Meteors and Mysterious Creatures

While kids are starting school, we’re back on the road again!  Our plan is to travel to Maine and back.  On the way we hope to see all types of historical, natural, and just plain weird things.  We are also planning several stops to see family.  Hmm. I didn’t mean family members were weird, I meant we hope to see weird touristy places.

The bad part is that the air conditioner in the truck stopped working during the 6 hour drive on the first day.  Poor John ended up driving with the windows down in 90 F weather.  We’re hoping he can get someone to fix it soon.

 

The good part is our first stop at Dewayne Hayes Campground in Mississippi.  The campground is amazing.  With the senior pass, it’s only $10 for electric and water.  The site is a pull-through (always great when you’re pulling a car) and sits right on the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway.  We saw this waterway before, but it’s nice to sit outside the RV and watch barges go past. Plus, there are several pontoon boats, speedboats, and skiers enjoying the water.  It’s relaxing to sit along the water.  I’ve seen dragonflies, butterflies, hummingbirds, large white birds with 5’ wing spans drifting along, flocks of birds sailing the waterway, and planes from the local air force base.  While the planes can be noisy, I can still hear crickets, frogs, cicadas, and fish jumping in the water.

 
Early in the morning, I got up to see the Perseid meteor shower.  Luckily, skies cleared so I was able to see a meteor every minute or two. My count was at 10 meteors when I decided to go back to bed.  Sitting on the bank of the waterway was a unique way of watching.  I heard some bird that sounded like an angry Donald Duck along with seeing a barge go past with its lights on.

After the sun came up, it was time to take a walk.  When we checked in, we were shown pictures of a 5’ long rattlesnake that was killed on this path.  So, I was trying to be observant.  No snakes, but plenty of spider webs, birds, a raccoon, and some animal that crashed through the woods in front of me.  It was big, but didn’t look like a deer.  Maybe a bear??  At least I was able to get a picture of this armadillo.