Trail Barrel
Virtuoso Jeff Bridges' aim is 'True'
A western whose greatest of several virtues is the marvelous musicality of its language, "True Grit" sings, again. ...
 |
 16 Western Saddle Barrel Racer Beauty Show Horse rounded Skirt Trail PINK Suede  US $274.98
|
 Barrel Saddle Western Pleasure Trail US $595.00
|
 7 ft Poly Barrel Roping Trail Reins US $3.26
|
 Milepost Show Spurs Or Barrel Racing Spurs Western Spurs US $39.99
|
 FORGOTTEN OTR Disc 1 Old Time Radio DVD 618 mp3 US $6.25
|
 HILASON WESTERN GEL SADDLE PAD BLANKET ANTI SLIP BASE DP103 US $59.05
|
Besides the University Do not Miss the US Navy Supply Corps Museum in Athens, Georgia
Athens is the home of the University of Georgia Bulldogs, situated in the Southeast quadrant of the city. It is the first state-chartered university in the country, founded in 1785. The campus is beautiful. Sanford Stadium is the fifth largest in the nation, where over 85,000 screaming fans cheered Hershel Walker and other notable athletes
Athens is also home to the US Navy Supply Corps training base and their museum housed in the Carnegie Library building. The museum gives a history of the corps and has artifacts from the mid eighteenth century, along with pieces from the USS Maine, which was blown up in Havana Cuba Harbor: the impetus for the Spanish-American War.
One interesting story told in the museum about the Corps during World War II concerns the POWs from the Bataan Death March. After incarceration, some of the men were forced to sew buttonholes and buttons on new uniforms for the Japanese soldiers. Being very inept at sewing, or claiming to be, the Japanese had the prisoners sew only the buttons on the clothing. The Japanese were finicky about how many times the thread had to pass through the four holed buttons. To achieve quota the prisoners sewed the thread through the buttons in the prescribed manner and then attached the perfect looking buttons to the uniforms with a single loop of thread. After the war and their rescue from the concentration camps, there were stockpiles of these new uniforms still in the camp. The soldiers exchanged their rags for these new clothes. After a short time, the shirts and slacks, to which they had attached the buttons, started to pop their buttons. Imagine the Japanese soldiers, while in battle, having to deal with their pants falling down and shirts loosing their buttons. Talk about true sabotage!
Downtown Athens is very scenic, complete with tree lined streets and many small boutiques. In front of the city hall is an oddity left over from the Civil War: a double-barreled cannon. The thought behind it was to place a cannon ball in each of the barrels attached to a chain. When fired both barrels would eject their balls with connecting chain into the troops and kill more soldiers. It was a great idea, but the cannon failed to work properly.
Athens is also the beginning of the Antebellum Trail. The trail generally follows Rte 441 South to Macon. In all of the towns along this historic highway are homes built before 1860. Most are in the Federal or Greek Revival style. Some are B & Bs today. Many are still private residences, well restored to their former opulence.
About the Author
John Pelley is a Geriatric Gypsy. He is retired from the rat race of working. He is a full-time RVer, who ran away from home. He began our travels on the East Coast and, like the migrating birds, seek the warmth of the seasons He has discovered volunteering with the National Park System. He has a CD he has recorded of Native American flute music., A Day with Kokopelli. For pictures, links, and more information visit http://www.jmpelley.org.
Comments on this entry are closed.