Driving through the deep south of GA & AL

This is Deryl blogging... We’ve had spotty cell coverage recently so haven’t been as up to date on blog as we’d like. (I believe Elena has been, though).

When we last left off, we had spent great time at Discovery Cove in Orlando then headed west to Tampa to do our free day at Busch Gardens.

Then onward a bit north to Homosassa Springs to see the manatee among other funky Florida creatures. Found a neat little camp right on the river and spent an afternoon watching manatee from viewing areas in Homosassa Springs State Park (Best state money use I’ve ever seen) as well as viewing the animals found injured in FL suitable for display, like the panther, some bobcats, bald eagles and an array of birds of prey –excuse me but every time I think “birds of prey” I have to add “know they’re cool” after it. An old Far Side cartoon w/ some vultures on a branch w/ jackets, cigs and dark shades. Also in residence was a fifty year old hippo and it was the sweetest hippo habitat I’ve ever seen. Plenty of space and viewing of this amazing creature. It actually had a personality.

That evening we went to Neon Leons which is owned by the bassist for Lynnrd Skynnrd.  Had some good Bayou cooking and even got some beads.  Elena had her first jambalaya and liked it.

The next day we rented canoes and paddled back up the river to where the state park was.  We saw dozens of manatee in the water - most of them were swimming by us to go feeding out in the bay.  Very cool to see all these big animals just passing under our canoe.

Following our time in that area, we hightailed it up to south western Georgia close to the Georgia Veteran’s Park which was yet again another lovely state park. We headed to a PCA church on Sunday and Elena whispered “Will was right. He said there are no mean people in Georgia.” The folks at the church were all very welcoming and I think most of them spoke with us either before or after service. Close by was a quaint old town called Americus which could be renamed Jimmy and Rosalyn Carterville and the Andersonville Nat Historic Site. This was the Civil War prisoner’s camp where close to 13,000 Union soldiers and 300 Confederate guards died from dysentery, starvation and assorted influenzas in its approx 18 months of existence. A sobering visit but the evils men can inflict on one another mustn’t be pushed under the carpet. The park was quiet and also on a river-lake.

We had seasonable days and spring is finally beginning down here. Daffodils, magnolia trees, birds songs giving way to frogs chorus in the evenings. Dave actually got to play almost and entire round of golf (14 holes) on their course and we had time to sit down to a nice sunset meal in the resort restaurant porch. We saw tons of pecan trees and harvested cotton crops in the area. Oh, and the corner grocers/gas station had three different types of frozen “greens” and okra frozen three ways, but no peas, green beans or broccoli.

Two days and three nights actually felt like a rest from travel and our plan to head up to the Smokies was getting rained out, so we decided to head due west to Montgomery and Selma, AL.

Parked in an Army Corps of Engineers campsite last night on the Alabama River. It’s like the Spanish Moss breeding grounds, the river is brown and slow, and it’s been raining and thunderstorms since we arrived. Creepy. We all awoke this morning safe and sound, however and went in to Montgomery, birthplace of the Civil Rights movement. Went on a tram tour, walked through the state capitol building, the first white house of the Confederacy (a new interest in Jefferson Davis, poor man) and the Archives then lunch at an Oyster place (yay for shrimp and grits and oyster baskets) and while I rushed through a 19th century Alabama display of homes and businesses, Dave and the kids went to a great playground and the pecan factory where we blew $70 on assorted pecan treats. Watch the mail!

Back in RV and heated up some Blount Beef Stew (easy) and made some biscuits (hard in RV). Kids playing Star Wars Wii and D doing some work. Outta here tomorrow for Selma and then north toward TN and KY. Hoping to visit w/ an old Hand Therapy Assoc. friend, Lori, in Huntsville en route!