Whenever it's reasonably convenient, Linda and I snap a shot of the capital buildings in states we visit. Being in Springfield, Illinois, it was nearly mandatory. When visiting the Lincoln Presidential Library, you can almost see the dome; we had to take a shot or two.
While many states understandably claim Abraham Lincoln, Illinois is the Land of Lincoln and Springfield is home to his presidential library and museum. I visited the museum a couple of years ago and wanted Linda to have that experience as well.
Somewhere before Columbus, Indiana, Linda and I were getting a little hungry. It was lunch time and we were on the road, trying to put some miles behind us. We pulled off at a convenient exit to grab a bite. The sign said, if we went this way, we'd find some familiar fast food (I forget what brand name it was,) so we did. We drove a mile or so and still didn't see a sign of that brand but there was a Krystal Burger. 
Linda was right. Columbus was a surprisingly rich visual treat. Interesting architecture, public installation art, and a very cute community fundraising project were all on display. The two images at the left in the image a permanent pieces (as I understand) and the remaining four images show tree cozies installed after the first of the year for a couple of months. The cozies are built to raise funds for their identifies charities. The winner is pictured in the upper right.
Linda and I found the capitol grounds in Columbia, South Carolina, richly decorated with markers commemorating various aspects of their history. The capitol building itself is a fine looking building. There's a very nice monument to the "Thin Blue Line," their law enforcement. The South Carolina State House also claims to be the only state capitol in the nation to have a monument dedicated to the contributions and history of African-Americans on its grounds.This monument perpetuates the memory of those who true to the instincts of their birth, faithful to the teachings of their fathers, constant in their love for the state, died in the performance of their duty; who having glorified a fallen cause by the simple manhood of their lives, the patient endurance of suffering, and the heroism of death, and who, in the dark hours of imprisonment, in the hopelessness of the hospital, in the short, sharp agony of the field, found support and consolation in the belief that at home they would not be forgotten.
Because I'd visited to Fort Sumter a couple of years ago, I'd claimed to have been to Charleston; now I know that I'd not really begun to experience the city. Linda and I came into the city from the south, making our way through the narrow streets of the peninsula. The colorful homes and shops felt like they'd been there a long time. A horse drawn carriage carrying tourists edged over to let us pass as they talked about the significance of this building and that. We found our way to the shoreline where we could see historic Fort Sumter. I remembered the fort tour guide telling how outraged the people of the city had been to have a "foreign" fortress overlooking the channel to their harbor. Someone probably stood where I stood, watching the opening volleys of the War between the States.
Just south of Charleston, South Carolina, is the beach community Folly Beach. Linda and I took a spin around town but found it challenging to find public access to the beach. We DID find the path up to where we could see the Morris Island lighthouse. It took a walk of about a quarter mile to reach the point where we could see the lighthouse. The wind whipped over the ocean and dunes putting salt and sand in the air; nice experience for a lifelong Midwesterner.
Honestly, Linda and I both had expectations of a lighthouse more like we saw at Tybee; clearly, the two lighthouses will not be confused. The Harbour Town lighthouse is a much more modern structure finished in 1970. While a little disappointed, it was still pleasant to stroll around the harbor. The shops were closed but we peeked in a few. There was live music flowing out of somewhere. All in all, a nice stop even if the lighthouse was a bit newer than expected.
Linda and I drove into the historic district of central Savannah with its square parks surrounded by homes, businesses, and churches well over a century old. Each little park was named and often had a distinctive feature like a fountain or statue, many with azalea's in bloom. Designed so that traffic going parallel to the river passed cleanly along the sides of these squares, they were centered right in the line of street going to or from the river. This design made for a squared traffic circle.
When the squares run out, several blocks from the river, you find handsome Forsyth Park and it's fountain. Built in 1858, the fountain is a major feature of the park. That said, this park is much larger than the other small square parks dotting the streets on your way to the river. In the image you can see the broad shaded walkway leading up to the fountain. People were sitting on the benches along the walkway chatting and enjoying the spring weather.
