If you ever plan to motor West,
Do it my way, take the byway, that's
the best.
Get a clue, take Route 82.
On April 23, I drove from Jacksonville, Florida to Tuscaloosa, Alabama
to attend the wedding of my second cousin, Billy. I returned to Jacksonville
on April 25. This is a pictorial record of the trip.
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Here's a map of the route I took. Westbound I went northwest to Waycross
Georgia, then took US 82 all the way to Tuscaloosa, a total distance of
498 miles. On the return trip, I went south through Alabama to pickup Interstate
10 in Florida. The trip back was about 504 miles.
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Somewhere west of Waycross, on US 82, the Buick crossed the 300,000
mile mark on the odometer.
I stopped for a moment to capture the milestone on film.
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US 82 passes through little towns that time forgot, with quaint shops
down each side of the main street and a railroad track through the middle.
In this town, Pearson Georgia I believe, the railroad tracks had recently
been removed, and there was probably a Wal-Mart somewhere nearby.
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I started taking pictures of many old mansions, tumble down shanties,
rustic churches and barns along the way. This hobby is aggravating to fellow
travellers, but since I was alone, everybody in the car was happy.
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Sometimes it's difficult to tell if these old structures are still
occupied, or just forgotten. I approach with caution to get a photo. What
could life be like in these old places?
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The men of Enigma Georgia have a club house somewhere down a little
dirt road. I went looking for it, but couldn't find it.
I wonder what the club mission is.
It's an enigma.
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Proof that these Georgia backroads have not kept up with "progress."
At this gas station, they will pump it for you.
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Look at this. There's a Holiday Inn in Jacksonville, Florida, only
150 miles down the road.
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When the workday is over, the animals all bedded down and the chores
done, people like to slip down to the Night Shift Club for some adult beverages.
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In Dawson, the County Courthouse, built in 1892 is currently undergoing
restoration and renovation.
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In Cuthbert, Georgia, US 82 splits to go around the water tower,
a central feature of this little town.
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This old house in Cuthbert, badly in need of repair and paint,
looks as if it was abandoned, yet there is a satellite dish receiver on
the porch
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A little further down the same street, beautiful, well kept homes
like this one are prevalent.
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This beauty, on US 82 in Cuthbert, is for sale.
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Here I'm standing on a high bluff in Eufaula, Alabama, having just
crossed the Chattahoochee River from Georgia in the distance. The river
is dammed a few miles downstream, creating this wide reservoir.
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Just across the Chattahoochee in Eufaula, Alabama, US 82 passes
through a beautiful residential area, lined on both sides by beautiful,
well kept houses. This is just one example of many magnificent homes.
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In Union Springs, Alabama, I stopped at Hardee's for dinner. This
nice lady was serving me when her son arrived, all decked out for his high
school prom. She wished she had a camera. I took this picture and another,
to send to her.
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Well, it's dark now. I've been on the road for about eight hours
and I'm only two thirds of the way there. It's at least another 150 miles
to Tuscaloosa. No more stops for photography. When I finally arrived at
the hotel, there was a message, an invitation to the rehearsal dinner,
two hours earlier. I went straight to bed and slept for 12 hours, until
noon the next day.
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