#53 White Gold of Mississippi

White Gold of Mississippi

October 21, 2006
Saturday

Heading northeast from Dumas, I see a rather friendly tire fellow waving at me.
Looks like he might be kin to Bibendum, the Michelin Man. (Really. Look it up!)

My next stop is Arkansas Post National Monument.

Arkansas Post National Monument

So while I'm inside, taking in the exhibits, I strike up a conversation with the park ranger. The ranger comments that she would like to learn more about the steel traps they have on display. So I offer my services... to show her what I know about the contraptions. She gets one out of the back that isn't attached to the display and I go to explaining just how it operates and demonstrating how to set one. As I'm explaining how to set the trap and the finer points of where to locate one and how to hide it, several people wandered over and started listening in. I looked up to one of the older seniors in the group and asked if I'm telling it right... He chuckled and said, "I have know idea! You know more than I do." So I kept on explaining. When my demonstration was over, I bid farewell, mounted up, and took back to the rode.

Just down the road from the Park is Gillett, Arkansas
From the sign, I would guess that the locals should know how to set a steel trap.

It says...

Welcome to Gillett
"Home of Friendly People & The Coon Supper"

Back into Mississippi...that's right - Means I crossed the Mississippi River...again...sixth time since May.
And there it is behind me... Arkansas and another Bridge across the Mississippi River.
I like the state welcome centers. They are most always a good place to stop. Here they served me coffee and we chatted about horses for awhile as I warmed up. It's been in the low 60s today-not too bad. I still haven't brought out my winter gloves. Time to do so. It's the hands that are getting cold. Don't want to get chilled all over.
Cotton is the White Gold of Mississippi.

That's not trash or snow...
It's cotton and it's all up and down the road during harvest time.
Bales of cotton waiting for the big trucks to take them from the field to the gin.

Here's a pile of the covers at a gin. I wonder if the colors have similar uses like colored lobster buoys?
This cottonfield hasn't been harvested yet. So I had to get a photo.
This is on MS316 near Jonestown, Mississippi.

I'm always checking the sky trying to figure out what it will do next. Seems like something is brewing up there...a change is a coming...I can feel it.
Could this be the bridge someone jumped off of?
It's on MS6 near Batesville, Mississippi.

It was the 3rd of June...another sleepy dusty delta day...
www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Ode-To-Billy-Joe-lyrics-Natalie-Merchant/FD49DCFBFE8E661348256D5E00127BBC
The water's muddy ...
And I am on the way to Tupelo...
I landed at the Howard Johnson Inn in Tupelo, Mississippi for the night. After I get my pack unloaded and settled into the room...the rain comes down. It's a cold rain and seems to be bringing a change of seasons with it. It doesn't feel like the summer weather I left behind in Texas.


Tomorrow: Winter comes to Tennessee.