Southern Road Trip: Part 5

Visited Tallula gorge in north Georgia. Spectacular scenery, and a walkway with hundreds of steps, and a suspension bridge over the actual gorge. Afterwards went to the town of Helen, a converted German village. All retail and eating establishments have a rural German motif like a little village. Many years ago I visited a similar place in washington state formerly named leavenworth. Returned home after eating boiled peanuts, apparently an acquired taste. Along with BBQ and catfish, boiled peanuts are one of the native specialities in this area. Friday took a walk in a park in Athens, home of the big University of Georgia campus. Very pleasant hike along a stream, which showed me how long it has been since i have had regular exercise. Sunday morning went to a traditional church service. Dave preached on John 6:22-40, the bread of life passage. This group has a fascinating situation. Two little struggling churches merged into one. The two pastors, of different generations, work together, alternate preaching, and other shepherding. Ed and i had lunch with them and found them humble and eager to do the work of the Lord. They are involved in outreach, both locally and internationally. Left early Monday morning, and nearly collided with a deer on a wet country road in the dark. Began to rain heavily as i ascended into the foothills of Georgia and crossed into North Carolina. Scenery was excellent although rain and murky conditions made it difficult to fully appreciate. Cut through a corner of NC through the mountains, a sliver of Georgia, and then into Tennessee. Took about four hours total to reach Chattanooga but avoided the traffic of Atlanta. Headed northwest to Nashville, and on into western Kentucky. Reached Paducah, and went off the interstate highway onto smaller roads. Crossed the Mississippi river on a high narrow bridge, traveled a very short distance, and crossed it again. I suppose it looped around. This brought me to Missouri. Headed south and stopped for the night in Sikeston. Rained heavily during the night and into the morning. As I continued on my journey passed many flooded fields. The geographical size of the states increases in the western half of the US, and the traffic diminishes. Traveled several hundred miles with few other vehicles through grazing land. Finally arrived in Nevada, MO mid afternoon after a journey of about a thousand miles. Along the way the weather both cleared and became warmer. What a welcome change from New England.