States – Page 31 – Wandering Dawgs

Wandering Around America One State at a Time – Missouri

May 12, 2017September 29, 2017Posted in Historic Sites, Missouri, RVing, Tourist Attractions, Wandering around AmericaTagged Cape Giradeau, Gateway Arch, Hannibal, Harry Truman Lake, Lake of the Ozarks, Mark Twain, Mississippi River, St. Louis, Trail of Tears State Park10 Comments

State 23:

Welcome to the next post in my series highlighting states we have visited throughout the years. I hope you will enjoy coming along for the ride!

I will be featuring the states alphabetically. The next state is

Missouri

Missouri became the 24th state on August 10, 1821. The capital is Jefferson City.

From the Mississippi River to the Lake of the Ozarks and many places in between, we had great adventures while in Missouri.

High on our bucket list of things to see in Missouri was the Gateway Arch at the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial in St. Louis. Henry rode the elevator up to the top of the arch while I strolled along outside. We hopped on the MetroLink to explore some of the other sights in the city.

Gateway Arch

Looking up at the Gateway Arch

Gateway Arch as seen from across the river in Illinois

Old Courthouse in St. Louis

St. Louis Union Station

St. Louis Cardinals Busch Stadium

Gateway Arch Riverboat on the mighty Mississippi River

St. Louis Cardinal baseball stadium during a home game as seen from the top of the Gateway Arch

What fun it was to explore Hannibal and see so many places where Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer had their adventures.

Tom and Huck Statue at the foot of Cardiff Hill

Mark Twain’s boyhood home and Tom Sawyer’s Fence

Lover’s Leap on the Mississippi in Hannibal, Missouri

We took a ride up the Mississippi River on the Mark Twain Riverboat

Mark Twain Cave

We climbed 244 steps up Cardiff Hill to the Mark Twain Memorial Lighthouse

Harry Truman State Park was a great place for camping and taking a walk on a nature trail.

Great Blue Heron on Harry Truman Lake

On the Western Wildflower Train in Harry Truman State Park

Our home base for visiting Branson was Table Rock State Park.

Rocky Bluff near Table Rock Dam

Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede

Lake Taneycomo near Branson, MO

One fall we planned a trip to Missouri to attend a football game at the University of Missouri in Columbia. In addition to enjoying a football weekend we also camped beside the Mississippi River at Trail of Tears State Park, enjoyed the spectacular fall colors at Lake of the Ozarks and went shopping at the first Bass Pro Shop in Springfield.

Moon rising over the Mississippi River at Trail of Tears State Park

Barge going down the river at sunset — A barge went by right before sunset at Trail of Tears State Park

There are 24 different Mississippi River Tales Murals on the floodwall in Cape Giradeau

University of Missouri Logo in the grass at the Mizzou Stadium

Fall Colors at Lake of the Ozarks — Fall colors at Lake of the Ozarks

To read previous posts about the states featured in this series just click on the state name: Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi

Wandering Around America One State at a Time – Mississippi

April 29, 2017March 15, 2025Posted in Mississippi, National Parks, RVing, Wandering around AmericaTagged America the Beautiful, beach, Buccaneer State Park, Greenville MS, Mississippi Delta, Mississippi River, Oxford, tamales, Vicksburg, Waveland13 Comments

State 22:

Welcome to the next post in my series highlighting states we have visited throughout the years. I hope you will enjoy coming along for the ride!

I will be featuring the states alphabetically. The next state is

Mississippi

Mississippi became the 20th state on December 10, 1817. The capital is Jackson.

Our travels have taken us through Mississippi on two interstates and numerous state roads. Driving along the state roads we passed by the Jim Henson museum in his birthplace of Leland, B.B. King’s birthplace in Itta Bena, Tennessee Williams birthplace in Columbus, and many historic places along the Blues Trail,

Our wandering has taken us to Vicksburg twice. Both times we camped at the Ameristar Casino RV Park across the street from the Mississippi River. We enjoyed touring Vicksburg National Military Park and seeing the views of the Mississippi River.

