Saturday, January 5, 2008 - Jena, LA
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I took a quick look around at their museum and grounds, did my laundry, dumped the waste tanks, took on fresh water, and left shortly after noon to continue on down the Natchez Trace Parkway to Natchez, Mississippi where I plan to head west on US 84 to cross the Mississippi River, Louisiana, and half of Texas.
Fuel mileage: 13 miles per gallon
At Jena, Louisiana I gassed up before parking for the night at Wal-Mart. I wanted to see what effect the easy easy driving and the new catalytic converter had on my gas mileage. The effect was dramatic. Gas mileage went from my usual 8.5 to 9 miles per gallon to an amazing 13 miles per gallon on this first tank with the new catalytic converter. An easy 50 mph run with an easy breathing engine makes quite the combination. I never dreamed I'd see a 13 miles per gallon from this old puppy. These were exceptionally easy miles and I don't expect to average any where near 13 mpg but it looks like there's a good possibility of topping 10 mpg as an average. We'll take it.
Night Camp
Wal-Mart Parking Lot in Jena AL
Wal-Mart Supercenter in Jena, LA
Wal-Mart Supercenter Store #498, 3670 West Oak Street, Jena, LA 71342 - (318) 992-1351
It's No Use Arguing Tastes with a Cow
By what appears, furthermore, to be the compensating justice of Nature, the treasures of the earth are always hidden in the most unattractive, dismal, and dreary spots. At least all the mining places I ever visited are so located, and Bisbee is no exception. To get away from the cramped little village and its unsavoury restaurant, I established my first camp four miles south of it on a commodious and pleasant opening, where we could do our own cooking. But here a new annoyance, and rather a curious one, was met with. The cattle of the region evinced a peculiar predilection for our wearing apparel. Especially at night, the cows would come wandering in among our tents, like the party who goes about seeking what he may devour, and on getting hold of some such choice morsel as a sock, shirt, or blanket, Mrs. Bossie would chew and chew, “gradually,” to quote Mark Twain, “taking it in, all the while opening and closing her eyes in a kind of religious ecstasy, as if she had never tasted anything quite as good as an overcoat before in her life.” It is no use arguing about tastes, not even with a cow.