Meandering back to Georgia, Part 2
Tuesday, 12 November
The rain stopped sometime during the night, and we could hear the gusty wind in the trees all night. The campsite recommended by the park staff for Sprinty was tucked in the trees a little bit, and Sprinty was facing north, in the direction of the wind. Other than one rogue gust that hit during dinner last evening, Sprinty did not rock and roll in the wind at all.
We woke up to 30 degrees and windy. With the Alde heat and extra insulation on the windows and floor, Sprinty was quite comfortable inside.
As we got off the freeway yesterday, we saw the sign for the Poverty Point UNESCO World Heritage Site (https://www.povertypoint.us). We went to two World Heritage sites when we were in Canada and learned that there were others in the United States. As it was going to be a cold blustery day, too cold for golf, we decided that we would go check this place out.
The World Heritage was about 20 minutes from the campground, and we arrived early. In part because our campsite was in the shade, and we expected (correctly) the parking lot at the Heritage Site would be in the sun.
The Visitor Center opened at 9am, and we were the first ones there. We started by watching the 12-minute video which explained the history of the Native American settlement there 3,500 years go. The village was quite large and believed to be a city of some sort. Artifacts found indicate the Poverty Point Native Americans were hunter-gatherers, and had extensive trade. Stone was found in the site - a site that has no native stone - from as far as 800 miles away.
The largest mound, Mound A, was constructed around 1350 B.C. Today, it is 72 feet tall. The base measures 710 feet in length and 660 feet wide, and contains 390,000 tons of dirt. Dirt placed basketload by basketload, estimated to be 15.5 million 50-pound basketloads. Archaeological excavation and core samples indicate Mound A was built quickly, perhaps in 90 days! Mound A reminded the largest earthen construction in North America for the next 2,000 years.
After looking to the exhibits, we did the self-driving tour around the site. The sign at the Visitor Center said no RVs allowed, but we asked the staff anyway, and they gave Sprinty permission to drive the loop. Once again, Sprinty gets to go where other RVs can't or are not allowed.
With outside temperature of 28 degrees and 25 mph wind, gusting over 40 mph, we decided not to walk up the trail to the top of Mound A. It would have been cool to do the trail, but this morning it was too cool.
After spending a little more than an hour at the World Heritage site, we headed out. After some deliberation, we decided to do the remainder of the Natchez Trace Parkway. Earlier this year, Sprinty did a little over half of the Natchez Trace Parkway from the southern terminus of Natchez, MS to Tupelo, MS. We chose not to continue on to the northern end as rain was forecast and we felt we wouldn't get to enjoy it as much in the rain.
So we headed north to US82 and then turned east. After lunch, when Kris was driving, Darrell found that our route towards Tupelo, MS would pass fairly close to Starkville, MS. Starkville, MS, is the home to Mississippi State University. The Mitchell Memorial Library on the campus is also contains the Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library (http://www.usgrantlibrary.org/). The Grant gallery had exhibits on his cadet days, his Army service rising to General, his time as President, and his role as Statesman following his presidency.
It also contains the Frank and Virginia Williams Collection of Lincolniana, a collection of over 30,000 items relating to President Abraham Lincoln.
Ulysses S. Grant was fairly short in stature.
As with other Presidential Museums and Libraries, we found it quite interesting. He ran for President in part because the Reconstruction effort following the Civil War was not going well, being bogged down in politics. During his tenure as President, the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments were ratified, significant Constitutional amendments for civil rights.
With this second unplanned adventure of the day, it was getting late in the afternoon. Darrell laid in a course to a nearby Corps of Engineers campground about 30 minutes away. As we neared the campground, we saw the sign that the campground was closed. So much for Plan A.
Plan B was an independent campground located right off the Natchez Trace Parkway south of Tupelo, MS. Plan C was a state park near Tupelo, MS, however, the online reservation system indicated they were nearly full. As it was, we were going to be arriving to either one after dark. As Darrell headed north for the 50 minute additional driving, Kris called ahead to confirm they had a site.
