Monday 9/18/2023 - The Circle Continues

We departed Goat Island Brewing in Cullman Alabama for our drive to Anderson Road COE outside of Nashville. The hospitality of these folks was truly special. They made us feel like family from the minute we walked in the door! We will stop again, when we are over this way! I completed my walk in the industrial park that the brewery is in. It was not scenic, but it was efficient! 

We took US 31 N into Hartselle, because we had to be out of the Harvest Host by 8:30am, so we went to a Walmart parking lot to have breakfast and pick up a few items.

You can certainly see the German influence in Cullman! Everywhere they are getting ready for Octoberfest!

Hartselle is included in the book The 100 Best Small Towns in America. It is the birthplace of novelist and journalist William Bradford Huie. It is also infamous for a progressive US congressman and senator John J. Sparkman. For its connections to Huie, the city is a stop on the Southern Literary Trail. What trail? The Southern Literary Trail is the first tri-state literary trail in the US. It celebrates acclaimed 20th century writers and playwrights of Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia. You can follow it for a journey of discovery to the places that shaped and inspired these writers and playwrights. The Trail is a non-stop literary celebration with events, programs, and exhibits taking place at Trail sites throughout the year.

The next big town on US 31 N is Decatur Alabama. The old Decatur Historic District dates back to the town's settlement in 1817. In the beginning it was called Rhodes Ferry Landing after Dr. Henry W Rhodes, an early landowner who operated a ferry across the Tennessee River. In 1820, President Monroe directed the town be renamed Decatur in honor of Commodore Stephen Decatur after the naval hero was killed in a duel earlier that year. Official incorporation took place in 1826. The Old State Bank, on the edge of downtown, is the oldest bank building in the State of Alabama, being 190 years old. The first wave pool in the United States was built in Decatur and is still in operation at the Point Mallard Aquatic Center.

On Route 31, we came into Athens, Alabama. First thing I thought of was the bulldogs, but that is Athens Georgia! Oooooppps, this is Roll Tide territory! The first settlement came in 1807. Robert Beaty and John Corriel obtained the first land grant, getting 160 acres from the land office in Huntsville. The area continued to flourish and draw more settlers, and by 1818, Athens was an incorporated city before Alabama became a state. Athens is home to three governors, William Wyatt Bibb, Joshua L. Martin and George S. Houston. Founded in 1822, the state's oldest institution of higher education, Athens State University, is in Athens too. Athens boasts a number of historic buildings and residences. Originally an agricultural community, Athens has evolved into a major center of technology in North Alabama.

We turned onto US 72 and crossed the Tennessee River on the "Steamboat Bill" Memorial Bridge. They are two bridges that span one of the widest points along the Tennessee River. The river begins upstream of Knoxville, Tennessee and flows 652 miles south then west across northern. It is the largest river system that passes through the state and is one of the only rivers whose course enters and leaves a state at more than one point.

Along US 72, we got stuck in a bit of traffic and it was right in front of Doomsday Paintball. What an ominous looking place! I learned that they have paintballs, airsoft, and during Halloween they create a unique “doomed town.” This Halloween haunt takes place in an old war-torn town, located somewhere deep in the woods that was quarantined by the government after a large nuclear explosion was thought to have happened many years ago. Unfortunately, the locals had no clue what was coming, and before they knew it, the military set up massive fences & nets around the entire area, to control the radioactive fallout damage. 

According to the last known people living outside the quarantine zone, this extreme event caused the local townspeople to be forcibly cut-off from the outside world for nearly 70 years, making them very unpredictable and unwelcoming. It is thought that their descendants may still inhabit this area – but be warned that few people that have dared to go looking for this forsaken town has ever lived to tell about it! There was a cool Lincoln Town car painted in patriotic colors. The condition reminded me of one we rode in Amarillo to go from the campground to The Big Texan restaurant.

We skirted Huntsville, Alabama. It is home to technology, space, and defense industries and have a major presence here with the Army's Redstone Arsenal, NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, and Cummings Research Park. It’s been years since we have been to Redstone, but it’s not on the route, so no stopping! We turned back onto US 231 N, the road we spent most of the other day on. We crossed the from Alabama into Tennessee on this route.

