June 14, 2004
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THINKING ABOUT BEING ON THE ROAD
We will leave for Maine in about two weeks.
The first day's drive is pretty much through Georgia (factiod; the largest state east of the Mississippi) and do about half way on the interstate (I-75) from Valdosta to Macon. This is mostly flat and hot. They grow lots of Cotton and peanuts (Carter country) and on the drive over from Tallahassee to Valdosta we drive mostly on beautiful, well-maintained four laned roads. We may see a dozen cars and two dozen pickups on the whole 90 miles. Crepe myrtle are out and the roads are lined with them in Florida. that and the live oaks make the first couple of hours spectacular.
I-75 is what you might expect, but after the usual confusion at Macon, I'm sure we will find US 129 and head for the hills. Incidentally, at Macon there is a National monument with an Indian pyramid and round house that's really interesting, and seldom visited (Ockmulgee N.M.). These were not primitive savages but a well organized society.
From Macon, we will head almost due north to the beginning of the Smokys, looping around Athens, still on good roads. The first time I did this was during the civil rights era (late 50's-early 60's) then the roads were terrible, and all the rest stops were either closed or smashed up. I saw the occasional KKK billboard and people were still very suspicious of furreners.
After Athens we will continue north on US 441 and about at Cornelia, we will get our first glimpse of the mountains. We will stop for a while at the Tallulah Gorge, drink some coffee, admire the rhodendrons, and head for North Carolina. This is "Deliverence" country, but the people aren't like that. My family has a long association with this part of the country(well over a century) but personally, I like New England better. This North Georgia, North Carolina, Smoky Mountain NP area is a great favorite summer retreat for people from Florida. There is actually a part of Highlands NC named Miami heights.
We will join the Blue ridge Parkway here and I'll continue the travelogue tomorrow.
Comments (2)
Your trip sounds wonderful. The Smoky Mountains are beautiful. I remember visiting there where I was about 10 years old. I can remember driving around the curves heading to the top and being afriad to look over the edge. Once we got to the top, I remember having my picture taken with real live Indians. It was a great trip. We have wanted to take our son there, but we always seem to end up somewhere else. I have to get him there to see this beautiful area.
Traveling in the 50's and 60's would have been very different then it is today. My father, who is Italian, was treated quite differently in the south during that time period then he was here in the north. He has told me stories about being in a restaurant and being refused service because of his dark hair, dark eyes and olive skin tone. Crazy times.
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