The Natchez Trace RV Park in Shannon, MS had mixed reviews in the AllStays app. As all we wanted was a fairly level site with 30 amp electric, it was going to be just fine. We wanted electric for heat as the temperature was forecast to get to 20 degrees by morning.
As we were getting ready for dinner, we found two of the cabinet latches had broken. A most unusual occurrence as we have not had a broken latch since we bought Sprinty with a broken latch. Most likely from the rougher roads of LA and MS where Sprinty experienced a lot of rhythmic bouncing. Fortunately, once Darrell found a replacement, he bought several to have on hand in case another one broke. So both latches were repaired before dinner.
Wednesday, 13 November
Wow - we woke up to 19 degrees. As we thought about it, we think it was coldest or the second coldest night we have camped in Sprinty. We remember camping in Bayfield, CO in early March 2017 with a forecast low of 19 degrees. And Palo Duru State Park a few days later was also near 20 degrees. However, we did not have an outdoor thermometer then to know for sure the actual temperature like we do now.
A big difference last night was how much better Sprinty's heating setup works. The additional window and floor insulation made it so the Alde (hydronic) heating system could maintain over 40 degree differential between inside temperature and outside temperature (before, it struggled with a 30 degree differential). The insulation also made the temperature inside Sprinty more uniform, so the front was not as much of a cold area as before. The Alde held the heat using just electric all night without having to use propane.
Another nice improvement is the added fans on the Alde system that we had upgraded during our visit to Roadtrek in Ontario last summer. Although we did not turn the fans on until 5:30am, by 6:30, the temperature (using electric + propane) had increased by 8 degrees (from the night time setback), something that took much longer without the fans and insulation.
A measure of the effectiveness of the window insulation was the condensation that was iced up on the inside of the passenger door window.
Sprinty decided to celebrate by taking Kris and Darrel to breakfast at the Brick and Spoon restaurant in Tupelo, MS. A modern diner, we were surprised to be the first ones to arrive. The food was excellent, the service was very good, and they even had USB and 110v outlets at many of the tables for people to charge their devices. And free WiFi. A three calendar diner for sure.
We rejoined the Natchez Trace Parkway to continue north. Around Tupelo, there was a bit of traffic as locals used it as a commute route, but once we got away from Tupelo, the traffic was extremely light.
With temperatures in the 20s, we made selective stops. We stopped at Cave Spring (MM 308.4), which was easily accessible from the parking area.
There were also exhibits on the Native Americans of the area, including a push-button audio feature.
As we crossed into Alabama, Sprinty enjoyed a smoother pavement for most of the rest of the section in Alabama. Clearly building smooth roads is possible - maybe Mississippi and Louisiana should reach out for road building/maintenance tips.
At MM 375.8 was the Old Trace Drive, a one-way, 2.5-mile drive along the Old Trace. No buses or RVs. Of course, Sprinty reminded us he is a van, and true to his adventuresome spirit, he meandered off on the one-lane road what was so leaf covered, it was hard to know where the pavement was.
Fortunately, the speed limit was 20mph (Sprinty stayed way below that) and we did not have to worry about on-coming traffic until the final 250 meters. And in that final 250 meters was a one-lane bridge with a 10-ton weight limit. Sprinty said he was not sure what he would have done if the bridge weight limit had been too low, or the bridge had been out. Just another of the amazing memories Sprinty likes to treat Kris and Darrell with.
At MM 381.8 was the Napier Mine, a historic iron mine. It was a short walk to the overlook of the mine pit.
At MM 385.9 was the gravesite of explorer Meriwether Lewis who died here in 1809. Meriwether Lewis was enroute to Washington, DC with expedition journals and accounts, and stopped at the Grinder House. There he suffered a gunshot wound and died.