Just beyond the mouth of the Savannah River lies Tybee Island, Savannah's beach playground. When Linda and I stopped at the visitor center in Savannah, one of the workers there spoke about spending time relaxing on the broad beach like someone who'd done it and enjoyed it. We parked the car and headed out on the pier to catch a better view of the beach and some spring sea breeze. Pelicans were cruising over the waves, wheeling, and diving for their dinner. We paused for a while, soaking in the seaside experience before moving on to the Tybee Island Light Station. "Ordered by General James Oglethorpe, Governor of the 13th colony, in 1732, the Tybee Island Light Station has been guiding mariners safe entrance into the Savannah River for over 270 years."
At the mouth of the Savannah River sits historic Fort Pulaski National Monument, one time guardian of Savannah. Today, it's a handsome, very well maintained example of fortress design, complete with moat, ammo bunkers, and several period piece cannon atop the walls. The defeat of this fort by new technology during the Civil War signalled the end of an era in fortress design. "The Battle of Fort Pulaski in April 1862 marked a turning point in military history. It featured the first significant use of rifled cannons in combat. These accurate, long-range weapons shattered Fort Pulaski's walls from over a mile away. After thirty-hours of bombardment, the fort surrendered. The battle surprised military strategists worldwide, signaling the end of masonry fortifications."
Beyond Fort Pulaski sits the Cockspur Island Lighthouse. This view of the lighthouse is actually from one of the gun batteries that fired on Fort Pulaski, about a mile directly beyond the lighthouse. There's a trail we could have taken from the fort out near the lighthouse but, that day, we weren't really up to the hike."Tragedy struck again in 1854 when the structure was destroyed by a hurricane. The tower was rebuilt and enlarged on the same foundation the next year. At the start of the American Civil War, the light was temporarily extinguished. On April 10, 1862, Union forces in eleven batteries stretching along the beach at Tybee Island, started a long range bombardment of Fort Pulaski. Thirty-six guns participated in a thirty-hour siege of the fort with the Cockspur Lighthouse in direct line of fire."
Linda and I got up early to see the sun rise over the ocean. When we first went out, there was very little light in the sky. I turned back from the ocean to get the shot of the moon over a couple of homes. As we waited, a rich red worked its way up the sky. The tide was coming in too so the beach before me kept shrinking as the waves rolled a little close. Before long, the waves had reached far enough to fill a small hollow in the beach. The sky was picking up more blue and, in the image at the lower left, made for a nice reflection as Linda walked down the shore, looking for shells as the surf washed over her feet.
Before long, the sun was over the horizon and I thought my photo opportunities were pretty well past. When we got back up to our room, the walkway outside had a palm tree positioned just so it would be well framed in a shot. After a shot or two, a flock of sea gulls came in to eat bread some people were tossing out for them from a room below. When the gulls left, it made for this image.
Linda and I pulled in at our stop for the evening at beautiful Jeckyll Island. No, the striking building with the tower and croquet on the lawn was not where we stayed. It looks like a beautiful place to spend some time but ... hmmm... there's gotta be a reason we didn't stay there. Ah! It lacks a view of the ocean.
As the sun sank in the west, Linda and I headed up to Driftwood Beach on the north end of the island. Of course, the opportunity to get a nice photo was also attractive. In the background of this shot, you can see the bridge back on the mainland. The route out to the island is actually a causeway making access by car as simple as driving to the store.
As usual, Linda did a nice job of mentioning a shot that would be striking. This is one of my favorite from Driftwood Beach.
St. Simon's Island, along the southern coastline of Georgia, is a beautiful place to spend some time wandering. Linda and I started out near the handsome lighthouse and ended up having a bite to eat at one of the neat little eateries near the shore. My fried green tomato sandwich and sweet potato fries hit the spot. It was a nice place to pause and soak up a little coastal flavor.
St. Mary's, Georgia, sits about as far south along the Atlantic coastline of Georgia as you can get. As such, it's has wonderful docks filled with boats and seabirds. St. Mary's is also the gateway to the Cumberland Island National Seashore, a popular National Park Service destination that time didn't allow us to visit. Just getting to visit St. Mary's was a real treat and certainly a different place from home.
