Target Tortugas - 2

Challenging day. First, we arrived at the Ocmulgee near Macon, Georgia. Another Indian mound. We have not been one we actually liked. Until today. The VC is a beautiful Art Deco building constructed in 1938 and the park site has seen occupation for 12,000 to 15,000 years. There are mounds from about 1000 years ago when a different tribal group controlled the area and in one they located the intact floor of the council house. You can visit thet reconstruction of the building today with the floor behind glass. Really neat. Then on to Andersonville. My Great Great Grandfather, George Leisure was a prisoner here for 12 months. He survived while more than 13,000 others did not. At one point the 26 acres held 33,000 men. Most with no shelters. Staggering. Lots more later.

The Engaged Cadillac

Not a stellar day for day two of the trip. First we touring a hill (worse than ice from the summer) and then we went to a place full of cannons. I thought we were done with them. Also, the promised food, -it was food Guide Two, the pretty one, fixed in the trailer. It was great but how does that advance the Cup & Cones Cafe? Not a lick (did you see what I did there- you gotta stay on your toes here.) Also NO INTERNET, NO PHONE. Do you have any idea how much Ms. McKinley is missing me and I can’t even call. One more day, I give it one more day to see improvements around here. One.

The Visitor Center at Ocmulgee

One of three sections of the cemetery dedicated to Union soldiers who died at Andersonville.

Target Tortugas - 1

Not much in the way of photos today, as in none! We left in the morning and the rain had stopped leaving a clean beautiful day. We stopped in Fayetteville for church and then headed south to Florence. Then 20 west toward Augusta, GA, home of some golf game I think. We stopped in a town called Madison. We ate in a CB and stayed the night in the Walmart. The glitz and glamour never wain.

The Engaged Cadillac

Bit of a slow start to this adventure and not a new flavor of latte in sight. Plus no Tom. I thought he would be on the trip too to add sanity to the Driver. But no. All I did today was feel sad about being apart form Ms. McKinley. Tomorrow ought to be better, I heard some talk about food.

Bear in the background - not expecting to see any grizzly on this trip.

Please, Hold the Parades

I know you missed me but there is a lot to do so we can celebrate later.

First thing I know you are all anxious to hear about is Ms. McKinley. She is fabulous, devoted to me and very busy getting ready for the grand opening of the first ever Cups & Cones Cafe. We have a spot all picked out north of Anchorage and south of Denali. Nice view of the river and lots of marshy stuff to soak in during warmer weather. The even bigger news is that once we get open in January she will turn her riveting attention to The Wedding! She has chosen a springish date, so stay tuned.

Also, as you faithful readers of my portion of Two Lane Touring, and who doesn’t read that first, already know, I have suspended my presidential campaign due to the fact The Bull Moose Party, unfairly I may add, does not get an automatic spot on the ballot. I am keeping all options open for 2024 and have several minions working on pre-planning a strategy. However two of them, Flash and Iso, are from Mr. Mook and they wander around muttering things like “evidence chain,” “procedure,” and “fresh donuts.” Not too helpful. I am also being pressured to run for governor, because it would be a “stepping stone” to the higher office. Easy - Peasy, that would not even be a contest but Ms. McKinley believes I need to concentrate on the Cafe for a few weeks. I can do that.

Which may cause some of you to muse as to why I am here. The guides are going to Florida and I need to find some fresh, creative and tasty dishes for the cafe and new flavors of lattes. So I bopped down to ride with them on this trip. Not the epic journey of the summer but they still need me when they get too far from home. Ms McKinley actually encouraged me to go saying something like it will go smoothly with me off doing more research. Isn’t that great? What a lady.

Finally, I leapt at the chance to see my dear friends Rusty, Janet and the ever dapper, Stan. Rumor is they might even let me meet their daughter. Janet adores me, of course, and may be suffering from depression since it has been a long time between visits.

We are going, I am promised, to a vast swamp or two. Delightful.

One of several statues being unveiled for me. This one used a draft name for the cafe. Oops.

All over Alaska people are responding to me - naming babies, changing streets. So nice to be adored.

I Could Not Bear Another Bird Picture

Unless it is on the plate Thursday.

Over the dunes at Katmai National Park.

Bird Week VII: Pairs and More .7

We shall close out BW7 with these two eagles. Seeing eagles in Alaska is not difficult as they are there in huge numbers but I never tired of them. Watching them fish or soar, sitting in a tree or on an old sign was captivating. Large ,strong, powerful, and majestic are apt descriptive words for the American symbol. I never saw them in large numbers as occur more in the midst of September but we often saw three or four at a time and few if any days passed, even in Anchorage, without spotting at least one. What a treat.

“But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.”

Isaiah 40:31 NLT

Bird Week VII: Pairs & More .6

This is a way more exciting photo to me than most (all) of you. It is not particularly good, as like many of these it was taken from a moving and pitching boat from a distance. No, the reason I like it shows a new bird that I did not know I had until it emerged once I got home and saw this shot. Three of these are Bonaparte Gulls. I was told, correctly, that most of them had left by the time I was here, They mate and nest in April and May to June leaving for deep water well off shore by late August and the glossy black head feathers begin to fade to black patches as early as July. But here are three of them still in the sound in very early September. You can see some of the black at the base of the necks. I’m sure these were feeding before their long trip and I just happened to catch them while I was shooting a flotilla of birds against some rocks. Serendipity.

