MILE 8241

Day 30. A morning stroll around Asheville for coffee, then a failed attempt to find the downtown residential area. We find ourselves heading south on the interstate and figure it was just meant to be. Four hours later we are in Atlanta rush hour traffic as we work our way across to Marietta to see Stan. He takes us out to one of his favorite Cajun restaurants, then it's back to the motel.









Day 31. Driving around the Atlanta suburbs is frustrating. We drive on many 45 mph roads with many stop signs (lots of hurry up and stop). Stan knows every road and what's on almost every major street corner. Distances take much longer to cover then they look like they should on the map. But it does make it easy to find a waffle house.













Then it's a drive to the train station for a ride into downtown. Patty visits Margaret Mitchell's house. This is not her. (Although, after getting some history on Ms. Mitchell, one cannot be too sure.....)

















Then we all visit the Cyclorama, a massive painting that depicts (with accompanying narration) the battle of Atlanta.














Then it's back to Stan's trailer park for laundry and sausage....and another long drive back to the motel. Heard on the news this morning that Atlanta has been voted the worst city traffic in the world (or something like that) and I add my vote to the pile.

Day 32. Stan takes us out to Stone Mountain, a large park centered around a big rock. One very big rock. A mini-Mt. Rushmore, confederate style.

More good-byes, and we are off to Brunswick, a small city on the Atlantic coast of southern Georgia.
We soon realize we are in the tropics, and the 93 degrees with 100% humidity drives it home.
We insist on checking into a cheap (yet still over-priced) motel room, then head off in search of Ron and Lisa's house for dinner. First class. We are in for an authentic southern food experience. A low country boil in the home of new friends. Some sporadic rain showers prevents us from using the back yard table, but newspapers spread on the dining room table do the trick.We then head out to Jekyll Island to watch the sunset. Kids wading in the water with porpoises swimming around them, mullet fish jumping all around while we bat at sand gnats.
A driving tour of the homes on the island, then back to the house for the best peach cobbler ever.














Day 33. Southern food. Slaw down and pig out.
The days starts with a walk around downtown Brunswick to see the sights. Then we meet up with R & L, and they treat us to a brunch of more of the real thing: grits, black-eyed peas, BBQ pork, greens, fried chicken, tomato casserole, mac and cheese, peanut butter pie, cornbread, biscuits, gravy, squash casserole, grouper, shrimp...and that's just to start.
Drawling from the buzz, we do a guided car tour of the historic district and are then waved goodbye after we cross the above-pictured bridge.













The drive into Florida and across into the panhandle is beautiful. Tropical and smooth. We hit the Gulf of Mexico where the houses are all on stilts waiting for the next storm surge. We finally settle into Apalachicola and head out looking for the elusive alligator tail. And, we find it. And, steamers done gulf style (lots of peppers and no garlic), conch disguised as a hush puppy (not the shoe), and alligator tail, breaded, fried and served with sweet potato fries. Really DOES taste like chicken.