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| Jimmy Carter's boyhood farm, Archery, Georgia |
Making our way through Georgia has been a surprise to say the least, my first time in the state it has some real beauty and history for sure. Our first nights camping in Georgia landed us at Georgia Veterans Memorial State Park located just outside of Cordele. This park sits on Lake Blackshear and has not only a golf course but a huge resort operated by Coral Hospitality. You would think this would get Y'all (oops, Southern slip) in the way of camping. However, with 8,700 acres, campers, boaters and resort visitors were all enjoying the great outdoors.
One reason we chose this spot was that it was close to Jimmy Carter's historic site museum, birthplace and where he currently lives today, Plains, Georgia. Thinking back on all this we certainly have traveled a rough road, not the Weoverlander team but our nation.
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| Jimmy Carter's boyhood farm Mule tack |
Here the 39th president elect, a simple peanut farmer, and Nobel Peace Prize winner, Jimmy Carter who when he entered office it was on the heals of the Watergate scandal. Later, hours before President Carter left office he concluded the 14 month Iran Hostage Crisis. Boy how things have changed...
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| outside of Plains, GA. |
This area consists of three towns of interest where we toured by train on the Historic S.A.M. Shortline Railroad, an acronym for
Savannah, Americus and
Montgomery Railway.
Archery is where Jimmy grew up as a young boy on the family farm.
Plains, was his campaign headquarters, historic museum and his current address. Cordele, was named after Colonel Samuel Hawkins's (Savannah's president) eldest daughter Cordelia in 1888. In the state park we boarded a 1949 vintage passenger car and headed down the historic railway route. This was the life line of these towns for commerce and the progress of
Georgia.
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| Historic S.A.M. Shortline Plains, Georgia |
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| All-aboard!! |
With all that site seeing we sure built up a appetite and when that happens its time to bust out the Dutch Oven, "Damper on my mind," sorry
Georgia! Cured smoked bacon lardons, onion and cheddar, yes!!
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| Damper in the hole!! |
Camping here was okay as we could hear the local band playing each night at the watering hole. Daily we biked a deserted trail along the railroad tracks. Showers were hot and the park had much to offer, beside the S.A.M. train depot, war birds and artillery display, RC airstrip, canoeing, fishing and even golfing. A little store was just across the park entrance and we seem to make it there several times to get groceries and wine!
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| Backwoods Lake Blackshear |
"I think my feeling of greatest ease is when I'm in the outdoors," Jimmy Carter, 1980
Pulling up stakes heading east to Savannah, Red Gate Farms.
See y'all on the road.
🚙 .....