Vicksburg National Military Park

Cairo Museum at Vicksburg National Military Park

The mighty Mississippi River in Vicksburg, Mississippi

Barge on the Mississippi River in Vicksburg

Another one of our trips took us along I-10 through Mississippi. Buccaneer State Park was a great overnight stop. You can read more about our stay at A night on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Walking along the beach in Waveland, Mississippi

Majestic oaks in the campground — Majestic oaks in Buccaneer State Park

While staying in a campground across the Mississippi River in Arkansas we made a day trip to Greenville, Mississippi for some Tamales at Doe’s Eat Place. They were so delicious we made a return trip a couple of years later. More about the tamales at BBQ, Pie and Tamales.

Doe's Eat Place in Greenville, Mississippi — Doe’s Eat Place in Greenville, Mississippi

Three dozen Mississippi Delta hot tamales

We traveled to Oxford in the fall of 2016 for a football weekend at Ole Miss. Friday afternoon downtown and tailgating at the Grove were fun, the game not so much. I posted about our stay here.

Tailgating Tents as far as the eye could see — Tailgaters in The Grove before a football game

Look! Up in the Air!

April 23, 2017Posted in Alabama, EntertainmentTagged Air Show, Patrouille de France, United States Air Force, USAF Thunderbirds17 Comments

“Heritage to Horizons: A Century of Airpower since WWI.” – Maxwell Air Force Base Air Show April 8-9, 2017

From the moment we decided to travel somewhere to see an air show I was like a little kid waiting for Christmas. We studied the schedules of the United States Air Force Thunderbirds and the United States Navy Blue Angels to determine when and where would be the best place to see them. Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama was an easy choice. We could get there easily from Georgia, there was a great campground close to the base, and it would be nostalgic for me to return to a base where I lived for a year when my father was stationed there.

We arrived at Gunter Hill Campground two days before the air show. Both days we heard the planes as they were practicing and I kept looking in the sky to see what kind of planes they were. Both days I was rewarded when I searched the skies and saw four of the Thunderbirds pass right by the campground.

On the day of the show we arrived early so we could find a good spot to set up our folding chairs to catch all the action. We parked ourselves right in front of where the Thunderbirds were lined up. We could also see the French planes of the Patrouille de France.

Patrouille de France at Maxwell A.F.B. Air Show

The air show was celebrating the 70th anniversary of the United States Air Force and commemorating the 100th anniversary of the United States involvement in World War I. There were also historic planes on display.

Maxwell A.F.B. Air Show 2017

After the opening ceremonies the show began with the Wings of Blue Parachute Team. Once the performers began it was non stop action all afternoon. From bi-planes performing stunts to the fabulous French team Patrouille de France to a reenactment of the bombing of Pearl Harbor by the Tora Tora Tora group there was never a dull moment.

Wings of Blue at Maxwell A.F.B. Air Show

Re-enactment of bombing of Pearl Harbor at Maxwell Air Show

Wing Walker at Maxwell Air Show — Wing Walker waving at the crowd at Maxwell Air Show

The French team Patrouille de France (The Patrol of France) were performing to honor the special relationship between the air forces of U. S. and France since World War I.

Patrouille de France at Maxwell Air Show

Patrouille de France2 — Patrouille de France

Patrouille de France Pilots on their way to sign autographs and pose for pictures

The final act was the U.S.A.F. Thunderbirds. Before they began, a group of Air Force recruits were sworn in with their families watching them take their oath in front of the Thunderbird planes.

Before the pilots climbed into the cockpits their crews performed their pre-flight inspections as the pilots faced the crowd.

Thunderbird Pilot waves an American Flag as he taxies down the runway — Thunderbird Pilot waved an American Flag as he taxied down the runway

Maxwell-Air-Show-Thunderbirds6 — Maxwell Air Show U.S.A.F. Thunderbirds

Just in case you didn’t get enough of the Thunderbirds, here’s a video of one of their signature formations.

Spending the day enjoying this amazing air show was one of the coolest things we’ve done in a long, long time. If the Thunderbirds or Blue Angels are performing any where near you get out there and go to an air show!

F.D. Roosevelt’s Little White House

April 20, 2017Posted in Georgia, Historic Sites, Tourist AttractionsTagged F.D. Roosevelt, Little White House, Pink Dogwood, polio, Warm Springs4 Comments

The campground in F. D. Roosevelt State Park was a great home base to explore nearby Warm Springs, Georgia.

Franklin D. Roosevelt served as the 32nd President of the United States from 1933 until 1945. He died at his home in Warm Springs, Georgia on April 12, 1945 after suffering a stroke while posing for a portrait.