The first “big” town was Park City. It turns out, it is not a city, just a tree lined suburb of Fayetteville, Tennessee. The name "Fayetteville" was chosen in honor of the many settlers who came here from Fayetteville, North Carolina. The first church in Fayetteville was the Presbyterian Church, known at the time as the First Church of Fayetteville. It was established in 1812. One of the most famous landmarks of Fayetteville is the remains of the Stone Bridge, commonly known by the locals of Fayetteville as the “Old Stone Bridge”. It was in 1860 that John Markum and Patrick Flannery, the architects and contractors, began the building of the bridge.

This route on US 231 was a beautiful representation of the rolling hills of Tennessee. But, I would rather have these hills than the whoosh, whoosh of the tractor trailers passing you in the interstate. Travel is about the journey and not just the destination.

We stopped at the Walmart in Shelbyville for our last break before arrival. Shelbyville was established in 1810 on 100 acres of land donated by Clement Cannon (1783-1860), local manufacturer and veteran of the War of 1812. The city was named in honor of General Isaac Shelby (1750-1826), statesman and noted Revolutionary War hero who led colonial forces to victory at King's Mountain. Rich in both cultural history and natural beauty, the town is known worldwide for the annual Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration, a prestigious equestrian event dating back to 1939.

Murfreesboro’s name carries a unique history. Originally called Cannonsburgh in tribute to Tennessee politician Newton Cannon, the city underwent a name change to honor Colonel Hardy Murfree. However, “Murfreesboro” can be a bit of a tongue-twister, so it’s commonly affectionately referred to as “The ‘Boro” by the locals, a more succinct and friendly nickname. Murfreesboro is home to Middle Tennessee State University. Stones River National Battlefield and Cemetery. County seat of Rutherford County.

We arrived at Anderson Road Campground is a lakeside oasis in the green hills of Tennessee. It is our home for the next 2 nights!

God did not disappoint, he gave us a glorious sunset!

#TwoLaneAdventures

Sunday 9/17/2023 – The Circle Continues

We departed Gunter Hill for our drive to Goat Island Brewing for our overnight stop. We took US 31 to US 80 to US 231. We stayed on US 231. The first big town we came to after we skirted on the south side of Montgomery was Wetumpka. It is located in what is called Alabama's River Region. Wetumpka is a quaint, small town with a big history. In 1834, the city of Wetumpka was incorporated, eventually becoming the seat of Elmore County. But long before its official incorporation, Wetumpka played host to a range of significant events.

What many don’t realize is the hills not only indicate the end of the Appalachian foothills, but some are actually the outline of “Alabama’s greatest natural disaster!” Roughly 80 million years ago, when most of the area was covered by the edge of an ocean, marine reptiles inhabited the water and dinosaurs lived on land nearby, a crater was created by a meteor blasting deep into bedrock under a shallow sea. The hills east of downtown are the eroded remains of the rim of the Wetumpka Impact Crater, almost five miles wide! It is one of only 200 world-recognized impact craters. This unique feature lends to the city’s nickname as the “city of natural beauty.”

From war heroes to movie backdrops, Wetumpka has also served as the staging place for many famous events, including conflicts during the French and Indian War, as well as the Creek War phase of the War of 1812. Fort Toulouse/Fort Jackson stands as evidence of this today and hosts many events, including some of the largest living history events in the state. And while truth is sometimes stranger than fiction, cult classics like “Big Fish” and “The Grass Harp” were all filmed in this picturesque city.

Home Town Take Over is an HGTV series with Ben and Erin Napier. HGTV received more than 5,000 submissions, representing 2,600 towns from around the country. They selected Wetumpka because, despite hardships, natural disasters and unexpected setbacks, the community’s undying spirit and resilience showed that they were ready to kickstart a comeback with HGTV’s help. HGTV showcased 12 major renovations all over Wetumpka, including restaurants, shops, historic homes, public spaces, a new farmers’ market—and even an entire downtown street—with the goal that the impact will ripple through the community for generations to come. According to all I read, it certainly has!

