RED/BLUE – The Longleaf Trace Companion
One of Mississippi’s best kept secrets among walkers, runners and bicyclists is the Longleaf Trace. Restored from the rail bed of the old Mississippi Central Railroad, the Longleaf Trace stretches a little over 40 miles from Hattiesburg to Prentiss as a pristine, hard-surfaced walking/biking path with a number of support structures along the way.
Now, visitors to the trail have at their disposal a newly published guide, The Longleaf Trace Companion, penned by Lamar County Board of Supervisors Attorney and Purvis Municipal Judge Tony Mozingo. Mozingo’s name might be familiar to some readers as an early prospective candidate for the Mississippi Supreme Court before current Justice Jess Dickinson emerged to challenge then Justice Chuck McRae several years ago.
Athletes, historians, and outdoorsmen alike will benefit from Judge Mozingo’s entertaining and informative work. The Companion contains maps and narrative explanations for every mile along the Trace, along with historical photographs and detailed information — including cross-sections of elevation changes for the entire length of the Trace — not expected in a low-cost guide book.
The Longleaf Trace Companion is available in paperback for $19.95, and may be found on-line at www.toottootpublishing.com. It’s a fun read and a valuable aid for visitors to the Trace; I’ve enjoyed the book, and now I intend to go enjoy the Trace.
Andy Taggart
The Clarion-Ledger Blog
7/13/9
