A great Sunday drive through downtown Houston on our way. We enjoyed an easy transit. Kathy does a great job driving as Paul navigates!Lots of parking!
Magnolia Beach is the perfect get-a-way and place for boondockers. You can drive directly on the beach with no fees. The first time we camped here we cautiously drove onto the shell based beach. We thought for sure we would sink in. No it didn’t happen. Rigs bigger than ours had gone before us. There are public restrooms and picnic tables available. The waters entry is shallow and there are no strong currents to worry about so it makes a great place for children to swim.
The view is mesmerizing and relaxing . A variety of rigs park here but with lots of space for anyone.
We get to park on a familiar section of Magnolia Beach right on Matagorta Bay.We love the solitude of beach parking.
Biking is fun
Using our electric assisted bikes is a big part of our travel pleasure. Our bikes work like standard peddle bikes but can be used with assistance of the electric motor. Our bike are Ariel Rider bikes.
Taking a break at lands end along the Gulf of Mexico coastline.
RENE ROBERT CAVELIER
On our biking adventures we discover the Canadian connection with this beach area!
One of our favouritesOwned by folks from OntarioAnother of our favouritesIt’s always fun to ride up and down the beach and take a look at the buildings that people have built along the shoreline. It’s hard to think with the hurricane that cblow in and the big waves how these buildings withstand those storms.
We love staying on this beach and would have stayed longer but it’s time to move South so in the next update will share pictures of our trip down along the coastline right to Brownsville where we get to stay for the month of December and celebrate Christmas and New years with our friends Dave and Rose.
We enjoy tracing through history down the Natchez Trace. This 444-mile parkway follows a Native American footpath from Nashville, Tennessee to Natchez, Mississipi. It’s our third time down this road and we look forward to discover more jewels.
On the Trace for our third time.
Why do we take this route? It’s slower than the main highways 55MPH/90KPH with no commercial traffic. The well paved road is beautiful and we really like the views along the way.
We love the maps that the National Park Service provided at the stops along the way. The map is almost as tall as me!
Double Arch Bridge
The Birdsong Hollow and Double Arch Bridge is located on the Natchez Trace Parkway at milepost 438.
The bridge was completed in 1994, the double arch bridge that spans Birdsong Hollow received the Presidential Award for Design Excellence in 1995 for its innovative design that rises 155 feet above the valley. The bridge carries Trace travelers 1,648 feet across the valley and Tennessee Highway 96.
A view we captured mid-bridge. We can certainly see why this family is building a new mansion in the valley below.
The bridge can be viewed from two locations we only viewef from just north of the bridge. There is a parking area with a view of the bridge and the valley below. Just south of the bridge is an exit ramp that takes you down to Tennessee Highway 96.
Kathy and I take a moment to enjoy the view and beautiful fall colors. We love the adventure together!Walking and playing in the leaves remind us of our childhood.
Meriwether Lewis
Our next stop was at the Meriwether Lewis Campground.
Meriwether Lewis was an American explorer, soldier, politician, and public administrator, best known for his role as the leader of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, also known as the Corps of Discovery, with William Clark
Our rig and campsite at Meriwether Lewis campground. It’s all dry camping but water is available.
There are three campgrounds along this trace and we get to enjoy every one of them on this adventure.
Dispersed Camping is the term given to camping on public land other than in designated campsites. This type of camping is most common on national forest and Bureau of Land Management land.
All camping must take place within designated campgrounds. The Natchez Trace Parkway does not allow dispersed camping. Those who are biking the Parkway may be interested in the bicycle-onlyand equestrian-only campgrounds along the Natchez Trace Parkway.
Grinder House
In the Grinder House, the ruins of which are still discernible 230 yards south of this spot, his life of romantic endeavor and lasting achievement came tragically and mysteriously to its close on the night of October 11, 1809.
The four amigos infront of the Grinder House in which Meriwether Lewis met his death on the night of October 11th 1809.Dave and Rose swinging on a very old Vine on part of the actual trace walkway.We continued down the trace with all it’s beauty.Most stops along the trace permit us to park our RVs and cars in the parking lots and explore the many historical points.
Piney Grove Campground
Because of repairs to the Natchez Trace Roadway we had to take a slight detour and headed to Piney Grove Campground to spend the night. Just north and west of the Trace we had a great two evening stay. We had the opportunity to do some biking and hiking through the campground.
A great rest right on Piney Grove right off the Tennessee tombigbee waterway. A great Corps of Engineers Campground.
The Sunken Trace
Back on the trace again we stopped at a couple really interesting places including a section of the original Trace which has sunken down below the ground level.