Located on Hatchet Creek, Rockford was known originally as Lexington, but the name was changed to Rockford in 1835. An effort was made to move the seat, but Rockford retained its status, being selected over Nixburg and Wetumpka in May 1840. In 1906, the courthouse was renovated and has since been restored since then. Later in the twentieth century, the textile industry became a major employer for residents, particularly Avondale Mills. Avondale established a plant in Rockford and plants in Sylacauga to the north and Alexander City to the east. The Rockford plant closed in January 2008, and Avondale went out of business shortly thereafter. Since 2008, Rockford has heavily depended on their abundance of natural resources calling to outdoor adventure seekers and tourists to keep the town alive.

On US 231, there is a “milk carton” between Rockford and Sylacauga. It was once the site of Dark’s Dairy, opened around 1946 by Lillian and Ruben Dark. The dairy operated until the 1980s. After that, the block structure fell into disrepair. But now, the block structure has been restored. It’s great to see communities pull together to save and restore unique landmarks. I love seeing gems like this on our two lane adventures!

Long known as "The Marble City", Sylacauga sits above a solid deposit of the finest marble in the world. Some of the most beautiful buildings in the country have been constructed and/or ornamented with Sylacauga marble. If you’ve ever visited the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC and stared up at the marble ceiling, you’ve seen a piece of Alabama history. The ceiling is made of white marble mined in Sylacauga.

In addition to lending its natural treasure to some of the nation’s most notable buildings, Sylacauga also holds the title for having the longest deposit of marble in the world. The bed of stone runs 32 miles long, a mile and a half wide, and more than 600 feet deep. The marble found in this quarry is especially desirable for two key characteristics: its purity and its durability. When paired together, these distinct qualities make Alabama marble some of the most desired in the world for large-scale buildings and monuments, as well as homes and sculptures. In 1969, marble was named Alabama’s state rock.

What is now Sylacauga was first mentioned in Hernando de Soto's records in 1540, yet the first settlers in the Coosa River Valley were the Creek Indians. The village of Chalakagay was built by Shawnee Indians in 1748, and the name Sylacauga is a derivative of the Indian words Chalakage, which mean "The Place of the Chalaka Tribe". Established in 1834, the city was first incorporated in 1838 as Syllacoga and again in 1887 as Sylacauga.

Our next town was Childersburg, it’s claim to fame is it is the Oldest Continually Occupied City in America, dating to 1540. The city’s beginnings date back to Coosa, a village of the Coosa Indian Nation that was in the area. Childersburg is billed as the oldest settlement in the nation, predating even St. Augustine, FL. That's because the area was visited, and its location recorded in 1540 when explorer Hernando De Soto made a rest stop during an early expedition. At the time, the area was a village settled by Coosa Indians.

The area that became Blountsville was settled as early as 1816. Initially called Bear Meat Cabin after the home of a Creek Indian, the town became a popular stopover for the many settlers streaming into Alabama after the Creek War of 1813-14. In December 1820, Blountsville became the county seat of newly created Blount County, a distinction it held until 1889, when the county seat was moved to Oneonta. By 1860, some five major roads ran through the town. The first school in the county, Blountsville Academy, was built in the town sometime before the Civil War. It was replaced by Blount College in 1890.

In Blountsville, we started to head west on AL 47, AL 51 and AL 91. Which brought us back onto US 31. Yes, the same route we had started the day on south of Montgomery! Our final destination for today is in Cullman Alabama. Cullman was founded by Col. Johann Gottfried Cullmann, a German refugee from Bavaria. He came to America in 1866. While working at a bookstore in Cincinnati, Ohio, he began formulating ideas of a special colony of working people. Specifically, a place for immigrants from countries such as his native Germany. He read about the vast unsettled lands in the South, and bought passage on a boat to Florence, Alabama. There he met with Governor Patton and presented his idea. The Governor furnished men and horses for him to explore available lands in North Alabama.

