{"id":1974,"date":"2016-06-16T22:35:12","date_gmt":"2016-06-16T22:35:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thewachs.com\/wachsacrossamerica\/?p=1974"},"modified":"2016-06-22T11:24:47","modified_gmt":"2016-06-22T11:24:47","slug":"mud-island","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/thewachs.com\/wachsacrossamerica\/2016\/06\/16\/mud-island\/","title":{"rendered":"Mud Island"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Our adventure today will take us to Mud Island. \u00a0With our picnic lunch packed we crossed the Mississippi from our Arkansas campground to Tennessee (about a 10-15 minute drive) to this little island in the river. \u00a0You have to pay $6 to park for the day. \u00a0The lot only had 3 or 4 other cars in it so there was no trouble finding a spot. \u00a0What were we doing here? \u00a0Why does one venture onto Mud Island? \u00a0Because as you watch a portion of the\u00a0Mighty Mississippi flow by the island you can also enjoy viewing and playing in the entire length of the Mini Mississippi:\u00a0 a 2000 foot long exact scale model of the Mississippi river! \u00a0You can read all the stats and detailed info\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.mudisland.com\/c-14-riverwalk.aspx\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a title=\"Amazing details\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/136797225@N05\/27180591814\/in\/album-72157669450073652\/\" data-flickr-embed=\"true\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/c7.staticflickr.com\/8\/7297\/27180591814_bda9a53e70_n.jpg\" alt=\"Amazing details\" width=\"320\" height=\"240\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<p>This place was way better than I expected. \u00a0I was amazed by the detail. \u00a0And not only the horizontal detail capturing the twists and turns of the river but also the vertical detail. \u00a0You could see shipping channels, sand bars, flood plains, lakes and islands. \u00a0In fact, we were able to find the scale Mud Island while on Mud Island!<br \/>\n<a title=\"Pointing to Mud Island\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/136797225@N05\/27792313025\/in\/album-72157669450073652\/\" data-flickr-embed=\"true\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/c2.staticflickr.com\/8\/7299\/27792313025_11f74ab413_n.jpg\" alt=\"Pointing to Mud Island\" width=\"240\" height=\"320\" \/><\/a><script src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\n \u00a0And the the details of the cities and bridges made it fun to check out the places we were familiar with. \u00a0We recognized the I-40 and I-55 crossings we&#8217;d used the last few days while in the Memphis area. \u00a0And further down river we came across Baton Rouge and the I-10 crossing we had traversed 4 months ago. \u00a0Wow, that&#8217;s hard to believe&#8230;4 months we&#8217;ve been east of the Mississippi!<br \/>\n <a title=\"Our first Miss. crossing\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/136797225@N05\/27792304455\/in\/album-72157669450073652\/\" data-flickr-embed=\"true\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/c8.staticflickr.com\/8\/7682\/27792304455_154b797785_n.jpg\" alt=\"Our first Miss. crossing\" width=\"320\" height=\"240\" \/><\/a><script src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>It was super hot but relief could be found in the shade of the numerous trees along the way\u00a0and by dipping and splashing in the water. \u00a0The kids went as far as sitting and laying in the water creating sort of human dams&#8230;.dam Wachs. \u00a0They also\u00a0had fun floating their flip flops down the river: \u00a0USS Flip,\u00a0USS Flop, SV Left and SV Right. \u00a0Dacen made sure his footwear sailed the entire length of the river.<\/p>\n<p>Eventually the river dumps into the Gulf of Mexico which is an acre sized wading pool with fountain. \u00a0Once there we nabbed a table and had some lunch. \u00a0To cool down we went into the almost deserted snack bar and asked the lady at the counter if we could just soak up some of the AC. \u00a0&#8220;Of course, y&#8217;all come right on in and stay as long as you like.&#8221; \u00a0This woman was super sweet and came out and chatted with us. \u00a0Before we left she asked if we wanted to fill our water bottles with ice which we gratefully accepted.<\/p>\n<p>Mud Island gets high marks from the Wachs. \u00a0It is fun, educational, impressive and free (other than parking). \u00a0The only thing that would make it better is if we had toured the entire length of the real Mississippi along the <a href=\"http:\/\/experiencemississippiriver.com\/\">Great River Road<\/a>\u00a0so that we had more familiarity and connection with the river. \u00a0Our friends at <a href=\"https:\/\/ditchingsuburbia.com\/\">Ditching Suburbia<\/a>\u00a0explored the Great River Road awhile back and it looked like a lot of fun. \u00a0If you have the time I recommend reading about their adventures <a href=\"https:\/\/ditchingsuburbia.com\/archive\/category\/great-river-road\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>We were all pretty beat so we headed for home after a quick drive by of Sun Studios and Graceland. \u00a0We all showered up and spent the rest of the day playing (kids) and working (adults). \u00a0Another day in a long list of fun and memorable experiences shared as a family.