I left Big Lagoon SP unsure of where to go next. I was coming nearer to the Atlantic ocean and wasn't sure when I wanted to head north. About 3 hours into the drive east on I-10, dark clouds started rolling in, and I soon ran into rain. It was with that, I made a calculated gamble to head north to Georgia, hoping to bypass the storm, and hoping Georgia wasn't like Alabama.
The gamble failed. The storm ended up following me all the way into the middle of Georgia and decided to sit there for the rest of the night. The plus side is it forced me to drive through Georgia, allowing me to realize how much I loved it. Old Victorian houses next to relics from the early 20th century, huge oak trees with moss hanging down, pine forests, and the general southern feel turned Georgia into one of the unlikely places I'd like to live at. I just kept imagining spending fall in the backwoods of Georgia, watching the seasons change, joining in the harvest festivals, and enjoying the nice weather. That's the weather I imagined it had, not the weather that day. Because that day it was raining, a lot.
It stayed bad all the way to Douglas, Georgia where I planned on camping. As I didn't feel like setting up my tent in the rain I decided to grab a motel instead.
I definitely decided that quicker than I should have. It's not that I had been camping that long at this point, it's just I was feeling a little lonely and out place. The warm bed, tv, internet, and shower made me feel more comfortable and somehow set my mind in the right place for the rest of the journey. While I always am going to be nervous and anxious, I made sure the rest of the way not to let the homelessness and uncertainty take over my emotions.
The motel was more expensive then I planned on spending, but countered it by still eating the food I bought for myself. This includes using a nifty trick I learned from my good friend David Chang: Making ramen with the Coffeemaker, a seemingly obvious, but genius idea.
Unfortunately, this night was fairly uneventful, and I left the next day after sleeping in rather late.
The day was not without a bird sighting, however! I found a flock of Canada Geese at the local Douglas, GA airport. They were likely stopping for a bite to eat before continuing on their Fall Migration.
I'm Dorie Bacon, the Tourism Coordinator in Douglas, GA. Your blog showed up in my Google alert. I'm so glad you came to Douglas and enjoyed your stay! If you have any questions or would like to come again, go to www.cityofdouglas.com/visitor or send me an email at tourism@cityofdouglas.com!
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