Day 8
Wednesday, April 8, 2026
Sunrise over the parking lot...
Had to do it...
North of Vicksburg, I took a side trip up Hwy 61 to the Theodore Roosevelt National Wildlife Refuge. It turned out to be a fortuitous decision. Some trails are closed, as are some of the area roads.
After a great chat with the Rangers, the plans changed. There's also bridge out that would have meant a huge detour.
Instead, I backtracked to the second stop of the day, the town of Satartia, just off the highway. Most people would simply drive on by. But, why pass up a chance to drive over the Satartia Bridge.
Locals claim you can hear moans from below on a quiet day. The Youtube channel MagnoliaSpirits posted this short video showing photos of alleged spirits by the bridge.
From Sartaria, it was an easy drive to Bentonia. That's where you'll find one of the other remaining juke joints, the Blue Front Cafe.
When I arrived, there were a group of people carrying guitar cases. Jimmy "Duck" Holmes was telling stories of traveling and playing the blues. A few minutes later they went inside. Jimmy then gave them blues guitar lessons. They played and asked questions. They hung on his every word. He told me later this happens all the time. It's rarely scheduled. Folks just stop in. He doesn't mind at all.
He's still doing the occasional shows and festivals. He's playing a few dates in New Orleans this weekend. You can see him play here:
Outside on the patio, we just enjoyed the music. That's where I met Jane. There's no doubt she's from southern Louisiana. She's headed to the Juke Joint Festival, too. She made this and gave me one
We ran into each other a few times at the festival. Always good to make new friends.
On the outskirts of Yazoo City, you'll find Panther Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. The trail I wanted was just past this road closure.
There was another, less scenic trail. Either way, it felt good to be walking.
While it was a bit buggy being in a swamp, it wasn't too bad. I went as far as the big deadfall and turned back. All told, 2.7 miles with ten feet of elevation gain. Way ahead of schedule for the day, I did it again. My home for the night was the Main Street Hotel in Yazoo City. It's the one in the middle.
Parking is around back. Just take the purple stairs.
You get two keys. One round and one square. One is the outside door, the other the room. The question is, how long until I get it sorted.
Yazoo City is named for the river. It's a Choctaw word translated to mean "River of Death." There's a balcony at the end of the hall. Main Street, Yazoo City.
Since I hadn't eaten since breakfast, I asked for suggestions when I checked in. Everything seems to be open for breakfast/lunch or open at 4P for dinner. They suggested a place up the street called P-Reaux's Cajun Mudbugs and Shrimp. Interesting place. The shrimp... delicious. The place was filling up when I left and they were bringing out crayfish by the pound.
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