Heading out the door to begin a long awaited trip is always exciting. We had planned to visit our son and family in Colorado this past Christmas and then Snowmageddon happened. We headed to Florida instead and made plans to visit with the kids in the upcoming summer instead.
Although the kids live in Longmont, Colorado, they make an annual trip to Southfork (Creede), Colorado every summer to enjoy the beauty and recreation opportunities, like fly fishing, hiking, and gift shopping. We were invited to join them on this trip and the plannning began for Loki’s trip to Colorado in July. Our Christmas in July, if you will.
Traffic on the interstates in the summer months is always crowded and semi-dangerous. This July was no exception. We saw the aftermath of many accidents on this trip, not to mention that the entire USA interstate system seemed to be under construction. Even though fuel prices were the highest I have ever seen in my lifetime (around $5/gal for unleaded), people still packed the roads for their summer adventures. I was so happy to be traveling in Loki, as the van served as our own private little oasis when traffic was at a crawling pace. There is just something so comforting about having your own personal bathroom and fridge on trips like this.
Our first stop for this trip was at the Mississippi Welcome Center just over the border from Alabama to Mississippi on I22. Wow, what a blessing!
Many, if not all, of the rest areas in Alabama and Florida do not allow “overnight” parking. This means that you can only park (and sleep) a few hours before being approached and told to move on. Not so in Mississippi. Their rest areas allow for overnight parking and they even go beyond by providing individual parking spaces separated by curbs and grass to make it more comfortable for folks to stop and get a good nights rest before continuing their journey.
There are no “hook ups” at these rest areas, as they are not campgrounds, but there is plenty of space to walk the dog and relax for a while. Boon-docking is almost encouraged and the staff were so friendly and welcoming. Setting up tents is not allowed, of course, but a tent camper on the back of a truck, or on the roof of a car, is totally acceptable. Well done, Mississippi! We appreciate your hospitality!!