He finally met with Lewis Fink, the land agent for the great South-North Railroad, which had just built a line through the wilderness from Decatur to Montgomery. He contracted with the railroad for 349,000 acres with the stipulation that Col. Cullmann would pay for all advertising of the land and other expenses incurred in bringing the desired immigrants to the area. Col. Cullmann found the area to be perfect for his dream colony. Cullmann then went back north and began to advertise for colonists. In April of 1873, the first five families came by train to the spot where Cullman now stands. Each was allotted a plot of ground. The colony quickly grew, with American citizens and German immigrants moving to the area. In the middle of 1874, an election was held to incorporate the town. With thirty votes cast, there were twenty-three for incorporation and seven against. It was also decided that the town would be called “Cullman” after its founder, but with only one “n.” For the next twenty years, Col. Cullmann was instrumental in the growth of Cullman and Cullman County. He would bring in groups of settlers, sell them land, and then use that money to send back to Germany for more settlers. Between 1871 and 1895, Col. Cullmann brought more than 100,000 immigrants to the South from Europe and other parts of the United States.

April 25-28, 2011, saw a super outbreak of approximately 350 tornadoes produced by a single long–term event of related systems from Texas to Virginia. Of those storms, 199 occurred in one 24-hour period on April 27, which included 62 in Alabama. Between 5:48 a.m. and 7:13 p.m. on April 27, 2011, Cullman County was struck by four tornadoes ranging from a tiny EF-0 to two massive EF-4 storms. It was this day that Cullman, Alabama was turned upside down by a tornado. 

While devastation hit hard, something was brewing in the midst of destruction. Actions related to the rebuilding after the storm set in motion a series of fortunate events. An old high school friendship was rekindled and the passion for making good beer was sparked. Their two brew masters had a solid reputation of home brewing, designing new beers, and perfecting the American and German classics. When the two began to collaborate and brew together, magic happened, and synergy took their beer recipes to a new level. They like to call it a true “brewmance.” 

Behind the scenes stood the rest of the "brew crew." The full crew includes a rocket scientist, a geologist, an insurance agent, and a cop. What started out as a dream has become a reality. New beer has been created, dreams were fueled, and the birth of something this town had not seen since the 1800s: a brewery. 

Goat Island Brewing was established in early 2015 on a foundation of friendship and a firm belief that it is never too late to go after your dream. I love their references to “old goats” and their slogan of “Life is too short to drink baaad beer!”

Their annual Oktoberfest is next weekend, but preparations have already begun!

We are spending the night at their infamous Goat Island Brewing, a Harvest Host site. We love to stay at Harvest Host locations, because you get to interact with the business owners and enjoy some great hospitality!

We did enjoy some great beers and Mary had wine. Since they don’t serve food, we ordered in from Marco’s. Pizza for Gerry & Charlie and salad for Mary and me. We also played some Singo. We had fun, but we certainly need to learn more music if we ever hope to win!

Our sites for the night were nothing fancy, but they were quiet, safe and secure!

See you tomorrow as our #TwoLaneAdventure continues!

Saturday 9/16/2023 – The Circle Continues

Rain, Rain, go away! We sat out all morning after Mary and I finished our walk, after our rain delay! Finally, around noon, we decided to get cleaned up and Charlie was ready to “rest his eyes!” Around 1pm, the sun broke through the clouds, and it started to get a bit warmer!

Mid-afternoon we decided to take a drive and we discovered that Montgomery has an Air Force Base! By the 1920s, Montgomery became an important link in the growing system of aerial mail service. It was in the early 1930s when the Army Air Corps Tactical School moved to Maxwell and Montgomery became the country's intellectual center for airpower education. In 1994, the 42nd Air Base Wing, which had its own history of bombardment and air refueling missions since the early 1940s, was transferred to Maxwell Air Force Base from Loring Air Force Base, which closed that year.

The location of Maxwell Air Force Base is home to a proud tradition of aviators and airpower advocates, dating all the way back to the Wright Brothers' flying school, which was built on this site in 1910. In May of that year, the first recorded heavier-than-air night flights in aviation history occurred here. One newspaper article written at the time noted that the Wright flyer was seen "glinting now and then in the moonlight."

The 42nd Air Base Wing is the host unit for Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base. Their mission is critical to national security; it provides the foundation for success for Air University, the 908th Airlift Wing; the Business and Enterprise Systems Directorate; and more than 30 tenant units.

