Day 7 - Mississippi

leg 5: 330 miles. 
total: 1733 miles.

From the hotel it was a short hop to get on I-20 east out of Vicksburg. At exit 34 we got off the interstate to the Natchez Trace. A very ancient route for both humans and animals, like the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia, the Trace is also a national park with limited access, no commercial vehicles, lovely scenery and a speed limit (50) that strongly urges one to slow down and literally smell the flowers.

The Trace runs some 444 miles from Natchez, MS, to about 17 miles southwest of Nashville, TN.
We followed the Trace passed the Ross Barnett Reservoir which provides incredible views to the east/southeast.

At about milepost 115 along the Trace we exited onto Route 43 and made our way to I-55 north (we hope to rejoin the Trace later in TN in search of the burial site for Meriwether Lewis); we began our first day in I-55 south to St. Louis. We sped right along and got off at Batesville, MS (exit 243). We followed Routes 278/6 to Oxford, MS and exited toward Courthouse Square.

Traffic was a bit sluggish getting close to the Square this Sunday morning so we got out of the line  and found our way to a quiet stretch of on-street parking. (We had missed the hugely popular Double Decker Arts & Crafts Festival which had just ended the day before.) From the car we walked to the Square and quickly found our objective: City Grocery, where we spent the next hour or so having a relaxing (and delicious) lunch.

the Courthouse

traffic snarls

one reason for the town name

Susie and William Faulkner (yep he was from here once)

After lunch  we strolled around the square, marveled at how much money was apparently being spent in this little town, and headed back to the car.

Back on Route 278 we followed it to US 45 north at Tupelo.

We exited at Corinth, MS, just south of the Tennessee border, and made our way to the Corinth Battlefield Interpretive Center. It was getting late in the day and we were about the last folks to drop in. We were amazed by the fantastic walkway up to the building: it was littered with bits and pieces of the detritus of war (replicas of course) embedded in the concrete that represented, we were told, the detritus found in the wake of a battle. Amazing indeed.

Inside we were equally struck by the incredible water feature and sculpture in the small courtyard -- and we hadn't even gotten to the exhibits yet!

There is also a lovely relief sculpture at the entrance to the building:

After watching a short movie that succinctly explained the nuances of the Shiloh battle we walked through the several wonderful rooms of exhibits before leaving. Oh, and we picked up a driving guide map for Shiloh before we left.

We made our way back to Route 45 and our hotel, another Hampton Inn (we're staying at nine on this trip). There were few options for dinner, it being Sunday and Corinth being small so we settled for the snacks we brought along. It didn't really matter since we had a wonderful and hearty lunch in Oxford.

Tomorrow, we head for Shiloh, back to the Trace and Meriwether Lewis and then on to Knoxville for the night. Stay tuned!