Day 6 and 7: 105 Miles
Starting location: Lake Lamar Bruce Campground – 62 degrees
Ending location: Jeff Busby Campground– 75 degrees
Weather: Sunny day 1; Partly cloudy with showers day 2
Reluctantly leaving Lake Lamar Bruce Campground in the morning, we returned to our southward trek on the Trace. We had cold weather coming and needed to be heading south. Our first stop that day would be the actual Visitors Center in Tupelo. Ironically, they put the visitors center near the middle of the journey. You will have either gotten yourself a map long before now, or just take your chances. Thankfully, we picked up a map at the Welcome Center rest area coming into Tennessee. It has been very handy.
Kaintucks
Leaving Dottie in the van, I watched the fifteen minute movie in the Visitors Center. I was glad I did. While they mentioned Kaintucks along the way, it was not until I watched the movie that I understood who they were. Kaintucks were people who grew crops in the Ohio valley. They built flat bottom boats and using the riverways took their goods to market in Natchez. Once there, they sold the goods and the boats to be used as lumber. It was not possible to take the boats back up river due to the strength of the current. Pockets full of money or chits (similar to checks) they walked back home on the Trace.
Knowing that these folks have lots of money, had to make them a target of those bad guys out there. Behold, one of the next stops after the Visitors Center talked just about that.
Lewis and Clark beat out while Native America’s don’t seem to count?
Now this was an interesting learning. Apparently the Spaniards discovered the Mississippi in the 1500’s?
More Mounds
Jeff Busby and Meeting a new Friend
Our night was to be spent at one of the three campgrounds along the Trace. This one was named Jeff Busby after a late congressman. It was an oddly laid out campground that did not have the sites very well marked with roads all over the place. After trying out a site and then driving around the campground three more times we landed here and called it good. It was really quite pretty and reasonably level.
A few sites away was another solo female traveler with an amazing story. She hailed from Kentucky and had retired from the Army after 20 years. Having bought a small school bus, she converted it to an RV over three years and named it the Command Post since she had worked in the Command Post as her role. We had a few lengthy conversations over the next two days and I got to really like her. She also gave me some great tips for being on the road, some apps to use and even oiled my bike chain which was showing rust. Here is a cool video showing the bus conversion. Please meet Sandy!
Another Zero Day and Tornado Watches/Wind Advisory
Since the weather was going to rain and be nasty the next afternoon, I stayed another night at Jeff Busby waiting it out. In the morning, since it was still reasonable weather, I took Dottie for a hike up to the summit. Yes, ok, you could drive there; but, the hike was good for us both and was via a trail not the road. Look how happy she looks!
Camping under a bunch of tall woodpecker drilled trees would not be wise with 40mph winds predicted. Then the weather service threw in a tornado watch for good measure. The wind advisory started at 10am and went until 6pm, while the tornado watch was issued a bit later and lasted until 8pm. The radar kept showing a really nasty line of storms in the early evening. So, both Sandy and I decided it was safest to pull out of the tree lined campsites out into the open and ride it out. This would also give us a bathroom to duck into if the watch became a warning. Fortunately that did not happen.
Ironically, the storm dissipated and we did not even get the line of thunderstorms. So, we hung out in the parking lot with no real reason other than the wind gusts, taking the old adage to heart: Better safe than sorry.
Stories of a lifetime! Thanks for sharing dear friend. Stay safe. Hugs!
Thanks, Jean-Claude! They are absolutely stories of a lifetime. Today, I met a pack of Texas A&M college students on a hike. They were having an absolute blast! I was happy to have them ahead of me to run herd on any mountain lions or bears.
Retirement looks great on you. Congratulations Karen!
Thanks, Gilann! I hope you are finding it awesome, too! Great to hear from you!
So glad you’re having fun and making friends!
Thanks, Jaq! Miss you and hope you are enjoying warmer weather!
Great time on the Natchez with my new friend Karen! Seeing you down the road!-@commandpostskoolie
Thanks, Sandy! Was so great to meet you and get to know you a bit. Looking forward to more interactions soon! 🙂