The Escatawpa Trail

After doing the time consuming chore of a week’s laundry in the Splendide this morning, I had to get out of the rig.  You see, I had decided to fix a pot roast for the first time in over six years, and the scents from the crockpot were more than I could stand.

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So, Emma and I hopped in the car and drove about 15 miles down I-10 to the eastern Mississippi Welcome Center.  I was able to get a booklet with coupons for businesses along the coast last year, but they didn’t have any this year.  Sad smile  Shucks! 

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Emma, of course, couldn’t go inside the Welcome Center with me, but I knew that at the far end of the center’s rest area was the Grand Bay NWR’s Escatawpa Trail.  That’s why I brought her along on this journey.

For a couple of reasons, this trail is my least favorite of the four established trails in the two different refuges.  I chose to combine all three spurs of the trail today for a nice little walk.  The total distance is only a little over a mile, but for me it always seems that this trail goes on and on for at least five miles.  I’m always relieved when I finish it.

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A little over half way along, is an overlook for viewing the Escatawpa River.  It’s a nice view, but the fog from the nearby Pascagoula River area made things feel dull and not so gorgeous. 

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Even Emma was pretty bored with today’s hike and just whined as we tried to enjoy the overlook.  As I trudged down the second half of the trail, I got to thinking about what it was that didn’t inspire me about this trail.

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Could it be that the interpretive signs along the way are repeated several times?  That’s part of it.  I enjoy interpretive signs, but I don’t need to keep reading the same thing about snakes, pine trees, woodpeckers, and prescribed burns.  I don’t know who thought up that idea, but it stinks in my opinion.  The other thing that bothers me about this trail is that you can never escape the deafeningly loud sound of all those eighteen wheelers grinding down I-10.  It’s part of my duties to check on these trails, but I can tell you I won’t be back to this one for at least a month.

After we got back to the rig, I plated up my dinner of pot roast, carrots, and mashed potatoes.  I have to admit that it was rather a disappointment to me.  It just didn’t taste like I remembered.  So now what do I do with all the left overs?  Did you ever try to buy a pot roast for one?  I don’t think it exists.  I’m hoping I can transform it into Italian Beef sandwiches in the next few days.  We’ll see how that goes.

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy

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