Day 4--Crockett SP to Tupelo, MS

Hooray, we're back on the road today. I mentioned earlier that driving The Trace is sorta weird and other dimensional. Today it dawned on me that it's like driving back in the 50's or 60's--two lane road, little traffic, and slow speed. The Trace crosses
the NW tip of Alabama and shortly thereafter we encountered a detour which took us off The Trace onto a very rural road.
I don't think Martha would do well down here. This Trace drive is really a cheap date. On Thursday we spent a total of $16 and that was on the campground fee. We cooked all three meals on the road, didn't buy gas that day, and no treats. For the most part there is nothing to buy, absolutely no billboards advertising that next mall or Dairy Queen Blizzard. Since the speed limit is 50 our gas consumption is great at almost 19 miles per gallon (normally at Interstate speeds of 65 mph our mileage is 15 miles per gallon). We traveled about 125 miles today and have arrived in Tupelo, MS., birthplace of Elvis. We've checked into a private campground with
wi-fi, cable TV, and clean bath houses. The sites are right on top of each other, but the amenities can't be beat. The scenery at the State Parks is much, much better but they really don't have all the extra's. I think we'll probably get into a routine where we stay in SP's for 2 or 3 nights, then hit a private campground to check e-mail. Betsy ask me today if she should do laundry while we had the opportunity. I had to admit that after three days on the road I changed shorts, socks, and shirt. I didn't change my jeans because I knew I'd be crawling under the truck. I did change them today. I'm pretty sure I've been placed on Hygiene Alert Status, and that my performance will be monitored for the near future. jamie

Returning to the Trace today was great as it is a trip back in time....................definitely slow time. Hi-lights today were the wildflower walk at Sweetwater Branch, wild turkeys along the parkway and collecting 4 stamps at the Natchez Trace NPS Visitors Center. If you wonder what National Park Service stamps are, look it up on the NPS website. My daughter started me collecting in 2005 on a trip to San Diego. It is really fun and I highly recommend it as a learning experience. The pictures are of the three of us in front of the Tennessee River in Mississippi at the Colbert Ferry Site and the other picture is of the sunken trace. So many animals, people, horses and wagons passed that the path became very worn and deep. Weather was sunny and warm with temps in the mid-60's.