Day 8-Natchez to Coffeeville, Alabama

Day 8, March 26, 2008, Natchez to Coffeeville, AL
We finished the final eight miles of The Trace. We were hoping that there might be a pull off spot where we could get a picture, light a few sparklers, and sing America The Beautiful. Unfortunately, reality was that The Trace ended with an exit ramp dumping you onto Mississippi State Hwy 61. So with a lump in our throats, an ache in our hearts, and tears in our eye’s we headed to the next highway adventure which was US84. According to the signs it does go from about Dallas to Savannah. Mississippi US84 was great—four lanes, with few stops. Alabama however is another story. We basically went from a highway like US30 in Indiana to SR17. They are working on a four lane here, but it ain’t a goin’ to be finished in my lifetime. East Mississippi and western Alabama must be where all the wooden telephone, and utility poles come from. We have seen truckload after truckload of them. Our campground today is four miles west of Coffeeville at an Army Corps of Engineers location which is hard by the Tombigbee Waterway that goes down to Mobile.
We’ve seen huge barges being pushed by tugs. I had read that Corp’s sites are about one step above the parking lot at Wal-Mart, but this must be the exception. The sites are great—wide and deep. I finally took off my flannel lined vest today since the temps were in the mid 70’s. Betsy wanted to burn it. Tomorrow we’re going off of 84 for a special destination that I found on the map. We hope to be in Dothan tomorrow evening. JK
I would burn the vest but he has it back on this evening. It has cooled off below 70. It did seem like an accomplishment to finish the Trace. I am still in amazement that we did it in 7 days and not the 2 Jamie originally talked about. We had a great time on the Natchez Trace, learned a lot of history about this part of our country and are now looking forward to the coast and the Atlantic Ocean. BK