And two centuries later, there is still debate whether he committed suicide or was murdered. The Smithsonian magazine article state in part:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/meriwether-lewis-mysterious-death-144006713/
At MM 391.9, we stopped for the short walk to Fall Hollow. Another couple who stopped at the same time had just come from Jackson Falls a little further north and advised that it had only a trickle of water flowing, not enough to call a falls. We were treated to a nice waterfall, made even more interesting by the icicles.
As we neared the northern terminus, we reflected on our Natchez Trace Parkway journeys. Last April, leaves were showing up on trees at the southern end (Natchez) and trees became more bare as we went north to Tupelo. By Tupelo, the trees only contained a hint of the leaves to come. This trip, leaves were still in late stages of fall colors near Tupelo, and by Nashville, were late fall/early winter. No doubt the blustery winds on Tuesday helped many of the leaves to finally let loose. We also encountered more frost and traces of snow as we got into Tennessee, including some white stuff on the roads in the shade.
Our camp site destination for the day was Old Stone Fort State Archaeological Park located in Manchester, TN. We picked it as a state park campground with electric service in the vicinity of where we wanted to stop for the day. Arriving, we crossed the one-lane bridge (10 ton limit, 13.5 feet height restriction, and 11 feet wide) with a bit of frozen stuff on the bridge surface.
Arriving at the check in station, we found it unmanned, and the sign directed us to the museum to check in if we arrived before 4:30. We are so glad we arrived well before 4:30. After checking in (and getting a senior discount) at the museum, we watched the park film about the Old Stone Fort. Fascinating history.
From the park brochure:
It was colder than we preferred (and getting close to sunset) for wandering the site of the "old stone fort", especially since the loop trail was over a mile in length and sunset was looming. Something we will have to do on a future trip. Since leaving Canyon Lake, we have had several amazing Native American historical experiences: Poverty Point UNESCO World Heritage Site, completing our drive of the Natchez Trace Parkway (we drove the first 266 miles from Natchez, MS to Tupelo, MS in April), and the Old Stone Fort.
Sprinty got all settled with almost 15 minutes to spare before official sunset. Looking around the campground, we saw only two other campers here tonight our of 51 campsites.
Thursday, 14 November
For Sprinty, another cold morning - 35 degrees. In various online forums, some suggest winterizing your RV by going where it is not below freezing. A most appealing option, but as others note when they chime in, sometimes you dont have a choice. Fortunately, winterizing is not a difficult chore, especially if you don't try and do it at 2:30am. A lesson from last winter was to just winterize and quit worrying, rather than have Mother Nature dictate when and where you travel. On reflection, the inconvenience of camping in a winterized Sprinty are much less than the inconveniences of having the forecast low temperatures dictate where you go, where you stay, and for how long.
Today is the final leg of our Texas adventure that began two weeks ago. We headed out about 8am, and based on the traffic through Chattanooga, we decided to just head down I-24/I-75 for most of the trip. Other than lots of truck traffic, it was pretty uneventful.
After turning off I-75 at Resaca, GA, onto a blue highway, we got a major surprise as we heard a very loud "crack" sound as an 18-wheeler traveling in the opposite direction threw a rock at Sprinty. Sprinty was lucky - he caught the rock with the metal piece of the door just behind the driver door window. 3/4" in either direction would likely have shattered either the driver door window, or the glass down the driver side. As much as we wished there had been no rock, we are grateful Sprinty caught it on the metal at the back of the driver door window.
Sprinty gets a couple of weeks off. Over the next couple of weeks, Sprinty will get some scheduled maintenance service and a couple of minor tweaks by Darrell.
The rain stopped sometime during the night, and we could hear the gusty wind in the trees all night. The campsite recommended by the park staff for Sprinty was tucked in the trees a little bit, and Sprinty was facing north, in the direction of the wind. Other than one rogue gust that hit during dinner last evening, Sprinty did not rock and roll in the wind at all.
We woke up to 30 degrees and windy. With the Alde heat and extra insulation on the windows and floor, Sprinty was quite comfortable inside.