FDR was born in New York and was diagnosed with polio in 1921. In 1924 he made his first visit to Warm Springs to receive physical therapy in the warm waters of the springs (88 degrees year round). He returned many times to Warm Springs to receive therapy and although it did help it did not cure his disease. The pools are no longer used for therapy. They are now part of a museum with displays about their history and how they were used to help polio patients.

These pictures show what the pools were like when FDR used them

He loved coming to Warm Springs and built a home overlooking the mountains just a short distance from the pools. A tour of The Little White House begins in the museum with many artifacts and interesting displays telling about the time he spent in Georgia.

FDR's carriage in Warm Springs — FDR’s carriage in Warm Springs

The Little White House was even smaller than I imagined. It had a tiny kitchen, living room, dining room, one bathroom and two small bedrooms. The best part of the home was the veranda overlooking the mountains. I was so busy enjoying the view I forgot to take a picture!

Around the house were Sentry Posts for Secret Service and Marines. Servants quarters and a guest house were also on the property. Everything in his home has been restored and everything is original to the house.

Dogwoods blooming at the Little White House

Marine Corps Sentry Post at Little White House

Servants Quarters and Guest House at The Little White House

One of the many boats built by FDR while at the Little White House

“The Unfinished Portrait” – FDR had a stroke and died while having this portrait painted

Pink Dogwood blossoms on the grounds of the Little White House

One of his favorite spots to get away was Dowdell’s Knob. He even had a barbeque pit built there that is still on the property. There is bronze statue of him on a bench looking out at the view.

Dowdell's Knob with FDR's barbeque pit — Dowdell’s Knob with FDR’s barbeque pit

Spring at Callaway Gardens

April 17, 2017May 12, 2018Posted in Birds, Butterflies, Flowers, Georgia, Nature, Tourist Attractions, WildflowersTagged azalea, Callaway Gardens, F.D. Roosevelt State Park, Flowering Dogwood, Pine Mountain, Spring17 Comments

Our latest wandering took us on a short trip that was full of excitement. Our first stop was F. D. Roosevelt State Park, Georgia’s largest state park, in Pine Mountain. It was the perfect place for us to use as home base for exploring both Callaway Gardens and F.D.R.’s Little White House in Warm Springs.

After driving in the rain on the winding road through the park we arrived at the Visitor’s Center to check in just after a tornado warning had been lifted. Everything was fine in the campground and we set up camp just before another rain shower began.

“Connecting man and nature in a way that benefits both.” – Callaway Gardens Mission

With the sun shining the next morning we drove about 15 minutes from our campsite to Callaway Gardens. Located in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, Callaway Gardens opened in 1952. Today, there are many different gardens to explore, a lodge, golf course, swimming beach, and even a zip-line adventure.

Our tour of the gardens began with a stop at the Pioneer Log Cabin. From there we strolled along the Lady Bird Johnson Wildlife Trail with many Georgia native plants. The Flowering Dogwoods and many other wildflowers displayed their brilliant spring colors.

Flowering Dogwood on Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Trail

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Trail at Callaway Gardens

Next we walked on the trails to the Cecil B. Day Butterfly Center for a look at some tropical butterflies. Butterflies of all sizes, shapes and colors fed on the colorful blossoms and sailed by our heads as they flew from flower to flower.

Cecil B. Day Butterfly Center at Callaway Gardens

We learned about some of Georgia’s birds of prey at the Discovery Center. As our guide gave a very informative presentation, two different species of owl and a red tailed hawk flew over our heads during the program.

Juniper the Great Horned Owl at Birds of Prey program

Willow the Barred Owl Birds of Prey demonstration at Callaway Gardens

Red Tailed Hawk Callaway Gardens Birds of Prey Show

We must have just missed the Azaleas at their peak because most of the Azaleas on the Overlook Azalea trail had finished blooming. The Flowering Dogwoods and other trees added color to the landscape.

20170404Callaway-Gardens-Azalea-Trail — Callaway Gardens Azalea Trail

20170404Callaway-Gardens-Flowering-Dogwood — Flowering Dogwoods were in bloom at Callaway Gardens

Eastern Redbud Callaway Gardens — Eastern Redbud at Callaway Gardens

Our visit to Callaway Gardens included only a few of the many gardens there. It is a wonderful family destination and bicycles are a popular way to get around the park. There are several restaurants to choose from or you can have a picnic in one of the picnic areas.