Sunken Trace – Preserved here is a portion of the deeply eroded or “sunken” Old Trace. Hardships of journeying on the Old Trace included heat, mosquitoes, poor food, hard beds (if any), disease, swollen rivers, and sucking swamps. We walked this sunken trail and let our imagination carry us back to the early 1800’s when people walking 500 miles had to put up with these discomforts and where a broken leg or arm could spell death for the lone traveler.
Paul taking a walk through the sunken traceOur friends Dave and Rose walking through the trace.
Jeff Busby Park
This is one of the three free parks in Natchez Trace Parkway. It was very busy when we arrived here and almost all of the sites were filled. So we double parked with our friends.
This is our shared campsite with Dave and Rose in the Jeff Busby free campgroundMolly the dog enjoys the campground as well as we have a campfire before settling for the night.On February 15, 1934, while serving as U.S. Congressman from Mississippi, Thomas Jefferson Busby (1884-1964) introduced a bill authorizing a survey of the Old Natchez Trace. Four years later the historic road was designated a unit of the National Park System. This area is named in Jeff Busby’s honor to commemorate his part in the Parkway’s establishment.
Tennessee–Tombigbee Waterway
We proceeded back to the Natchez Trace after a construction detour and stayed outside the national park. The bridge crossing took us across the Tennessee-Tombigbee.
A series of 26 locks are found along the Tennessee, Black Warrior Tombigbee Waterway, and Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway. The ten locks on the Tenn-Tom allow a tow size of 8 barges in single lockage, have an interior dimension of 600’L x 110’W and have a total lift of 341 feet.We drove across Across the Tennessee tombigbee waterway. At the very end of the river section here you can see one of the locks. We have dreams of one day motoring down this waterway from Chicago to Mobile in our own boat.The Tennessee–Tombigbee Waterway is a 234-mile man-made U.S. waterway completed in 1984 from the Tennessee River to the junction of the Black Warrior-Tombigbee River system near Demopolis, Alabama. The Tennessee–Tombigbee Waterway links commercial navigation from the nation’s midsection to the Gulf of Mexico.Tennessee River
Tupelo Bald cypress Swamp
A short drive and we get to see this beauty! Water tupelo and bald cypress trees can live in deep water for long periods. After taking root in summer when the swamp is nearly dry, seedlings can stay alive when the water is deep enough to kill other plants.
This trail leads through an abandoned river channel. As the channel fills with silt and vegetation, black willow, sycamore, red maple, and other trees will gradually replace the baldcypress. The change will take several hundred years.
This trail leads through an abandoned river channel. As the channel fills with silt and vegetation, black willow, sycamore, red maple, and other trees will gradually replace the baldcypress Don’t hurry. hundred years. and tupelo. The change will take several
French Camp
This was our second time visiting the french camp historical village. It appears maintenance has been rolled back as there were needed unattended repairs. Construction of the Colonel James Drane house began in 1846 using a water powered saw. The foundation and framing are secured with wooden pegs and the ceiling with squared nails. Moved to this location in 1981, the house is now owned and operated by the French Camp Academy. You are invited to visit the Drane House. The information station is in the 1840 Huffman Log Cabin. A sorghum mill adjacent to the cabin operates during the fall sorghum season. The Colonel James Drane home which is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Louis LeFleur first traded with the Choctaw Indians at a bluff now part of Jackson, Mississippi. About 1812, he established his stand 900 feet to the northeast on the Natchez Trace. Because of the storekeeper’s nationality the area was often called “French Camp”, a name retained by the present village. LeFleur married a Choctaw woman. Their famous son who changed his name to Greenwood Leflore, became a Choctaw chief and a Mississippi State Senator. For him are named the city of Greenwood and the county of Leflore.
A stone memorial marks a stage of the Natchez Trace at French Camp. The first highway opened through the lower south by the treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek in 1830 between the American government and the Choctaw Indians. The surrounding country became a part of the state of Mississippi. Here Andrew Jackson’s Tennessee and Kentucky commands rested on their way to join him in his coast campaign in the War of 1812, during which second struggle for American Independence, Mississippi took a heroic part. Presented to the town of French Camp by the Mississippi Daughters of the American Revolution, November 10, 1915.
Rocky Springs Campground
The Town of Rocky Springs near the end of the trace is evidence of a once thriving community.