The Wing ensures Airmen are ready to deploy in support of US military operations worldwide and takes a proactive approach to promoting their professional and personal growth. The Wing is also responsible for the safety and security of the base, which it accomplishes through force protection, maintaining and modernizing facilities and infrastructure, and seeking efficient new ways of conducting operations. With a population of more than 12,500 active duty, reserve, civilian and contractor personnel, the Maxwell-Gunter community has a significant economic and cultural impact on the River Region.

We love to camp at Gunter Hill Corps of Engineer Campground. The campground has two loops, Antioch and Catoma. 

Antioch has water and electric sites, but the sites are more wooded, and the views of the water are spectacular! Catoma loop has full hook up sites, all the sites are paved and mowed. It is located along Catoma Creek, southwest of Montgomery Alabama.

Friday 9/15/2023 – The Circle Continues

Mary and I drove the first leg of our trip today to Gunter Hill. We did walk and here is a sunrise picture! Because I was driving, you will have to enjoy my colorful commentary without pictures, until we switched drivers!

We departed Torreya State Park at 10am or was it 9am… our phones and smart watches kept going back and forth between Eastern and Central time! We took the same route we took yesterday to go to lunch, US 12 to US 20 into Bristol and onto Blountstown. Before Blountstown, you cross the Apalachicola River, which is also where we officially crossed into the central time zone.

In Blountstown, we turned north on US 71. The City of Blountstown was named for John Blount, a Seminole Indian Chief. Blount was a guide for General Andrew Jackson who invaded Spanish Florida in 1818. This invasion caused the United States to purchase Florida from Spain and the territory became a part of the US in 1821.

Blountstown murals is brightly decorated with several large and colorful murals on their Main Street buildings. There is one that spells out the town name with pictures of all the things that make Blountstown so special. There is a beautiful waving flag of red, white and blue. On the side of a boutique is several ladies shopping and all the goods they can purchase. There is another mural where the centerpiece looks like an old, colorized postcard. There are images of landmark buildings surrounding the centerpiece postcard.

In Marrietta FL, we got gas and changed drivers. We did not get gas at Texaco, but I love the look of the old gas signs!

The Historic Russ House was built in the 1890s and significantly remodeled in 1910. One of the most beautiful Classical Revival/Queen Anne homes in America, it is an impressive landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Said to be haunted, it has been the focus of a number of paranormal investigations and is rumored to have several ghosts. I’ll pass on the guided tours!

In Campbellton Florida, I spotted Southern Fields Brewery. Too bad it is so early in the morning! It is a family-owned brewery. The property was a 120-year-old restored bank building and new building addition. The founder, Brian Walker and his family, have roots that go deep into the community. The family harvested and milled their own wood fallen by Hurricane Michael creating the interior walls. The wood for the bar is made out of 325 plus year old wood. All the tables in the tasting room are made from reclaimed wood from a loft originally in the bank building. Live music on the weekends and an onsite food truck will keep patrons coming back and staying for food, fun, and good times.

Before we crossed the border from Florida into Alabama unceremoniously, we turned onto US 231, which we will take all the way to Montgomery. There was no “welcome to Alabama” sign. Just the GPS saying, “State border ahead” and the “welcome” rest area. 

The first town we come to is Dothan. We have been here before for Alabama Good Sam rallies. Dothan Alabama is where peanuts reign supreme! Move over Georgia! In fact, Dothan is known as the “Peanut Capital of the World!” Dothan is the center of a 100-mile radius where more than half of all peanuts in the US are grown. Every Fall, Dothan hosts the National Peanut Festival, a two-week event to honor local peanut farmers and celebrate the harvest season. There is a Peanut Parade, rides, livestock shows, agricultural displays and, of course, lots of peanuts to munch on.

On our travels, we have seen many animals and other objects “on parade.” Horses in Rochester NY and Shawnee OK. Bulldogs in Athens, GA. Apples in Winchester VA. Bears in Hendersonville NC. Swans in Lakeland FL and Bucky Badger in Madison WI. 

In Dothan AL, you will find Peanuts around town! Giant peanuts are on almost every corner in Dothan! It was created by The Dothan Downtown Redevelopment Authority. Local businesses, civic organizations, and individuals purchased and decorated their peanut according to their own concept. The 5-foot-high peanut sculptures are made entirely of fiberglass. Each sculpture is as unique as the individual organization itself. I only have a few pictures because I did not want to ask Charlie would not drive us all over Dothan to see the peanuts, like he did in Iowa. HE helped me create our own "Freedom Rock tour" to see the rocks painted by Ray “Bubba” Sorensen II! Want to read more about those rocks? Check it out here.