As we got off the freeway yesterday, we saw the sign for the Poverty Point UNESCO World Heritage Site (https://www.povertypoint.us). We went to two World Heritage sites when we were in Canada and learned that there were others in the United States. As it was going to be a cold blustery day, too cold for golf, we decided that we would go check this place out.
- "Centuries ago, when Stonehenge was built and Queen Nefertiti ruled Egypt, American Indians were building earthen monuments in north Louisiana. Hand by hand and basketful by basketful, men and women shaped nearly 2 million cubic yards of soil into stunning landscapes. The result was a massive 72-foot-tall mound, enormous concentric half-circles and related earthworks that dwarfed every other earthen monument site for 2,200 years."
The World Heritage was about 20 minutes from the campground, and we arrived early. In part because our campsite was in the shade, and we expected (correctly) the parking lot at the Heritage Site would be in the sun.
The Visitor Center opened at 9am, and we were the first ones there. We started by watching the 12-minute video which explained the history of the Native American settlement there 3,500 years go. The village was quite large and believed to be a city of some sort. Artifacts found indicate the Poverty Point Native Americans were hunter-gatherers, and had extensive trade. Stone was found in the site - a site that has no native stone - from as far as 800 miles away.
The largest mound, Mound A, was constructed around 1350 B.C. Today, it is 72 feet tall. The base measures 710 feet in length and 660 feet wide, and contains 390,000 tons of dirt. Dirt placed basketload by basketload, estimated to be 15.5 million 50-pound basketloads. Archaeological excavation and core samples indicate Mound A was built quickly, perhaps in 90 days! Mound A reminded the largest earthen construction in North America for the next 2,000 years.
After looking to the exhibits, we did the self-driving tour around the site. The sign at the Visitor Center said no RVs allowed, but we asked the staff anyway, and they gave Sprinty permission to drive the loop. Once again, Sprinty gets to go where other RVs can't or are not allowed.
With outside temperature of 28 degrees and 25 mph wind, gusting over 40 mph, we decided not to walk up the trail to the top of Mound A. It would have been cool to do the trail, but this morning it was too cool.
After spending a little more than an hour at the World Heritage site, we headed out. After some deliberation, we decided to do the remainder of the Natchez Trace Parkway. Earlier this year, Sprinty did a little over half of the Natchez Trace Parkway from the southern terminus of Natchez, MS to Tupelo, MS. We chose not to continue on to the northern end as rain was forecast and we felt we wouldn't get to enjoy it as much in the rain.
So we headed north to US82 and then turned east. After lunch, when Kris was driving, Darrell found that our route towards Tupelo, MS would pass fairly close to Starkville, MS. Starkville, MS, is the home to Mississippi State University. The Mitchell Memorial Library on the campus is also contains the Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library (http://www.usgrantlibrary.org/). The Grant gallery had exhibits on his cadet days, his Army service rising to General, his time as President, and his role as Statesman following his presidency.
It also contains the Frank and Virginia Williams Collection of Lincolniana, a collection of over 30,000 items relating to President Abraham Lincoln.
Ulysses S. Grant was fairly short in stature.
As with other Presidential Museums and Libraries, we found it quite interesting. He ran for President in part because the Reconstruction effort following the Civil War was not going well, being bogged down in politics. During his tenure as President, the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments were ratified, significant Constitutional amendments for civil rights.
With this second unplanned adventure of the day, it was getting late in the afternoon. Darrell laid in a course to a nearby Corps of Engineers campground about 30 minutes away. As we neared the campground, we saw the sign that the campground was closed. So much for Plan A.
Plan B was an independent campground located right off the Natchez Trace Parkway south of Tupelo, MS. Plan C was a state park near Tupelo, MS, however, the online reservation system indicated they were nearly full. As it was, we were going to be arriving to either one after dark. As Darrell headed north for the 50 minute additional driving, Kris called ahead to confirm they had a site.
