LAST DAY ON THE ROAD
We spent our last evening in a luxurious hotel suite in downtown Oxford. Heather and I walked to Square Books to browse and shop the way we love to do in a great independent bookstore. Then we picked up a tasty takeout meal from a restaurant on the square recommended by the booksellers and enjoyed eating on the terrace outside our hotel suite.
The next morning we made a quick drive through the University of Mississippi campus. A rather unfriendly campus guard responded to our query about whether we could drive to see the James Meredith statue on campus, “No, you can’t.” So we didn’t.
We then drove to Tupelo, where we stopped for a short walkaround at the birthplace of Elvis Presley—the small, plain house in the photo above.
Near Tupelo, we got onto the Natchez Trace Parkway for the last 180 miles home. It was a lovely, peaceful drive through woodlands, with scenic stops along the way. Near Hohenwald, Tennessee, we exited to see where Meriwether Lewis died at age 35 and is buried. There was an air of mystery about the circumstances of his death, and I’ve been reading more about his story.
The entire Natchez Trace Parkway is about 450 miles in length—from Natchez to Nashville. We exited near the Loveless Café and made our way across town to my home first. Heather drove our rental Chrysler van a total of 1,556 miles in seven days—in Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. Every day was filled with interesting sights and tastes, history and memories. She went all out to ensure that Charlotte and I enjoyed this three-generation road trip. I for one loved every minute of it! Thank you, Heather!
Seeing a story 