February Roadtrip Through Georgia

Day 1

Wednesday, February 25, 20

     A few years ago, I decided I needed to see more of our state parks.  That's what brought me to the first stop of the day, Indian Springs State Park.

     The park is an easy hour and fifteen minute drive.  Along the way... sunrise over Jackson, GA.

     As you might have guessed from the name, the area was known for its hot springs long before Europeans arrived.  The state of Georgia bought the land from the Creek tribe in 1825 and turned it into a public park and the first state park in the nation.

    Soon, hotels and resorts started popping up.  Lured by the healing power of the spring, they thrived.   

     My plan was a 6.4 mile trail through the woods, alongside Chief Macintosh Lake, the county reservoir.  

    When I checked in to buy my day pass, I was informed I was now eligible for the Senior Annual Pass.  Sigh.

     Trailhead parking was in this open field.  It just felt weird.

    The trail was pretty straightforward with a few small hills.  Pretty easy.

      The spring itself feeds a pipe inside this building...

     There were four people with multiple water jugs filling up.

     I just filled my own water bottle.  You could smell the Sulphur just walking into the building, even though it was open and well ventilated.  

      Sniffing the water in the bottle and that egg smell was pretty strong.

     Rookie mistake...reopening the bottle and taking a sip inside the car.  I could smell it in the car for hours.  As for the taste, oddly enough, it was more towards hard boiled eggs.  Weird.

     Since the park is just a few miles from the town of Juliette, it seemed worthy of a stop.  The Whistle Stop Cafe was unfortunately closed.  Apparently, it's a Wednesday thing.  

    After lunch in Macon, I went in search of a hiking trail called Brown's Mount.  It's a few miles east of the city, in a section of Bond Swamp National Wildlife Preserve.

     From the parking lot, it's a steady climb...

    To this overlook...

   And a view of the Macon skyline.

     While not exactly a long trail, it did feel good after lunch.

      Having expected a longer day, I had only booked a room in Vidalia.  

      Originally named Jenkins Station after an early settler, the name was changed to Vidalia by the president of the Savannah, Americus and Montgomery Railroad.  One of his daughters suggested the name, but no one knows why she chose it.  

      Today, the city is mostly known for the sweet onions that are grown here.  There's even a museum dedicate to them.

     My one brewery stop of the day was a relatively new place in Vidalia called Ohoopee River Brewing.  This is one of those tough ones to work in since they only open at 4P.  The name comes from the Creek word for "old town."  I had heard good thing about this place and even met the brewer.  He's certainly creative with his flavors and I would definitely stop in again.

   My home for the night was the AmericInn.  Decent enough place.  They even have a lake out back.  So I went out for sunset, such as it was.

Day 2

Thursday, February 26, 20

     From Vidalia to Statesboro is only an hour drive.  Sunrise, along the interstate. 

     I chose to visit Statesboro for two trails.  The first is two and a half miles out and back.  

          Just follow the red...

      

     The trail is named after local bluesman Blind Willie McTell. (pr;MAC-tell)  Born blind in one eye, he lost the rest of his vision in his youth.  His mother, and one of his neighbors taught him to play guitar in his teens.  His softer voice and laid back playing style caught on and he would spend his career travelling and playing the blues.

     His most famous song is "Statesboro Blues."  Though most people are more familiar with the Allman Brothers cover of the song.  

     In 1983, Bob Dylan even wrote a song about him.

     A block up from the other end of the trail sits the Jaeckel Hotel, now being used as Statesboro City Hall.   It was one of McTell's favorite venues to play in town.  

       Seen on the walk back, adjacent to a dog park...

     The second trail of the day was the S&S Greenway.  A section of the old Savannah and Statesboro Railroad was repurposed into a rail trail.  

     That sky...

    From Statesboro, it was an easy drive back to St. Mary's, GA my home for the next two nights.

     Of course the day ended in Riverfront Park...

Day 3

Friday, February 27, 202

       There's a reason I came back to St. Marys.  While it's true, I really like it here, there was something else I was curious about.  But, that's tonight

     As always, the day began with a sunrise...

 

     The original plan for the day was a nice long hike.  That changed with the morning's weather forecast.  That first band was due to hit around 1P,  the bigger one this evening.

     Instead of a long hike that might get washed out, I chose one only twenty minutes away, just over the Florida state line.

     The whole trail is like this.  One mile in and it splits in a Y.  Do it all and it's a little over three and a half miles.  With the rain still two hours out, I retraced a bit for five and three quarter miles.

     With a name like Disco Witch Brewing, you know I had to stop in.

      The sky was getting dark to the west.  It was time to head home.

