Sea to shining sea, almost

Georgia has many varieties of birds. Yesterday a bright cardinal caught my attention as I cruised down US-280. Today, a flock of large white birds flew in a low formation late in the afternoon. Both times I pulled over to witness the event but was not handy enough with the camera to catch them.

This region also has a wide variety of trees. With all the logging trucks kicking up sawdust in my face, I am still able to check out the trees growing out of the rivers and the ones completly covered with ivy. In fact, it's quite amazing when I glance to the side and see nothing but ivy growing higher than roadside telephone poles. For the most part everything is green but just a few hours ago I did notice the first traces of autumn colors.

The smell of pine in the morning is something I will always enjoy. But it's when I unexpectedly pass through a stretch of highly fragerant flowers that brings a smile to my face. It's especially true when the flowers are not visible from the road and I feel a bit sorry for all the drivers that miss out.

Yesterday I stopped in Cuthbert for a quick bite and was impressed by the town's historic layout. Similar to Eufaula, this town preserves their local atmosphere near the town square while keeping the chain restaurants at bay along the highway. The statue of a Confederate soldier faced north; always on guard. When passing through Mt. Vernon, I couldn't help but notice the beautiful historical architecture and in Vidalia, I stopped long enough to learn the rich history of their prized export: the vidalia onion. I decided to pass on the Thursday night wet T-shirt contest in neighboring Lyons and called it an early evening behind a church that had only a few cockroaches.

This morning's brief stop landed me in Claxton: the world's fruitcake capitol. I of course had to try the fare at the Georgia Fruitcake Company and was a bit surprised that when it is made with care in small batches, it still tastes like fruitcake. I guess it's a Southern thing. The eggplant parmesan sandwhich at LIPS (Little Italy Pizza & Subs) in Pooler however was quite tasty.

I arrived in Savannah (situated just ten miles west of the Atlantic) a few hours ago and my jaw dropped as I entered the historical district. With brick streets and large old buildings, it's a real blessing this town was spared during the Civil War. Now, joined by a few European students, I walk down to River Street which apparently is a miniature Bourbon Street. My expectations are low however, which usually means I have a pretty good time.