Category: over 50 female

Natchez Mississippi

27 March 2018

My last night’s sunset in Vicksburg needs no words.

Leaving Vicksburg I found these lovely antebellum ladies.

Stopped in Port Gibson Claiborne County which was where negroes boycotted the businesses in town to fight for their rights to work as police, be included on school boards and basically to be treated as equals. It took 11 years of boycotting and fighting to the supreme court. Port Gibson boycott

I drove out to the Windsor Ruins which are all that is left of a grand mansion which was used by Confederate and Union troops during the Civil War. Mark Twain also wrote about the building which was on a 2600 acre plantation. Now all is left are these amazing columns.

This place is a long way from phone and people and I did not realise I lost my GPS and again I forgot to download the offline map. I was a little concerned as down the road there were signs (such as our road signs to watch out for kangaroos) for bears.

While I was trying to work out if I should just go back the way I came, a family arrived. My saviours. What a lovely family!! Not only did they show me the way, I joined them on their adventure. Melanie, Shelby and their daughters Vaden and Cassidy told me about the Old General Store a few miles down the road and recommended a stop.

While there I asked a man in uniform if I could get a picture and then there were four!! They are Mississippi Wildlife Fisheries and Park Law Enforcers. Check the weapons they have including tasers. Not sure the Aussie Park rangers have any of this equipment although we don’t have bears.

I later learned that these law enforcers (Mississippi Wildlife Fisheries and Parks) deal with moonshiners and illegal drug cultivators as well as hunters. I forget the breadth of gun usage in this country and so the law enforcers need to be armed accordingly.

Then on to the Frog Farmwith quirky frog sculpture art.

Melanie invited me to her mother’s farm just outside of Natchez and I could not refuse some Southern hospitality. Melanie’s mum, Trudy provided a very local lunch of chicken, green chilli jelly and cornbread. Delicious.

And Vaden gave me a cookie she decorated.

Trudy was so welcoming I was sorry I had to leave. I will hold you to that open invitation Trudy.

See you again lovely people.

I eventually arrived in Natchez four hours later than scheduled.

Natchez has many more antebellums (homes from before the civil war) than Vicksburg as they did not lose any in the Civil War.

And a couple of quirky places.

Mammy’s Cupboard

Vicksburg Mississippi

26 March 2018

Visited the Vicksburg National Military Park. Difficult to imagine that this pretty serene parkland was an historical battle site between the Union and the Confederates. The battle in this small town was the turning point of the civil war.

The Coca Cola Museum, with the original soda fountain, is where this famous drink was first bottled.

Downtown Vicksburg Mississippi

25 March 2018

I had been told Vicksburg is a must to visit on my previous trip to the USA but did not get the opportunity until today. I got more than I hoped for. Driving across this beautiful bridge my phone pinged with “welcome to Mississippi”.

OMG I am in another state I have not yet visited and I am driving across the Mississippi River. “m i double s i double s i double p i” was a skipping chant we played at school!! At that time I never imagined I would be saying that driving over the river itself!

I am staying Downtown Vicksburg and I could sit at the river and walk around the pretty but hilly streets with so much history for hours.

Greenacres… no wait. Wrong town. Vicksburg is the place to be.

Stunning sunset over the Mississippi River.

Tomorrow the Vicksburg National Military Park, Coca Cola Museum and a plantation house.

Shreveport Louisiana

24 March 2018

Left Fort Worth to Dallas, stopping off at the JFK Tribute not far from where President Kennedy was assasinated and where he made his last speech.

Then on to Dallas to swap my hire car. My first car from San Diego, a black Toyota Corolla LE, required a service, so I swapped this for a red Toyota Corolla with North Carolina plates at Dallas airport.

Booked into my cheap hotel the Shreveport Country Inn, had a nap and then off to the Eldorado Casino and Resort Celebrity Lounge for a Saturday night of dancing. Great covers band Live 5. Had fun with Katherine and Alicia who are locals. Thank you for your company ladies.

Leaving Texas I would like to make a statement about some observations. They have the biggest USA flags I have ever seen, the most aggressive drivers so far, the biggest hats (stetsons), the most complex road system, the biggest sporting and dance venues, the population is around 28 million and they have 9 million AR15s. There is no register for AR15 purchases. It is unknown how many AR15s are in the USA. It is estimated 1.3million AR15s are sold each year in the USA. Some states allow an 18 year old to buy an AR15 but prohibited from buying a handgun and alcohol. These are just some sobering facts.

In Fort Worth I got a small glimpse of the “March for Our Lives” protests held by students against the NRA gun control and calls for changes to the gun laws specifically to reduce gun violence, especially in schools. I have my thoughts but the Australian comedian.Jim Jeffries articulates with humour.

