13 Aug 2024 - Arrived at Natchez Trace RV Park Tupelo MS

 

This morning at 0826 hrs we pulled chocks at the Arnold Air Force Base FamCamp and after a quick stop at the sewer dump station we were on our way.  We passed through Tullahoma, Lynchburg and Fayetteville before waving goodbye to Tennessee and crossing over into Alabama.  

Before long we were passing by Huntsville, and we will most definitely be coming back here.  The US Space and Rocket Center is calling our name!  I suspect you could spend quite a bit of time here.  It is also the home of Redstone Arsenal.  Not sure that is open to visitors, but we will be back to this area!

After Hunstville we passed over the Tennessee River at Decatur, and of course Doreen had to comment on "Decatur" as in Decatur IL where Uncle Bob lived.  

The remainder of Alabama was Highway 24 before we crossed over into Mississippi!  

They say everything happens for a reason.  Well today is no exception!  As we entered Mississippi the highway changed to Hwy 76.  We could have stayed on that and it would have merged with Hwy 25 and taken us to I-22.  Instead the Garmin told us to turn south on Hwy 23 which also took us to I-22.  But a couple miles before we got there, in Tremont MS we pulled into a random large parking lot to take a break, and what do you know!  It was Tammy Wynette's Legacy Center!  

Tammy was born and raised in Tremont!  During her childhood she picked cotton on the family farm but had aspirations of being a singer.  She married at 17, was divorced and moved to Nashville to pursue her singing career in 1965.  The rest is history.  Tammy was among the country's first female performers that had records certified gold and platinum.  She was inducted into several "halls of fame" and also sold over 30 million records world wide!

We had a soda explode in the coach, so I opened up the slides and was cleaning it up, but the lady in the museum let Doreen and Liberty in to take a few pictures.  

Tammy's Buick Riviera convertible

There was much more to see here, but we were not supposed to have Liberty in there.  Again, another excuse to come back this way!  Tammy taught us to "Stand By Your Man"!

Well, that was unexpected but very cool, and very friendly folks in the museum!  But we needed to get on down the road, so we bugged out of Tremont, hopped on I-22 and made our way to Tupelo, honey!  

Photo credit:  Good Sams

We arrived at Tupelo MS and hopped on the Natchez Trace Parkway, but not after a double take on the signage.  NO TRUCKS, usually means no 35 ft campers pulled by 21 ft duallys.  No trucks and no RV's is common on "parkways". but after closer inspection this one says "no commercial vehicles".  And we were not the only RV on the parkway.  What a beautiful drive!  We will be driving this parkway several times while we are here, including tomorrow.

At 1338 hrs after 226 miles we rolled into the Natchez Trace RV Park.  After a few phone calls we figured out what site we were going into, and we got all set up.  Man it was hot!  94F feels like 102 and humid!.  So we got disconnected, Powered up,  leveled quickly, slides out and A/C on.  The Alliances coaches have three A/C's so assuming the power is OK they cool it down quickly.  

Fishing pond quickly drying up with a lack of rain here

Our campsite

Tomorrow we have an 0900 hrs tour at the Toyota Factory in Blue Springs MS, about 30 minutes from here.  Also while we are here, we plan to see the Vietnam Memorial Wall, the Tupelo National Battlefield, the Final Stand of the Civil War Center, Elvis Presley Childhood Home and Museum, Tupelo Veteran's Museum, and possibly the Tupelo Buffalo Park.