Natchez to Natchitoches

Last week we saddled up the Mustang for a business drive through East Texas and Northern Louisiana with the objective to reach Jackson, Mississippi. We were able to plan the trip far enough in advance that my BBL could arrange a week off from her nursing duties at Medical Metropolis so she could ride shotgun for the almost 1000 mile round trip.

After my soul was salved with customer visits along the I-20 corridor, we headed SW down “The Trace Parkway” jumping on it just outside of Jackson for its last 88 miles to the Mississippi River at Natchez. The “Trace Parkway” is an immaculate two lane Federal road with a 50 mph speed limit and zero commercial traffic. Combined with 80 degrees and a weather high pressure system, it was the perfect environment to drop the top, sit back and soak up the beautiful sunny Mississippi countryside.

We made one sidetrip into Port Gibson for some gas and to view the city (according to our guidebook) that was spared destruction during the War of Northern Aggression (i.e. the Civil War for you Yankees) because Grant said “it was too beautiful to burn.” Well we got the gas, but we must have made a wrong turn and missed the beautiful part of the city. We did see the old abandoned Trace movie theater and a most unique church steeple before escaping back to the Parkway.

A couple of observations about the Trace Parkway: it is 444 miles long which leaves approximately 80% of it as a future experience for us. The 20% we did experience was 99% downhill (a point I will remember if ever looking for a place to ride a bicycle); didn’t see one pothole or piece of litter; all in all, seems to us to be a fine use of our tax dollars.

The Parkway terminated in the splendid port city of Natchez as did we for the evening. It is said to be one of the oldest cities in the state which has seemingly allowed it to collect the highest number of mansions (antebellum or otherwise), historical sites, and B&B’s per capita. Because it sits high above the Eastern side of the very wide Mississippi River, it is uniquely suited to observe stunning sunsets. Almost as impressive was the experience and fare at Fat Mama’s Tamales (although it costs slightly more than watching the sunsets)—both are highly recommended, but the location of Fat Mama’s makes it difficult to do both at the same time!

The next day we traded The Parkway for the El Camino East-West Corridor or as known in Texas, the Old San Antonio Road (also known to everyone else as US Route 84)]. We kept the top down because the good weather was still with us. Speed limit was mostly 55 mph, but all manner of commercial traffic uses this road. Had to hang on to our hats everytime an 18 wheeler passed us going in the opposite direction. We missed the tranquility of the Trace.

Late afternoon, we rolled into the most difficult pronounciation for an American city we’ve ever encountered: Natchitoches - which we finally got around to identifying as “Knack-a-tish”. Evidently this was close enough to acceptable that it didn’t generate any giggles when we said it around a local person.

Natchitoches has several claims to fame. Supposedly the oldest city in Louisiana, it has its share of mansions/plantations/B&B’s too (due to its heritage of being a port city on the Red River and thereby a gateway to the mighty Mississippi). It’s also home to Northwestern State U with a very pretty campus. But perhaps it’s best known (according to the tourist literature we saw) as being the site where chick flick Steel Magnolias was filmed only 20 years ago.

Our lodging for the night took us to the outskirts of town where we found the Starlight Plantation B&B where owner/hostess Susan provided some rustic luxury alongside the peaceful Cane River Lake. Seems that the fickle Red River changed course along the way eventually leaving Natchitoches without a viable connection to the Red or Mississippi Rivers. But the “oxbow” type lake that was left was renamed Cane River. Although it is officially a lake, it looks more like a wide stream – and it is a real treasure. Now my BBL wants to read Cane River by Lalita Tadamy.

Bottom line on Natchez and Natchitoches: We would return in a heartbeat! In fact, I could live in Natchitoches (subsequently have learned that a 2007 US News and World Report included it in their top 10 places to retire.) But I would settle for another meat pie appetizer, salad dinner and a glass of wine with my BBL on Antonne’s patio overlooking the river/lake/water/whatever.

Click this link for a 7:45 minute “movie” of our trip.