Help me Obi Wan Kenobi, you’re my only hope.
04/01/24 – Day 280 – Mile 1901
All’s quiet on the Eastern front (of Lowndes). It’s also flat and bristling with pines. Having completed walking that side of our parish, I now turn toward the north. I’ll start by exploring the length of Radar Site Rd at Moody Air Force Base….which brings me to the Obi Wan title of this post. I’ve yet to find anyone who will sponsor my access onto base to walk their own Burma Rd., and all the others with storied names. And so, it’s time to cast a wider social media net to land that rare benevolent fish to grant my wish. My plea is to any personnel annointed with clearance to enter, consider being a part of my journey. Take me with you then take a walk with me. The (Air) Force will be with us, so what could go wrong? You can reach me by Facebook messenger, or at my e-Mail:
justintime59@icloud.com.
A couple of interesting sights/encounters this last week are worth relaying. I walked Knights Academy Rd. which changes name to Old State Road at the point it crosses Ga 221 (aka, the Lakeland Highway). The entire length stretches from Bemis Rd. to the Alapaha River east of Naylor. It was quite the stroll to be sure. Heading east, you cross Ga 135 at which point the pavement gives way to dirt for the last miles of Old State Rd. The unpaved portion begins wide with maintained ditches and ultimately winnows to a narrow jeep lane more resembling someones private drive, festooned with signs warning “Trespassers will be shot, Survivors will be shot again”. A quick recount of the number of holes in my body made me certain another one was unnecessary and so I did an about face to march back to the rendezvous. Too late, I’d been spotted and he was coming my way to intercept. (I think I was damaged by “that” scene in the movie Deliverance, so my nervousness was understandable). Once the home owner realized his intruder was a geriatric walker with a water bottle, tones and chat turned friendly. His name is Travis (didn’t make out the last name) and he told of their need to closely monitor who goes there into that dark wood behind his house. None who did were there to pick up trash or conduct River research. He granted permission to continue down that primitive road which deteriorated into a narrow goat trail and finally petered out into brush along the bank of the Alapaha River. The river was wide and flowing fast. I was aware that the pristine site I gazed on was probably exactly as it looked to early 18th century settlers. It was local beauty to behold. Travis told me of an unmarked plantation slave cemetery just over that way and said he’d show me where if I was ever interested. And ya know, I think I’ve just enough curiosity to head back there and see for myself.
One other notable sighting was one interesting to me, and anyone interested in orthonology. At the Knights Academy intersection with Ga 221, I noticed a soaring Swallow Tail Kite (the raptor, not the one on a string) that was wheeling and slanting around just overhead. Then I spotted another, and another until I realized I was under a swarm of hundreds of them in their collective acrobatic gyre vying for the catch of the day, which seemed to be grasshoppers. I was awe struck, as I have this inexplicable fascination with this distinctive sleek animal. My wife is as captivated by these beautiful birds as I, so I knew I had to go collect her to view the unusual spectacle. We met in town, grabbed a to-go bite for lunch, and drove back out the location. Luckily the birds were still feeding. We found a suitable pullover on 221, parked, popped out chairs, and had the most enjoyable respite under that turning parasol of flight. I’m sure we looked rather touched to motorist flashing past, (I expected at least one of them to dial 911 and notify the boys from BellView). A memorable pic-nic if ever there was one.
Quote of the week: Shane O’mara -In Praise of Walking-
“In evolutionary terms, bipedalism enabled us to walk out of Africa and to spread all over the world – to the far distant glaciers of Alaska, and the sun-baked deserts of Australia. It’s a unique ability that has defined human history.”