Fort Worth Texas

23 March 2018

What a fun place Fort Worth is!!!

This morning I went to my favourite department store “Macys“. The clothes are so well priced and different to home.

Then I went to the Fort Worth Stockyard for the longhorn cattle drive

I was held hostage by a ferocious gunslinger.

Enjoyed a drink at One of the oldest establishments Lil Red’s Longhorn Saloon

Met Kristen from Seattle in the cowgirls’ room which has the Texan flag shower curtains for doors.

I haven’t had a chance to do this yet

The Cowtown Coliseum Stockyards Championship Rodeo is a must. This is where the real cowboys are.

Stephen and Bo from Georgia have instructions to introduce me to their single uncles. The uncles must be cute with those genes don’t you think. 😁

I ended the day with a live band (Aaron Lewis) at Billy Bob’s. This is the biggest venue I have ever been to with a dance hall, saloon, bull riding, restaurants, pool tables (lots). Enjoyed dinner and a drink with these local ladies Pam, Paula, Kathy and Leticia.

Fort Worth is a fascinating city with parks, skyscrapers, bridges, lots of cars, pretty suburban areas, country music playing everywhere, friendly people, historical and haunted areas but most noticeable are the cowboys and their big trucks. Yep. I will return one day and stay at least a week but probably longer. Thank you for some great memories Fort Worth.

Geronimo’s Grave

22 March 2018

I left Oklahoma City at 10:00am wanting to get to Fort Worth for some dancing.

I took a 1.5 hour detour which ended up being a 2.5 hour detour so that I could go to Geronimo‘s Grave inFort Sill.

To enter Fort Sill you need a visitors pass and go through a process similar to border control but processed by the Army.

The pass is free and it is issued for a specific period. I only needed the one day.

Fort Sill is an Army training facility with everything for a town including hotel and supermarket and lovely housing for the personnel based there.

I had no idea Fort Sill would be a large town, thinking it would be a small fort area like the western movies. That was very ignorant of me. If I had known I would have spent a whole day in Fort Sill which has lots of museums covering all the wars including the Mexican revolution, civil war and WWI.

Geronimo’s Grave is in a section of the Army Base which includes graves for Apache prisoners of war.

When I pulled up at the cemetery I was drawn to the most beautifully haunting Indian singing. It was so moving. I went up to the Indian who was singing and told him it was so beautiful I felt his emotion. He told me his family just buried their grandfather and that they were descendants of Geronimo and that was the reason the grandfather could be buried on this site.

I arrived in Fort Worth at 7:00pm exhausted and decided no dancing tonight. Rest up for a good day tomorrow with minimal driving.

Groom Texas/Oklahoma City

21 March 2018

On the way to Oklahoma City I made a stop at the quaint town of Groom on Route 66. A small population of 574 with a big Cross and statues depicting the last supper, stations of the cross and other religious items of interest and it is free.

Welcome to Oklahoma

Beckham County Allanreed Oklahoma. More Route 66.

Elk City Oklahoma

Bootscooting and 2step in Chisholm’s Saloon Oklahoma City. I love how the cowboys Stetson stays on their head when dancing even when they do duck under moves. When the hat does get bumped off they have a real smooth move to slide it back on the head.

Amarillo Texas

20 March 2018

It is no warmer here and I have learned that Amarillo is “the windy city” not Chicago. It is -2c (29F). When will I find some warm weather!!

In the meantime I am wearing lots of layers and hopefully my discoveries will distract me from the cold.

I started today with a drive to Palo Duro Canyon.

35 minutes from Amarillo is the most spectacular terrain! This is what you see when driving through Texas for hour after hour mile after mile. Flat nothing.

Then out of nowhere the road falls away to this.

Cadillac Ranch also known as Carhenge.

I encouraged an 11 year old to graffiti my name. Luckily it is legal in this area.

2nd Amendment Cowboy

Legs sculpture

Helium time columns monument

I wish I could have stayed for the weekend to dance with some cowboys .

Although this lovely gentleman, Wayne, spontaneously danced with me in a restaurant which was fun.

New Mexico/Texas

19 March 2018

I had a lovely breakfast with my airbnb host, Sheri, and her guests from Scotland and England who are a Scottish folk duo Alan Reid and Rob van Sante and they tour the world including Australia. They wished me well on my “Odyssey” which sounds much more exotic than ” road trip”. I think I will use that.

I left Albuquerque behind with -2 C (32F) and looking forward to some warmer weather in Amarillo.

On the way I found this lovely spot on Route 66 at Santa Rosa New Mexico “Blue Hole”

Next stop was Glenrio Texas. A ghost town and first town over the border of New Mexico on Route 66.