Tombigbee & Mississippi Capital

After what seemed like an eternity of gray skies, the sun finally shone brightly in Columbus, MS. I started my day with a delicious serving of French Toast at Cracker Barrel, then dropped in to a Starbucks to map out my plans for the day. Needing to get some exercise, I stumbled upon the Tombigbee National Forest, located conveniently on the way to Jackson. I looked forward to being in the woods on such a beautiful day.

Mississippi Crosses

I was driving on Rt 25 near Starksville, MS and saw a giant cross. I’ve seen other similar crosses in Mississippi and this time I stopped to take a photo. I found several articles about the push to build this cross as well as the pushback from members of the community. In the end, the cross was erected and is now one of six in the state standing at 125 feet.

Tombigbee National Forest

The hour drive to Tombigbee National Forest was pleasant. The forest covers over 156,000 acres of land and is part of the larger National Forests system in Mississippi . The forest is a popular destination for recreational activities such as hiking, camping, fishing, and hunting. I considered pulling the mountain bike off the car, but I knew the trails would be slopping from all the rain. I read that the forest also provides habitat for a variety of wildlife species and is an important source of timber and other natural resources. In fact, I saw several lumber mills on the way there.

The Noxubee Hills Charlotte’s Web trail in AllTrails was rated easy. The 4.3 mile trail ended up being 5 miles after all my additional exploring. Given the name, I expected to see many spider webs along the route. In fact, I didn’t see one. I also didn’t see any signs of other hikers. At the trailhead, a park sign requested that all hikers and mountain bikers register when they enter the trail. The process was very easy using a QR code on the sign, I was taken to the park service web site and registered.

Although the trail would have been perfect for mountain biking, I was happy with my decision to hike. The path was mostly soft and muddy, with few rocks, and was mostly downhill on the way out. On the way back it was an uphill climb on an access road. Upon reaching the bottom, I encountered a ranger who was passing by and stopped to check on me. I think he was surprised to see anyone in the forest. We had a brief conversation and let me know there weren’t many people in the forest at the time.

As I returned to the car, the sun was filtering through the branches of the trees, casting a warm glow over the surroundings. A gentle breeze rustled the trees, carrying with it the crisp and invigorating scent of nature. I retrieved my cooler and set up a comfortable chair, then made an avocado, cheese, lettuce and mustard sandwich. I relaxed with my sandwich and enjoyed serene and idyllic moment, surrounded by the beauty of nature.

Mississippi Capital

I didn’t really want to leave the forest, but I needed to get to Jackson, the capital of Mississippi. I setup Google Maps to use highways and headed for the Cracker Barrel in Jackson. I saw were I could stay and then headed to the Capital building. The temperature had already dipped below 40 and I knew it would be a cold night.

I arrived in front of the capitol about 20 minutes later. The streets were absolutely quiet. I didn’t see any cars parked near the capital. I parked on a street beside the capital and grabbed my gear.

I had read that the capitol building was in a Beaux-Arts style. I had to look this up. It’s a French term for "Fine Arts" and is an eclectic academic architectural style that was most popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It is characterized by grandiose structures with symmetrical facades, classical ornamentation, and a balance between form and function. Looking at the building, parts of it brought thoughts of The Hunger Games series.

The Capitol building in The Hunger Games is portrayed as grand and opulent, with a focus on classical architectural elements and symmetry, which are hallmarks of the Beaux-Arts style. In The Hunger Games, the Capitol's architecture and design can be seen as an exaggerated version of the Beaux-Arts style, reflecting the wealth, power, and control that the Capitol exerts over the districts. All Capitol buildings serve as a symbol of the Capitol's influence and as a physical manifestation of its dominance, reflecting the Beaux-Arts style's emphasis on grandeur and grandiose design.

The Jackson Mississippi Capitol building, built in 1903, is a beautiful example of the Beaux-Arts style with the classical facade with a large portico supported by columns, a central dome, and a symmetrical composition. At night, the building is illuminated and its white columns, dome, and pediment are visible. The dome is topped with a large golden eagle, adding to the building's grand appearance. The illumination at night highlights the building's architectural features and creates a majestic atmosphere.

I couldn’t find my gloves and my fingers were beginning to feel numb. I spent well over 90 minutes getting shots of the building from the front. I guess I had been noticed on camera, because about 15 minutes after I started shooting, the first capital police car parked on the drive at the front. Another came by to check what someone would be doing on a cold night in front of the capital building.

I needed to warmup and drove to The Bulldog thirty minutes north of the capital. The Celtics were playing the Nets in a lopsided game Boston easily won. I ordered a burger and fries, knowing my blood pressure would jump. I needed some comfort food to warm me up.

I drove back to the Cracker Barrel in North Jackson where the parking lot was empty and setup the car. I was asleep pretty quickly.