The Natchez Trace RV Park in Shannon, MS had mixed reviews in the AllStays app. As all we wanted was a fairly level site with 30 amp electric, it was going to be just fine. We wanted electric for heat as the temperature was forecast to get to 20 degrees by morning.
As we were getting ready for dinner, we found two of the cabinet latches had broken. A most unusual occurrence as we have not had a broken latch since we bought Sprinty with a broken latch. Most likely from the rougher roads of LA and MS where Sprinty experienced a lot of rhythmic bouncing. Fortunately, once Darrell found a replacement, he bought several to have on hand in case another one broke. So both latches were repaired before dinner.
Wednesday, 13 November
Wow - we woke up to 19 degrees. As we thought about it, we think it was coldest or the second coldest night we have camped in Sprinty. We remember camping in Bayfield, CO in early March 2017 with a forecast low of 19 degrees. And Palo Duru State Park a few days later was also near 20 degrees. However, we did not have an outdoor thermometer then to know for sure the actual temperature like we do now.
A big difference last night was how much better Sprinty's heating setup works. The additional window and floor insulation made it so the Alde (hydronic) heating system could maintain over 40 degree differential between inside temperature and outside temperature (before, it struggled with a 30 degree differential). The insulation also made the temperature inside Sprinty more uniform, so the front was not as much of a cold area as before. The Alde held the heat using just electric all night without having to use propane.
Another nice improvement is the added fans on the Alde system that we had upgraded during our visit to Roadtrek in Ontario last summer. Although we did not turn the fans on until 5:30am, by 6:30, the temperature (using electric + propane) had increased by 8 degrees (from the night time setback), something that took much longer without the fans and insulation.
A measure of the effectiveness of the window insulation was the condensation that was iced up on the inside of the passenger door window.
Sprinty decided to celebrate by taking Kris and Darrel to breakfast at the Brick and Spoon restaurant in Tupelo, MS. A modern diner, we were surprised to be the first ones to arrive. The food was excellent, the service was very good, and they even had USB and 110v outlets at many of the tables for people to charge their devices. And free WiFi. A three calendar diner for sure.
We rejoined the Natchez Trace Parkway to continue north. Around Tupelo, there was a bit of traffic as locals used it as a commute route, but once we got away from Tupelo, the traffic was extremely light.
With temperatures in the 20s, we made selective stops. We stopped at Cave Spring (MM 308.4), which was easily accessible from the parking area.
There were also exhibits on the Native Americans of the area, including a push-button audio feature.
As we crossed into Alabama, Sprinty enjoyed a smoother pavement for most of the rest of the section in Alabama. Clearly building smooth roads is possible - maybe Mississippi and Louisiana should reach out for road building/maintenance tips.
At MM 375.8 was the Old Trace Drive, a one-way, 2.5-mile drive along the Old Trace. No buses or RVs. Of course, Sprinty reminded us he is a van, and true to his adventuresome spirit, he meandered off on the one-lane road what was so leaf covered, it was hard to know where the pavement was.
Fortunately, the speed limit was 20mph (Sprinty stayed way below that) and we did not have to worry about on-coming traffic until the final 250 meters. And in that final 250 meters was a one-lane bridge with a 10-ton weight limit. Sprinty said he was not sure what he would have done if the bridge weight limit had been too low, or the bridge had been out. Just another of the amazing memories Sprinty likes to treat Kris and Darrell with.
At MM 381.8 was the Napier Mine, a historic iron mine. It was a short walk to the overlook of the mine pit.
At MM 385.9 was the gravesite of explorer Meriwether Lewis who died here in 1809. Meriwether Lewis was enroute to Washington, DC with expedition journals and accounts, and stopped at the Grinder House. There he suffered a gunshot wound and died.
And two centuries later, there is still debate whether he committed suicide or was murdered. The Smithsonian magazine article state in part:
- "Captain Meriwether Lewis . . . was only 35 when he died of gunshot wounds sustained along a perilous Tennessee trail called Natchez Trace. A broken column, symbol of a life cut short, marks his grave."
