Day 17: Hot Springs AR, Talullah LA to Natchez MI 296miles/476km

We are heading South today. On route 270 through Malvern,Sheridan, onto route 65 through Pine Bluff, Lake Village, Talullah, Ferriday to Natchez.

Another day in the country. The scene changes from woodlands to great fields of maize, rice, cotton and our first glimpses of the Mississippi River.

At our first stop we meet Ronald who comes over and chats with us. He is a member of the ABATE organisation. Arkansas Bikers Aiming Toward Education organisation that promotes, practices and teaches motorcycle safety. What a gentleman.

Ronald rides this splendid golden trike.

Sometimes we see advertisements that we don't fully understand.

 

We are in the Bible Belt. We have seen many churches throughout Arkansas. Some are small like the one in the photograph, others are very large and modern. They include Southern Baptist, Missionary Baptist, Methodist, and Pentecostal. Sometimes we see gospel singing sheds.

I love a Capella gospel singing and have been in workshops with Tony Backhouse in NZ and once on a desert choir walking trip in the red desert of Australia. I hope I can hear some gospel singing while we are in this region.

The Stars and Stripes flies high and wide.

These are rice silos. Most of the USA rice is produced in this region.

Maize,too.

Our first glimpse of the Mississippi River.

I have tried unsuccessfully to photograph houses as we ride by on other days.

Here are a couple that give an idea of the farm houses. Workers cottages are more humble,

Water towers stand tall in every town we ride through. This is the first blue one. It is in Talullah.

Obviously expecting big letters at this place.

Memorial gardens for troops are also common in many towns.

We are on the bridge crossing the Mississippi into Natchez from Vidalia.

A wonderful welcome to Natchez from China.

We have a view over the river and we watch the barges move up and downstream around the lazy bends.

We have ridden from Arkansas through Louisiana into Mississippi today.

A ride through hundres of miles of fertile delta farmlands. Extensive cropping on huge paddocks. Industrialised farming.

 

In the evening we have a tasty meal of local food including crawfish, catfish, shrimps and gumbo.

Catfish, grit cake and crawfish étouffée.

Shrimp and grit cake.

Gumbo with crab, shrimp, crumbed okra and rice.

 

Tomorrow is a rest day.

 

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