Got an early start from the Hotel and on the Trace about 7AM. Great surface and absolutely no traffic. Meet a couple of locals doing a day trip ride, and they direct us to the Emerald Mound, the 2nd biggest Indian mound in the US, approximately 8 acres. We continue on the Trace and traffic is still mostly non-existent. Lots of historic sites along the way, including parts of the original Trace and lots of "stands" (Inn/Tavern/Grocery Store/Blacksmiths) for people using the trace. We amuse ourselves by counting road-kill, mostly snakes, squirrels and armadillos (fairly surprising due to the lack of traffic). Also some live turtles. We stop in Port Gibson at about mile 40 for some beer and Sonic sandwiches. We make the Rocky Springs NPS Campground around 1:30. Hunter takes the hike through some of the old Trace to view the old town, a still operating church and the cemetery being the highlights. Hunter mostly constructs a fire from wood scavenged from other campsites; even Mac would have been impressed by it. I catch the sites the next morning on the way out. The springs don't spring any more, but in the early 1800's there were some 2,000 people living here, about half of them slaves. We are struck by the number of infants in the graveyard.
.
No comments:
Post a Comment