Cool Running

One of the many beautiful streams in the GSMNP. This one is strewn with leaves in the late Fall. Color higher up the mountain and we will head there Thursday.

Cadillac Tracks - we are in an actual house. We gave the trailer to some man who must collect them cause he had a lot behind a fence. I think the driver actually might have done something well cause this house is a great upgrade and he made a fabulous trade. Hope we are done with the mobile toaster. I have very big news on my new career. Stay tuned!!!.

The End, The Beginning

This is the state capital in Montgomery, Alabama where the Selma to Montgomery civil rights march ended. A remarkable time that changed the status quo.

Little River Canyon

In Northeast Alabama, a surprisingly mountainous area to me who had never been here before. Quite a nice place. We were here for the Little River Canyon National Preserve in a valley high in the hills with this water fall marking the start of the canyon. It is an 11 mile drive along one edge with a few places to pull over for views or very shot walks. Kayaks are popular for the trip through the valley but we saw none the day we were here.

Reflected Sunset

From the bypass around Gatlinburg as the sun sets behind us mostly hidden by the mountains the clouds reflected this beautiful light on the mountain.

“May the mountains yield prosperity for all, and may the hills be fruitful.” Psalm 72:3 NLT

Moose Rules #3

We camped first in a mountain cattle ranch, kind of neat and they had a cowboy hat and rope that I practiced with in case Thomas, the Major Movie Man, needs me to look stealthy and cool along an old fence, wrangle a cow, ride a horse (one of my outstanding talents) or leap onto a runaway stage coach. Mostly what I see cowboys do in the old westerns. Sometimes they shoot people but that will not be in my contract. 

Then we came to the Smoky Mountains which while they are very moosey we saw only elk and they were mostly elkettes. I might build my mansion (Actor Stars get at least three!) there because I would not only be a star but also the King of Antlered Beasts as elk are clearly not as magnificent when it comes to antlerism. The best thing that happened in the GSMNP was we met up with Rusty and Janet. I guess they were surprised that the Driver found them as they were clearly wanting to hide off in the woods. Yet even so, Janet was thrilled to see me and we chatted for hours and ate chocolates while the rest of them roamed the mountain with their picture boxes - human people are perplexing. Janet made me a lovely lunch and let me eat all of the black walnuts I wanted. Super. We did find some lovely ice cream but only on one day out of three - not a good ratio. (Point 8 to one is acceptable, point 4 to one is the preferred standard.) 

One more confusing thing. I think the cookers were broken in the traveling boxes cause Rusty and the Driver had to build a fire OUTSIDE and it took hours, caused much smoke and provided entertainment for scores of people all to blacken six tubey things they then ate. Did they not see the 400 restaurants we passed riding around all day saying, “Oh, that tree is pretty.” How on earth can you take HP seriously. Well, we are off again to another place that I most likely will not approve of, but here we go.  

Looking for Lunch

Osprey over the water at Davis Bayou, Gulf Islands National Seashore.

Cadillac Tracks - Oooh, that reminds me I have not eaten since breakfast and it is now nearly 10AM, wonder what I can find for the most necessary Mid-Morning Meal? Something that will hold me over until noon, so maybe a large ice cream and a sedge grass salad. Got to watch my figure now that I am going to be a major movie star. Still working on the lingo.

"I'll be sittin' when the evening comes"

I have no idea why but that song by Otis is simply one of my favorites and rattles around in my head a lot. Seemed actually a bit appropriate for this sunset photo on Mobile Bay. Not really a dock and no tide to speak of, still….

Freedom

This is the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery where M.L.King Jr. was the pastor from 1954 to 1960. It was in 1955 in Montgomery that Rosa Parks refused to move her seat on a bus that set the stage for the lengthy bus boycott here that advanced the civil rights movement. King was at the forefront of that effort and gained national prominence here. This is a part of the Selma to Montgomery NHT that traces the walk for voter’s rights. The church is now named the Dexter Avenue MLK Memorial Baptist Church.

Patience

I have tried to get a good image of a Belted Kingfisher many times and failed. Last year a finally got a decent photo, not exactly what I wanted but pretty good. A few days ago in the Davis Bayou - a part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore, I got one just after he dove into the shallow water and emerged with breakfast. I was actually here to practice birds-in-flight and there are usually pelicans here. None that morning, So an egret or two, some osprey and this nervous, skittish, erratic bird calling and fishing. I used a long lens and a fast shutter and still nearly missed. You can see the ripples where he entered the water and the trail of dripping water that leads to him on the left edge of the frame.

