North to Lake Superior

Fun, relaxing days were had moving north through Indiana and Wisconsin's center.  Stayed on smaller roads when possible.  Drove through farmlands of crops and dairy.  S.W. Wisconsin was really beautiful!
Pete, my rat terrier was often on his toes(well 'feet') when he saw cows or horses.  He just loves them.
The first cow he saw, licked his face and he's been in love ever since.

 Like...uh..."DAD!  CAN I GO PLAY?"  PLEASEEEEE!

In one campground, a number of geese were out training their young alongside a lake.  We motored up slowly for some photos.

My parents took me on a 6 week vacation when I was a kid, in a 15' red and white trailer that looked just like this new retro trailer being sold by Shasta company.  Wow did this bring back wonderful memories.

Kept heading north until I got to the western tip of Lake Superior.

 I had always wanted to get there, but you know how life is.  Anyway, I didn't really see much, just checked it off my bucket list while gazing on it for awhile, then turned west for Oregon.

Vincennes, Indiana

I just love staying off the beaten path.  Good roads, wonderful scenery, relaxed folks in country towns and history all over.

We forget sometimes...or at least I do, how much of our history I have forgotten or never knew well.  Yes, I knew about the Louisiana Purchase and some of what was going on in this central part of the continent before we were a country, but stopping and reading more and more puts things in a better perspective for me.

Vincennes, Indiana was French territory, until the French and Indian wars forced France to cede the lands east of the Mississippi to England.  Then of course England sailed home too after our revolution.

Most of the French citizens stayed on.  The town of Vincennes later on recognized it's history with a spectacular memorial along the river.  Nice what we can do, when congress can get down to simple business!

A cathedral's cemetery beside the memorial holds many of the the early soldiers and citizens but only a few are marked graves.

The cathedral is ornate.  Old style highly detailed stained glass windows depict the stories of the bible.

The organ area was open, as was all areas of the church for public viewing, including a crypt downstairs, under the altar.  Yes, unique.

The altar had a depiction of the Last Supper, in extraordinary detail, within it.

Angel Mounds, Indiana

Trying to drive on secondary roads affords be the view of America forgotten by most who normally travel via Interstate Highways.
The west side of Ohio and central Indiana continuously caught my attention and had me pulling over for a look see.  This is what I enjoy.

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Angel Mounds was a large sight along a river that had protected itself with 15-18' wood and mud stockades(walls) for defensive protection.

 The state had a very large and informative museum on site.  This was a wall mural depicting the village.

                                     A replica hut made of local reeds found along the river.

I took an hour to walk the area and relax.  Much better than a stop at MacDonalds for sure.

Natches Trace, Mississippi

After leaving the Panhandle of Florida, I drove north towards Tupelo, Mississippi to pick up the Natches Trace, the oldest road in that part of the country.
Todays road is alongside the old path shown in photos.  Americans moving west, for trade in wagons or folks on foot  between the cities of the east and SW Texas territory made this route famous.
Photos are of a unknown soldiers of the Confederacy, numerous Indian mounds and village sites, and the earliest known white settler homes and inns.

Natches Trace

On a previous trip, I lucked out and found myself driving on the Natchez Trace Parkway, that runs along the original Natches Trace foot and wagon trail from Nashville Tennessee to Nacodoches, Texas.  However on that trip a few years ago, I was driving from Tupelo, Ms. (Elvis birthplace) down towards the South West into Louisiana.

 On this trip, I began in Tupelo and headed North to Nashville, Tn. and took my time.  There are numerous historical stops and for the most part, they were all interesting.

One such site was of 13 graves alongside the wagon trail.  No names on the stones.

A major Civil War battle had occurred only a few miles north of here and it is presumed these soldiers died from their wounds shortly afterwards and buried while their forces were withdrawing south.

On the Road Again!

On the road again from the St. Petersburg Beach, Florida to Alaska.  I hope to be in the wine country of Oregon in late fall.  Photo is Applegate Winery, Grants Pass, Oregon.