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The sights include : The Cyclorama, FDR State Park, FDR's Little White House, Kaddie the Cow, the Little Grand Canyon, a visit to Plains, GA to see Jimmy Carter World, the Rocket Ship of Cordele, Ruby Falls at Lookout Mountain, Point park, the Incline Railway, Rock City Gardens, Stone Mountain, Little Five Points, the CNN Studios, the Coke-a-Cola Museum, the Underground, the Varsity, the Big Fish and the Big Chicken!
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What’s New ? I hope you enjoyed the Grottos Of the Texas Hill Country. I just wish those sights were in my back yard.. Sorry, other than re-structuring the "Roadside Attraction Pages" to include other states, no new jokes or anything else with this site other than this update. Again, I have still been very busy looking for new employment. However, it was time to take a break and a little vacation is just what I needed. Therefore, sit back and hang onto your arm chair again. Its time to hit the road! Forward : Last Christmas, Mark and Deborah gave me a buddy pass for Delta Airlines. Deciding where to go was no problem. Atlanta, Georgia! I had never visited them since their move last year and I had never visited Jackie and John who had been living in the Atlanta area for the past seven years. I also knew Georgia had a lot to offer in the way of state parks and those wacky roadside attractions. Plans were made and set into stone. Star Date : 04/01/2004 : Thursday - The Flight to Georgia. I decided to fly out of Hobby airport in Houston due to an advisory meeting I had at the University of Houston for Pharmacy school. Yes, that right. I might decide on a change of careers if this job situation does not improve in another two months. Therefore, I had the parental units drop me off and I had no worries about parking the car. Check out the plane that "Buddy Pass" got me. No, I didn't see George. The flight was uneventful and Deborah, Jake and Charlotte picked me up at the Atlanta airport. We spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing around the house and watching TV. Star Date : 04/02/2004 : Friday - The Cyclorama! I really didn't know what to expect from the Cyclorama. All I knew was that it was some kind of Civil War museum in Grant Park next to the Atlanta Zoo. So, we hit the road and made it to the park. Deborah took the kids to the zoo while I entered the Cyclorama. I paid for my ticket for the next show and while waiting for the show to begin I snooped around the museum. The museum had the normal stuff such as the weapons used during the Civil War, clothing of that period, important documents. The highlight of the exhibit was the "Texas" train engine which was involved with the "Great Chase" with the "General" during the battle for Atlanta. Finally, the show began. We were first seated in a small movie theater where we were first shown a small 14 minute movie on the history and the stages of the "Battle for Atlanta". After the short movie, the narrator then appear and told us what we were in store of for the next surprised. We were then led into another theater the like I have never seen. It was the Cyclorama! First, I need to explain this place. We were seated on a huge set of bleachers that rotated inside a huge cylinder in which a huge oil painting depicting the "Battle of Atlanta" was painted on. In front of the painting was a circular stage set with three-dimensional characters and props that was referred to as the diorama. I honestly could not tell where the painting started or where it began. The story of the "Battle of Atlanta" was re-told by the narrator while this huge painting spun around us and showed us the various scenes of the battle. Photography was not allowed, however, here is a part of the painting I grabbed off their brochure. After the show, the narrator explained that in the late 1880's, cycloramas were used to tell stories much like movie theaters of today. There were thousands of these stages throughout the US and Europe and this is only one of three left in the country. We were then told the history of this particular cyclorama in which a Mr. Logan, a Colonel in the Civil War, had it commissioned to help him win an election. Unfortunately, he died before it was finished. The Coke-a-Cola company bought the show, but mainly for the wagons and mules to distribute their products. A wealthy Atlanta man bought the painting and gave it to the city of Atlanta. After the show, I re-grouped with Deborah and the kids and headed back to the house for some fun and games. Star Date : 04/03/2004 : Saturday - The First Road Trip! I made arrangements to rent a car and hit the road and see the Georgia sights. From the Atlanta area, I headed south on I-85 to Columbus. Oh no. Traffic ahead. I I quickly checked my map and turned off onto Hwy 27. Fortunately, this route led me to FDR State Park. I entered the park and stopped at various locations to check out the mountain scenery. They did have a nice visitor center in which it housed a nature museum and served as the park HQ. I followed the signs which led me to FDR's "Little White House". I pulled into this historic sight and took a tour of his home-away-from-home retreat during his presidency. Apparently, FDR had this home built so as he could be close to the natural healing spring waters to help him with his polio. After the tour, it was time to move on. I back-tracked to Hwy-27 and headed back south to Columbus. I had heard of a giant cow displayed as a roadside attraction near their shopping mall. Once in Columbus, I found the shopping mall and I found "Kaddie the Cow". From Columbus, I continued south on Hwy-27 to Lumpkin. Then I took 39C west to Providence Canyon Conservation State Park. I found the entrance and parked to take this classic shot of the Little Grand Canyon of Georgia. I heard voices down below, hopefully I can find a trail down. I drove further into the park to the visitor center and it was there that I found a trail down. From down below, the canyon walls offered another perspective to the views and the interesting formations. After the hike back up, I spoke with the park rangers and learned that this canyon along with 15 other canyons in the Stewart County area were formed by the accidental erosion of the land from bad farming habits of the 1880's. It's too late to fix what man had destroyed, so it is now a protected area. In about another thousand years, it will all be gone. So enjoy this sight while you can. I left the park and from Lumpkin, I headed east on Hwy 280 to Plains, GA. Its Jimmy Carter World. I first checked out his boyhood home and then made my way into town. I stopped downtown to check out the souvenirs and noticed Billy's filling station across the street. Down the block was the old train depot that served as Jimmy's campaign headquarters. I finally hit the Jimmy Carter visitor center which was his old high school and learned how to get to other historic sites such