Swamps to Airborne Trucks

Frenchman Louis LeFleur established a stand along the Natchez Trace and traded with the Choctaw Indians.  Because of his nationality the area he traded in became known as the French Camp.

 Sorghum Mill.  The cane is squeezed through the center grinder and dripped into pots.  Horses walk in circles and a man feeds the cane into the center device.

Then it's cooked to boiling.

Swamps....wow.  Awesome place.  Strolling through these swamps was so different from everything we've seen since we entered the Trace.  It was absolutely beautiful, quiet, peaceful and the last place I'd want to be on a warm summer night.  Can you just imagine the sketers.   Today we had sweats on the temperature had dropped so low.

American Beautyberry.

After such a beautiful stroll we drove further down the Trace to the Welcome Center at Koscuiszko.

Oprah Winfrey was born in this town.



The town itself was names after a foreigner from Poland.

 A local artist's drawing of the town.






Notice that nos. 16 and 17 are named for Oprah Winfrey.

This Swamp was more amazing than the first one we walked through.

 Bald Cypress Knees

We're walking the side of the swamps across from our rigs.

Larry and Misty and Bill and Lucy walking the bridge across the swamp.

 I know, I know, another mound site.

But only one.

Further along the Trace we drove past the Ross-Barnett Reservoir.

We were nearing the end of our days drive and Larry wanted to fuel up in Clinton where diesel was $3.45 a gallon.  We pulled off in Clinton and made our way to Krogers.  Following behind Larry we saw them drive over a significant "dip".  We watched the motorhome's rear go nearly airborne.

Suddenly the truck swung wide to the right and almost hit the roadside barrier.  Bill's blasting on his airhorn and I pickup the walkie talkie we'd been using along the trace as a quick means of talking back and forth.  I yelled into it for Larry to stop immediately.  His truck was swinging behind him, possibly loose.

Well it turns out it was still attached but by only one strut on the Blue Ox.  The other had sheered off.

We were all scared over this event.

 You can see how far to the right the truck swung.  It was almost on the barrier.  In fact the front of the truck dinged the back right bumper.

You can see how the one strutt is missing it's end.

The pivot point of the strutts was bent at the head.

In the end Larry had to buy a new Blue Ox, and get his new InvisiBrake reharnessed.  All the wires got ripped from the harnness.  It was an expensive day for Larry.  

We all went out to dinner to sooth our souls.  Applebee's was great.  Tonight we stay in the WalMart Park n Sleep.  Tomorrow we head for the end of the Natchez Trace for a four day stay at the State Park.  Mississippi sure has nice parks and they're cheap for old people.  $13 a night, water and power.

Phew!  What a day this was.  And cold...it's freezing outside and the wind is blowing.  We'll all be bundling up together to stay warm tonight.

Thanks for visiting...come back soon.