Georgia – GeoJeep

Nothing worthwhile is achieved without great effort. How you can determine how truly dedicated you are to a cause is by evaluating how long you are willing to try before giving up. Working hard really does pay off, whether it be the intended result or not. Sometimes the result is even better.

The Geology Dept banner at of G — The Geology Dept. Banner at the University of Georgia. May 17 2011

Today I slept in a little, with a drive of only 4 hours planned for the day. I was going to head from Savannah Georgia to Athens, Georgia, the hometown of one of my graduate school hopefuls. I had been emailing one of the higher up faculty there in hopes of meeting them while I was here, but unfortunately both of the gentlemen I had been talking to were going to be gone during this part of the summer. Since I had still planned on being in the area I figured it would still be worth a campus visit so I could at least see the campus, the geology building, and the town of Athens and get a feel for the area.

Hydrangea at u of G — The Hydrangea at the University of Georgia. May 17, 2011

I arrived in Athens about 3pm, and after finding a visitor parking area, I wandered around the campus (with guidance from the campus map board that was stationed near my parking garage). The University of Georgia is quite larger than what I am used to navigating. I don’t know how big Athens really is, but I’m pretty sure that the U of G consumes almost all of it. The campus is really pretty, well landscaped with local plants like blue hydrangea, lilies, and various trees. Every nook and cranny between buildings is well landscaped to include benches and gathering places. It seems no matter where you go you would feel like you have found your own personal oasis. Perhaps this is because it is summer and most of the students and faculty are absent, but I’d like to pretend it is like this all year around.

U of G Stadium — I dont know why I take a picture of the university stadiums, I don't really follow college sports. None-the-less, here is the University of Georgia's stadium. May 17, 2011

I found the shared Geology/Geography building with little difficulty. The building was open so I went in and wandered. As with all schools, everything was clearly labeled, and those that weren’t were easy to distinguish. The floor with the rocks was the geology floor. The floor with the giant globe would be the geography floor….in general. I was reading the directory and then looking at some pictures when I noticed a familiar name on one of them. It was the very man who was coauthor of the research the man I had been communicating with published. Not even two minutes later I see a walking image of the picture I had just been examining, so I stop and ask if it was indeed him.

U of G Geology building — The Geography/Geology building at the University of Georgia. May 17, 2011

I had caught him at a perfect time, he says. He was just wandering the building, bored, and considering visiting the library to do some mindless reading. He would be more than happy to show me around and talk to me about what the University of Georgia has to offer. We sat and talked about speleothems from different parts of the world for a time, and then he showed me some of the research they were doing now, opening up the labs and showing me specimens. He told me what type of TA and RA offers they typically make- most of the information I need to know to make a solid decision. I was incredibly lucky to have met him, as he is well known in the field. I had considered for a short moment not visiting the campus since the two men I had been communicating with weren’t going to be there, but I was still determined to get as much information as I can. It turns out the determination paid off, well. That makes 2 grad school potentials down, only 3 more to visit to get a good idea of who offers what.

Local Georgian produce — Some of the local produce I picked up at a roadside fruit stand in Georgia. May 17, 2011

Local Georgia Peaches — The white peaches I got, first of the season, from a local produce stand in Georgia. May 17, 2011

After my visit with the University of Georgia I headed off to my next campsite: Watson Mill Bridge State Park. On the way to Athens to visit the University of Georgia I had stopped by a local fruit stand and picked up some local produce. I purchased 4 1^st-of-the-season white peaches (grown from the standowners orchards), 1 ripe tomato, 1 vidalia onion (from Vidalia, GA, so the real deal), and a few potatoes- all for about $3. You can’t beat that. After stopping by a grocery store to pick up some sausage to slice up, and the leftover jalepeno from my cajun hobo dinner I cooked in Gulf State Park on Day 5, I had a really good dinner in the making.

Camp dinner in Georgia — My tasty dinner made of local produce (and a jalepeno and sausage). May 17, 2011 Watson Mill Bridge State Park Georgia

It turns out the park was absolutely gorgeous. I yet again had chosen the best park I could have in the area. The campsites were large, and the entire area was less than half occupied, there was a quaint wooden covered bridge, the nucleus of the park itself, and trails, waterfalls and more. I had to cook dinner and then eat it while walking on the trails I was so excited to experience them before dark.

Watson Mill Bridge State Park, Georgia campsite — My campsite at Watson Mill Bridge State Park in Georgia. May 17, 2011

The place stimulates each of the five senses: The smell of warm cedar. The sound of falling water. The sight of stone mill ruins and a covered bridge. The taste of camp cooked food. And the feel of a cooler, forested climate. It all added up to the fact that I had made the transition from the humid, warm south (which I did love) to the beginnings of the Appalachian Mountains. I was still in the state of Georgia, but something had clearly changed.

Mill Ruins at Watson Mill State Park — The old Mill Ruins you can find if you walk along the trails at Watson Mill State Park in Georgia. May 17, 2011

I couldn’t get enough of the park. I had planned the next day to be leisurely so I stayed there until almost check out time, taking pictures and relaxing in the canopy of the cedars and other trees. I was tempted to stay there another night, but I had already planned to visit another well-acclaimed state park up in South Carolina: Devil’s Fork State Park. I am determined to experience as much of America as I can on this trip, and my dedication had paid off today- It will certainly pay off tomorrow. I’ll see you there-

Nicole

The covered bridge at Watson Mill Bridge State Park — The covered bridge that crosses the river that runs over a lot of granitic rocks. May 17, 2011 at Watson Mill Bridge State Park

Me at Watson Mill Bridge — Taking pictures of Watson Mill Bridge in Northern Georgia. May 17, 2011

As I have stated before in my Day 2 Water World, water is incredibly important to the success of a community. Not only is it a necessity of life, but it is also a viable means of transportation. While the advent of motorized vehicles made travel over land easier, it is still more efficient when shipping large amounts of goods to use waterways. No man-made transportation system, even trains, can transport such a large amount of goods on one vessel. This is why so many of the larger cities in the world, especially those of industry, are built upon waterways that can support this sort of transportation. The city of Savannah was built upon the banks of the Savannah River for this very purpose and the river was used for trade, and still is today. The exchange of goods isn’t the only thing that rivers provide: it is also an exchange of cultures, and sometimes the very founding blocks of a city’s soul.

