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February 8, 2006

We backtracked a little to Natchez, Mississippi. Here are views of the Mississippi River to the south, west and north.

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We wanted to start at one end of the Natchez Trace Parkway. It goes from Natchez to Nashville, TN. It's maintained by the National Park Service and is a peaceful, scenic way to get around. You have to set the cruise control at 50 mph, the speed limit which is strictly enforced. There are no stop signs or traffic lights. There's plenty of opportunity to get off the Trace and see some towns and sights and get gas, food or lodging. But then, you'll want to get back on the Trace.

The original Trace was just a path (based on one made by the Indians) through the wilderness that farmers used. They would load up a barge with their produce and wares and float down the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers selling their goods and usually ending up in New Orleans. Because they couldn't get the boats back up-river they sold them and walked back home along the trace.

Eventually "stands" were set up along the trace where the weary travelers could get a bite to eat and a bed to sleep in. Mount Locust was one of the first stands.

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One of side trips Trace travelers will want to see are the Waverly Ruins. This is an antebellum mansion that survived the Civil War but burned down in 1890. All that is left are the columns and some metal work. Surrounded by semi-wilderness it made for an eerie visit.

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Next stop was Port Gibson, MS...a town "too beautiful to burn" according to General Grant. We found a quaint restaurant for lunch in an historic building.

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Back on the Trace we traveled over some swamp land. As we drove through Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama we wondered (and still do) what the difference is between swamp, marsh, bayou, river, lake.

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