On The Road Again - Heading South

January 5th, we left home and headed to Florida to spend time with our daughter, Lynn, and family.  Our grandkids, Dane and Madeleine, enjoy having us visit especially because Grandpa is so much fun.



Madeleine on board and Dane climbing on.




It was my birthday so our daughter, Lynn, was creating another of her feasts.



Maddie waiting patiently to eat.

Dad Anthony, the Colonel, hard at work.  I think he's trying to build an airplane.

Also entertaining the kids.




Grandpa getting a well deserved rest.

  


The birthday girl opening cards.



And now the best part.....eating the birthday cake!



It doesn't get any better than this.


We traveled on to Red Bay, AL, to the Tiffin home base to get a few things changed on the rig.  Only took a half day so we meandered down to Meridian for several days.  The weather was cool so we didn't get out much but we had to kill a few days before we could go to our next RV park in 'The Big Easy'.

We drove part of the Natchez Trace Parkway on our way south and took a few pictures.  Before the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, Thomas Jefferson wanted to connect the Mississippi frontier to other settled areas of the United States.  A postal road was built between Nashville, TN, and the Mississippi River.  It was originally called the Columbian Highway.  The U.S. Army performed most of the work creating a major thoroughfare.  Treaties were signed with the Chickasaw and Choctaw tribes to keep peace as European Americans moved into the area.  The trail was fully navigable by wagon in 1809 and inns and trading posts were built eventually becoming settlements.  With the rise of the steamboat culture the Trace lost its importance as a national road since goods could be moved more quickly on the river. 

The Natchez Trace Parkway is a beautiful 440 mile drive from Nashville, TN, to Natchez, MS.  No trucks are allowed on the Trace but cars and RVs are allowed so many people use it as a thoroughfare heading South. 



The Cumberland, Tennessee, and Mississippi Rivers are linked within the Trace.


Meriwether Lewis, of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, met his death while traveling on the Trace.  He was the governor of the Louisiana Territory traveling to Washington, DC, when he stopped at a place called Grinder's Stand to spend the night.  According to the story, he was distraught over several issues, possibly affected by using opium, and is believed to have committed suicide by gun.  He was buried near the inn.  His mother believed he was murdered but Thomas Jefferson and his former partner William Clark accepted the report of suicide.

Next stop.........New Orleans..........we can't wait.  Peace to all!