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/meriwether-lewis-mysterious-death-144006713/
At MM 391.9, we stopped for the short walk to Fall Hollow. Another couple who stopped at the same time had just come from Jackson Falls a little further north and advised that it had only a trickle of water flowing, not enough to call a falls. We were treated to a nice waterfall, made even more interesting by the icicles.
As we neared the northern terminus, we reflected on our Natchez Trace Parkway journeys. Last April, leaves were showing up on trees at the southern end (Natchez) and trees became more bare as we went north to Tupelo. By Tupelo, the trees only contained a hint of the leaves to come. This trip, leaves were still in late stages of fall colors near Tupelo, and by Nashville, were late fall/early winter. No doubt the blustery winds on Tuesday helped many of the leaves to finally let loose. We also encountered more frost and traces of snow as we got into Tennessee, including some white stuff on the roads in the shade.
Our camp site destination for the day was Old Stone Fort State Archaeological Park located in Manchester, TN. We picked it as a state park campground with electric service in the vicinity of where we wanted to stop for the day. Arriving, we crossed the one-lane bridge (10 ton limit, 13.5 feet height restriction, and 11 feet wide) with a bit of frozen stuff on the bridge surface.
Arriving at the check in station, we found it unmanned, and the sign directed us to the museum to check in if we arrived before 4:30. We are so glad we arrived well before 4:30. After checking in (and getting a senior discount) at the museum, we watched the park film about the Old Stone Fort. Fascinating history.
From the park brochure:
- "The Old Stone Fort was built during the Middle Woodland Period, 1,500-2,000 years ago. Native Americans used this area continuously for about 500 years, eventually leaving it abandoned. By the time European settlers arrived, it was unclear of what the area had been used for which resulted in it being misnamed as a fort. In 1966, the state of Tennessee purchased 400 acres of the Chumley estate as the core of what is now Old Stone Fort State Archaeological Park."
It was colder than we preferred (and getting close to sunset) for wandering the site of the "old stone fort", especially since the loop trail was over a mile in length and sunset was looming. Something we will have to do on a future trip. Since leaving Canyon Lake, we have had several amazing Native American historical experiences: Poverty Point UNESCO World Heritage Site, completing our drive of the Natchez Trace Parkway (we drove the first 266 miles from Natchez, MS to Tupelo, MS in April), and the Old Stone Fort.
Sprinty got all settled with almost 15 minutes to spare before official sunset. Looking around the campground, we saw only two other campers here tonight our of 51 campsites.
Thursday, 14 November
For Sprinty, another cold morning - 35 degrees. In various online forums, some suggest winterizing your RV by going where it is not below freezing. A most appealing option, but as others note when they chime in, sometimes you dont have a choice. Fortunately, winterizing is not a difficult chore, especially if you don't try and do it at 2:30am. A lesson from last winter was to just winterize and quit worrying, rather than have Mother Nature dictate when and where you travel. On reflection, the inconvenience of camping in a winterized Sprinty are much less than the inconveniences of having the forecast low temperatures dictate where you go, where you stay, and for how long.
Today is the final leg of our Texas adventure that began two weeks ago. We headed out about 8am, and based on the traffic through Chattanooga, we decided to just head down I-24/I-75 for most of the trip. Other than lots of truck traffic, it was pretty uneventful.
After turning off I-75 at Resaca, GA, onto a blue highway, we got a major surprise as we heard a very loud "crack" sound as an 18-wheeler traveling in the opposite direction threw a rock at Sprinty. Sprinty was lucky - he caught the rock with the metal piece of the door just behind the driver door window. 3/4" in either direction would likely have shattered either the driver door window, or the glass down the driver side. As much as we wished there had been no rock, we are grateful Sprinty caught it on the metal at the back of the driver door window.
Sprinty gets a couple of weeks off. Over the next couple of weeks, Sprinty will get some scheduled maintenance service and a couple of minor tweaks by Darrell.
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