First settled in the late 1790s, the town grew from a watering place along the Natchez Trace, and took its name from the source of that water – the rocky springs. In 1860, a total of 2,616 people lived in this area covering about 25 square miles. The population of the town proper included three merchants, four physicians, four teachers, three clergy and 13 artisans; while the surrounding farming community included 54 planters, 28 overseers and over 2,000 slaves who nurtured the crop that made the town possible – cotton. Civil War, Yellow Fever, destructive crop insects and poor land management brought an end to this once prosperous rural community.
We camped in the campground but because we have our bikes with us we bicycled on all the red paths for a cool evening ride.
After a short stop at the Natchez Visitor Center we headed across the mighty Mississippi on the Natchez–Vidalia Bridge.
Natchez–Vidalia Bridge
We headed to a Corps of Engineers Campground on the Steinhagen Reservoir. The sun was setting as we were arrivingat our sites.
Our friends Dave, Rose and Molly lead the way.
We had a beautiful campsite and decided to pull Harvey right into the site so we could have a fantastic view of the cypress trees.
The view our Harvey’s front window.
It was time once again to do the laundry so we went into Jasper,Texas to do some shopping and our laundry.
We aim to do laundry at least every 10 to 14 days and find a commercial laundrymat. It takes us about 2 hours to do all of our laundry rather than having a washer dryer in our RV.Kathy made our stay even better with a batch of homemade biscuits and with crushed strawberries this made a delicious dessert.
Our campsite was located at one end of the park or friends were at the other end so we headed 2 km ride every time we wanted to go visit. We really enjoy our bikes for this purpose. They are electric assisted when we want to but because the campground was pretty level we’re able to pedal without using the electric motors most of the way. We did get to enjoy the electric assistance some of the time.
The next day Kathy put her hand to making bread to spoil us again and it was great to have this treat when we’re on the road. She hand needs it and then puts it in a ceramic bowl that we bought and it Cooks in our convection oven.Savalina plants are invading the Waters of the campground and much care is being taken to eliminate them. They had an airboat going through the bayou and spring for this plant. Signs at the boat landings indicate boats have to be pressure washed and cleaned down and dried so no seats are transferred to any other Lake. Although it was noisy with the airboats it was interesting to watch them work. In this picture they’re right in front of our RV.We enjoy our time with our friends Rose and Dave and their puppy Molly. Here we are sitting out on the campground picnic table enjoying a beautiful warm day and having a game of pegs and jokers.We decided to stay a couple extra days and even put out our lights to make it easier to navigate the ground around our RV. We were treated to the eclipse of the moon and it was beautiful seeing the moon shining over the bayou.Midweek we decided we would transition to Sandy Creek Campground. This is another Corps of Engineer Campground located at the other end of the reservoir. I was able to capture an egress who was fishing on the causeway going across the middle of the reservoir.
Sandy Creek
We moved to Sandy Creek and got an equally wonderful campsite with a boat dock right beside us. We were treated to some fabulous sunsets and had another great few days stay at the lake.
After we moved we got to travel around on our bikes and go for walks in this beautiful paradise.
We decided to leave early in the morning to avoid any traffic and any tie ups at the border crossing however there wasn’t any and at 4 o’clock we drove quickly out of Detroit, south bound without incidents.
Neither of us like or enjoy driving in the dark and that combined with the fog that was laying low over the land made it a little bit uncomfortable, however as the sun broke and our kids began calling us to check in how we were doing we were increasingly excited. Our day was picking up and we knew that soon we would be at the home of our friends Sharon and Todd. We also we’re looking forward to seeing our traveling companions Dave and Rose would also meet us.
It wasn’t long before we were driving in that familiar and friendly Lane of Sharon and Todd’s. They have a lovely long driveway and a piece of paradise at the end of it.
We got to stay with Sharon and Todd and we’re spoiled to pieces with their hospitality.
Sharon and Todd – Boondockers Welcome extradonaire!
If it wasn’t the cooking and food they shared it was the walks together through their beautiful property, the camaraderie around a campfire, the paddle boat ride on their pond or just the time spent chatting about missed times together.
Delicious hash browns on the grill. The night before Todd made an Asian meal with delicious grilled chicken fried rice and spring rolls. These two spoiled us to pieces and we love them.Sharon and Todd treated us to a awesome chilli and dig campfire meal!Sharon and Todd by their pond at campfire time we got lots of time to relax before the evening set in on our last night.
It was a double bonus for us because our friends Dave and Todd joined us and we introduced them to Sharon and Todd. It was a great time however we ensured that we kept a social distance and it was hard because we really missed these folks.
Molly, Dave and Rose
Sharon and Todd have a beautiful lit Forest Trail that we got to do at night and we got to enjoy immensely during the day as well.