On our route, we passed close to Fort Novosel. Never heard of it. That’s because it was Fort Rucker. But the Army “brass” had an issue with Army Installations being named for a Civil War officer, Confederate Colonel Edmund Rucker. I cannot fault the decorated solider the fort is named for now, Chief Warrant Officer Michael J. Novosel. He was an Army aviator and Medal of Honor recipient. The post is the primary flight training installation for U.S. Army Aviators and is home to the United States Army Aviation Center of Excellence and the United States Army Aviation Museum.

Along US 231 there is a reinforced concrete river bridge, thought to be the first in Alabama. It was erected over Pea River in 1920-21. It was dedicated as a memorial to the 57 men from Dale County who lost their lives in World War 1. In 1977, through the efforts of the Dale County Historical Society, The Veterans Memorial Bridge was placed on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage by The Alabama Historical Commission.

In Troy Alabama, we passed Bicentennial Park. It looked like a great tribute to Veterans. A collection of military and civilian memorials and the stories behind them.

We turned of Route 231 and made our way to Gunter Hill a Corps of Engineer campground, our home for two nights! 

The view from our sites never disappoints!

#TwoLaneAdventures

Thursday 9/14/2023 – The Circle Continues

We reserved two nights at Torreya State Park, near Rock Bluff Florida. Mary and I enjoyed an early morning walk on all the paved roads in the park. There were signs that the trails could contain snakes, so we avoided them!

We walked to The Gregory House. It is a beautiful Southern mansion built in 1849 by prominent Calhoun County planter Jason Gregory. Originally stood across the Apalachicola River from the park at Ocheesee Landing. When first built, it stood atop 5-foot-high brick pillars, an architectural feature that kept the interior of the home safe from the annual floods of the river. Gregory's plantation prospered until the beginning of the Civil War and the abolition of slavery. 

During the Civil War, Confederate army and navy officers occasionally visited the home. Some of the victims of the explosion of the ill-fated Confederate gunboat C.S.S. Chattahoochee were brought there for care until they could be carried upriver to Columbus, Georgia. The war was not profitable for Gregory's plantation. He moved away, and over time the house fell into disrepair. Although one of his daughters moved back for a time and restored the home, it had become dilapidated by the time Torreya State Park was created during the 1930s.

Eventually the Neal Lumber Co. took ownership of the home and donated it to the new Torreya State Park. In 1935 the Civilian Conservation Corps disassembled the entire building and moved it across the river to its present location in the park. The high bluffs overlooking the Apalachicola River make this park one of Florida's most scenic places. It was developed by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the 1930s. Hiking and birdwatching are the most popular activities here. There are over 100 species of birds have been spotted in the park.

The park is named for an extremely rare species of Torreya tree that grows only on the bluffs along the Apalachicola River. The park’s high plateaus, steep bluffs and deep ravines are covered with a forest that harbors a variety of rare plants and animals. Many of them are more common farther north than this location.

We took a drive today and went through Bristol, Florida. Bristol was first settled and became the county seat in 1859. When the town was first settled it included one store, three sawmills, three gristmills, a hotel, several churches, and a population of 300. Mail was brought in by boat and the principal exports were cotton, oranges, honey, beeswax, and hides.

Located not far from Bristol in Liberty County, is the Garden of Eden Trail. It is part of the 6,295-acre Apalachicola Bluffs and Ravines Preserve. The Nature Conservancy built the trail with the help of an army of volunteers over a number of years. I would have loved to stop, but checking out the reviews, it was not in the cards with Charlie & Gerry with us. If Mary had not walked with me this morning, she might have been game. But the reviews said the trail was more like 5-mile, not the 3.75-mile hike the web site states.

We enjoyed lunch in Blountstown, a town we will pass through tomorrow. So, I won’t share much today other than to say we enjoyed pizza and salad lunch, and Jody was the best waitress around!

Stay tuned for more adventures tomorrow! #TwoLaneAdventures