Wednesday, March 29-Thursday, March 30

Joe Wheeler State Park Resort, Rogersville, Alabama

This is a very nice place; a large park located on Lake Wheeler and the Tennessee River. There are campgrounds, a lodge, restaurant, and big marina.  We had originally picked another Alabama state park as a destination, but when we looked on the map, we saw that Joe Wheeler happened to be near a town we very much wanted to visit; Muscle Shoals.

Muscle Shoals is home to the Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, one of the most famous recording studios in the country.  It was originally owned by 4 musicians known as the Swamp Boys. If you were listening to rock music in the late 60’s and 70’s, chances are these guys recorded your favorite artist.  Not only did they record everyone from Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Led Zeppelin, Paul Simon, Willie Nelson, to Cher, Bob Seeger, Joe Cocker, Jimmy Buffett…they were amazing musicians in their own right. The Swamp Boys played on every album recorded at Muscle Shoals and their iconic sound became the backdrop to the music of the times. So glad we got to go there and do the tour.

Thursday, March 30-Friday, March 31

Natchez State Park, Natchez Mississippi

We reached this park in Southern Louisiana after a days drive down the Natchez Trace Parkway.  This parkway follows the ancient trails used first by bison and other animals, then by native Americans, then traders and settlers.  It stretches from Nashville, TN to Natchez, MS and features beautiful scenery and several historical sites.  We didn’t have much time to explore, but I will remember the Indian mounds and the amazing fields of yellow flowers…maybe canola??  We didn’t take this photo but this is what we saw.

Beautiful!

The campground is nice, but one thing we notice; there are an awful lot of people camping in RVs.  Ours is the only tent in the park, and because it is spring break week, there are lots of kids.  It’s lively, but not the camping experience we’re looking for.  That will come later.

We enjoyed spending some time in the town of Natchez; the oldest on the Mississippi River.  Natchez is famous for its lovingly restored antebellum mansions, many of which are open for tours.  As the case in most cities, there is a marked contrast between the stately homes along the river and the dilapidated houses in neighborhoods just blocks away.  I wonder how many of the ancestors of both slaves and slave owners still live in this historic place.  I’d like to learn more about that and many other things, but for now it’s time to hit the road!