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Along the Natchez Trace

Sunday, May 4, 2014

Still Traveling on the Trace...

We left the Jeff Busby Campground around 7:30 this morning.  Not much traffic on an early Sunday morning...
The bicycle event was still going on, but a lot fewer bicycles today.  The lower right is an RV caravan...  going south.  We recognized the logo of "Adventure Caravans" as we've done a few of these ourselves.  Of course we wondered if we'd know the Wagonmaster or Tailgunner....  probably not, but it's fun to imagine.  The upper right is as we're crossing the Tennessee River.  This is the longest bridge on the Natchez Trace....  and, believe me, the river is VERY wide!  That middle bottom photo is of dogwood....  we've seen some magnolia trees in bloom in the more southern area, but today we saw dogwood in bloom.  I've read that Ohio is about 2 weeks behind in the spring "bloom" season, so maybe we'll still see dogwood and spring wildflowers when we get back there.

We pulled over into a parking area along a river.....  saw these guys fishing.  Check out the tattered jeans on the guy standing.  I'll bet those aren't designer jeans...  and those rubber boots...  pure South!

Out of Mississippi...  through the very northwest corner of Alabama and into Tennessee....  only leaving the Natchez Trace to gas up in Tupelo.  On to the Meriwether Lewis Campground...
196 miles from our starting point this morning...  and it's only noon.
We'll stay here overnight...  our last full day on the Trace...  we're probably less than a hundred miles from Nashville.  Check out that split-rail fence that runs along the campground road!

This American Robin probably isn't very exciting to many of my readers, but I'll admit I was very happy to see one.  I've always said that I don't bird by ear...  well, as we're wandering around our campsite here I heard a titmouse, nuthatch, wood peewee, red-bellied woodpecker, bluejay and robins.  I think that I'm so familiar with birds I grew up with that I don't even realize I recognize their songs. 

Here's our campsite for the night...
Not exactly packed in like sardines, are we?

We'll leave in the morning...  head up and around Nashville...  up to Bowling Green, Kentucky...  up to Louisville..... Cincinnati....  across Rt 32 and to our old farm.  It will take us a couple (or more) days to get there, but we'll be following Spring north all the way. 

Reminds me of the book by Edwin Way Teale ... "North With the Spring".  His "seasons" books were some of the first "nature" books I'd ever read...  I still carry them around with me in our motorhome.....  he was my first inspiration...  and well worth reading even today.

That's All For today!



13 comments:

  1. Such a relaxing drive, and love the crowds in the campground. Enjoy your travels north.

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  2. I had a large dogwood tree in the yard of an older home I rented in Placerville, CA I'd heard of them, but never seen one. When it bloomed I loved it. Beautiful, large white flowers.

    I don't bird by ear at all. Maybe the Mockingbird. If a bird has many sounds, then it's probably a mockingbird, right? That's all I know. Oh, yes, Mourning Doves, too. They're pretty obvious. :)

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  3. A nice leisurely pace is always nice. And there you were - in that campground all alone!

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  4. It was fun driving along with you today. It's exciting to see places I have never been. Sleep well. Travel safely.

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  5. No dogwoods in NE Ohio, yet.
    I used to do spring shows in Maryland, NJ, Virginia. Just watching the spring turn as I drove the PA turnpike was wonderful.

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  6. My ears are generally on fire everywhere I stop. Those bird songs just call to me. :)

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  7. It's great to see the green and trees out in leaf.

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  8. We loved our drive on the Natchez Trace, and we'd like to go back there someday.

    www.travelwithkevinandruth.com

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  9. Hi Sharon, just stopping by to say how delightful your blog is. Thanks so much for sharing. I have recently found your blog and am now following you, and will visit often. Please stop by my blog and perhaps you would like to follow me also. Have a wonderful day. Hugs, Chris
    http://chelencarter-retiredandlovingit.blogspot.ca/

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  10. What a lovely drive! Meriweather Lewis Campground--Jim is a big fan of his!

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  11. Nice campground--your "North With The Spring" book is a treasure--I checked Amazon and a used hard copy sells for $99!! Used paperback for $10.

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  12. I can recognize many of the native birds in our area but I'm not as good with their songs. I need to get better with that!!
    Lovely campsite!!!

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  13. Beautiful! Love that muddy water... But not those jeans... (although I once paid $150 for a pair of designer jeans that probably didn't look much different)!

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