What) Natchez is the county seat of, and the largest and only incorporated city within, Adams County, Mississippi. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 18,464. One of the Mississippi's oldest European-American cities, it was founded by French colonists in 1716. Located along the Mississippi River, Natchez is the southern terminus of the Natchez Trace Parkway. The city is famous in American history for its role in the development of the Old Southwest, particularly with respect to its location on the Mississippi. (1)

    The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. About 2,320 miles (3,730 km) long, the river originates at Lake Itasca, Minnesota, and flows slowly southwards in sweeping meanders, terminating 95 miles (153 km) by river below New Orleans where it begins to flow into the Gulf of Mexico. Along with its major tributary, the Missouri River, the river drains all or parts of 31 U.S. states stretching from the Rocky Mountains in the west to the Appalachian Mountains in the east to the Canada–US border on the north, including most of the Great Plains, and is the fourth longest  and the tenth most powerful river in the world. (2)

    Why) Pam has a love of rivers so she was able to convince me to drive 6 hours out of our way just so we could see the Mississippi River for a couple of hours.  Pam is looking forward to our upcoming Florida trip for many reasons but especially because we intend to drive the entire length of the Mississippi.  In order to interest myself, I am plotting a route that crosses as many of the Mississippi's bridges as possible.