May 18, 2006

  • Day 25 - Perry, GA - 97 miles


    Today had a lot of variety.  We started out going through a beautiful river walk up to Fort Benning.  Then we headed through rolling hills through Buena Vista, GA and Ellaville to Perry.  It's a beautiful town with friendly people.  I enjoyed a vegetarian meal at Arby's with the staff who were eating waiting for the dinner rush to start.  Then I headed back to the hotel.  Only two days left!  Here's a pic of Johannes and I from the cracker barrel gift shop.  They have all sorts of genuine country things.



    The news is all abuzz over the bigoted same sex marriage ban they have in Georgia being thrown out on a technicality and the governer is going to call a special session to protect the good people of Georgia from -- you guessed it -- me.  It would seem that I'm such a threat to the southern states that it's a wonder I haven't been whisked off to Guantanamo by now.


    Day 24 - Columbus, GA - 110 miles


    Today started off with some horrible news.  The ride leader Mike's mother was taken ill suddenly and he had to leave the ride to go make preparations.  We bade him goodbye and started off on our day.  First, we made a visit to the Emerald Mountain Christian School to visit the kids who had been following our journey via or postcards and updates from the ride staff.  They were very sweet.  Here's a picture of Rachael posing with some horrible rasberry twinkies I'd gotten her. 



    Then, we went through Tuskegee, AL.  Gorgeous!  Small, quaint, friendly, and southern.  Also the home of a fine University:


      


    and the home of  George Washington Carver



    Nice!  The rest of the day was a little dull--  nothing but pine trees and single wides.  After a confusing detour, we finally made our Alabama Getaway into Columbus, GA.  Our last state!  It's a town outside of  Fort Benning that has a beautiful downtown.  We stayed pretty close to it, but our hotel was stocked with so much white trash I was wondering where the tractor pull was.  I babysat one of the rider's dog while he was at dinner and we went for a little walk through the historic district:




    Then I watched the final of America's Next Top Model (go Danielle!) and went to bed.