more comfortable than that of the 'Kaintucks'. We have a cup of coffee in our hands, soft seats under us and are being carried by wheels. Oops, we don’t have the donuts yet. But, I’ll take care of that in Tupelo where I have marked a local donut chain. It’s just about 1 mile off our original trip down the Trace. Well worth it, I’m sure you’ll agree.
We got to the VC just in time for the 4 buses to disgorge all the kids. Oh, boy. However, this was a real advantage. They were having an educational workshop, the kids all had their paperwork to write on, there were 6 stations and we got to visit all of them. We listened in on the talks by the Chickasaw Native American,
the Confederate and Union soldiers,
the woman on the fire crew and one of the other Rangers. What an informative day.
The Natchez Trace is a wonderful road to drive. 40 or 50 mph the whole way, no stop signs or lights, easy exits and entrances to towns along the way for a stop, and absolutely marvelous scenery all the way. (The maximum length for an RV is 55’) The third picture shows the area that was hard hit by a tornado several years ago.
The pull-outs are usually wide and only one is too narrow for RV’s. We stopped at the Cypress Swamp where we took a 1/2 mile walk around it.
We got to the campground, found a suitable spot at first-come, first-served and were glad that we got there when we did since many of the other spots filled in soon after and we might have had trouble finding a spot for our size RV.
Hey, how about we hike to the top of that hill? Sure. And we were off but we had to go immediately since the sun was going down behind it. Great views and nice trail circling around the mountain. Some of the trees had turned.
When we got back down to the campground, we walked around the campground and saw this:
Look, a cat, probably belongs to that camper there. Oh, look over there, 3 more cats. Then, over there several more. All looked well-fed, all were used to people. But, why are they here? And, how come the coyotes haven’t taken care of them? I was surprised that there were coyotes here but, yes, they are here also. In fact, right after we saw the cats, we heard their mournful howl off in the distance answered by other howls off in the other direction.
Well, a mystery and I think I’ll leave it unsolved. Dinner and relaxation.
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