#75 Grazing Goats on Holiday

May 28, 2007

526 miles

Monday

Monday was a great day for riding across Mississippi, Alabama, a corner of Georgia and into Tennessee. The trip was mostly nondescript except for the herd of goats grazing in the median of I20 in Brighton, Alabama (south of downtown Birmingham). Probably not the best place for goats to graze, especially during the last day of a holiday weekend. I stopped at the next exit and called it in to the local law enforcement dispatch office. I didn't even hesitate. I KNOW that herding goats along the roadway is within an officer's job description because I've had to herd stray goats along the roadway myself before! I've also rounded up stray emus! (For those of you that may not know, I used to work for Hays County Sheriff's Department in Texas.)

North of Birmingham, I saw a sign "to Clay" with an arrow to exit. It looks like a sign addressed to me, doesn't it? Let's go see. I was getting a bit bored of the super slab Interstate anyway so I took the exit.

My detour took me through the Clay-Chalkville area of Alabama.
After Clay, Alabama, I get a refreshing stretch of road. I enjoy it enough that I stay on it for about 17 miles through Springville on may way back to I20 -- the wide, straight slab full of traffic.

Oh well -- It's efficient at moving people along.
Monday, I made it as far as Bulls Gap, Tennessee where I stopped for the night after getting hit with a sudden HEAVY downpour. So sudden, I didn't even have time to get to the next exit to stop and put on rain gear. I was wearing mesh gear - I was drenched! So I took the next exit and checked into a Super 8 along I81 about 9pm -- 100 miles earlier than planned.
Tuesday, I intend on taking it a bit slower and stamp hunt on my last day before getting home.

There may be an old bridge or two waiting along my path...

Sniffing the flowers on the way home...