<\/p>\n<div id=\"flickr_72157669450073652_9637\"><div class=\"slickr-flickr-slideshow landscape medium \"><div class=\"active\"><img src=\"https:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7112\/27691948652_ef39690093.jpg\" title=\"Going to Tennessee\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>Going to Tennessee<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7323\/27758142586_2446f2cf00.jpg\" title=\"Mud Island\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>Mud Island<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7180\/27758173996_45c444087b.jpg\" title=\"Lake Itasca\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>Lake Itasca<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7285\/27513989910_d0bf293162.jpg\" title=\"USS Flip and USS Flop\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>USS Flip and USS Flop<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7265\/27513986680_099380d270.jpg\" title=\"Cooling off\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>Cooling off<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7373\/27181381313_fbc0245e49.jpg\" title=\"Headwaters of the Arkansas\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>Headwaters of the Arkansas<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7435\/27180584694_b44c016d4e.jpg\" title=\"Dam Wachs\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>Dam Wachs<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7297\/27180591814_bda9a53e70.jpg\" title=\"Amazing details\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>Amazing details<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7299\/27792313025_11f74ab413.jpg\" title=\"Pointing to Mud Island\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>Pointing to Mud Island<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7386\/27513982210_27da354320.jpg\" title=\"Dam Wachs again\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>Dam Wachs again<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7435\/27513996160_154d8d1d64.jpg\" title=\"In the &quot;Mississippi&quot;\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>In the \"Mississippi\"<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7682\/27792304455_154b797785.jpg\" title=\"Our first Miss. crossing\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>Our first Miss. crossing<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7439\/27180576524_c85e6c9ca2.jpg\" title=\"In the Gulf of Mexico\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>In the Gulf of Mexico<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7346\/27180569554_a12075880b.jpg\" title=\"Sun Studios\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>Sun Studios<\/p><\/div><div><img src=\"https:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7547\/27513958040_e66c8eb1da.jpg\" title=\"Return to Arkansas\" alt=\"\"  \/><p>Return to Arkansas<\/p><\/div><\/div><script type=\"text\/javascript\">jQuery(\"#flickr_72157669450073652_9637\").data(\"options\",{\"delay\":3000,\"autoplay\":true,\"transition\":500,\"link\":\"next\",\"target\":\"_self\",\"width\":\"\",\"height\":\"\"});<\/script><div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><script src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Our adventure today will take us to Mud Island. \u00a0With our picnic lunch packed we crossed the Mississippi from our Arkansas campground to Tennessee (about a 10-15 minute drive) to this little island in the river. \u00a0You have to pay $6 to park for the day. \u00a0The lot only had 3 or 4 other cars [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_s2mail":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[69,68],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/thewachs.com\/wachsacrossamerica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1974"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/thewachs.com\/wachsacrossamerica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/thewachs.com\/wachsacrossamerica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/thewachs.com\/wachsacrossamerica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/thewachs.com\/wachsacrossamerica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1974"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"http:\/\/thewachs.com\/wachsacrossamerica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1974\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1980,"href":"http:\/\/thewachs.com\/wachsacrossamerica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1974\/revisions\/1980"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/thewachs.com\/wachsacrossamerica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1974"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/thewachs.com\/wachsacrossamerica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1974"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/thewachs.com\/wachsacrossamerica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1974"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}