Long Bridge

This is a shot of the long bridge of Interstate 10 just east of Mobile, AL as seen from Meaher State Park. The park is located on an island in Mobile Bay. I shot this near sunset two days before the hurricane was to come ashore a bit further west that Mobile.

Value Each Day

Sunrise over rice fields along the Arkansas River.

“Keep the Sabbath day holy. Don’t pursue your own interests on that day, but enjoy the Sabbath and speak of it with delight as the LORD’s holy day. Honor the Sabbath in everything you do on that day, and don’t follow your own desires or talk idly.” Isaiah 58:13 NLT

Moose Rules 2

What a week. We saw cool cars (no not the one the Driver has) we saw where they make real movies and we got chased by a hurricane. 

There were hundreds of these neat cars that are bright colors and make cool noises. They remind me a bit of the bears in my home area of Maine when they roar. Of course, there are not as fierce as a moose but they sound a bit more like these angry cars. I could really use one of these hot rods - if they ever allow moose to drive, cause lots of them don’t have a roof and my magnificent antlers can be fully admired as I cruise (I learned a new word!) down the street. Plus when you get one of those you get to stand around and talk and eat, two of my most outstanding qualities.

The big news is that we spent the night at John Schneiders’ Studio and met a reel (snicker) movie director - he is the major movie boss. His name is Thomas Johnston and on something called IMBD he is the sixth. I have been searching for a job and clearly now I have found it, I will be a movie person. Now, I won’t start out as the boss, but I know Thomas was very impressed with me, of course, and will find a suitable place for me to pretend whatever they tell me I must pretend. I am already very good at looking hungry! It may be one of my most outstanding qualities. That coupled with my natural good looks, my superior posture and impressive antlers, well, what can hold me back? The Nice One says that if you make movies some people become “stars” and while that actually did not make sense it was clear that it was good. So, I will plan to be a “star” or even a planet, whatever is the better. I need to let my good friend, Thomas, know I am ready as soon as we get out of this rolling pill box and back to normal, I will pack up and move to JSS. I imagine they will give me one of their little houses. Oooh, I hope they have a latte machine, I can’t live too long with out a latte. Also, I did not see any ice cream. Well, once I am a shooting star I think they will see I get what I want. How sensational that I finally found the perfect job for me and, of course, I will not forget Thomas as I become more starlike in the future. I can already see my IMBD, Cadillac Moose, the 27th!

I nearly forgot we got chased out of a park in something called Miss A. Sippy and are fleeing north to miss the Great Wind and Torrential Rain. We have wind and rain all the time but now it is something to be feared. Human People are astonishing. 

My good friend Thomas the Movie Boss clearly stunned at my talent.

Getting a little practice on this wild stallion in case Thomas wants me to do a Western. Notice the subtile “product placement” I did,- learning the movie language, it’ll be my 8th language that I speak. .

One of the many “hot rods” - I may use this for my first premier.

Recap and Review

So far this trip we have added nine new parks: Kennesaw Mountain, Birmingham Civil Rights, Natchez NHP, Poverty Point, Arkansas Post, Little Rock Central High School, Hot Springs National Park, President Clinton Birthplace, Cane River Creole and shot photos at Vicksburg for the first time (we visited 16 years ago) and traveled on the last section of the Natchez Trace to complete that road.

Cool Spot

…after a hot day. This is the porch of a former slave house, c1850, that was turned after the Civil War into tenet farmer housing and used until the 1980’s.

New Candidate for "THAT"S A PARK? (Three Photos)

Longtime readers/lookers of Two Lane Touring may recall that one time I listed parks that I could not figure out why they were parks and Tupelo Battlefield was at the top. One tiny speck of green with a cannon and a sign. We have a new contender. Now, I admit I was not and still am not a fan of Bill Clinton’s values and policies. Yet, that does not factor into this sad place. The formal title is “President William Jefferson Clinton’s Birthplace Home. The VC was open and there was a very nice young ranger in the place. The display consists of a room the size of a small dinning room with six printed panels (like a church would use to say “welcome” or “coffee”) with each one featuring a person important to his early life. That is it. The house is closed. But it sits about 6 feet above a four lane street with an iron fence around it barely visible from the sidewalk, to one side there is a surface street by a four lane highway and you park here - maybe room for five cars, the back is an alley and on the other side is a business of some sort. There is not a third acre of land. The signage is very poor and once you turn off the first road it is good luck. He grew up in Hot Springs and lived there from 3 to college, seems a better choice. I took three photos from the edges of the property and lucky you get to see them all!.

