Caching and Sightseeing in Blakely and Lumpkin 1/31/2008

Well we were off early this morning, about 8:15 to the Kolomoki Mounds in Blakely, GA and the Providence Canyon in Lumpkin, GA along with some caching on the way to and the way back. We stated with a cache in Leary, GA behind an old church.
Then it was on to Blakely, GA to see the Kolomoki Mounds State Park and like its billing it was fantastic. They are some of the largest and most important mound groups in the southeastern United States. Most of the complex of mounds was constructed about AD 200-600 and abandoned about AD 950 and has 8 mounds in the surrounding area. Dr. William H. Sears explored the mounds and found evidence of elaborate burials that reflected the lifestyles of a highly complex culture that was rich in art, craft and tradition. One of the mounds, Mound F was excavated in 1952 and they found a platform of thin white clay layer over black loam film. This was covered by a 2 to 3 foot layer of red clay. This mound is a common example of an earthen structure built simply for ceremony and not for burial. Mound G was the Mercier family burial grounds the original owners of the property and has 8 burial sites. Mound B was excavated and Dr. Sears found a number of logs, as big as 24 to 30 inches in diameter, that were placed upright, side by side, to create a framed structure. Red and yellow clay were mounded around the bases of these log posts to create the mound. The Temple Mound is the largest of the mounds and measures 325 x 200 at the base and is approximately 56.5 feet high. It would take 11.5 million one-gallon buckets filled with dirt to build this mound. Several excavations were undertaken on this mound but they only thing they found was a few artifacts and very hard clay cap that would take an earthquake of dynamite to move. It was quite interesting to read and see all the history here.
Then it was on to Providence Canyon, often called "Georgia's Little Grand Canyon" and is located outside Lumpkin, GA. It is a network of gorges created by the erosion of soft, multicolored soils. It consists of several chasms, plateaus, cliffs and pinnacles. Erosion has exposed the geological record and of several million years within its walls, and minerals have stained the sediments, creating a display of colors that range from white to various shades of pink, purple, brown, red, yellow and black. It's 1109 acres and has 16 canyons, some as deep as 150' and there has been 43 different colors of sand identified. Historical accounts indicate that the canyon began forming in the early 1800's as a result of poor soil management practices. Native forest was cleared so the land could be farmed and 19th century farmers took no measures to avoid erosion. Small gullies formed and became deeper and deeper and soon became 3-5 feet deep and increased the rate of erosion. The name of the canyon apparently came from the Providence United Methodist Church which was established around 1832. As you can see by the pictures this was well well worth the trip.
We then headed back to Lumpkin and a stagecoach driving tour of antebellum homes in the area. You talk about hometown America, this was it. It had Singer Hardware Store the oldest hardware store in Georgia a drug store museum and many more old stores. The stagecoach tour started at the Bedingfield Inn which was built in 1836 as a family residence and stagecoach stop. We drove past many of the older homes in the area but did not see them all as we could not get into the Inn to get a list of the houses. We headed out of Lumpkin and stopped for a cache located at the historic site of Jackson Trail which was blazed in 1818 by a detachment of Jackson's men under the command of Colonel Arthur P. Haynes running north and south through this point. Early settlers came into this section along this trail known as Ft. Gaines Road.
Then on the way back to the RV we stopped to pick up a couple of caches, one at a old abandoned baseball field and the next outside a business park.
It was then on back to the RV and we ordered pizza from The Mellow Mushroom Pizza Shop and it was delicious. Some of the best pizza we have ever had. Well time for bed now and we love and miss you all.



Picture List:1-6 Providence Canyon, 7-12 Providence United Methodist Church, 13 Leary Train Depot, 14 Singer Hardware the oldest hardware store in Georgia, 15 Bedingfield Inn, 16 Mom on the top of the Temple Mound (the highest mound), 17 & 18 The Burial Mercier Mound, 19-21 Kolomoki Mounds # 21 is the Temple Mound, 22 Reddick's Store (post office and general store), 22 Jackson Trail Memorial.

