Day 3 - Wednesday, December 6th, Travel from West Memphis to Iuka, MS

(Did the format changes I made make things better or worse?)

Today we travelled from the Tom Sawyer campground in West Memphis to Lakeshore Custom RV in Iuka, MS, 131 miles. It was a short drive so we didn't leave the campground until 11:45.

The overnight low was 31 degrees. Tonights low in Iuka is supposed to be 32 degrees. We are hoping these will be the last freezing temps we experience for quite some time.

I watched the first tug go up the river just before sunrise.

Wednesday morning sunrise.

I think there was gravel in the barge against the shore, on the left. A small crane with a clamshell bucket was unloading it. 

Lots of barge traffic.

I walked through a portion of the campground and took more photos of the unique tree house. Sadly it appears to have been abondoned.

During my walk about I found another tree house along the edge of the campground. This one might possibly still be in use.

I would do some serious inspection before I walked on the suspension walkway between the stair tower and the tree house.

We were parked at Lakeshore at 2:45.

For those of you who are lacking in reading material I found the following information on the Mississippi River to be interesting.

The Mississippi River is 2,340 miles long, the Missouri River is slightly longer.

The Mississippi River starts at Lake Itasca, in Minnesota. A drop of rainwater that falls at the mouth of the river takes 90 days to reach the Gulf.

From Lake Itasca to the Gulf the Mississippi River drops 1,475’. The uppermost lock and dam on river is the St. Anthony Falls Lock and Dam in Minneapolis (river mile marker 854). The elevation of the river drops from 799’ to 750’ as it passes through the Lock. Once through Lock and Dam No. 1(mm 848), in St. Paul, the rivers elevation is 687’. From St. Paul to St. Louis the elevation falls much more slowly, and is controlled by 26 additional locks and dams.

The last lock on the river is in the Chain of Rocks Canal, which allows river traffic to bypass the river from mile marker 195 to mile marker 184. It is in the St. Louis/Granite City, IL area. Depending on the river stage the drop through the lock varies from 2-10’. The river has dropped to roughly elevation 395’ at this point. 

God is good. I pray that He blesses you and yours. Thank you Lord for blessing me the way you have.