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West of the Mississippi
On the Way to Texas
I can’t even begin to count how many times I have crossed the mighty Mississippi River, and every single time it is unforgettable. Maybe I don’t forget it because I always take so many pictures. I document every time we cross it, westbound and eastbound.
Today was no different.
Today we crossed this massive chief river in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on I-10 where the USS KIDD veteran battleship sits as a museum. One of these days that will be on my list to stop and see. But not today. Today we are traveling west of the Mississippi on to Texas.
Why is the Mississippi River so important and memorable?
It is one of the longest rivers in the United States. It begins in Minnesota and travels 2,340 miles to the Gulf of Mexico in Louisiana.
The history of this great river dates back thousands of years to the Native Americans. In the 18th century, it was the main boundary of the newly formed United States of America. Still today it is the line we commonly understand that separates the Eastern United States from the Western United States.
Today the mighty Mississippi River is experiencing major issues from climate change and pollution — most notably chemicals from agriculture runoff — and drought conditions have lowered the river water levels to the point of stranding shipping barges as recently as October and November 2022.
Nobody knows what the future holds for this mighty river, but I will have all those pictures saved as memories of what it once looked like each time I crossed it.
