Natchez Trace National Parkway MS AL TN

More pictures later...

After giving my self a tour of the Natchez historical homes (ahem, meaning I was lost), started north on the parkway.  I learn that the parkway was built to commemorate the Old Southern Trace (a trace is basically a dirt road mostly slightly sunken from the clearing of foliage).  Shortly after the Louisiana Purchase, Pres Jackson chartered the building of the trace to strengthen ties with the new citizenry.  The first big usage was returning northern boatmen after selling their goods in Natchez.  I have to say the parkway is stunningly beautiful at this time of year.  There are historic, nature or information site about every 10 or so miles.

The Parkway

The reminants of the trace today

Mt Locust Stand (which is an inn)

Natchez National Historical Park MS

Got here late in day but just in time to catch a tour of the Melrose Estate Mansion. Is pretty much restored to original condition – is very fine even by today’s standards. Have to say, I got another jolt to my blissful unawares. The tour guide used the word “slave” without fanfare or discomfort but I cringe as this not my favorite time in USA history. Still I need to add some more non-fiction reading to my list on the rise of the South, slavery and the post civil war recovery.

Melrose Estate from the front

Dining room

Laundry & House Slave quarters (2nd floor)

Tree laden with Spanish Moss

Poverty Point State Historical Site LA

Big surprise to me that the USA ancient Indians built so many mounds. This group build not only ceremonial mounds (4) but mounded the earth into 5 arced rows of mounds suitable for having dwellings on top. Lucky me, I came in morning and got my own personal guided tour.  Again can not get good perspective pictures - take my word for it, is impressive.

Mound A

Bonus is this cute lizard

Fort Smith National Historical Site AK

Time to get some exposure to history that I did not get in school – suspect that the teachers just ran out of time but on the other hand this history does give me pause.  Ft Smith was established to keep peace between two Indian tribes – the indigenous and the relocated; was used to dispense supplies to more relocated Indian tribes, then served as a federal court as the white population grew to supplant the Indians.  So I need to add some non-fiction to my reading list on Trail of Tears and settlement of Indian Territory because this was just a (bitter) taste.

Begins as Barracks then used as Court House now is Visitor Center; original jail is lower floors in white replaced by addition on left

Gallows recreated from federal court times; 80 plus hangings

Flag Pole and Cannon

More Route 66 Adventures, NM TX

I love all my travels but it got a bit depressing in the struggling towns. So these are the very best of the places I visited. Enjoy!!

KiMo Theater Albuquerque

Mural dipicting one of the Seven Cities of Cibola; created by Carl von Hassler in KiMo




66 Diner -- GREAT Chocolate Milk Shake



El Ranchero Hotel, Manuekuto NM

Barb Wire & Rt 66 Museum, Groom TX

Things are big in TX

Petrified Forest National Park

Another wonderful national park; I learn some, take a bunch of pictures and hope that it never changes except by forces of nature. Scientists hypothesize that in some sort of weird ancient weather phenomena, a veritable forest was washed into a marsh, covered with silt then volcanic ash and presto, in millions of years we have petrified wood, lots of it. Okay, I minimize the science but I am still amazed at what has been created. And there is soooo much of it – too bad the affect of visitors vandalism is so obvious. Sigh! When will we (the collective we) learn.  As are many National Parks, this supports more than one national treasure. Included in the boundaries are part of the Painted Desert, some petroglyphs and a pueblo.

Petrified logs

Part of the forest

Found in the Crystal Forest

More from the Crystal Forest

Looks just like wood doesn't it

Part of Painted Desert; painted refering to the vivid colors

Puerco Pueblo partly restored

Petroglyphs near Puerco Pueblo

Meteor Crater

What can I say?  I have wanted to visit this since I saw the 1980’s movie “Starman”.  And I am so awed by it.  For context, the crater could hold 20 football fields and all of the attending audiences.  It is the best preserved of all of earth’s impact craters and still provides home to much scientific research.  Note the snow and me obviously shivering in the cold.  And I thought I would be cooking in the heat – silly me, I did not bring gloves, ear muffs or tire chains (did not need but I would have loved the security blanket).

Best my feeble camera could capture

Note snow around rim

Cold but happy traveler

More Route 66 Adventures, AZ

Reconnected at where I had begun exploring Rt 66 in Kingman, AZ only this time heading east.  As before I not only enjoy the scenery but I am imagining what certain populations saw / felt on their travels.  The “Oakies” in the Great Depression must have felt fear as they crossed what was then a most hostile environment with all their earthly possessions and very little resources.  I also imagine the USA young families in the 1950’s taking in what was the height of modern activity, the family vacation crossing multiple states.  I admit to mostly imaging the experiences Oakies – I am a recent impressionable reader of Steinbeck’s “Grapes of Wrath”.

Hackberry General Store plus car

Note how many miles of desert ahead

Classic accomodations

Your own teepee for a night

So there was this guy standing on a corner in Winslow AZ...  Remember the Eagles song?

 

 

Happy traveler and the guy (nice but a bit stiff)

Hoover Dam

This is definitely a Wow! And a must see.

 

View from Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge

View along the top

Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge