Stamps

WOW did I get ripped off by the Sanibel Post Office! I mailed a pop up card that I purchased at Bailey's, put two stamps on it, mailed it and it was received. I purchased another pop up card from Baileys and did not have any stamps so I rode my bicycle over to the Post Office to purchase stamps and mail the card. The PO lady insisted the card needed $3.35 postage to be delivered and I paid that amount. Again the card was delivered.
Today I went to the Post Office in Roscoe to mail another pop up card and the PO lady informed me that the card needed a Butterfly Stamp. What in the world is a Butterfly Stamp I asked!

 A Butterfly Stamp is used on irregularly sized envelopes, such as square greeting cards, invitations and announcements, and priced at 68 cents.

They actually sell stamps with a butterfly picture on them that are worth $.68. She said many people overpay by putting two stamps on the cards because it is more convenient than going to the PO to purchase the butterfly stamp. 

So that is the story of how the Sanibel PO told me a bit of an untruth. The envelope even says use a Butterfly stamp.

Home

When we left Tupelo we had planned to take the Trace to Nashville but the predicted weather changed our mind. We missed all the bad weather and encountered very minimal traffic until we were about 20 miles south of Champaign and then the wind began to blow. By the time we found a place to pull over, in LeRoy, the wind was over 26 mph.  We were fortunate to find a pull though site because right after we got parked the lot filled. 

Up early after a fairly warm but windy night and left for home. We drove for about 45 minutes and stopped for breakfast. After breakfast we drove home and just as we arrived the wind picked up again. Natalie was home and quickly carried all our stuff in for us.

Our plants survived the trip and are thriving. 
Before we left Tupelo our neighbors pulled out with their fifth wheel. He was going fast as he pulled out of their site and the tail swing of the fifth wheel brought it around and it hit a tree. HARD! Almost knocked a good size tree down and after he was gone we checked the tree and it had massive damage so we can imagine how the RV looked!

Home!

Vicksburg Wall

Paducha, KY has a flood wall with paintings that depict their history that we saw when we were on our trip with Jerry and Carole. Today Duf and I saw another flood wall with historical paintings in Vicksburg, Miss. They sure need this wall because with all the recent rain it was full of water behind the wall. 

 Behind the wall we see water!

Elvis

Tupelo is the birth place of the late and great Elvis Presley! Elvis lived in Tupelo until he was 13 at which time his family moved to Memphis.

 The boyhood 2 room home of Elvis.

This hardware store has been in the same family since 1925 and is where Gladys purchases the guitar for as a birthday present for Elvis. She paid around $7.75 for the guitar.

 Duf reading from the Bible Elvis used as a young boy.

 Elvis from a shy boy to a famous man. Elvis wanted a rifle or a bike  but his mom was afraid he would get hurt so she talked him into a guitar. His minister taught him to play the guitar. At one time Elvis tried to trade this guitar for a bicycle, imagine if that had happened!

Trace by Tupelo

We stopped at Barnes Crossing Campground a quarter mile off the Trace and it is on a hill but they were smart enough to make the sites flat! We have full hook-ups, wifi, and cable for under 40. It is another beautiful day so we unloaded the plants from the Jeep and they are soaking up the sun. 

We got up this morning and drove out on the trace to mile 269 and walked the trace to the gravesite of 13 unidentified Confederate soldiers.  It was an interesting walk but when we got to the gravesite there was a sign that stated makers keep needing to be replaced because people steal them. How very sad someone would steal the grave marker.

The battlefield in town was the size of a large yard but contained a few graves and was well kept.

Stairs or Stares

There are so many stairs and if you can't walk up them you get stares!

Tupelo

We have a 43 foot rig and pull a Jeep. We are on the 444 mile national senic byway from Natchez, Mississippi to Nashville, TN. The Natchez Trace began as a footpath for Native Americans 8,000 years ago and is a two lane, 50 mph roadway today. The road is great BUT most pullouts are fine for Class C but tight for 5th Wheel, towable or Class A. It is a very relaxing drive and tonight we are 1/4 mile off the Trace at Barnes Crossing Campground with full hook-ups, wifi and cable for under $40.

Bicycles on the Trace get to use an entire lane! This might not be so bad but some do not have lights and they are in the shade or an area where sun shines in slits through the trees and they are hard to notice Another problem is that since they get an entire lane some ride a zigzag in their lane or double wide and  it is a worry that they might get over the line or to close as we pass. We spoke to three riders at one stop and they were very bold in their desire to take up their lane without a concern as to how hurt they will get if they get hit!