US Route 20 Photos – Mississippi & Louisiana 

Finally got to spell this cool name in the blog…Mississippi!

Wild strawberry blossoms & ferns abundant in the forest. 

A big buck ran out of these woods moments earlier. 

Budding magnolia trees border the highway on both sides. 

Allowing wildflowers to replace grass is prettier. There are white, pink and a range of violet flowers blooming in medians and along shoulders in Mississippi. 

Magnolias are ready to burst into bloom at this weigh station in Mississippi. 

Our 2017 Taj Tour begins

On April 18th we departed Mt Pleasant heading for Lawrenceville GA to pick up the Taj at NIRV Center where they were getting her ready for our western trip.  We spent two days finishing preparations and left on the 20th for Meridian, Mississippi – one third of the way to Thackerville, Oklahoma. We will join up with other NIRV Enter customers at a rally in Thackerville on the 26th and we determined that Toomsuba KOA and Shreveport KOA were two good spots to stop as they were just off US Rte 20.  


Meridian is a small city with some historic elements: a historic carousel, Jimmie Rogers Museum – he was an early country music artist from the area and a display of painted carousel horses throughout the town. There are a few remaining examples of cottage style architecture but the city center seemed economically depressed probably because of big box stores like Walmart just off US Rte 20.  We would recommend this stop as a one night stand should you be traveling west or east on Route 20. 


On the 23rd we arrived at Shreveport Bossier KOA after a 380 mile drive in cloudy skies and light rain. Earlier, we crossed the magnificent Mississippi River at Vicksburg and witnessed the flat flood plains and rich agricultural land that this great river supports. Shreveport is located on the Red River which is also a large waterway that empties in the Delta.  Imagine US history without this grand dame of rivers?  Would there even have been a United States?  Our rivers were so significant in the first century – a vital source of land nourishment, transportation, communication, hunting and fishing thus human and animal survival. The Rivers West/ Lewis & Clark Expedition Fantasy RV Tour that we start in May will demonstrate the significance of the Missouri River as a connection to the western frontier.  To prepare for that tour we are reading Stephen Ambrose’s book on the Expedition – learning about Jefferson’s plans for the trip and his relationship to both Lewis & Clark.  It was a tumultuous time in American history with the Louisiana Purchase – an addition that doubled the size of the United States overnight!  Our 2017 tour allows us to witness the impact of this history firsthand.  


We have noted the changes in the topography as we travel this east to west highway – each state has distinct land, flora and probably fauna – although we doubt the squirrels, deer etc. observe state boundaries.  Lenny & Lola got to see their first white tailed deer up close and personal in our first campground when we surprised a young buck during our walk.  This trip is also exciting for two small Yorkshire Terriers!  


From Georgia’s deep pine forests to Alabama’s rural texture, followed by Mississippi’s rolling hills and magnolia trees, ending here with Louisiana’s verdant river agriculture – it is a feast for the eyes to witness this land. We hope some of our photos do justice to this beautiful country.   Photographing from a moving RV is challenging but worth it given the results.  PS I don’t shoot photos while I am driving! 


On the 26th we depart for Thackerville – just over the border between Texas and Oklahoma – after the four day NIRV rally there at the Winstar Casino RV Resort , we will spend a week in Oklahoma City and explore its history of cowboys and cattle.  

Goodbye Riverbend – and hello to Mt Pleasant before our 2017 Tours begin. 

We had a wonderful month In LaBelle,  Florida seeing old friends and making new ones – but we left for Mt Pleasant following  a stop in Atlanta at NIRV to drop off  the Taj for some work prior to our big 6 months West Coast trip. 

We visited Sanibel, Captiva and Venice FL.  during our Riverbend stay and love these special places – we will return to them next year definitely!  The weather was fabulous and we enjoyed our second  no snow & no sleet winter!

Our Riverbend site is getting more work done – we bought stone edging to improve the gardens and add some sparkle. Our landscaper has done a great job with the shrubs and palms – we added the bouganviella  – they bring color to the gardens. But now we have stored our site’s  lawn furniture & decor – all is packed away until our return early November 2017. 

We are home in Mt Pleasant for two weeks catching up with friends and family and enjoying our lovely home. Also enjoying some crazy thunder & lightening weather!  But we are very excited about our forthcoming western USA trip including three Fantasy RV Tours/Rallies and we can’t wait to get started in May. 

But our adventures really begin with a NIRV Rally in Thackerville, Oklahoma in the end of April.   There we will spend several days with fellow Entegra Coach owners and snooze with NIRV folks.  On the way we stop in Meridian, Mississippi and Shreveport, Louisiana and travel thru eastern Texas – adding more states to our USA map! 

After the NIRV rally, we have planned visits to Oklahoma City, OK, northern Kansas – to see the “world’s largest ball of twine” and then to Kansas City, Missouri before beginning The Lewis & Clark (Rivers West) Fantasy RV Tour on May 22nd.  We begin the tour in St Charles MO north of St Louis and end in Warrenton, Oregon where Lewis first views the Pacific Ocean thus completing his assignment from President Jefferson.  

Following this first tour we have six weeks to visit friends and family in Washington, Oregon and California before beginning the National Parks West Tour in late August.   Following this amazing visit to the seven beautiful national parks around the Grand Canyon, we will join hundreds of RVers to attend the International Balloon Festival in Albuquerque NM – checking a big item on my bucket list!   

We will return to Florida in the fall via stops in Dallas, Houston and New Orleans.  Wow!  It really sounds amazing when you write it all down!  Also exhausting too – but in a good way! 

Let’s get this party started!!!

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