Cold Weather Ride

WE had a break in the cold weather here in Mississippi and I took the time to warm up the scoot. Actually was warm while in the sun but once you got into the shadows the cold returned instantly. Still it was a nice respite from the cold weather and I enjoyed a good warm lunch at the Country Store a few miles south and east of Tupelo, Mississippi. Lunch was great and I tanked up on coffee which was excellent. Everything worked well on the ole'

bike and I sure will like it when the weather actually changes and gets back to Mississippi weather, make that warmer weather.

These pictures are from Mynot Alabama and are indicative of the rural landscape. Every third house has a used car lot or junk yard. It seems as though the people will just walk away from a car when it fails to start. This particular one has some older equipment and is fairly cool as junk yards go. Did not have much time to look around any more as the rain was coming and I had about 50 miles to beat the weather.

Mynot Alabama Tower site attractions.

Gorden House in Tennessee

Great location I visited last year in March.

Cypress Swamp

I finally am getting back to my blog.  I found that the blog was not a good way to show a lot of pictures.  I have though found that using Picasa is fairly easy to do and I can disseminate a lot of pictures in a relatively short time.  So if anyone out their wants to look at a lot of pictures from Mississippi, Tennessee and Alabama plus a few other states please follow the url at the bottom of this post.  I will eventually put it in the sidebar but right now there is no gadget that works properly for viewing Picasa pictures.

Here now is a couple of pictures from the Cypress Swamp album and these were taken just last week.

 The swamp itself is on the Natchez Trace Parkway about twenty miles north of Jackson, MS.  It is just off of the Pearl River and at the upper end of a large lake which has up to fifteen foot alligators in it.

 Supposedly their is an alligator in this swamp but I have not seen it yet.  I have seen water moccasins swimming in the water.

These are cypress starting a new cycle.  Sandy says the one on the right is an indian maiden.  The short one looks like a turtle is trying to stick its head out.














For the rest of the pictures follow this:

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/sredir?uname=101786227012803220284&target=ALBUM&id=5839817250563293489&authkey=Gv1sRgCPi0vvvXx9GbtwE&feat=email

The Old Natchez Trace

This roadside pull over on the Natchez National Park at approximately mile post 222 shows some of the original post road as it was.  Obviously it has been cleared so you and I can walk along it.




Originally it was used by the Indians to travel from the lower Louisiana delta area up to the Nashville, TN area and farther north.

 These pictures, as good as they are, do not show how dense the forest and underbrush can be. 

 Maintaining this 500 mile wilderness road in the early 1800's was a difficult if not hopeless task.  Consider for an instance that those old travellers had to endure insects, snakes, and other animals along with the heat and humidity that at times in unrelenting.  Those of us who endured Viet-Nam would understand what they went through.




As you look down the trace notice how it is sunken, and also the large trees growing on the edge of the ten foot wide trench or roadway that is cleared today.

The sunken part was caused by the thousands of travelers, the rain that made passage next to impossible in some sections.

Northern end of the Natchez Trace Parkway, food and friendship

 The centre of down town Lieper's Fork.  Everything you would need to live in this small Tennessee town.  Excellent food, friendship, and a band every Friday and Saturday night.  Restaurant serves food as in a cafeteria style, on plastic foam carry out type boxes.  There is though, ample seating, again cafeteria style.

One of the local roads in and out of Lieper's Fork

 A local off road vehicle capable of negotiating any type of terrain.  Notice the extra water mounted on fender to keep cool.  Also frying pan for roadside rest and vitals, will also help fight off the bears.

 Another view of the vehicle showing the special anti slip steering wheel.  Please also notice the washtub for baths and such also doubles as a container for salt curing when needed.   Trash can, tool box, and back seat for the lookout.

Still in use after all these years.

Somebody's back yard.

Couldn't find Barney Fife but the sheriff driving it had a big belly!


Talked to the Sheriff at the store, nice fella.  He thought we might be aliens







All fun aside he was a cool sheriff, gave us a lot of information on the local color.  Very interesting.

Snow Pictures In Tupelo Mississippi

Many of the older citizens of North Mississippi call this winter one of the worst in memory.  







What I know is the snakes are not out and I feel comfortable going for hikes on the many trails around the area.

This Picture was with the flash raised and made an interesting composition.  When I first took the picture I thought that all I had were spots from the snow flakes.

These pictures were taken with a Canon PowerShot camera, at dusk with lots of snow in the picture along with a slight haze.

I thought it might be a little to dark but they actually came out fairly well.

My driver patiently waiting while I muck about in the snow taking more pictures.

This is just the start, by morning we should have close to seven inches.

  
Car going slow. 
Probably for the best.  Mississippians do not drive well in the snow.