     The view from the motel just minutes before the rain...

     I've been driving Hwy 17 north from here for years.  I've been stopping in Woodbine to walk their own rail trail for the last few.  In December, I saw a small, curious sign on the edge of town. It simply read, Woodbine Opry every Friday and Saturday.  So, I looked it up.

     The opry began as a bluegrass jam twenty five years ago and has just grown since.  There was no way I was going to pass this up.

    The music is free and starts at 7P.

     If you come at 5P, they serve dinner for $12.  First come, first served.

     I lingered a bit too long outside smelling the flowers and watching the sunset.

     When I walked in, they were already cleaning up.  Dinner had been home made pizza and it goes quickly.  They were apologetic since I missed dinner.  They slipped me a piece of pound cake.  That was dinner. Delicious.

     As for the music, it's mostly local musicians.  But, if you're passing through, let them know and you're welcome to join them on stage.   Friday is bluegrass and gospel music.  Saturday it's mostly country.  Definitely worth it and I'd do this again.  I did record a few songs on my phone, but can't seem to get them to properly transfer into blogger.

Day 4

Saturday, February 28, 20

     Sure, it was overcast and misty when I woke up.  I still grabbed a coffee and went out to the riverfront.

     And ten minutes after "sunrise."

     As usual, I did stop back in Woodbine for their River Walk Trail.  This time I walked to the southern end first...

     Then started towards the northern end...

     Not a bad morning's walk at all...

    Just like the last time, I was staying at The Dunes on Tybee Island.  It's inexpensive and respectable.  Though, you'd never impress someone staying here.

    Naturally, I did go out for sunset...

    Tonight's moon... yes it comes back in the narrative...

     Which brings me to the other reason I scheduled this roadtrip.  Tonight was supposed to be a rare planetary alignment, with Venus, Mercury and Saturn visible to the naked eye.  Jupiter and Uranus were also supposed to be visible with binoculars.

     Between the cloud cover, light pollution on the horizon and that mostly full moon, I saw nothing.

    Always cool when the moon is bright enough to cast shadows...

     This is a three second exposure.  

     Using the moonlight, I took this with a five second exposure...

    And another with four seconds and playing with ISO levels...

Day 5

Sunday, March 1, 20

    Of course the day began on the beach for sunrise.  So much potential.

      That gap in the clouds closed making sunrise mostly just a change in the overall light level.

    Always looking for something different to do, I paid a visit to the Georgia Coastal Botanical Garden. 

     They've designed the gardens so something is always in bloom.

     I paid my $5 and walked in.

     There are two greenhouses.  Only one is open to the public.  Irises of many colors.

     The day ended as expected, with a walk on the beach for sunset.

      Fog was moving in as the sun went down.

Day 6

Monday, March 2, 20

    Of course it started with a sunrise.

     As always, I choose a day to walk to my favorite restaurant on the island, Huck-a-poos.  If I walk the long way up the beach and the roads back, it's five miles.

   Once I rounded the north end of the island, I hit the fog.  Ships entering and leaving Savannah were blowing their fog horns.  But, I couldn't even see them.

I

     As you might suspect, sunset was a bust.  But, I layered up against the wind and went out anyway.

Day 7

Tuesday, March 3, 20

     Sunrise was much the same.  Just wind and fog.  No chance to see the eclipse, either.  Life goes on.

      

      A few years ago, I took a side trip from here to the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge.  It's across the South Carolina border and twenty minutes from Savannah.

    After checking in at the visitors center, it was off to hit a few trails.

    The Back River Trail runs 3.9 miles.  The AllTrails app has a slightly longer version. It's all a gravel road, so I took the longer route.

. 

   Yeah, just a little bit longer.

   The second trail of the day was significantly shorter.  Nice to see the sun come out.

      Sunset

Day7

Wednesday, March 4, 2026

     Another foggy morning.  But, I went out anyway.

       Time to pack up the room and head for home.

       Islands Expressway connects Tybee and Wilmington Islands with Savannah.  I've driven it many times.  About a month ago, I read about something I had seen, but never thought about.  

       Savannah has numerous canals, that's nothing special.  Well, except for one.  Just after you pass the Savannah Water Reclamation plant, you cross the Bilbo Canal.

       The original canal was built by hand around 3500 BC.  It connected the Savannah River to the Bilbo settlement and one of the oldest burial mounds on the continent.  It's not open to the public and currently surrounded by fencing.  You can read more about it here:

Dave 

3/2026

PS: Next up for the road is yet another return to Clarksdale, Mississippi for the Juke Joint Festival.  I'm in the process of working out my route there and back.  As always, there's so much to see.