First Day of Caching in Albany 1/30/2008

Well it poured rain last night but by 8:00 it had cleared off and was sunny but very cool and windy but we set off for some caches near to the campgrounds. Our first stop was a cache at a library, then off to Hardees, next was a cache located behind a small plaza and then on to the first of 3 caches in small parks. We then went into downtown Alabny to there river walk and found a cache along the Flint River in a tree and then 2 more located in and near the civic center which is across from the river walk and is hardly ever used. Then it was on to a very very questionable part of town for a casche hidden along some railroad track, which we thought was a no no. Next was a cache hidden in a hole in a concrete light post, then on to Bennett memorial Gardens which is located in a very ritzy section of town and is a very beautiful location. Then on to the Albany Fairgrounds and a cache there, next was a cache located near a pecan grove and lastly a cache in the woods near a deserted field. Make sure you see the picture of Mom climbing the tree at one of our park caches too. There wasn't much history today in any of the caches that we did but we did see The Ray Charles Plaza in downtown Albany a very lovely little section of the river walk. Ray Charles was born in Albany so this was to commemorate his fame and they play his music all the time as you walk into the area. We brought or lunch with us and ate by the river then went back to the RV and had dinner and watched tv. By the way I got nailed by another tick yesterday while we were setting up the RV as I think I got it while I was sitting on the ground connecting the cable tv. Oh well live and learn but I didn't think because of the cold weather they would be out but I guess I was wrong. Well time for bed and we love you all.


Picture List: 1-4 Ray Charles Plaza, 5 Tweety in a tree.

On the Road to Albany, GA

We packed up and were on the road today about 9:15 on our way to Albany, GA about 166 miles from Brunswick. It was a very easy trip with only about 3 or 4 turns as when we left the campgrounds it was a right hand turn and that was it almost all the way to Albany on Rt 82. Boy we have never seen so many pine trees in all our lives along the way. As we got farther toward Albany the scenery changed to a more New York landscape with cows more fields and different trees. We traveled through some well known American towns such as Lulaton, Enigma, Ty Ty, Sumner, Poulan and Sylvester the home of Peter Pan Peanut Butter. We got to the campgrounds Albany RV Resort about 1:00 only to find the office was closed from noon to 2:00 every day. Someone must have seen us and did come down and we were able to check in and were all set up by 2:00 in spite of a nosy old blow hard that wanted to talk your ear off and didn't care if you were trying to do something. Hope her doesn't hang around all week. We went to Wally World and got groceries and Mom got her haircut and we were back to the RV about 4:00. There are no bathrooms here so we have to use the shower here. Oh well that's the price you pay for cable tv. We ate and watched tv. For all you that thought that Hooterville wasn't a real place look at the picture as it's a picture of the Hooterville Diner. Hope everybody is well and we love you all.

Last Day of Caching in the Brunswick Area and on Jekyll Island 1/28/2008

We headed out early this morning to head for Jekyll Island and the last few caches we didn't get on a rainy Saturday. We had to go out to the North end of the island for our first cache which was located at GA's first Brewery on land owned by the William Horton family who was an aide to General Oglethorpe. The brewery supplied ale to the troops and settlers at Fort Frederica on St Simons Island. All that is left are the "tabby" ruins which is the building material used for walls, floors and roofs that was widely used throughout coastal GA. during the Military and Plantation Eras. It was composed of equal parts of sand, lime, oyster shell and water mixed into a mortar and poured into a form. The lime used in the tabby was made by burning oyster shell taken from Indian Shell Mounds, the trash piles of the Indians. The word tabby is African in origin, with an Arabic background, and means "a wall made of earth or masonary".
Then it was on down the road to The Horton House which was constructed around 1740 and represents on the the most significant tabby ruins remaining on the GA coast. Horton was one of General Oglethorpe's top aides and was in charge of troops garrisoned at Fort Frederica on nearby St Simons Island. Horton farmed the island, producing crops to aid with supplying the troops in the fort. Horton had a wife Rebecca and 2 children. The tabby home featured chimneys on either end, two rooms on the first floor, and two bedrooms on the second floor. There was also a lovely balcony off the back of the house. Also located on this site across the street is the burial grounds of Poulain du Bignon who bought the house and land after Horton's death in 1748. Bignon was an officer in the French Army in India and later served for years fighting against the domination of Great Britain. Later he commanded a vessel of was sailing under the flag of France. He died in 1814 and was buried near the house along with several of his relatives.
Then on to 2 cache located overlooking the marsh off the bike path, which by the way goes all around the island, then a a cache off another trail leading to an outdoor amphitheater which is used for three plays performed by professional actors and students from Valdosta State Univ. and rotate through the season which begins in late May through July. The last cache was located down close to the historic district along the water in a circle of 8 oak trees.
Then it was on back to the RV to do logs and the blog and we went to Steak & Sundae to eat dinner. We leave for tomorrow for Albany, GA. We love you all.


