Friday 31st August:

Yesterday was a driving day covering 576 Kms. Camp was south of the Smokey Mountains at Cherry Tree Recreation Reserve.

From here it was but a 250Km drive to the Atlanta Speed Way Complex.

In Atlanta some of the interchanges are impressive, and the roads up to 24 lanes wide! For a ‘bushy’ navigation can in handy with the Nuvi.

Everyone is in a hurry going to or coming from somewhere!

Finally at the track we had pre-booked camping at the ‘High Speed in Field Corral’.

This was amongst some die hard race fans.

RVs of all extremes, tents, converted buses, all packed into a tight organised compound.

Outside the track circuit were also thousands of similar campsites.

All around generators constantly going 24 hours a day to keep the beer cold.

Many had come prepared with towers added to the back of their utes, others platforms added atop their campers or buses.

From fishing seats off their game fishing boat to.......

.....simple towers fabricated on a ute tray top.

Add this to the multiple wide screen TVs, full BBQs, roasting Pigs, air-conditioners, and plenty of beer, spirits and race talk all made a petrol heads dream a reality.

Despite the weather being extremely hot & humid with little breeze, everyone remained calm, even the few over intoxicated individuals we were comfortable with their over excitement.

The Friday night event was Truck racing.

130 laps - about 200miles at speeds well in excess of 200MPH.

It reminded me of the Roman Coliseum.  Wild animals on the inside a high fence with fans standing on seats when a vehicle hits the barrier and filling the stadium with smoking rubber. Then cheering their favourite driver as he pulls to the lead.

The efficiency of the pit crews are to be admired.

             The winner ( No3 ) does a burn out

Camped amongst enthusiastic fans of both extremes

Camp 206:  Atlanta Speedway Camp             

Cost: US$150/night             N33* 22.959 W084* 18.837

Today : 294 Kms.           Trip Total :80,918 Km

Saturday 1st September:

Very unfortunately time is against us and we cannot stay for the big Sunday evening 500mile NASCAR event, we must start moving towards Dallas, via Memphis.

Crossed from Georgia into Alabama, and on to Mississippi. We learnt what GRITS were, and enjoyed the taste, also had a ‘Welcome to Dixie’ firm handshake from a proud local.

...GRITS are a Southern speciality made from ground corn. Usually eaten with or as a breakfast with butter, salt and pepper. Something like polenta, and porridge looking. Taste good too.

Camp 207:  Davis Lake Campground  

Cost: US$20/night

N34* 02.737 W088* 56.495

Today : 601 Kms.  

Trip Total :80,649 Km

Sunday 2nd September:

As we left the camp site a young and very polite teenager we met last night came over to wish us good travels. ‘Ya ‘all come back now’ in a beautiful southern accent. It was then 180kms to Lyn’s Bucket hit

List of visiting Graceland's in Memphis.

A bit commercial, however overall a good 4 hours of the Elvis story. His home Graceland's was as he left it in the 70’s.

With now over 1 Billion in sales, his gold awards line many walls

Should you want anything Elvis the shops at every display exit could oblige. Elvis fry-pan holders, egg cups, jigsaws, even a $2,000 look-a-like suit!

It is so hot and muggy. Checked out a couple of camp sites along the Mississippi River but the lack of breeze and swarms of Mosquitoes drove us away.

Finally we were recommended this one...perfect.

On the river with a cross breeze to dissipate the evening heat.

Camp 208:  Beulah landing on the Mississippi River 

Cost: Nil

N33* 47.323 W090* 59.305

Today : 357 Kms.  

Trip Total :81,006 Km

Monday 3rd September (USA-Labour Day):

Headed off along the Mississippi levee bank, the housed on the river side either more recently built on stilts or in stages of disrepair after all too frequent river attacks.

A roadside sign leads us to a ‘Plantation Home’. Restored in recognition of those who had worked here as slaves in the 1800’s.

Note cotton is still the main crop, together with rice, wheat and the new crop of fresh water prawns.

We are crossing the vast flood plains of the Mississippi.

Beside the road what we call swamps, here are known locally as Bayou. I have heard the word before from songs however now I have a whole new vision.

I became quite fascinated with the Cypress trees with their wide trunks growing in the water. Too often I had to stop and take yet another photograph.

Into another state - Louisiana.         Red River Bridge

Travelled lesser roads towards Dallas with mail boxes down the road rather than truck stops and fast food outlets

...have to add another pic of the Bayou swamps

Camp 209:  Tyler State Park 

Cost: $30-not impressed for a quick overnighter.

N32* 28.883 W095* 17.512

Today : 603Kms.  

Trip Total :81,609 Km

Tuesday 4th September:

Into Dallas and the Fort Worth complex. Coming into Dallas completes our circumnavigation of Continental North America because we were here in November 2010, before we started our clockwise rotation. WOW this is a big place from one side of town to the other more than 120Kms.

Camp 210:  Sunrise RV park 

Cost: Nil. Normally $20 however the welcoming owners were so kind they even let us sleep in the air-conditioned ‘Club House’ for the evening away from the oppressive heat. Thanks Lourice & Richard

N32* 45.674 W097* 23.875

Today : 238Kms.  

Trip Total :81,847 Km

PS. Just too hot to cook and tried the Hamburger place next door.  Really good, has my thumbs up.

Wednesday/Thursday 5/6th September:

With a vehicle service completed in Dallas and our travelling companions Bill and Gay now with us we start towards the Mexico border. At the Border we meet our other good companions John and Elizabeth.

It will then be 3 months south to Panama.

Camp 211:  Copperas Ck Military Park 

Cost: $16

N31* 58.115 W098* 30.014

Today : 185Kms.  

Trip Total :82,032 Km

Camp 212:  Hilltop RV Park  Fort Stockton

Cost: $25 and very nice

N30* 53.794 W102* 56.160 

http://fms.ws/9X2zK/30.89671N/102.93588W

Today : 485Kms.  

Trip Total :82,517 Km

Onto MEXICO