October 29, 2014. Natchez Trail completed

CAMPGROUND:    Blankhead National Forest on Smith Lake.  5 stars out of 5.  Beautiful sites on lake.  Really clean bathrooms and showers. Each site with full hook-ups. $17 per night with a Senior pass. 

LOCATION:  Rural north central Alabama, about 100 miles from Birmingham. 

WEATHER:  Sunny, nice. Highs in 60s

We drove a few more miles north on the Natchez Trace, then turned east toward Alabama.  We took backroads through small towns.  We bought some boiled peanuts and sweet potatoes at a road side stand.  When we saw a sign for a national forest, we pulled in, for a picnic lunch. It was so nice that we decided to stay overnight.   

This is our route since Illinois.....south through Land Between the Lakes, Nashville, then down and back up the Natchez Trace.  

The campground is covered with gigantic leaves.  The host told us that they are from a wild magnolia tree, that is found only in this small part of the country.  They showed us pictures of their blossoms from the spring, that are bigger than the fronds.

George decided they would make good placemats!

The sites have unique sewer connectors contained in stainless steel bins.

DINNER: I am trying to use up food in the refrigerator before our trip to India.  So, I made a curry with some curry paste that needed to be used, with the sweet potatoes we bought today as well as broccoli and onions.