Ship at Savannah port — One of the ships at Savannah's port. May 16, 2011

Savannah was the starting place for the colony of Georgia, beginning in 1733. James Oglethorpe arrived on the British galley “Anne” in this year, in Charleston, SC with 144 colonists and supplies to set up a port on the southern banks of the Savannah River. The city was built upon his design, the streets in a grid pattern with plenty of space for public buildings.

The Savannah Cotton Exchange building. May 16, 2011

Cobble walks of Savannah — The cobble walks of Savannah, shaded by large oaks with spanish moss. May 16, 2011

Cotton was Savannah’s main export, and during the time it boasted the badge of being the top cotton export of the Atlantic, and the 2^nd of the entire world. Over 2 million bales of cotton were moved through the port of Savannah every year during cotton’s peak. The port was used heavily throughout the 18^th cenury, and in the 19^th century they decided to put all of those cobbles used as ballasts in ships to good use. The urban geology (click here for my definition of urban geology) of Savannah is thus varied, having stones from all over the world incorporated into the streets and retaining walls. They come from places like the American Northeastern coast, Maritime Canada, Portugal, Spain, France, Madeira and more. A mix of many different rock types from the igneous (Basalt, Granite) to the sedimentary (sandstone, chert, limestone and more).

An old anchor in Savannah — An old anchor on Savannah's River street, a local muscian plays alongside the fountain.

Today Savannah is still a major port, shipping out large amounts of goods on a regular basis. The ships are HUGE, it almost seems unnatural to see them floating through the river. While exports are still important, tourism is the Savannah prosperity of today, with thousands of visitors flocking to explore the beautiful city every day.

The ships in Savannah River — These ships are HUGE. Each of those containers are what typically sits on a semi truck. Do you see the person in orange for scale? No? Look at the next picture for a closer look.

The scale person on Savannah ship — There he is, my little scale man. This ship is HUGE! Makes you wonder how deep the Savannah River actually is.... May 16, 2011

Savannah has a wide selection of excellent restaurants, everything from seafood to Italian. I went to “Vic’s on the River” as recommended by the lady who checked me into my hotel. The food was fantastic, the service was great, and the view from the balcony was beautiful. A quick storm passed through while I ate and enjoyed a half-bottle of wine, and afterward the sun came back out and a rainbow appeared. A sign of good fortune to me.

Wine in Vic's of Savannah — Some of the very large wine selection offered at Vic's in Savannah, GA. May 16, 2011

The meals run between 20 and 30, so a little more pricey than I usually dine at, but the portions are large and the chef’s creations are wonderful. When you are eating at a restaurant like this, don’t insult the chef: order as it is described in the menu and don’t season until you’ve tasted. It always irks me when I am in a nice restaurant and a customer wants to order it without this and with this…it’s an insult. At a restaurant like this the chefs work hard to create a recipe that tastes just right. Enjoy it as it is. I enjoyed a large fillet of local flounder, breaded in Georgia pecans, with a citrus butter glaze atop potatoes and sausage. It was…delicious!!!

Pecan-encrusted flounder — My meal at Vic's: Pecan encrusted local flounder atop pototoes and sausage with a citrus butter sauce. Mmmmmm May 16, 2011

The rainbow over Savannah, GA — The rainbow that came out over the Savannah River, viewed from Vic's on the River's balcony. May 16, 2011

There are plenty of unique shops to explore, and although shopping isn’t quite my thing I found a few inexpensive trinkets, like a decorated mask and some earrings. There was also a shop that had everything made from bee products (the honey and the wax). It was quite an interesting store, and they have a large variety of different honey to sample and purchase. Many honey farms restrict their bees to certain areas of flowers (I.E. citrus, the tupelo plant, clover, etc) and it gives the honey a distinct flavor, texture and color. For more information, visit their website www.savannahbee.com

The Savannah Bee Company. Savannah River District. Georgia. May 16, 2011.

Honey from Savannah — A small selection of the types of honey the Savannah Bee Company offers. May 16, 2011

While I prefer to camp for several reasons outlined previously, there are some places where it just makes more sense to stay in a hotel. Savannah is one of those places. I was able to enjoy a wonderful free breakfast in the morning, free internet, a hot tub, and a comfortable bed. I don’t always stay at hotels, but when I do I stay at Choice Hotels (Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, etc). They have the best breakfasts, decent rates, and they even have a free points card to redeem free nights. It is usually best, if you choose to travel via hotel, to pick a chain you like and stick to it so you can earn free nights. It is the best value you can get while staying in a hotel and you know what to expect at each location.

Savannah is a great place to visit, but tomorrow it is time to head towards the University of Georgia to see what the area has to offer. I’m starting my journey towards the northeast, just when I became used to seeing spanish moss draping from large oaks and large swampy area. I will have to say goodbye to the deep south, but I will not be saying goodbye to the river ways. Each river city has its own distinct culture, based upon their own goods for trade. I can’t recall right now which river is next along my journey, but for now it’s time to head towards the Carolinas and enjoy my last day in Georgia. See you all soon-

Nicole

Tag: Georgia

Dedication: Day 9 Georgia, Watson Mill Bridge State Park

Riverways: Day 8 Pt 2, Savannah GA