More then one person questioned why we were going to make it a point to stop at the Okefenokie Swamp on our trip to the southeast. After having spent a couple of hours roaming the grounds at the entrance and taking a little boat tour, Linda and I both felt that it had been time well spent. It wasn't in it's full summer glory and signs of last years fire were still evident but it was still a place with distinctive beauty... and a little hint of danger. The black bears were in an enclosure and more entertaining than threatening but the gators come in from the swamp and have complete access to the walkways and parking areas. I don't believe I've ever been aware that I was so close to major predators with no barrier between them and me; if we'd been careless or foolish around the gators, there could have been serious consequences. All in all, it was a very pretty and interesting, different place to be for a while.
Seventeen years ago, my kids and I brought home a pair of kittens. One was a grey on grey tiger pattern with peachy undertones; we named her Smokey. She spent virtually her whole life in that same home; she did strike out on her own in the urban jungle for a full week once but never showed an interest in going back.
She kept her inner kitten well into her later years. One of our morning games was to play chase with an old tie. As I would be getting dressed for work, she'd hop up on the bed and wait for me to flip this old tie out on the bed. She'd pounce on the tip and then let it go for me to do it again; we'd often play for a few minutes. Maybe she had trained me.
Linda and I went to Atlanta with only one real committed activity: attending the Kobalt 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup race at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. (Yes, we had other things in mind.) When I go to a race, it's pretty much an all day event. One of the activities that I enjoy is roaming around the various activities outside the tracks. Generally, I see at least some of the RaceDay television show live. I also wander the merchendise haulers to see what and who's available. Linda has developed a real knack for finding the haulers where drivers can be seen. Here are the drivers from Atlanta, the most I've ever seen at one race.
Of course, the main event is the race. These shots capture some of the images from the race. I don't know the guy in the lower left corner but he's clearly a character; not the norm for the crowd but certainly a fan. Bottom center is Greg Biffle's car going the wrong way up pit road after a pretty significant accident. In the lower right, a fan celebrates his souvenir: the rear panel from Greg Biffles wrecked car.
"The World's Largest Drive-in Restaurant," The Varsity, has been asking that question for over eighty years and people have been stepping up to tell them. Linda and I stopped in to experience this Atlanta landmark. As you can see, we were not alone. As we drove in, all of the drive up slots were taken so we headed to the upper deck of their two story parking ramp. Inside, the counter is wide and the many lines move smoothly. Soon, we were enjoying our orders, happy to have stopped experienced another taste of Atlanta.
When in a capitol city, Linda and I like to get a photo of the capitol building. This handsome structure is the capitol of the great state of Georgia. Unfortunately, we were unable to enter the building but did get to roam the grounds a bit. Near the building itself is a very nice statue and ring honoring former President of the United States, Jimmy Carter. It is a very nice tribute recognizing the various areas where Mr. Carter has served his greater community.
Much like I like to see different NASCAR tracks, Linda and I like to see different Major League Baseball venues. If possible, we like to see a game and sample the foods offered. (Remember the goetta in Cincy?) The season hadn't started yet so the best we could do was tour Turner Field. We right down on the edge of the field, into the locker room and press box, some very nice facilities for fans with deeper pockets than ours, and onto the rooftop. That giant Coca-Cola red Adirondack style char that Linda is perched on is one of the rooftop attractions. It looks like a nice facility but it would have been even better to have seen a game there.
It took us way longer than I'd expected but we did find the track. You'd think that a HUGE oval, high-banked race track and surrounding grounds would have been easy to find, wouldn't you? Alas, it was not. Linda and I were passing near Talladega so we (more she than me) thought it would be good to swing by and see it, even from the gates. I'd seen it on Google Earth so I knew that it was north of town, didn't look far. Using the gps software we sometimes use on a pc in the car, I saw a large oval area northeast of town surrounded by roads but void of any crossing it; looked like a likely place for a racetrack to me. As we drove into twilight, the road quality got worse and worse as we got closer to our goal. Before we actually got there, Linda was having to drive more left and right than forward to avoid the huge craters in the gravel road; on either side were standing pools of water; this couldn't be right.
As Linda and I were looking ahead on our route, the Kymulga Grist Mill And Covered Bridge showed up as a possible place of interest. Having seen most of the bridges of Madison county, it would be interesting to see how they're done in Alabama; they're similar... but different. The bridges I've seen in Iowa have little to no exposed metal. This bridge, built about the time of the Civil War, is one of only two in Alabama remaining where it was originally built. It's a pretty stop and has a small campground to make for an interesting getaway location.
