Movin' On to Coldwater, MS

Path of F-4 tornado near Yazoo City, MS
Tuesday, April 27, it rained during the night. The Fantastic Fan automatic rain sensor did not work. We got a bit of water, not too bad, on the bedspread. It is sunny today with a low of 57. We pack up after breakfast and leave by 10:00 a.m. We go north on I-55 for 188 miles. It is an easy trip through Jackson as they have a flyover now from 49 to 20 to I-55 that wasn't on our DeLorme map. There were two rest areas along I-55 and both were closed. More and more of the RVers are reporting on-line that rest areas all over the country are closed due to funding shortages. We stop at Pit Stop truck stop and use our own facilities.

We arrive at Memphis South RV Park & Campground, 256 Campground Dr., Coldwater, MS 38618, (662) 622-0056, at exit 271 off I-55 around 1:45. An envelope taped to the door has our registration in it. It's nice to call ahead sometimes. The manager here is part-time. They have 82 full hook-up sites that are all drive-throughs. We have site #77 nestled among mostly worker bees.

It is only 64 degrees here (We had a high of 82 along our route.) The northwest wind feels way colder. I had to put a jacket on to set up. We bucked a headwind and got just under 10 mpg on the way here. From Yazoo City, west of I-55 through Ebeneezer and Goodman to the east of I-55, we saw a one-mile path of destruction from Saturday's tornado that was unbelievable. They are now saying it was 149 miles from southwest to the northeast. Right here there were F3 and F4 tornadoes that hit. As we zoomed by at 65 mph in the truck on I-55 I had time to snap eight pictures. Bob said it was about a two-mile path of destruction. Huge Long Leaf and Loblolly Pines and many hardwoods are downed in piles like matchsticks.



We set up quickly and go north one exit. We take a look at Steak Escapes menu but it looks like a Quizno fast food sandwich kind of place. We pass and go to Kings Buffet, a pretty good Chinese place. As we come out we browse through the Shoe Dept. next door that was having a New Balance sale but nothing in our sizes. We get diesel at Wal-Mart and stop at Walgreen's for a paper. They didn't have one but you could get a shingles vaccine today. We find DeSoto Commercial Appeal at Exxon next door.

The wind is really blowing and it is quite chilly now. Back home my coat hook falls off again. Bob re-silicones it. Then he does a channel search and finds our TV stations for Tuesday night viewing. It's 3:40 p.m. and 64 degrees with 26% humidity. I took a walk and three sites over from our #77 is a Class C van pulling a Smart Car. I stopped to pay the gal in the office and got some brochures. I showed her our Good Sam Card and was charged $30.90 for one night.