Bird Week VII: Pairs and More .5

Look closely. This is mom and two babies their heads just barely poking up over her wing. I was here when the first one hatched. Cindy and I watched the first swim and the dad protecting them both. Then the next morning we drove back to the Palmer Hay Flats and found the second baby Red-necked Grebe had hatched. Never saw number two leave the safety of mom’s feather bed. There was still a third egg but we did not get back to the nest. I love the zebra colors of the new hatchlings. Not sure how long that coloration lasts. This was the third time I had seen a Red-necked Grebe and it was really neat.

Bird Week VII: Pairs and More .4

Two Sandhill Cranes flair for a landing in a field near Fairbanks, AK. They are just about to leave for warmer climates so loading up on the calories.

Bird Week VII: Pairs & More .3

These three birds are Tufted Puffins. Unlike the Horned Puffin of the west or the Atlantic Puffin found in the Northeast, these birds prefer to nest on cliffs with a bit of grass or other foliage. So in the same area you may see Horned Puffins nesting on bare rock and Tufted on tiny outcrops of grasses almost next to each other. Your Tufted is also easily noted for the black belly while the other two are bright white. All of them are neat with colorful outsized bills.

Bird Week VII: Pairs & More .2

Do you need a guide across the desolate and dangerous land, why these two vultures are glad to assist you, just ask.

Bird Week VII: Pairs & More

We start this week with a trio of Brown Headed Cowbirds or “Molothrus ater a small obligate brood parasitic icterid of temperate native to North America.” That is actually English, or mostly so. These three were found in the Badlands National Park. They appear to be in some sort of lecture by the aloof professor. These birds are pretty smart. They deposit their eggs in other birds nests and then leave!. Then as the hatchlings age they seek out other Cowbirds by their calls and songs.

Career Change?

This is one of dozens of fishing boats seeking a salmon harvest. Hard work, dangerous work.

“One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers—Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew—throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” And they left their nets at once and followed him.” Matthew 4:18-20 NLT

Cool

These bridges which have largely been replaced in much of the lower 48 are spotted all over BC, the Yukon and Alaska. I found them to be very picturesque. (Except the ones with rail surfaces that cause the trailer to skitter across.)

Breathe

Just a stop along the highway in central AK. This was a surprising aspect to me, that the scenery was not driving to a park, seeing amazing stuff and then drive to another park to see amazing stuff. Beautiful views were everywhere and sometimes it was good to just stop and walk a bit and take it in. We are about 50 yards off the highway on a ridge somewhere south of Fairbanks.

Stellar

I like to see, hear, watch cars of all sorts; old, newer, racing, sports cars, model cars, show cars, etc. But I rarely like automobile museums. They are often poorly lit, crowded, you can often get only one perspective on the cars because of how they are displayed and generally just not a great experience. Exceptions are the Peterson in LA and to a lesser extant the AACA in Hershey, Pennsylvania. And, of all place, Fairbanks, AK., Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum. Not only are the cars (late 1800’s to late 1930’s extra nice, kept running, unique examples, well displayed so you can walk around the cars, good lighting and, as a bonus, vintage clothes that match the era, style of car and even complementing the color. This 1933 – Auburn Model 12-161A Custom Boattail Speedster, one of the more beautiful cars ever made, was matched with the stunning silver-threaded cocktail dress from the same era. This theme was repeated across the exhibits. Or as they like to say, the Treads and Threads exhibit. I’ll post some more of these occasionally. One thing is clear walking around this exhibit we are lacking both in color and style in modern automobiles! Comfort, durability, safety are welcome but why give up striking colors and a bit of glitz & glamor? And don’t bring up the boring interior color choices!

Pattern

Ceiling on the covered porch at the George Eastman house in Rochester, NY. Spectacular house, a bit disappointing as a photography museum. At least the time I was there, little display of photos and the ones featured were not a type I thought very interesting. Liked the old cameras and the display of movie film fixers.

Throwback

This shot is NOT from Alaska trip. Last week I was in Elizabeth City to attend the MACU trustee’s meeting. On my way back to the hotel after day one, I spotted a 48/49 beautiful Cadillac just pulling into a parking spot on an alley just off the Main Street. I drove a block further and thought why did I drive by that, turned around, parked and grabbed the camera. I shot several of the full car from the opposite sidewalk and then I saw the sunset glowing in the finish on the trunk, instant classic.

Show Honor to Whom Honor is Due

With a free and grateful heart.

Change

Sunset on the Reindel Farm in North Dakota. The wind turbines overshadow the fuel storage tanks.

“I am the Lord, and I do not change.” Malachi 3:6a NLT

Faint

This rainbow was in Denali National Park as showers popped all around us.