... but this is not a little breakfast. As Linda and I were crossing Mississippi and Alabama, we thought we should stop and get a bite to eat. Out in the country, at an interchange that wasn't closely related to any town sat a gas station and one of the regional chain restaurants; I forget the name. We stopped in, took a booth, and looked at the menu. When asked if this selection came with eggs, the waitress answered, "Yes. They just throw them on the pile." With marketing like that, how could you not place the order?!
When in Tupelo, you nearly have to stop at the birthplace of The Kind of Rock 'n Roll. It's not too hard to imagine a young boy running out the front door, jumping off the porch, and off to who knows what. Imagining that young boy would grow into a superstar takes a little more imagination but he did.
Just outside Tupelo, Mississippi, Linda and I saw an exit for the Natchez Trace Parkway. I'd heard of the trace but didn't really know much; Linda was in the same boat so we took the turn to find out a little bit. The visitor center and parkway headquarters were a couple of miles up the parkway so we stopped in. There, we learned about the long history of the trace as a path taken over the centuries by raftsmen who'd floated goods down from the Ohio valley. (Floating upstream is a LOT harder.) We also learned that a segment of the Old Trace, the actual trail, was just a few miles further up the parkway. Being that close, we decided to go see it. It was clearly visible and pretty impressive to think that old traders and native americans had walked home on that same path centuries before.
When Linda saw the original post, she asked if I'd forgotten the photos along the trail. I looked back and found that I had indeed overlooked / forgotten these two images from the Natchez Trace. I'm not the sharpest horticulturalist in the drawer so I don't know the name of this tiny flower but it's one of the early bloomers.
Of course, to get a shot like that, you sometimes become worthy of a photo yourself. As I was lying there, that thought went through my mind and then I heard the click of her camera. I was glad that she'd taken the shot; I figured it would likely be every bit as good as "another flower photo."
Linda and I next turned our attention to Beale Street and finding a bite to eat. At the corner where we first set foot on Beale, we found the Blues City Cafe, a busy, local looking place. Not wanting to jump at the first place that we saw, we moved on down the street. Wonderful bluesy music was rolling out of the various joints as we strolled down the street. Like Bourbon Street in New Orleans, the street is blocked off in the evenings for pedestrian traffic. Also like Bourbon Street, good music and mixed drinks are readily available without even entering any one business.
Our first stop was Graceland, former(?) home of Elvis Presley, The King of Rock 'n Roll. We arrived late in the day so we didn't go through the house itself; neither of us felt it a priority but it was something that, when in town, we wanted to at least be able to say that we'd seen it. From the outside, the house itself didn't look all that different from many others. It's located on a very large lot along a fairly busy street south of downtown. It took us a little bobbing and weaving to find but, once in the area, it was pretty apparent that we were almost there. The stone fence along the street is tall enough to deter all but the committed from climbing over it. More interestingly, it has become the journal where visitors pause to write their messages to The King and one another. There are several entries expressing gratitude for the personal experiences that were had as a result of Elvis' time on earth. Some are as brief as "We miss you." while others go on to talk about concerts or close encounters while he was alive. It really was a more poignant experience to read the messages than to see the property.
I recently was given a set of "screw in close up (macro) lenses." When Linda and I have gone to photography day at Living History Farms, we've run into the same guy showing how to take those really close up photos. He taught us how to take them with our point and shoots two years ago. This past year, he told us about these lenses that are sort of like reading glasses for the camera; they screw onto the threads at the front of our other lenses (unlike reading glasses) to provide more magnification of the subject. Of course, with these new toys, I went around taking new shots of some of the things around my house and Linda's.
Remember those free tickets from a post or two back? We used them to see the Chops take on the Lake Erie Monsters. These team names are ... interesting. The game was fast paced and entertaining, as usual. It was tied at the end of regulation AND the overtime. It took a shootout but the Monsters pulled it out to win, 3-2.
