Georgia on my Mind

Or not. Yesterday we were in downtown Charleston, then over at Fort Sumter, do you think I got my cancellation stamp, INK, at either of these times. How can I plan the trip down to the nanosecond, execute with precision that might make NASA proud and not get the INK. Laziness comes to mind. So before we head out for Fort Pulaski in Georgia we head back into Charleston to be the first one thru the doors to get INK. They open at 8:30 and we sort of passing it. In we go. There is a little section of to the right where folks can drop other folks off, not really parking, but Crystal is there so if she has to move it, she can. Ranger comes to the door, comes out, lets 2 workers in and shuts the door, its 8:25. I am usually a very patient person. See the lights start coming up in the visitor center, finally at 8:40AM the ranger opens the doors. I ask , where are the cancellation stamps. She says in a kind of put out manner, it doesn't open until 9am. I know she is grinning to herself, use to work for the IRS and thinks I am a member of some tea party organization. Back to the bike, and say to Crystal, lets go find some coffee. Why is it you can see a McDonalds, Wendy's Burger King, Dunkin Donuts (I don't think they have them in the south) any time of the day until you want one to be right there. Found a Starbucks and we both got some coffee and something to eat. I watched the folks coming in, ordering and then standing around waiting for their orders to be filled. Call me weird, but I enjoy watching, wish I had my camera with me. Finished this up, back to the Fort Sumter VC, INKED, mission accomplished.

Out of town on US17, which we traveled back in 2009 from Fredericksburg VA to Jacksonville, FL to pick up I-95 into Savannah. Had one on the highway marked, just a little too iffy to stop at so we picked up this place.



Headed into the heart of Savannah, have a mural targeted here, but will pick up on our way back from Fort Pulaski. Pulaski is about 14 miles east of Savannah on Cockspur Island. what should take 1/2 hour is much more, Savannah has traffic, construction, and other problems, like roads that once were the right road, but isn't anymore. The end of road barriers are kind of a giveaway. So that 1/2 hour is an hour. We are only 2 hours behind at this point.

This is a really lame picture of Fort Pulaski, but works for Something Cool or Important to You for the Americana Tour. I will file this as a really lame important picture, cool would be a stretch.

Of historical note, this fort was a Confederate fort during the Civil War. The Union Army tested a new rifled cannon, which just punched holes into the fortification, rendering brick fornications obsolete. With this new cannon, the Confederate side surrendered, and the Union Army occupied the fort, shutting down the shipping lanes into Savannah, crippling the supply chain for the South.

A little further out on US80 is Tybee Island Light Station.



Back into Savannah, where the traffic has gotten heavier to ride down one of my favorite roads, NOT, West River Rd. This is a really nice street of shops and restaurants along the Savannah River, very quaint. The thing is it is made for feet, cable cars, but not motorcycles of the 2 wheeled variety. When we were here in 2009 it was kind of drizzling, the road surface is old cobble bricks which makes great photo texture but terrible road traction. We provided entertainment for the folks in one of the restaurants as the front wheel of my Connie hit that cable car rail, then the cobble brick and of course we went down. Crystal somehow got off the bike and came rushing over to me as I layed underneath the Connie, saying 'What a Dumb Ass I am". Nobody hurt and no damage to the bike.

Well the ride down River Rd was very bumpy on the Spyder, much safer, but I don't think I went over 5MPH. Oh the mural on the restaurant no longer existed. We had to ride back out US80 thru the wonderful traffic to get this place that we passed as I was thinking I should pick this up now. So we are still an hour behind.

Hold it, how could I be 2 hours behind and now only 1 hour behind, I had planned staying at Fort Pulaski for an hour for walking around, Since we had been there before, we simply got the INK.



It has gotten pretty warm out, constant high 90's and dips into the 100's for stretches. Just outside of Savannah is Roebling Road Raceway.

Opened in 1959, Roebling Road is relatively unique amongst racetracks in that it lacks any accommodations for spectators; there are no grandstands, no picnicking areas, nor any other sort of viewing facilities. The track was designed by John Rueter and held its first Sports Car Club of America event June 11–12, 1960. The track was financed by and named after SCCA supporter Robert Roebling, great-grandson of John A. Roebling.

Source: Wikipedia



Next up is Ocmulgee National Monument. This place is 152 miles from Roebling and we are going to have to make some good time to get there before closing, so interstate it will be, I-16 to be exact.

Ocmulgee National Monument preserves traces of over ten millennia of Southeastern Native American culture, including major earthworks built before 1000 CE by the South Appalachian Mississippian culture. These include the Great Temple and other ceremonial mounds, a burial mound, and defensive trenches. They represented highly skilled engineering techniques and soil knowledge, and the organization of many laborers. The site has evidence of "17,000 years of continuous human habitation.

Source: Wikipedia

We grabbed INK and then drove around the Indian mounts. We have been to quite a few of Indian mound cities, especially impressive are the ones to be found just outside of St Louis.

Grabbed this picture of the Visitor Center as Something Cool, not specifically for the Indian Culture but the Art Deco style of the building.




Picked up Bibb County Courthouse in Macon, GA. Geographically this seems to be the dead center of Georgia. Little Richard, was born in Macon. It was also the home to Capricorn Records recording label for The Allman Brothers Band and The Marshall Tucker Band, making Macon the Home of Southern Rock.



Last stop and where we spend the night, Columbus, GA. Before we got to the hotel we picked up the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.




Just around 430 miles for the day. Not a lot of stops, the heat was a killer. We stayed at the Sleep Inn, reasonably priced and great accommodations. Dinner at Houlihan's a chain restaurant, the food was great. We sat at the bar, and met one of the best bar tenders, one that knew how to manage the bar, tables, and talk with the customers without missing a beat. Come to find out he was from our neck of the woods, Bangor ME.