This will likely be my last day off riding until I reach the Gulf.  We looked again at the mileage and likely places for lodging and decided that four days should do it. 

We had a really nice day as tourists in both Mississippi and Vidalia.  This weekend is the annual Natchez Balloon Race and Festival. The day started by spotting some of the morning balloonists. 

 

While waiting for the morning rush to leave our planned breakfast place, we went for a walk and enjoyed the Natchez river walk.

 

 This offered a great view of the bridge from Natchez, MS to Vidalia, LA

As well as upriver to show where I have come from the last few weeks.

 

After this, we went to a cotton plantation where we were provided with a very entertaining and educational tour of the historic workings of the farm.

The tour included a short film about the history of the plantation after which we were led around the property where many of the original slave buildings and implements have been preserved.  The Frogmore Plantation is a working cotton farm as well as a museum of the cotton industry.

 

 

The smoke house and all the ways they used a hog.

Slave quarters before the war - color dyes not yet introduced and the bed is quite primitive

After the war. 

 

 

 The bed was better and things were more colorful, but life was not any easier.

 

A sample of implements of the time.

 

A lot of history was contained in the ginning and baling shed

 

 

The original cotton gin invented by Eli Whitney

 

and a machine invented to feed the cotton to a larger gin powered by machinery.  The wood is magnolia!

 

A finished cotton bale weighs between 350 and 500 pounds

 

 

Some more antique farm machinery

 

The rolled bales you see in the distance hold many bales and weigh between 3,500 and 5,000 pounds.

 

 

We returned in time to see balloons again floating above our motel.

 

 

There is supposed to be another race tomorrow morning.  I may get shots as I ride out of town.