Linda and I went north to see her nephew, Jacob, play hockey again. This time, I got down a bit closer to the ice to take some better photos, a bit more eye level than my usual perspective. One of the challenges about hockey photography is that, as a fan in the stands, I'm generally shooting through the glass... glass streaked by high pucks and the occasional face. Anyway, Jake played well but, as I recall, the team lost. It's still a treat to get to see his game develop.
Had so much fun last time, we went back to see the Chops take on the Houston Aeros. This time, we had Linda's brother, sister-in-law, and youngest nephew, Jacob, along. The were coming down to play in a hockey tournament the next day and took advantage of the opportunity to see the Chops. The weather was so bad that, at the second break, they announced that, as a token of appreciation to those who'd braved the elements, tickets to next weeks game would be given out after this game. The Chops went into the third period up 2-1 but gave up three goals and lost 2-4.
Linda and I went back to Wells Fargo arena to see our hometown Chops host the Rockford Icehogs. (Anyone else impressed with the team names in the American Hockey League?) As usual, the pace of the game was quick and the play was fluid. I'm always impressed with the ability of these guys to pass the puck. The Chops play a physical game so there was a fight before the night was done. In the end, the Chops scored four goals to the Icehogs one.
Lincoln and Ames high schools had the special opportunity to play a basketball game at the Wells Fargo Arena. While Linda and I have enjoyed seeing the Railsplitters play at the Round House, seeing them play at the Well against standout Harrison Barnes was not to be missed. We arrived and, to my surprise, I was instructed to acquire my credentials in order to bring my camera. Fortunately, it was about as simple as giving my name but it was surprising to be asked.
Linda's nephew, Jake, plays hockey so, when the opportunity to go see him play came up, we made the drive. We arrived at the ice arena, met family, and settled in to see Jacob play. He's one of the bigger kids out there. He skated well and made some nifty moves with the stick. As a defenseman, he often positioned himself between the puck and the goal without apparent concern that it might sting if he blocked a shot. Jake looked like a hockey player and I look forward to seeing him play again.
Okay, I wasn't really driving while taking these shots but winter passengering didn't read well either. Fortunately, Linda is comfortable driving in the winter and that lets me pull out the camera from time to time. As you can see in the bottom photo, we encountered vehicles that were in need of tow trucks. The night before, a pretty good storm went through with a good deal of blowing snow.
Ashley and Travis' dog was going to be in his first show here in Des Moines so Linda and I drove over to the fairgrounds to see how he did. That's him in the ring in the upper shot. When it was all said and done, he collected a few nice ribbons and seemed to have a good time; not bad for his first show and all.
Linda and I returned to the Knapp Center to see the Drake Bulldogs battle the Wichita State Shockers. The visitors made two out of every three shots in the first half building double digit leads a couple of times in the first half but only took a four point lead into the halftime break. In the second half, the Bulldog defense tightened and the Shockers only made one third of their shots count. After tying the score at sixty-seven in the closing minutes, the Bulldogs went on little run and finished the game up 74-69. Josh Young and Adam Templeton, pictured, played key roles throughout the game.
A bright, beautiful January day with fresh snow... time to take out the camera! I went roaming around the capitol grounds and, after seeing the statues and sledders, this image was the one that really caught my eye. Usually, the reflection is of the capitol building; this seemed a bit more interesting that day... and I still like it today!
Linda and I had seen the Iowa Chops play an exhibition game at the old KGGO arena; we wanted to see them at their official home, Wells Fargo Arena. The Manitoba Moose were in town so we took the opportunity to see how they'd play. As we'd seen at the exhibition game, the Chops played a fast and physical game and the Moose responded in kind. It was a very close and entertaining game until a rush on the Chops goalie resulted in an injury that sent him to the showers. The backup goalie was not up to the task and soon the Moose were scoring often. As the frequency of Manitoba goals went up, so did the frequency of hard hits and, ultimately, a few fights. On one occasion, over half of the players on the ice had dropped their gloves. Ejections, penalties and warnings got the game back under control and the Chops lost 1-6.
Shortly after this colorful shot, these lovely bits were bubbling nicely on Linda's stovetop, melding into a very tasty mass of cajun inspired dinner. It took a while to get it all chopped up right and then waiting for the flavors to blend but in the end, the payoff was worth it. It was a nice last meal of 2008.
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