Natchez Trace, Tennessee

    We got to the beginning of the Natchez Trace Parkway today.  First we had to navigate Nashville's endlessly complicated highway system.  It does not seem that Nashville is such a big city, but there are about 6 major freeways that circle the town - weaving in and around each other so that the interchanges are unbelievable.  We finally got through town and suddenly the traffic stopped.
    The Natchez Trace Parkway is a two-lane highway which has no gas stations, no towns, no McDonald's.  It is a rolling, winding road with speed limit of 40 - 50.  We saw miles of trees, wildflowers, wild turkeys, hawks and historic waysides.  There were very few cars, several motorcycles, and a bunch of bicycles.  It was so peaceful - in the few spots where we could walk the old pathway it was so quiet we could imagine that we were one of the travelers on the road in the 1700 and 1800's.
    In the earliest days of the Trace it was a series of hunter's paths between the Tennessee and Mississippi Rivers. In the later 1700's Ohio farmers floated goods down the rivers to Natchez or New Orleans and then walked or rode back home.  By the 1800's the trail was a marked path with inns along the way about every 20 miles.  The new parkway follows the old Trace and in many spots the dirt trail can be seen winding alongside the highway.
    The Parkway has numbered mile markers starting in Natchez and ending near Nashville. We used a map and guide to help us decide which of the many waysides to stop at and read markers telling us the history of the spot.  The Park service has done a great job in making each wayside easy to get in and out of even with our camper and car. I spent some time with a very senior gentleman who had driven in one of the waysides and turned the wrong way on the way out.  He was sure that he was driving south, but had clearly  been driving north for some time.  I showed him the map and tried to convince him that he needed to turn left as he got back on the parkway if he was going to get to Tupelo (his destination).  He drove to the intersection, stopped for several minutes, and then turned right.  I guess when he gets back to Nashville he will finally believe that he is going the wrong way.  Hopefully we will give up our exploring before we get so lost.

    It was really hot again today - over 90 and humid.  We took many short walks to see waterfalls, old buildings,  and scenic overlooks.  By the end of the day we had worn ourselves out pretty much, but it was great sightseeing.  We did not stop at a Parkway campground because none of them have electric sites and it is just too hot to do without air conditioning.  Instead we drove about 15 miles off the Parkway to David Crockett State Park.  Mr. Crockett lived along Shoal Creek in what is now the park.  The campground is heavily wooded and quiet.  A nice spot to spend the night.
    We are still rethinking some of the rest of the trip.  Many of the Mississippi campgrounds are along the river - which is flooding and getting higher - so they are closed.  We'll keep you posted.  For at least tomorrow we are still driving along the Trace.