CamperBug.com

Expect the Unexpected

Pearl River is a major waterway that has its beginnings northeast of Jackson, Mississippi. Dammed, forming the Ross Barnett Reservoir near Jackson, the Pearl River flows through south central Mississippi, eventually joining the waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

This is an area scattered with recreation opportunities, both on, and near the Pearl River. Mississippi has several Waterway Districts that exist to mange local waterways for conservation and recreation. One nearby district is the Pat Harrison Water District, centered on the Pascagoula River area. The Pearl River Basin Development District handles these tasks for the Pearl River region. If you check out their websites, camping and river activities, such as tubing and canoeing, abound.

If you are travelling in this area, a truly unique experience awaits you at the Grand Canyon of Mississippi, also called Red Bluffs. Near Columbia and Newsom, MS, off MS Hwy 587, this is a natural area controlled by the National Forest Service where the rainbow-colored clay has eroded over thousands of years to reveal a colorful canyon this is 150 ft. deep, ½ mile wide, and almost a mile long. There is a steep, hiking trail into the canyon, located near the banks of the Pearl River. The Forest Service will give you all you need to know about getting there. But I digress……

One of our most unexpected camping experiences occurred on a most unlikely, sleepy bluff overlooking the Pearl River. We had travelled to a small, private campground near Columbia, Mississippi. Mimosa Landing Campground, (601) 736-9700, is in a quiet location, with full services and a nice pool, open during the summer. A path with metal steps descends the steep bluff from the campground down to the rocky (rockhounds rejoice!) shore of the Pearl River, where you can fish, canoe, or just relax with nature.

The nearby city of Columbia is a small gem of the Old South. Columbia has dubbed itself the “Bottle Tree Capitol of the World.” Brought to the forefront by noted Southern writer Eudora Welty in her short story “Livvie,” and locally produced by folk artist Felder Rushing, bottle trees adorn many of the homes in Columbia. (www.felderrushing.net for your curiosity)

We settled in this November evening in our RV, knowing that the night was forecast to be chilly, and that a line of showers might move through. No problem. After all, this was Southern Mississippi. Just in case, we lowered one side of the awning so the rain could run off. As we turned out the lights and snuggled under the blanket, we could hear the soft sound of rain on the trailer. Sleep was only moments away with this lullaby.

Waking up at first light, we looked outside to see that, sometime during the night, the temperature had dipped far lower than

Surprise Mississippi Snow

predicted. Rain had turned to sleet; sleet had turned to snow, and there was a thin dusting of white on everything. Ice had encased our outside water lines, that were sitting in puddles that had frozen solid. Ice had also formed on our awning, which was now collecting snow. And the snow was just beginning.

For the next two hours, snow fell like we were in Colorado. Two inches an hour. Giant white flakes. And, at some point, the inevitable “pop” of the awning giving way to the accumulation of snow sitting on top of the ice. Photos of our dilemma even made the local news!

Expect the Unexpected

By ten o’clock that Sunday morning, the snow ended, the sun came out, and the snow and ice disappeared just about as fast as it had come calling.

The moral of this story: If it CAN happen to an awning, it WILL happen to an awning!

Wind Warning Today

Toledo Bend Lake is rated one of the top 5 Bass fishing lakes in the country. 65 miles in length with 1200 miles of shoreline, Toledo Bend Lake, or Reservoir as it is technically known, stretches for 65 miles along the southern border between Texas and Louisiana.  Toledo Bend Dam, which created the lake, is the result of the only public water conservation, hydroelectric power, and recreation project to be completed without permanent Federal Government financing.  The dam itself, located on RR 255  near Burkeville, TX and Anacoco, LA, is an amazing sight in its own right, especially when the water is released and power is being generated.

Fishing is not the only attraction for this beautiful area.  On both the Texas and Louisiana shores, recreation opportunities abound.  One of the newer and most attractive spots for campers is South Toledo Bend State Park.

Located in Anacoco, Louisiana, near the southeastern lower edge of the lake, South Toledo Bend State Park sits on several peninsulas that extend out into Toldeo Bend Lake.   Campsites and cabins mostly sit high atop hills, sloping down to beautiful beaches and lake views.

When the park was first opened, we took our granddaughters on an inaugural trip to the lake resort.  Our campsite was wonderful – sitting high on a bluff with a steep, grassy slope with a path that led to the edge of the lake, or at least what USED to be the edge of the lake.  For several hundred feet out, the lakebed lay exposed to the sun and park visitors.  We were surprised to learn that the water level of the reservoir had been lowered by nearly 30 feet for “maintenance.” Treasures abounded.  Bones of small animals that had long since left the earth, shells of little critters, rocks for the rockhound – all lay there for the collecting.  But most amazing was the petrified wood the area is known for. We came home with a collector specimen of petrified palm wood, the state fossil of Louisiana.

But the collection from the exposed lake bottom was not to be the most memorable event of this trip.  Late Saturday afternoon, a gentle wind started blowing off the lake up the hills to the campground area.  As the afternoon moved toward sundown, the wind increased.  We decided to pick up any loose items we had outside.  There was no rain, and there were no clouds.  Still, the wind kept getting stronger and stronger.  The wind was now blowing at a sustained 25-30 miles per hour.  It was strange and frightening, to say the least.  Our granddaughters were huddled in their bunk room, afraid that they would be the stars of the next Wizard of Oz tale.

With the wind howling around us, we decided to bring the awning of our trailer in.  Hmmm….  Should have thought to do that several hours earlier!  As we were undoing the guide ropes that held it tied to the ground, a strong gust of wind caught the awning, and ripped one of the support arms from the trailer wall.  Barely holding onto the other arm, we managed to roll the injured awning up before it flew over the trailer, and left us altogether.  We drove the four hours to our home with the damaged awning tied to the side of the trailer with bungy cords. Even though we worked at repairing it several times,  the connection was never the same.

The moral of this story:  Believe every tale any seasoned RV owner has ever told you about awnings, and err on the side of caution if you even THINK wind might be an issue.