This year we decided to head over to Starkville, Mississippi to attend a couple of SEC men’s baseball games between the Auburn Tigers (AU) and the Mississippi State Bulldogs (MSU). Included in the trip were a couple of visits to rivers that we had not explored to date and we wanted to check them out and watch the boat traffic (if there was any), as one included a lock and dam.
We were also pleasantly surprised by the MSU campus and the abundance of murals in Starkville proper. The campus is beautiful and well planned. We were very impressed. The locals, especially at the games, were very welcoming and fun spirited. Well done MSU!
Campgrounds in the Starkville Area
Our choice of a camping spot for this trip was a little private campground just at the edge of Starkville called Indian Mound Campground Resort. Resort it was not, but it was a clean, well kept little spot to park and hook up for a couple of nights. The road noise was not pleasant, as the campground is right beside the main road that goes into Starkville. The bathrooms were clean, though they were covered in MSU paraphernalia, so overall it was an adequate place to stay. I can now imagine how visitors to Auburn feel when they cannot escape the orange and blue AU on everything they see, everywhere.
We stayed at this spot because it was a 5 minute drive to the campus. We would have stayed further out at a Corps of Engineers park and even had a reservation, but we found out at the last minute that they literally lock the gates of those parks in this area at 10pm. There was no way we were going to be “locked in” to a park where we could not leave, let alone have a time curfew where we could not get in to our camp spot after 10pm. What a silly system. So, we opted for the more urban campground closer in for this trip.
War Eagle and Hail State
Scott had secured tickets to two night games on this trip and so we made sure to arrive at the ballpark early for each game, before the barricades went up for paid and restricted parking. This worked out really well, as we were able to park in the lot for the softball field about a block away from Dudy Noble Field.
Scott attended the games while Edgar and I relaxed in the van watching the games on the iPad and stitching, etc. This is our preferred way to attend these types of venues, as I dislike crowds, hype, and loud noise and most venues don’t allow dogs anyway. It was funny that I was able to see the MSU home runs on the iPad and the fireworks out the window of the van when they hit them from the stadium in real time. Auburn won two and lost one in the series, so it was good overall.
Black Warrior River
The drive to Starkville took us through Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Being Auburn fans, this is never a really exciting prospect. We decided to make the most out of it and try to find some interesting facts about Tuscaloosa besides the overwhelming connection to the University of Alabama (UA).
We were successful at this task and found that the Black Warrior River, after which the town is named, runs through Tuscaloosa and is a remote starting point for the Great Loop Route. The Great Loop Route is accessed by navigating the Black Warrior to the Tennessee-Tombigbee (Tenn-Tom) Waterway just north of Demopolis, Alabama.
There are a few good murals close to this park, as well, and these mark the very outer edge of the UA campus. One interesting fact that we learned about this town is that it was known as Tuskaloosa until the early 20th century. The name Tuscaloosa is a compound Choctaw Indian word; “tusko” meaning “warrior” and “loosa” meaning “black”.
We made it down to the park at the riverside and enjoyed lunch on the way to and from Starkville while watching the groundhogs do their thing and the tugs and barges do theirs. Boat traffic was non-existent, but just enjoying the park and the flow of the river was enough.
Stennis Lock and Dam
The day of the second game, we ventured out of town a little to check out the John C. Stennis Lock and Dam. Originally called the Columbus Lock and Dam, it is one of four lock and dam structures along the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, which largely follows the historic path of the Tombigbee River. Situated near Columbus, Mississippi, it creates Columbus Lake through impoundment. The structure honors John C. Stennis, who served Mississippi for many years as a U.S. Senator. (thanks Wikipedia)
While we were chillin at the lock, we were lucky enough to see it in action when two fishermen on bass boats headed into the chamber to be raised to upstream level. Check the video for footage. This system that is in place on navigable waterways around the world continues to fascinate me. It is so amazing to watch a boat be raised or lowered from one body of water to another just by altering the water level in a rectangular chamber with huge doors on either end.
Starkville, MS
On the day we headed back to the farm, we took the time to visit the MSU campus and Starkville proper. We were pleasantly surprised by the abundance of murals in town and you can see many of those in the video link below.
Unfortunately, the one historical marker that we were unable to see had been taken down due to road construction and that was a bummer. The sign had marked the spot where Johnny Cash had been arrested for picking a flower after a concert he preformed on May 11, 1965.
Here is the story: After performing a show at Mississippi State University, Cash, quite drunk, left his hotel room around 2 or 3 in the morning hoping to find somewhere to buy cigarettes. On his way, he started pulling daisies and dandelions from yards belonging to people in the neighborhood. Police arrived on the scene, identified him as the famous singer, and arrested him on charges of trespassing and public intoxication.
Instead of burying the incident, Cash turned the awkward moment into a comedic spoken-word piece called “Starkville City Jail.” He went on to tell the tale and play the song at his iconic 1969 San Quentin Prison performance.
Back on the Farm
This was just a short three day trip across the state line for a bit of entertainment. It was over before we could blink and we were already planning our next getaway to Bald River Falls in Tennessee. That video and post are upcoming and we would love it if you would subscribe and come along with us on this continuing journey.
Until then, Fair Winds!
