Cycling the Underground Railroad

 DAY 11: LIVINGSTON TO ALICEVILLE, AL

A bit warmer, still sunny, with light and variable winds, 75% of today's ride was on more secluded backroads, very few cars and decent pavement.  That made it easier and more enjoyable to take in the sights and sounds of my last full day in Alabama.

Out from the forest, a rare vista of the western Alabama countryside.

Because this route has taken me mostly through forested, hilly country, "vistas," the places where you can see a long distance and really get a feel for the landscape, have been pretty rare.  Today, cresting a hill, there was such a view (above).  Alabama looks nothing like this when one is riding tucked into the valleys and hollows.  It was good to get another perspective. 

Today I would parallel the Tombigbee River and the Tenn-Tom Waterway (more on that a bit later).  Evidence of western Alabama's extensive forestry industry was again evident. 

The timber industry is prolific in this part of the state.

Some areas have been extensively cut, the space often cluttered with downed rotted trees.   I did find places that were being reforested.  Unlike out West, where much of the timber business seems to be overseen by the National Forest Service, here it appears that much of the land is under private ownership.  There were several "for sale" signs by a timber company regarding this reforestation project.

Replanted forest.  Much of the timber industry is on private land.

Although I was following the river rather closely, the thick woods made it difficult to see.  If you look closely at this photo,  you can see the Tombigbee.

A view of the river through the trees.

At a few places, I'd break out of the trees and find the river or a lake spread out before me.  There's a LOT of water in this part of Alabama.

A resort area on a bay off the Tombigbee River.

Today, on these somewhat out of the way roads, I cycled through several "historic" communities.  (So their signs say.  I concluded that "historic" means any burg founded prior to the Civil War, about 1860.)  One such village was Gainesville, Alabama.  I guess they call them "sleepy little towns" because everyone is asleep--I never saw a single human.  But I did find this classic (presumably abandoned) Southern house.  I really like it,  but it would be quite a fixer-upper!

Old "Southern-style" home (seemingly abandoned) in Gainesville, AL.

The past several days I've been cycling through the Black Belt of Alabama.   This doesn't refer to race, but to the rich soil left by the flooding of these rivers.   In the surrounding areas, one comes across huge farms and ranches.   I never associated Alabama with livestock, but I've seen plenty. 

I came across large farms along the waterways.

Toward the end of today's adventure, I crossed over the "Tenn-Tom Waterway" (Tennessee River-Tombigbee River).  This 234 mile canal connects the Tennessee River with the junction of the Tombigbee and Black Warrior Rivers.

Tennessee-Tombigbee (Tenn-Tom) Waterway, a 234 mile canal.

Built at a cost of 2 billion dollars (that's right, with a B) and completed in 1984, the project was initially seen as one of the biggest boondoggles in federal spending history.  That is, until 1988, when a severe drought closed the Mississippi River.  All the barge traffic was then diverted to the Tenn-Tom, which saved the nation's bacon, and coal, and grain, etc.

As I pulled into today's destination, Aliceville, Alabama, I spied an older Historic Marker (which I'm inclined to stop and read, occasionally :). Turns out that this little country town was one of the locations where German prisoners of war (6,000 here) were kept during WWII! It noted that two were killed trying to escape. 

Aliceville was the site of a U.S. Prisoner of War camp for Germans during WW II.

Since this is my last night in Alabama, I thought I'd offer some (rather random) observations (in no particular order):

* Alabama has more natural beauty than I had imagined. 

* The residents of Alabama desecrate much of this beauty by depositing every conceivable trashed item along the roadways!

* Alabama has a much more checkered and brutal,  yet on the other hand inspiring, history than I had known.

* The colors of the foliage and flowers are eye-popping at times: clover, redbuds, wisteria and so much more.

* I was chased by dogs more times (6, to be exact) than any other state I've ridden in.  Beware! I have "Halt!" dog spray and I know how to use it!

* I discovered a new soft drink I never knew existed.  (I thought it must be a uniquely Southern invention, but the bottlingp company is in Detroit,  Michigan.)

A new drink of choice.

Today's Mileage: 52.4

Total Distance to date: 405.8 miles