Vacation - The Beginning

Monday, April 6th, 2009

The night before at work wasn't too bad, I was able to get about 3 or 4 hours nap. Then I was able to get started around nine am. I stopped by the bank in Newnan to get some pocket change and then it was off to Huntsville, AL. I went to Roanoke, AL. and then caught US 431 and followed it up to Huntsville. It was a beautiful ride. On the outskirts of Glenco, AL. at a nursery, they had an arbor with a swing and the arbor had wisteria covering it. The wisteria is in bloom this time of year and the sight was so pleasant that I had to stop and take a picture of it. When ever I get to the landscaping phase of my home upgrades, (ahem), That may be an idea I might try. I got sporadic rain on the ride, seem every time it start and I pull over to tarp the truck bed the rain would stop. Oh, and it was cold on the way up, I saw one thermometer that claimed 41 deg with at lease a good 8 to 10 m.p.h. wind.

My route took me thru Franklin, GA. Texas, Ga. to Roanoke, Al. (Ya'll try and find Texas, Ga. on a map), which I know had me heading southward but US 431 where it goes through the Talladega National Forest was worth the few extra miles.

Then it was up US 431 N which took me thru Oxford, Al., Anniston, Al. Glenco, Al., (which is on the outskirts of Gladsden, Al.) and Gladsden, (where I picked up supplies for both myself and Figaroe) Attalla, Boaz , Albertville, and Guntersville, which is built on the shores of Lake Gunterville, ( one very lovely sight), New Hope, and then Huntsville, Al.

In Huntsville, Al., I took a little detour to see if I could look up Mr. Carlton P. Russell. For those who are unfamiliar with Mr. Russell, he is a third cousin to my grandmother, Bert. Back in the early 90's we had corresponded over genealogy matters but we've all seemed have lost touch with him. I had ran web inquires and found where he had left a wealth of posting on various genealogy websites but they were all from the 90's. I had found a death notice for a Carlton Russell, who had the same birth date as Mr. Russell but it didn't list a town where this Carlton Russell was from so I am not 100% positive. But if this is the one and the same man then Mr. Russell passed away in 1999. Well, I found his house and it's in a nice neighborhood of Huntsville, and the house itself is nice but it struck me as being the house of a yuppy then of a retired couple in their 70's. Nobody was home, but hey, what did I expect on a Monday around noon time.

From Huntsville, I traveled northward on US 431 US 231 thru Meridianville, Hazel Green, and into Tennessee to Fayetteville. From Fayetteville I followed US 231 to Shelbyville, which is a very nice mountain ride. At Shelbyville, I came upon the mighty Duck River, and passed through a strange embankment. It wasn't until I was thru that embankment that I realize that I had passed thru a levee and a gate in that levee. I would say it had to be at lease 50 ft from the Duck to the road and then another 20 foot height on the levee. I really wouldn't want to be around when the Duck floods.

From Shelbyville, I passed thru Murfreesboro, and then into Lebanon before cutting back westward to MT. Juliet and Charlie & Mary Kay house. I got there and Jackson was so excited to see me, But I suspect that he was more excited because Figaroe came with me.

The Whitten's were very gracious hosts, they made me fell at home, Charlie had me sit in his recliner, and they wouldn't think of allowing Figaroe to stay out in the truck for the night. They went so far as to lock Lucy up in their room so Figaroe could have roaming space.

I had brought some of my Q-TV with me, and we popped in the April 6th disc in. I thought that Monday night was the Muppet Show night but turns out it was Anamaniacs. That child sat still and was enthralled for the next 23 min's. Then he had to finish up his homework, (kindergarten and homework?) then it was off to bed with him. The three adults stayed up a little while longer and visited and then the Whitten's had to go to bed too. They had a fold out couch that I was to sleep on, and they had a pad to put on it to make it more "comfortable". Well, after they laid down for the night I laid down and realized that the extra pad made the bed too soft. So I pulled off the pad and laid on the mattress and realized that what Mary Kay said about that bar used as support was true. So, I put the couch up and put the pad on the floor and it was just about right. I remember waking up about 5 am "fast time" then again when Mary Kay got up and was puttering around in the kitchen, around 7 am "fast time". Well, I was up and saw Jackson off to school then I had to say my goodbyes.