as his current residence, Jimmy's church where he still teaches Sunday school, the old hospital where Jimmy was born and is now an old folks home and lastly, the big smiling peanut himself. Only in America. One further note, that whole town had the smell of peanuts. I noticed that they used peanut shells like we use cypress mulch in our gardens. It was time to move on so I continued east on Hwy-280 and stopped in Leslie, GA. This was home of the Georgia Rural Telephone Museum. Unfortunately, it was closed and I could only look through a window or two and poke around back. It was getting late and my eyes were getting very tired. So, I headed back north to Atlanta via I-75. I continued east on Hwy-280 and made it to Cordele, GA. Cordele has a big rocket ship in the middle of their city. I stopped for some fast food just south of Macon and it was there I saw a giant Peach. Finally, I made it back to the house and rested up for the next day of big adventure! Star Date : 04/04/2004 : Sunday - Road Trip Number Two. Onto Chattanooga! Mark and Deborah packed up their kids and we headed up north on I-75 to Chattanooga, TN and met John and Jackie and their kids at Ruby Falls! On top of Lookout Mountain, a castle stood. Once inside the castle, we waited in line for the tour of the Ruby Falls Cavern. The cave did have its share of interesting formations such as : and The cavern's formations were not as nearly as nice and plentiful as those found in our Texas caves. However, the Ruby Falls is far more spectacular than the falls of Cascade Caverns! As the water poured down, a light show was performed to the sounds of music. After the tour of the cave, the kids got a big kick out of finding gems out of a bag of dirt from the mining sluice while the more adult of us hit the castle tower to take in the view of Chattanooga below. Time for lunch. We were all getting hungry. So, we headed up to Point Park to eat. Ok, none of us can read. The park is another memorial to the fallen soldiers of the Civil War. They did have a nice museum to visit. With out stomachs full, it was time to check out the Incline Railway. One had an interesting view of Chattanooga on the way down and another interesting perspective of the mountain back on the way back up. While riding the railway, the narrator gave you a brief history of it and its significance to those who live on the mountain. Next on the agenda was Rock City Gardens! Rock City Gardens just Rocks !!! I remember this place as a kid during one of those family vacations to the Northeast. However, the only thing I remember about it was the lookout area where you could see (7) states. We said hello to Rocky and listen to Alvin for a while before entering the park. We first had to enter the Needle's Eye. Yes, we made it. As you walked through the trails and through all the canyons, you were amazed by the incredible rock formations sculptured by wind and rain erosion plus the gardens themselves. The kids got a big kick out of the white deer that would only come out after throwing out some corn. Soon, you came to a fork in the trail. Should I take the swinging bridge or the one made of stone? Of coarse I took them both to the highlight of the park, Lovers Leap where you could actually see (7) states. While on top of Lovers Leap, one can look down on the falls which can be more easily seen from other lookout points located further down on the trail. From this point, the trails took you through more of the gardens, rock formations and ended up in Fairy Tale Land for the kids. Well, our stomachs were growling again and on the way to this fine TexMex restaurant we checked out the Towing and Recovery Museum of Chattanooga. After the meal, we were all exhausted. Time to head for home again and get ready for the next day's adventure! Star Date : 04/05/2004 : Monday - Stone Mountain! The next morning, Mark helped turn in the rental car and then after traffic subsided we hit Stone Mountain Park. Stone Mountain is like Texas' Enchanted Rock, however, it is suppose to be bigger and the granite is white/gray rather than pink/red and we were going to hike it! The trail was nice and scenic. Apparently it is custom to stick your gum on the utility poles going up. I think the dizzying height made me unable to read. We finally made it to the top and took in the view overlooking Atlanta. Like Enchanted Rock, once on the top, you felt like you were on some deserted far away planet. For the non-hikers, the was a lift station there in which you could always take a tram on up. We finally hiked on down and made it to their visitor center. There, we were rewarded with our very own Stone Mountain Climber's Certificate. Inside was also a museum of more Civil War stuff and the natural science of the mountain itself. We then checked out the park some so I could get a better picture of the losers of the war. The park itself pretty much catered to families and kids. Yes, it was lunch time again. We found ourselves in the middle of what is called "Little Five Points". It is sort of like the Deep Ellum or Lower Greenville district of Dallas. We had our lunch at the Vortex and later checked out all the interesting people before heading back to the house. Star Date : 04/06/2004 : Tuesday - The City of Atlanta Again! John met Mark and I at the CNN News Center. There inside, we began our tour of the facilities. Unfortunately, no picture taking was allowed. Also, heavy security was all around us. However, we did get to see the different broadcasting rooms and the offices that maintains their website facilities. After the tour, we walked through Centennial Park and on our way to the Coke-a-Cola Museum. There at the museum, we were able to try out all the different Coke products, even those products sold around the world. After the tour, we were able to check out Atlanta's Underground. The Underground is much like the Dallas' West End. From there, mark said his good-byes and John and I took off the see the famed "Varsity Hot Dog Stand". Well this was no stand and from looking at how the meals were prepared, I quickly lost my appetite. We moved on to check out other roadside attractions such as the Big Fish at the Atlanta Fish Market and the Big Chicken in Marietta, GA. Thus, the end of another very busy day. Star Date : 04/07/2004 : Wednesday - The Flight Home! Thus concludes my vacation for the Spring of 2004. John drove my back to the airport early due to not knowing what kind of flight you will get with a Buddy Pass. I made it out and back to Houston-Hobby with no problems. However, I did not know it, but while at the Atlanta airport, someone had planted a bomb in one of the restrooms there. At least I survived that one and was happy to be back in Texas. I just want to thank my sisters and their families for putting up with me and warn them that I had such a great time, that I'll be back! So until next time, take care and I'll see You, on the road!!! Francis
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