April 7-9

April 7 Falling Water State Park was today’s destination. I left Tropical Palms in Kissimmee about 11:30 but was challenged finding the way out toward the turnpike. It seemed I was going in circles, the GPS didn’t match the street names and I kept going pass various Disney facilities. Finally I found Turnpike signs and kept following them. I really pushed to arrive here in 6 hours but fortunately I also gained an hour as I am now on central time. This is a another great Florida State Park, said to be one of the highest points in Florida. A piney woods that appears to have had a recent fire. Hopefully a controlled burn but the campground was spared and is excellent. I love being back in the woods.

The Tech rally was very informative and I made lots of notes. It’s also a great social occasion and I met a number of women who are “solos” traveling alone. They (we?) are a special breed of adventurers. I chaired a special interest group on creating blogs and now will have links on mine to some of their blogs. It should send the readers to a number of travel adventures. Tomorrow my destination will be Vicksburg Mississippi. We are concerned that if the threat of a government shutdown becomes a reality, the battle ground park may be closed.

Vicksburg Monument

April 8 With the new time I was awake before 6 and on the road by 7:30. There were stretches of fog particularly crossing over the various bodies of water around Pensacola and Mobile. I didn’t like Greta’s (GPS) ideas for Mobile and stopped at the Welcome Alabama for some advice. It must be a common question as they had pre-printed instructions for the route to Jackson Mississippi where I would pick up Interstate 20 to Vicksburg. Judy didn’t have much service on her phone so our only communication. We decided since there was a possibility of a government shutdown on Saturday which would include national parks, we would visit the Vicksburg Military Park this afternoon. They arrived first and saw an introductory movie before I pulled in. We gathered information, maps, and a CD quide ($12) and set off on the self guided tour through the park. Chris went solo since she had concerns about her dog. Judy and I caught up a bit between the sights. I had been through the park two other times, but the CD really enhanced the tour. I wasn’t able to locate the marker for my ancestor’s 36th Mississippi Company though the park ranger circled the area where they were located. We were pressed for time with a 5 p.m. park closing and still didn’t complete the route before the gates were shutting. One great thing about the park was the number of people using it for exercise, whether walking, running or bicycling.

We decided to use the Ameriastar Campground which was centrally located and had a reasonable ($22.50) rate for full service (water, electric, sewer) and laundry facilities. They had a shuttle to their casino and we opted to go there for dinner. Cigarette smoke hit us as we walked in the door. Fortunately no one was smoking in the restaurant. The food was ok. Chris stayed awhile to try her luck but Judy and I shuttled back and continued catching up on each others lives.

April 9 The weather has been beautiful with clear skies, a nice breeze, and above normal temperatures in the 80’s. I suggested we get an early start in the cool hours of the morning. Yesterday we had gathered information about the spring “pilgrimage” house tour called the Vicksburg Tapestry. Five houses were open today each for an hour. Tickets were $15 per house or 3 for $30. Chris decided to take it easy, so Judy and I set off in her van to find the first house, north of the downtown area of Vicksburg. The original house was built in 1825, and was used by the confederates for cannons to defend Vicksburg from Grants campaign. Evidence of a cannon ball strike could be send in one of the beams. It has been lovingly restored and furnished by a local doctor. Named for one of the previous owners, Mary Harwood, it sits overlooking the Mississippi River. The guides were very knowledgeable and informative. The house has been part of the tour for more than 25 years and most of the guides had been involved the entire time.

Next we visited Anchuca, the Choctaw word for home, built in 1830. It is famed for the final residence of Joseph Davis, the eldest brother of Jefferson Davis, the president of the confederacy. Now a bed and breakfast as well as café, the owner has done extension research on the Davis’s and we were treated to his presentation while seated in the lovely drawing room. The history of the Davis family is the history of the country with service in a number of wars including the revolutionary and 1812. Following the talk and examining the beautiful furnishing and features of the house, we had a delicious lunch in the café.

Our next house was at 2:30 so we visited the museum in the former court house. The collection has been donated by people in the area as well as others who have memorabilia from events relating to Vicksburg. We returned again after the last house tour as there was so much to see. The final house we saw was the Blum Levy house built in 1903 and desiged by St. Louis architect Theordore Link who was working on a number of Mississippi buildings at the time including the state capital. He also designed Union Station in St. Louis. This was the first time this house had been on the tour and the owner was our host and guide. Beautifully constructed and furnished with fascinating light fixtures that were both electrified and gas illuminated