Picture List: 1-4 Horton House, 5-7 Poulain du Bignon Burial Grounds, 8-10 Georgia's First Brewery

Sunday Caching in and Around Brunswick 1/27/2008

We left this morning about 9:00 and left fro our first cache which was just down the street from the campgrounds and was in a small shopping center. Then off to Blythe Island Regional Park and a cache located in the woods just off one of the trails, next we headed back toward Brunswick and a cache along the Earth Day Nature Trail. It was a lovely small park with a great trail back to a observation deck and along the way it had informational signs regarding the wildlife and it had several displays showing the kind of birdhouses the certain species live in.
Then on to a small park along the marsh called The Marshes of Glynn, then to the visitors center and a cache located there. While we were there we saw we saw the old iron pot that the first Brunswick Stew was made in on St Simons Island on July 2, 1898.
Then down to the marina for 2 caches located along the wharf, then another close to a families yard where they had 2 dogs buried that belonged to them.
Lat was a cache at Glynn Academy. On Feb. 1,1788 Glynn Academy was created which made it the second oldest school in GA. In 1888 the records show Glynn had a graduating class of 4 girls and 2 boys. The first bldg. was erected in 1819 and cost $10,000 to construct. A new bldg was built in 1840 and served as the only public school in Brunswick and today is located at its present location in Sterling.The bldg now is due to be moved back to downtown.
That was about it for the day and we headed back to have lunch and I washed the windows in the RV. We did our logs and the blog and had dinner. We love all our family and friends and miss you guys.


Picture List:1-Earth Day Nature Walk overlooking the marsh, 2-3-fishing boats at the wharf, 4 (on right) Glynn Academy, 5-6-Earth Day Marsh Walk, 7-Brunswick Visitors Center, 8-Brunswick Stew Pot.

Jekyll Island Caching on a Rainy Rainy Day 1/26/2008

We waited awhile this morning to see if the rain would let up before we set out for Jekyll Island to do some caching. We got out there about 10:15 and drove out to the south end of the island as it was still raining fairly hard. We found one cache at the Tidelands Nature Center. After leaving there we drove around to see if we could find any caches where you didn't have to walk to far in the rain. Well that was tough so we drove into the historic part of the island and the rain was letting up a little.
We went to a cache located along the marsh that was the site of the Old Boathouse ruins. The boathouse was used by the employees and guests of the Jekyll Island Club Hotel. Back before the bridges to the island were built the boat were the lifeline to the mainland bringing passengers and goods to the island. There isn't much documentation as to what the boathouse looked like. The boats that were used were the 100' steamer The Jekyll Island, The Hattie, The Sybil and the Kitty.
We drove down the road to the Jekyll Island Wharf and walked down to another cache along the water, then seeing as it had stopped raining we went back out to the south end of the island to do the rest of our caches for the day. We found one under a bridge along a nature walk that was supposed to have alligators along it, but alas we didn't see any, Then to St Andrew park for a cache hidden in the woods, then to South Dunes Park where we found another hidden in the woods, then back into the village to another nature trail that we had a heck of a time finding. As we walked back to the cache we saw an American Eagle sitting in a tree watching over his nest, and that was worth the trouble finding the trail.
That was about it for the day and we went back and drove around Historic Brunswick and then had lunch at Whataburger (don't bother trying it) and went back to the RV and had dinner later on. Thats it for the day and we love everybody very much.
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Picture List:1 & 2 on left-2 of the older homes that are now used for shoppes, 3 on right-an old crank telephone, 4-Mom in front of her dream house, 5-7- the Old Jekyll Island Club Boathouse site, 8-the American Eagle sitting in the tree, 9-Mom's dream house The Jekyll Island Club Hotel, 10-Jekyll Island Wharf.