Pensacola, Fl to Vicksburg, Ms

   

Where in the world is Waldo???  Actually we've been so busy smiling and visiting, that I've just not had time to sit down and write about all our adventures.  Tonight we're sitting in Vicksburg, Ms. Debbie is preparing a delicious dinner, and I've got just a few minutes before I have to close this up.  Tomorrow we're heading for Natchez, Ms. the beginning or the end, depending on your direction of travel, of the Natchez Trace.  But I'm getting way ahead of myself, so let me backtrack a week or so.
     Last Saturday, March 1, 2014, we left Pensacola after having a delightful dinner with Annette at her condo overlooking the Gulf of Mexico.  Annette was able to score a huge Boston Butt (pulled pork) and we feasted on Bushwackers, wine, baked beans, and beer into the night, as we enjoyed a beautiful sunset from her front porch.  Earlier in the day we enjoyed a peaceful time on the beach at the Gulf Islands National Seashore.  There was a little breeze, but the sand was nice a warm as we enjoyed watching the shore birds running ahead of the surf.  

     During Friday afternoon we toured the remains of Fort Pickens which saw action in the Civil War and was utilized in WW II as a shore defense.  Across the harbor we watched aircraft from the Pensacola NAS, and reminisced about my Navy time at NAS Oceana and NAS Key West.  

     Saturday we enjoyed some nice weather, and worked our way north up to Smiths Station, Al for a visit with Ted and Maryanne from our BP time in California.  It has been quite a few years since we've last visited, but it was like we had only been apart a few months.  Teddy and I sat around telling war stories, and catching up on what's occurred since we both left Campo.  Debbie and Maryanne exchanged stories about kids and grand-kids, quilting, and mutual friends from Campo.  Even their dog, Sparkles, seemed to enjoy the attention he was getting from Debbie.  On Sunday, Carrie and her family, Teddy Doug, Jay, and Maryanne's father joined us for a wonderful dinner.  Teddy has a grill out back that could handle half a cow, and he's very comfortable throwing a few steaks on it.   

       Monday we said our goodbye's, packed up, and continued our journey west.  Next stop was going to be Vicksburg, Ms, located on the bank of the mighty Mississippi.  Debbie and I have decided that our journey really began today, as we have no destination, just a direction to guide us.  Monday evening we settled into a very comfortable RV park just outside of Meridian, MS called Bonita Lakes RV Park.  We had traveled northwest from Smiths Station before making a course correction after looking at the weather ahead of us.  Because of the weather, RV parks were filling up, so we grabbed a site at Bonita Lakes, plugged in the power cord and enjoyed the evening.  It dropped down to around 29 that night, but the heaters worked fine.  If you're traveling through Meridian, Ms and need a place to plug in for the evening, Bonita Lakes is just fine.
     Tuesday morning we worked our way south after making a reservation for 2 days in Vicksburg, Ms.  We pulled into Rivertown RV Park, located off of Hwy 61 south of Vicksburg and the owners made us immediately feel quite comfortable and even provided us with a CD for touring the battlefield located just a few minutes down the road.  The weather is quite cool for Mississippi standards, but us New Yorkers think its a nice fall day.  I hope it makes our MaryAnne feel better knowing she's just a few degrees cooler than we are!

     We layered up and headed over to the Vicksburg Military Park, and cruised past the front gate, after starting up the CD.  The CD provided us with lots of information about the siege of Vicksburg by General Ulysses S Grant and the Union Armies.  After suffering heavy losses in two attempts to capture Vicksburg, Grant decided to lay siege to the city, and for 47 days, conducted a heavy artillery assault on the city, forcing the Confederate Army to surrender.  Facing 30,000 POW's, Grant allowed the Confederates to leave the city and go home, after receiving a promise that they would not fight again.  The next major conflict would be Gettysburg, and the war would soon be over.

  There were only 2 other vehicles touring the park, so we took our time and frequently had to stop the CD to catch up.  There were a few moments where the narrator wanted us to drive 20 mph, which was a tad too fast for the park.
     Today, Debbie and I went for a very comfortable drive north on the Natchez Trace.  The Trace used to be the main route used by early travelers between Natchez, Ms and Nashville, Tn.  It was taken over by the National Park Service in 1938, and there are no commercial holdings anywhere along the trace.  It's a nice 2 lane parkway with lots of historic stops along the way.

      We traveled about 50 miles north on the Parkway, before returning for a driving tour around Vicksburg.  Down at the waterfront in Vicksburg, we located multiple hand-painted murals on the levee wall, and watched a Mississippi Riverboat depart the dock and head downstream. 

This is actually painted on a cement levee, and shows a bear hunting trip by Teddy Roosevelt.

      We paused and enjoyed a wonderful dinner at Lillians Restaurant in downtown Vicksburg.  Their pasta dishes were wonderful, and their bartender made a nice Manhattan.  It's definitely a stop again when we return.  

        Tomorrow we are heading for Natchez, Ms. to tour the Antebellum Homes and plantations around Natchez.  Looks like we'll be heading for San Antonio on Sunday.