Yep it’s even better in person. We loved our visit!
There’s always time for reflecting on the water and on your friendship but it’s really the fun times that you have. Well we had fun times all the time were together. Just because there’s an outhouse doesn’t mean you have to go by yourself, well we had fun together and it was a great time with the group of friends.
Well all good things have to lead to more good things and was time to say goodbye to Sharon and Todd and head on our way to Nashville Tennessee.
A great time was had by all even with the social distancing.
And finally we hit the Natchez Trace our third time to travel this amazing North American beauty. The longest national Park in the USA. And here we get to do it with our friends Dave and Rose.
With our arrival and not just trace it opened up a whole new few days of traveling together and a whole bunch more of adventures …. next time.
It’s really quite amazing how time flies but then in some ways how it drags on. With the anticipation of the opening of the Canada USA borders we dream of the adventures ahead. So here we are back blogging our adventures.
Many times were asked are we excited for our trip ahead and when we reflect on the trip we see it as individual steps. And each day that passes we have great experiences and the ability for us to go and visit others, our friends and family before we go on to the next adventure.
So we’ve tried to capture below our first set of adventures as we launch into the 2021 adventure.
Well today started out as an awesome day. Our hosts for the past week Keaton, Maddie, Wanda and Justin not only entertained us but ensure that our RV look presentable as we hit the road. Keaton pressure washed our RV and cleaned our car.
No Keaton wasn’t just blowing off some steam he was giving our RV Harvey a great washdown.Even our car Lilly got a bath, thank you Keaton.Keaton made light work of this!
All good things must come to an end and we left Blenheim Ontario and headed to Windsor for an evening of boondocking with Boondockers Welcome. We were fortunate enough to stay on a host property about 15 minutes from the bridge to the USA.
Windsor, Ontario
It’s always great to visit the city but our stopover in Windsor was particularly great. We’re treated to an amazing dinner and visit with her friends Elizabeth, Luis, Claudia and Adamo. They spoiled us with dinner and a gift at LoneStar restaurant only. It was only a short 5 minute drive from where we had our rig parked!
Friends Elizabeth and “I need you to hold this” Luis!Adamo and Claudia, across the road friends and neighboursWe had a great time visiting over dinner and dreaming of adventures we all are planning for the season ahead.
3:30 am departure
With the alarm set and ringing at 3:00, that is 3:00 a.m. we put up from a great sleep we’re having got dressed and got ready for the day.
Our first challenge was to move Harvey out of its parking spot and connect Lily to our towing bar. We’ve done this many times but we still take great care and connecting the car and the RV together. We have to do this on the street because the space that we’re in is a little tight for that. We then do a complete check of all the compartments to ensure they’re locked and a check of the lights and signal lights. With everything okay we head out towards the Ambassador Bridge and our transit to the United States of America.
Nothing out of the ordinary occurred along a route and we arrived after about a 15 minute drive. There was one single car in front of us that took about 2 minutes to clear customs and then it was our turn.
An Unusual Custom
The best way to describe our interaction with the border control officer is to recount the dialogue with him.
BCO: shut it off Kathy passes our Nexus cards to the officer BCO: you are Kathy where's Paul Kathy leans back Paul leans forward from the passenger's seat BCO: where you going Kathy: Arizona BCO: why Kathy: vacation BCO: what do you work at? Kathy: we're retired BCO: you can't go on vacation from doing nothing, you're going on a trip BCO: when you returning Kathy: April BCO: how much money do you have? Kathy: we have xxxx BCO: Combined? Kathy: we have xxxx Canadian BCO: unlock the side door Paul gets up, unlocks the door and foolishly opens it BCO: I DIDN'T TELL YOU TO OPEN IT! Paul closes the door and stands bewildered as the BCO opens it and enters BCO: sit down! BCO flashlight in hand opens one covered shines a light in, opens fridge looks at the contents and looks in the freezer. BCO: do you have anyone else's belongings in this vehicle. Kathy: no BCO exits the vehicle returns to his booth and hands Kathy our Nexus cards. BCO: bye BCO quickly slides his mirrored window closed Kathy starts the rig and drives off!
Welcome back
The positive side of all of this was we were welcomed with signs saying “welcome back” and “free tolls”. They’re crossing took a maximum of 10 minutes and we were on our way to a new adventure that was ahead of us. No lineups no hassles and not even a question about vaccinations or proof thereof. The adventure continues The Best Is yet to come!
She’s such a great driver and has driven out rig across the USA four times and this will be the fifth.
Best Friends RV/Sailing 