Day 23 – July 20, 2003

The Southern Contrast

Ride from Spartanburg, South Carolina to Oxford, Alabama

Well Karen’s foot still looks bad, but it is getting better. We got started late, but still made good time. We stopped for breakfast at the Waffle House. We patronized this chain a lot last year, but missed it for some reason this year. I had forgotten how friendly they were and how quickly they got your meal ready. We were in and out in about 30-45 minutes, and still had plenty of time to eat and chat. As we rode through the countryside of Georgia and Alabama I noticed that the businesses as well as the homes seem to change almost from one mile to another. You will see one block that looks like the place should be condemned, and the next looks like it was just constructed. This would not be odd except that the pattern repeats itself for hundreds of miles and multiple states. I guess I am just so used to the area I live in that I had forgotten that not all states have such strict requirements. I also noticed that you could be in the middle of a town, turn the corner and be in the woods or at a lake. We’d see ordinary trees one minute that were completely covered with vines the next. We would be on a country road with one lane going each way, then a minute later be on a 4 lane divided highway. Rolling hills and round the corner you see flat land everywhere. Now I’m not trying to say this is bad, I find it very refreshing. It is nice to know there are places in this country where the government does not try to control every facet of your life. I’d venture a guess that most places used to be very similar till too many people in one place forced controls to the point that even the terrain has to be changed to meet the standards. Well now I’m just babbling, so I guess I should quit. Tomorrow we’ll be heading for Mississippi so if your in the area, I’ll see you on the byways…..