Cadillac Tracks - This sad little town has no ice cream no lattes and no hope. We are off to spend the night on a blueberry farm and my cell phone won’t work. I need airlifted to, well anywhere. And my head still hurts a bit like the antlers are a tad to tight.

I am leaning on the fence on this side of the house. You can glimpse the 2 four lane roads over and under the bridge with the parking surface street just past the house.

Forgotten Corner

We drove off the main highway in NE LA to what appeared to be a tiny town. There was a post office and convenience store everything else was about to collapse or be overgrown. An old gas station might have been part of someone’s plan to open some sort of business as it was painted et al but here are three shots of the town time did not forget but just neglected.

Cadillac Tracks - Why is it so bright here?

There were about 12 buildings clustered like many small towns this was not the worst or the best.

Arkansas Post (3 photos)

Tucked away in a very rural portion of Southeast Arkansas is a National Park Unit, the Arkansas Post. It also has a nearby state site by the same name that includes one original building and four reconstructed places. The NPS unit is on the actual site where first Spanish, the French settlers began a settlement that predated New Orleans by 40 years. It is the site of a Civil War skirmish and was the first capital of Arkansas boasting quite a town of more than 1000 residents. None of the structures or any of the forts remain today, the only things are Confederate earthen works. The region was under five flags: two French, one Spanish, USA and Confederate. The VC was closed but the grounds were open and we walked about 2 miles on flat trails.

Cadillac Tracks - ooooooooooooohhhhhhh

interior of an 1840’s dog trot cabin on the state site for Arkansas Post

Change

This is not a political post nor one that thinks we have no work to do as a society but to simply acknowledge the truth - enormous progress has been made in the 60 years when Central HS vaulted into the news. We visited this school where attendance by nine black students sparked terrible confrontation. The VC was open and interesting with some compelling film. The school was closed to tours. Read more here https://www.nps.gov/chsc/index.htm
”There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:28 NLT

Moose Rules

Cadillac insisted that he be given the Saturday TLT slot to announce his perfect place. He said he endured forts and rivers and monuments and cannons so we finally found what he likes.

Cadillac Tracks - Nirvana. All those miles I have traveled with these human people and finally we get to this place. I don’t know where this place is but I guess I have found my new home. Just look at this, what I assume to be, The National Monument. Sixty, 60! latte flavors. This is the pinnacle of choices. I am only on number 5 and they are delightful. Opps, number 6 just arrived. I can’t imagine what will be my favorite. Ooh, clearly it is Chocolate Carmel Kiss. Numbers 7, 8 & 9 just got here, Wow, now Cinnamon Dulche is best. Numbers, well I’m not sure but 2 or 5 more just arrived. WOW I LOVE COOKIE BUTTER - I THINK I NEED TO SPRINT UP A MOUTAIN BUT NO, WAIT, HERE COMES NUMBERS 6230 AND 90 10. OH I JUST AM OVER THE MOON WITH IRISH CREAM, BUT HERE COMES, JELLY DOUGHNUT JELLY AND A DOUGHNUT IN THE COFFEE, PREDUNKED, CAN THIS GET ANNNYYYY BETTTTER!!!!!!!!!!!! I AM READY FOR….

Editors’ Note: We are sorry but the Moose is comatose right now. We are going to suspend his test and haul him to one of the Hot Spring Mineral Baths. Regular posting resumes tomorrow.

Poverty Point

In the Louisiana delta just a short distance from the Mississippi is Poverty Point. This is a unique mound area built about 1600 BC to 1300 BC. The central mound is huge and is currently 72 feet high. There are several smaller mounds on the property and under ground are some large effigies but those are not visible. The VC was open here with a small museum as well. The number of points, jewelry and small decorated objects is amazing.. As you ascend the mound on a very long wooden walkway and stairs you climb first to a large flat area that they believe was used for games. Then up to the higher point that would be where the supreme ruler would be for formal occasions. There were other mounds that included housing but not the massive one, just ceremonial usage. The ranger said it took 15,000,000 cubic feet of dirt and rock to make. One basket at a time! There are also 5 rows of lower mounds in a “C” shape facing the large mound, no idea what they were for. This is a National Memorial, a State Historic Site, and a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Cadillac Tracks - so the plus is no cannon, the antler scratcher is we went miles to see a pile of dirt. Humans!!

Note the platform in the top of the distant mound, that is where we are headed.